Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-11

"t1e elected is constituted by the ma.
g tional, and owes no obedience to the
delegated authority which appoin.
ted him." Upon which ground a
general appointed by the President
might also refuse to obey his ins,ruc.
tions, and multitude of sses of sim.
liar responsibility will 9teur upon re-
,Aecsipn.
~ The objection hoyever will admit
HotothT answers. Election is not di-
Vided BY the constitution of the Uni.
Led States to destroy the responsible.
i,y OF representatives,, but to preserve
it. Narrow districts can acquire u
better knowledge, exercise asouader
discretion, and exert more efrectual
coertion, as to their conduct, than "a
wide country. A construction there
fore, which diminishcs the value of
two ends OF this mode of election, and
defeats third, does not seem TO be
sound.
The division of election was also
designed to prevent the abuse to which
election itself has been universally lii.
able, when exercised by entire nations.
Thus exercised, it runs into violence,
civil war, revolution and despo ism.
The people divided the tempestuous
ocean OF the null itude to restrain their
own excesses, as they have done the
strongphalanx ofcivil government, to
prevent It's usurpa ion. By bestowing
unon Sections of themselves the right of
hscoh ms constituents, they bestowed
ait incidental rights annexed TO it by
public opinion or common sense and
did not intend by the division of cleo
ton for restraining the excuses of
the multitude, to furnish pretext for
weakening the division of power, by
dischargIng their delegates from the
duty to obey their Instructions. Eve
ny reason for dividing the right 10 ell
ect, operates with equal force for d.
viding the right to INSTRUCT. The OBJ.
lection that large territory was
NOT adapted for popular government ''
hasbeen gotten over by representation
but II the division of election thus rem
dered necessary, should make the re-
preventative independent of his con-
stituents, during | ng term, and in-
deed at all times, e objection becomes
extremely formidable. The right TO
sipdruct was NOT added to the mode
of election imposed by extent of ter
rltorv, because it was an indissoluble
Incident OF the right TO elect, just as
though the righS to raise armios is
given, e, c~-o'ess, no right is given to
arm them.
30 Tar the argument is placed upon
the most favorable ground for The gen
tiemen who have disavowed an obli-
CATION 20 obey instructions. But IL
becomes yet stronger in the particular
case under consideration. The re.
Jeeted Instructions were given by state
leglslatures to their senator's in Con.
'greA. These Senators are no; elected
py sections OF the people, nor are thev
popular representatives. They are
the representatives of moral or facti-
tlous beings called states, which can
90 no act whatsoever except through
the organ of the state government
and were Instituted without regard tn
popular numbers, as the ligament OF
the union, and the guardian of the
state rights. The instruction came
from the entire undivided power DOS
sessing the right of ell ction, and un-
equlvocally ascertained the will of that
power, as 1t is often difficult to do in
the case of popular Instructions. Its
authority was therefore more perfect
J IN every view, than an instruction pro-
ceeding from a popular section.
Ii the idea OF a virtual responsible.
ty is abused, when it is used to des.
troy an actual responsibility. the oues-
tlon comes back TO this plain unso-
phlsticaied ground. Is right of in
struction according to the principles
OF republican government anne xed "a
the right of constituting the agent Il
1t 1t be answered in the affirmative. the
agent cannot also have 2 right TO DISC
hey the instruction. 1t is true that the
right to instruct is imperfecdy enfor.
ced. There is no power of recall pro.
vided for by the constitution. lust
as the rights to personal safety and
property are so inperGectly secured
under some governments, that civil
war is the only resource against their
violation YET they do NOT therefore
A. -