The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-05-17

tASsShCSs petWccn speculative perteCttOn
practical defect, between the to kaion. the moral
possibilities that may be imagined 10 subsist in
human society, and the Notifying deductions
from chat standard that must be encountered IN
lconducting society and government upon tire
best practical plan.
The sovereignty of the people. when they
1 are sufficiently reclaimed from barbarism or
long habits of servitude, l consider as the fun
damentai basis Of civil liberty and social happ
ness. But while the folly, ignorance and vices
OF men make government essentially necessary
10 their welf2re, the exercise OF this sovereign
power must necessarily be limited in many res
pects-for government is power and coercion,
and without them It is nothing.-I cannot indeed
conceive tnt four ways, in which the sovereign
" OF The people can be exercised benefcialy to
lnemselyes.AThe first is, in CONSTITUTE gov
erhment, acco ding with their suber deliberate
choice secondly, in changing the government,
when with the same temper and deliberation,
.hey thnk better may DC instituted /; thirdly,
40 keeping the government true to its first princi
pies, by fair frequent elections fourthly in en-
joining lhe government, to forbear to do some
act, It Is about 10 do, TO- abrvgate, some act, ii
| mas already done, or to ordain some act; it has
before omitted to Debut must maintain, that
as this power can of right be alone held, SO the
several functions oft, which have mentioned,
can be alone 6enefeiaily exercised, by the will of
the whole, or of majority of the whole people.
Why is anindividual punished, if he violate
the law' Plainly because he resists he general
will, ordaining rule of conduct for the com
mon good.-Why rs a portion of the state, as
county or an electoral district for example,
more highly criminal aud more highly punisha
bic, 1t they rise in rebellion agsins, the law !!
PLAINLY tor the same reason, together with the
aggravstion OF more extensive mischief, and
more dangerous exampie.---Now however OBJ.
v'ous the difference be in mode and degree,
cannot, for my soul, discern any difference in
principle, between defeating the general will by
force and arms, and eiiecting the same thing
through the means OF a forced and Fictitious ma
jority, obtained by the partial instructions ofthe
same portion of citizens, discontinued with
law that already exists, or one. that, but for
then nterposition. would be enacted.
: IIe crucefn, brettum seekeyis, fnl:!, hic DiaIe
independently OF the very questionable righ.
OF small portion OF the state, to issue peremp-
ioiy instructions to a representative of the state,
am the less disposed to embrace the popular no
ton on that subject, because, while ana incapa.
bic OF Imagining any good to arise from it can
discern much evil. j think can descern it, the
frequent sway OF minority, the factious success
OF low men OF inSuence, pursuing personal in
terests. unuer he veil o. parriotism, the mocke-
ny OF fictitious majority, the absurt.ity, not of
one, but OF an hundred is.reria in imperio, de-
v'etion from, the true principles of popular sove-
! reignty and representa- and the fruitful
matrix Ut disbonorable and seductive means
practised, N the noble art and mystery of cleo
uoneering
Buti is said, that If local Instructions are no.,
obligatory, the people rhled bya sc, of DIES
poes periodic ally elected This position is OF
Br 81 origin, where the House OF Commons
Is septennial, nj where the royal ministry
who g'.ide 1t, Can raise and spend seventy mil
| mons sterl,ngs annually Blu. the position IS not
true either in ITS consequences or its remedy :
Tor such is the efficacy of responsibility to the
people, that iessened rs it is by the influence oil
the crown, and the protrscted tenure of seats in
Pariiament,it has k-ptfRe doings of the House oil
Commons,sta espectful distance from despotism
The remedy proposed may work two ways fol
as majority of tie Commons is elected direct
ly or lndrectly by the influence of tine ministry
III elections; IT Is TO be presumed, that maio.
rity OF the instructions would support, rather
than obstruct the ministerial measures. Blu. why
correct ore error by another, course that never
fails to proceed in an accumulation of errors -
why not resort to the true remedies, of check
ing tie professo" of the crown, and shortening
the periods of ctiou, to the estimated point Of
etficacous responsibility and safety l-If the go-
vernment has So ar got the start of the people,
that for hundr, ] years they have been unable
to redress parl me1tary abuses, what reason-
able hope Can ti.ere be, that any attention would
+ De PAID to the occasional, perhaps capcIous in
structons of a few knots of voters 1.-The posi-.
ton, II true, might have some bearing on our
+ srAehnial senate, little or none upon our bienni-
al house OF Representatives and none at all up
on our annual state Legisatures.--In truth a GER
tam degree OF confidence is absolutely necessa.
! ~, IN the AFFAIRS of men, whether domestic, CT
wi, or political. A vigilant and prudent super
attendance over all our concerns, is useful and
proper, but tire business, the pleasures, the cha.
4 rittes of social life, would be destroyed by ex-
cessiye app .heasion and distrust. To this ex.
cess some OF the most amable or laudable feel
! ngs OF the human heart specially subject. &
IL ~ often found, that in the passion of politics.
as well as CT love, tres light air are to the
jealous combinations strong, as proofs of holy
writ "
! If the morality of the community become
such, that YOU cannot securely trust power to
men tor one or two years, tho they are of your
free and select ch oIce, and tho liable for a
short-llved abuse ofpower, to the degrading
prlvation ot ii for ever, you will never cure the
wi, by the poor expedent of local Instructions.
| Actum est dc republica, the case is desperate.
| AS we'll might you hope to keep ship ut her
| noorings, secure from Rocks & Tempestsb y ca.
bles OF sand, as to the vessel of state fros,
wreck and ruin, by any ligatures made out of
| -uch base materials
| The shock which many receive, from The ex
pct denial OF the positive obligation Of instruc-
/ ions, seems to arise from an apprehension OF
I encroachment on the freedom OF speech & wri.
ting, the right of a. petition, address, & re-
monstrance, but 1t is surely groundiess and inn
asinsry.--l think that majority Of the whole
| people have perfect right to communal, that a.
ny portion OF the people, nay that any individm-
al citizen, have perfect right TO address the go
yernmcnt, on any subject, and in any manner :,
I Is. 81, Ne - 4