Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-10-25
ALEXANDRIA, DaILF GaZETTE.
"To sHEw
THE VERY AGE AND BODY OF The TIME.
HIS FORM AND PRESSURE"
FRIDAY MORNING, October IS.

The Aurora has for some time past been
discussing the question of the right of the
people to instruct their Representatives. In
this be is principally engaged in controsert-
ing the doctrines of Anaxagoras, writer in
the National Intelligencer. From the Auro-
ra's sixth number on the subject, we extract
the following precious Confessions
6 1t has indeed become serious subject for
considerations how the business of the public
is conducted by their epresentatiyes-and it
requires to be told to the country, that the
general mode of conducting any business of
great national magnitude is NOT according
10 the hrhicities Of the constitution, nor &C
c5rding to the known will or interests of the
peope-there are two methods employed
which have SUPERCEDED tie methods Of
deli5eratio,a, and in these methods we shall
be sure to find the true cause of the Aversion
to iastructi2ns, as we'll as to free discussions
by means OF the press.
The first means are those of, factions, ca5als
and caacuSSes--in which the members losing
sight of their delegated duty, and the trust re-
posed in them, treat of the trust as a mere
personal chattel, over which an individual in
terest alone exists; the votes OF meFnbers are
here PLEDGED before debate, notwithstand
ing the arguments raised by such writer's as A.
naXagoras, ON the constituents instructlng
when they lad not heard the arguments; we
say that measures Of Congress on the most
important questions, are generally decided BE-
fore any argument is heard & even whenargu-
ment is heard. the decision is made not upon
the argument, but by secret meeting OF
faction, AT NIGHT.
The right of instruction would give dead
ly blow to caucussing, and to c6ice-hnniing-
meanness, and hattery, and imbecility, would
not succeed, if the people frequently and RI
gidly exercised the right of Instruction.
The second mode OF regulating the business
which the constitution ass sns congress to be
decided by open discussion and disPassionate
votes, is that of legislating according to the
SECRET advisemeats o. The r1ec'Hioe, or
some executive officer. The tendency Of this
course every man of the plainest understands
ing may see the constitution Is violated di-
rectly-the boosted separation of the execu-
tive from the Legislative departments is pros
tratcd--and the actual character of despot-
ism is engrafted on tie most popular form OF
governments existing
Here we find it explicitly and publicly &C
knowledged By a leading democratic writer,
that the proceedings of Congress are not re-
gulated OH constitutional principles, but that
the votes Of the members are either pledged
as midnight meetings, or are Influenced by
the secret advice of the executive. A pretty
picture this is, Of democratic Legislation And
with what interest must the American people
attend to the debates Of Congress, when they
know that the fate of every question is decid-
ed OH before hand in caucus of intriguers !!
When the Federalists formerly asserted that
this was the case, when Mr.. Randolph protest
ed against back-stans influence, how stoutly
was it all denied by the understrappers of the
faction? 1t was denounced as federal lie,
or the unfounded charge of malice and disap-
pointment. But now that the fact is avowed
by the party themselves, they will scarcely
have the hardihood to deny it hereafter.