Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-02-20
"a dollars per annuln.1

|
that it is consistent with the present constitute
! Of of the House OF Commons, or that it was tho
| intention of the trainers of our representative
system, that the representative should be bound
By ihc instructions Of the people the Particu;
lar district, who, by the constitution, are au-
| thorised To elect him.
These doctrines are known to this assembly
| not 20 be new. They are neither hostile TO the
GENTS, nor inconsistent with the practice oi
freedom--and they have been sustained, by ne
most distinguished champions, in the nation
| from whom, was derived, the model ofthe Anne.
rican constitutions They are eorro5orated not
only by the best expeditions of the theory and
| practice Of the English government; by the
most elaborate researches into its history, whe-
ther by Blackstone, the abiest comments-
| tor, who has written on English Law, or De
Lolme, to whose eloquent treatise on the Con-
stltution CT England, even Junius cheerfully ac-
cords, the rare reward Of his jealous praise, but,
by the theory and practice of her most illustri.
Gus statesmen, and her most popular orators
The opinion ofthe first of those distinguished
Jurists, has, indeed, been questioned, but the
credit almost universally attached to the results
of his unweared researches into every branch
OF the English Law, whether constitutional, or
| municipal, leaves him, at this day, the uncon-
! tested occupant of the highest ground of au-
thority. IN every controversy relating to either
81: 10 wisely coptrived,' SAYS this able writer,
| that IN so large state ours, the people
SnOulu 90 lIlat Dv their representatives, which
| 1T IS imPracticabe for them to perform in per-
son; representatives chosen by number of mi-
nute * separate Districts wherein all the voters
| may be easily distinguished. And every meme
| Der tho chosen by one particular district, when
| elected, and returned, serves for the whole
realm For the end ofhis coming thither, is
| not particular, but general; not barely to adj
vantage his constituents, but the common.
! wealth And therefore, he is not bound, like
| deputyin the United Provinces, TO consult
| with, or take the advice of his constituents
unless he thinks it proper or prudent to do so.
Lord Coke defines the word "Parliarnent,"
| (Which was introduced into the English LAM
| guage about the reign of Henry 3D. in his own
| quaint way but which sufficiently, discloses
| his opinion of the duties of a member. 1t is
| called Parliament, because every member Of
that court, should sincerely and directly" par
Ter Ia n'eHt," sPeat his 0SSn mind for the soad
| Of shs Commonwealth
I Ii is somewhat remarkable thar the com.
mentaries onthe laws Of England, which abound
| with The most eloquent encomiums Of freedom.
| should have attracted the resentment of it's ar
dent friends. especially, at time, when no
system had been, any where, reared, for IT'S Sc
ciTity, more perfect than the English const:tu-
| tion. This hostility, it is believed, would be
/ best explained by the circumstances of the
| times, which apply TO the author, rather, than
| to his work. But, it would be much more re-
| markable, IT the writings and speeches of Ed
1 6 leave
IN doubt, his opinion of the authority OF instruc-
tons. At period when this erudite scholar.
| profound statesman and uirivalled orator. WAS
\ member OF the association called the Wing
Club, consisting of those friends of British frec&
| dom most Respondent for genius and patriot
| ism, and when his popularity at lis zenith.
| he hazarded his political existence, by pufsu-
ing in the House Of Commons, course, direct
| iy opposed to the positive instructions of his
| immediate cor stltuents the corporation Of he
| city OF Bristol This great man, the friend of
freedom and reform, and let 1t not be forgot.
ten, the friend also of America, in the hour Of
his severest trial. stood at the Hustinrs of ,ris-
toll, and plead his justification, to an indignan.
people, whose sufrages he solicited in much
contested election then depending.
He is first charged with having neglected
to visit his constituents, during period,
when, against their wishes, he was advocat-
ing "peace with America" {" 1t was time"
Essays he, "when all who wished for peace,
cor retained any sentiments of moderation.
"were overborRe or silenccd; and this city,
"(and probably with more management,
"because wasone of your members) was
lied, by every artihce, to distinguish itself
"by its zeel for that fatal cause. In this
"temper of yours and Of my mind should
"sooner have fed to the extrematies of the
"earth, than have shewn myself here. /,
"who saw in every American victory, flor
"you have had long series of these misf1r.
"tuues) the germ and seed of the naval pow
! Ger of France and Spain, which all our hear
"and warmth against America, was only
"hatching into life. i should not have been
Ga welcome visitant with the brow and the
Language Of such feeling. When after
"wsrds the other face of your Calamity was
turned upon you and Showed itself in defeat
"and distress, stunned you full as much"
Il The closing sentences of this paragraph
are already in the possession of this Assem-
bly,, and it will readily perceive how little it
can warrant the inference, attempted to be
deduced from them, that the orator, who de-
Gverod them, considered himself bound by
any will ofhis constituents, however, express
ed, which initiated with the deliberate con-
viction Of his own judgment.
He tells them, in answer to the second
charge Of having disobeyed their Instructions,
that the just criterion of the merit Of a repre-
; sentative "is the whole tenor Of his conduct"
Gentlemen, says he, I'VE must not be pee
wish with those who serve the people
depend upon it that the lovers Of freedom
"wil be free. If we degrade and deprave
"their minds by servilit', it will be absurd
"to expect that those, who are creeping and
"abject towards us, viii ever be bold and
"incorrupbble asSerters Of cur freedom
"Nol human nature is not so formed nor
shall we improve the faculties, or better
the morals ofpublic men, by our possession
Of the most infallIble receipt in the world,
fer making cheats and hypccrites Let me
say, with piainness, who am, no longer, in
public character, that If, by fair, by an
indulgent, by gentiemauly behaviour TO