HISTORY OF VERMONT. ^95 



Hampshire had proposed that in voting for pre- 

 sident and vice president of the United States, 

 the electors should in future distinguish in their 

 votes, which wns voted for as president, and 

 which was voted for as vice president. This 

 alteration in the constitution, became afterwards 

 a matter of serious debate and contention. It 

 may be of use to remark what were the opinions 

 of the different parties, at this period. The- 

 sentiments of this assembly were expressed in 

 this manner : *' Resolved^ that the senators and 



* representatives of this state in Congress, be, 



* and they ^re hereby requested to use their 



* best endeavors, that Congress propose to the 

 ' legislatures of the several states, the following 



* amendments to the constitution of the United 



* States, to wit. 



*' That the electors of president and vice 

 ^ president, in giving their votes, shall respec- 

 ' tively distinguish the person whom they desire 



* to be president, from the one they desire to 

 ^ be vice president, by annexing the words 

 ' President or Fice President, as the case may 

 ' require, to the proper name voted for." All 

 the federalists were in favor of this amendment, 

 yeas 94 ; the republicans were also united in 

 their opposition to such an alteration, nays 42.^' 



From the number of votes which appeared 

 in opposition to the political measures of the 

 m.ajority in this assembly, it appeared that the 

 number of those M^ho were called republicans 

 was in fact very considerabl}' increased In the 

 assembly since their last session at Vergennes ; 

 and that they now amounted to one third of the 

 whole assembly. 



* ^2ge 153, 154. 



