Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-07-04
FOR TIE SPECTATOR.


FOR TIE SPECTATOR.
To the Electors Of Madison County.
FELLOW CITIZENS,
Several falsehoods have been put
in circulation, by designing persons, with
the view of defeating my election
These were promptly met and refuted,
at their first appearance, several weeks
ago; but recent accounts give me to un-
derstand that these exploded calumnies
are still hawked about the distant settle
ments by men whose rank ought to pre-
vent them from becoming the seryile
retailers of mean and pitiful lies.
1t has been reported that was for
mcrly in favor of the proposed division
of the county; and some have insirnated,
and others have boldly asserted, that l
wrote the petition which was presented
to the legislature fer that purpose
Notwithstanding the confidence with
which these assertions have been made
and repeated, 1 affirm that IneUer 7va8
in favor Of the PROPOSED division, either
directly or Indirectly; that I did not
zvritc the fetition in question, or any
other petition. fer the division o. a county;
that did NOT sign the said Petition; and
that I haze neUer read or euen seen il.
1t has also been reported that l deny
the right Of the people to instruct their
representative This report is entirely
false. l admit the right Of ilstru ction,
as a right secured to the people by the
constitution, and as right growing out
Of the relative situation of constituents
and representatives. hold that the re-
preventative is bound to obey the will of
his constitu ents,no matter by what means
that will may have been made known
and when he fails to do this, heno longer
represents, but actually misrehresenta
the people.
The circumstance which furnished
the groundwork of the above report,
was this :--Believing that the plan of
some of the friends of the proposed
division was, that their candidates
should declare themselves opposed to
the division, but that, after their election,
they should be instructed to vote in favor
of that measure; l took the liberty of
declaring publicly, that, if elected, no
instructions whatever should induce me
to vote for division of this county either
on the east or on the west. / stated at
that time, that, as had published my
sentiments on that subject, my election
by the people would be conclusive evil
dence that they were opposed to the di-
vision, and would afford me the strongest
instructions to pursue the course which
had marked out. To this declaration
still adhere. l resort to no shutting
and no double-dealing. Those who
honor me with their suffrages, in the ex-
pectation that shall oppose the contem-
plated division of the county, may rest
assured that l shall not, in any event,
betray their confidence.
What additional falsehoods my op-
ponents will put in circulation to injure
me, it is impossible to conjecture. But
from the steps which they have already
taken, it is easy to foresee that no means
which malice and envy can invent, will
be spared, to deceive the people, and
prevent my election. Detected and
exposed as they have been, it is highly
probable that they will hereafter Cir
culate their falsehoods in such places
and at such times as will preclude
the possibility of their being detected
before the election. Even at the polls it