Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-09-24
TRUSTWORTHY ACT.

| TRUSTWORTHY ACT.
We are happy 10 have it in our power 10
record the following act Of patriotic NUM-
6cence. Were similar instances, which no
doubt exist, oftener made public, We be-
lieve the cause Of hun anity would be pro-
NOTED.
Our readers no doubt remember the ap-
plication of Capt. lillian Watson, OF YER
mont, for a pension, under the law OF the
last congress providing for the relief OF the
surviving officers and soldiers OF the reVo-
luton. The petition contained recapitu-
lation of the services and suferings OF cap
tain w. in tina, war, which was published
, by the editor of the Albany Register, with
some remarks confirming its authenticity.
The latter article was seen by Mr.. Morgan,
, President of the u S. Branch Bank at N.
. Orleans, who wrote to his friend in New
York, directing him to forward one hum
dred dollars Immediately to the old veteran,
and draw upon him for that amount This
is no mockery-but an act OF pure, patrl-
otic, and disinterested benevolence.
The word representative, as il has al
! ways been understood in the business of le-
gislation, means, not as .Americanus seems
to think, something bearing strong ST.
Multitude to the original" but one er'r-
cis,ng the uicarious po,rer given to another"
1t was in this sense considered the word
in my application of ii-and believe it is
for this purpose that persons so named are
appointed. Once appointed, the represent
tative is invested with the most perfect dis
cretion in the exercise Of that power for the
whole time for which it is granted and the
very nature of the grant implies that his
conduct is left to the decision of his own
t Judgment. When representative in con-
gress is elected, the supposition is, and
the fact ought to be, that he is chosen for
his superior quali6cations--for his superior
knowledge, political experience, talents,
and eruditiun. The majority of any body
of constituents must, from the necessity OF
their condition, be incapable Of instructing
any man whom community ought to elect,
supposing they were all collected al the
fountain head of political information, TO
TO which he is sent in order that he may
have immediate possession OF all the facts
on which his decision is to be grounded,
and the benefit of the various opinions and
sentiments Of his co-legislators TO assist and
guide him.
If the advocates for the doctrine of in
structions were correct in the principle, the
! representative would be in the most con-
temptihle circumstances OF servitude ina
giuahle He would Re neither more nor less
than being tho voluntarily suborned him
self to sacrifice his unbiased opinion, his
mature Judgment, his enlightened con-
science, his intelligence, his principle. his
all that confers dignity upon man, TO the
caprice Of others, and pledges himself for
the most slavish submission to the unsteady
| dictation of multitude He must set out
with determination to abuse the hghes'
gifts of God-to belle his judgment, should
| il be demanded of him, and to tie himself
! down to the maintenance of principles,
which not only he has not examined, and
cannot ore-see, but which at the time he
takes the Office are not so much as imagined
by those to whom he pledges himself In
short, he engages him, as if he directly said
TO his constituents, make me your repre-
sentative, and from that time forward
shall not pretend 10 have an opinion of my
own, or to be guided Iby my conscientlou.
convictions-no! your commands shall he
10 me conviction, conscience, Judgment
every thing ~ may be convinced thai
your opinions and instructions are miscbie'
vous TO the repubic-but no matter, &c
carry them into effect shall be with me a
virtue" Now, |, on The contrary, main.
tam, that in obeylng them he acts the trail
tor to his country and TO them. "lf, (say:
certain distinguished political phiioso'
pher) if government were matter oil rii
upon any side, no doubt that OF the consti
tuent ought to be superior but government
and legislation are matters Of reason anc
|, Judgment, and not Of inclination ; and wha
sort Of judgment is that, in which the de-
termination precedes the discussion il
, which one set Of men deliberate, and ano
ther decide and where those who form the
; conclusion are many hundred Of mile, dis
tant from those who hear the arguments"