Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-09-18
,rsrnucTioys TO REPRESENTATIVES,

INSTRUCTIONS To REPRESENTATIVES,
There are few sessions Of congress which
pass without casting some further shade OF
absurdity (in addition to those it derives
from its own obvious nature) upon the doc
trine, set up by wild theorists. Of the right
Of constituents to instruct their representa-
tiYes. The conduct Of those instructors on
the subject Of the compensation law, CON-
bined with SOME late results, throws ne"
and glariug light upon their fitness to m
struct. Who can forget the disgrace.ui cla-
NOR that was raised upon that occasion,
and the wrath with which those public n
structors sent forth the steam from their O.
yer-heated brains, denouncing all who 'o'
ted for that measure of sound policy and
c.nmon honesty ? and who can forget the
change which it occasioned in the repre-
seu,ation of the country! When time was
given for reflection, however, and the fog
through which they viewed the subject was
dispeIled, they begin TO repent like the
wise citizen in Shakspeare's Coriolanus,
{" though hey willingly voted for their ba-
nishment, yet still it was against their will
at the late election they have called back
some of the most sturdy advocates OF in
creased compensation, and shown that they
regard those who took that side OF the ques-
ton with more respect and confidence than
thew do the seryile crawlers after populari-
" who, on that occas on, out OF fear, de-
serted both the people and the honor OF
congress.
They who assert the right TO instruct, ac-
tually pervert the term representative from
its original Specification and import and
would reduce that high office OF trust down
70 nothing more than that OF attorneys OF
their constituents; and regardless OF their
oun conscientious sense of right or wrong,
pretend to pride themselves on acting ac-
cording to the motley notions OF those con-
stituents only. But surely this is most
degrading idea of representative, and ex-
bibits him in the most servile OF all points
of yiew-ihat of the AFFECT prostrator OF
his Judgment and conscience at the feet OF
Others. without consideration Of what the
value or quality Of their opinions may
be. 1t is directly saying, "No matter how |
absurd-no matter how wicked or how ru-
inou. to the public veal your decisions may |
bel will he your humble slave to carry |
them into effect" The election OF West
minister has sometimes cost the candidates
thirty thousand pounds sterling apiece
but TO proud and honest man, who deep
" rendered the honor and prosperity OF his
country, to be made representative Gan
attorney rather) on the terms oil cur IN
struction- would be paying a
much severer price for it. A representa-
tive in congress is person deputed TO per-
form a certain portion of the public BUSH
ness in the national council or assembly,
and vested with full power to that effect.
In ths office he is bound by every law OF
God and right to use his best judgment in
deciding, and his best endeavors in promo
ting, whatever be shall believe to be most
for the national good and this without any
view to the will Of bis particular constltu-
ents, or any regard to their sense OF affairs:
For il may be, either that the sense OF those
constituents cannot be conveyed to him, or
that they may have no sense to convey.
That this independently of the represen-
tative is supposed by the constitution, APP
pears plainly from this, viz: that the pow
ers with which he is invested are not revo-
cable at pleasure, or before the expiration
of the term for which they are gwen. How
far such an ordainment ef things is eligible,
| aln not now arguing only say that if
be nothing more than per-
son VI o sits in congress to speak the sense,
whatever il may be, Of certain numberoi
people, as he receives il by post from the
country. he is only 10 be compared to the
brazen he$d, in Don Quxotte,
IA hollow piece OF brainiess metal--a
tube-an organ.pipe-a kind OF wind in
s.runent, which sends forth sounds mocha
nically, at the mere capricious will and des-
potic commands Of HE owners. Il.
RoGUEs CAUGHT.
We are gratiied in being able to state,
that the swindlers who nave lately prowled
about Philadelphia, New-Jersey, and this