The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-01-02

small and least popalous states, o,ernfd
~ they have always been by enlarged aud
ihrrl yeiwf, ought not Ia entertain In.
desire ofimposing ON the people a Prcsi.
don't Ia whom tie great main1iiy would
he atcrse. No motive of policy, no Niahs
of cxpediency would dictate such u wish,
It would he a blind AID mdlsefeet cXerelar
of power which would speedily cousisn 10
destruction the person ele,at.dhy iie iUila.
encc. II would be victory obtained with
the certainty ot alter-iclcat. An admins
Itlation would be formed, With tho people
IN opposition 90 il, aud II To ihe people
and the moment Of lis creation would tuI-
nish e,idencrs If lis future embarrasss
ments and dnal dissolution.
This Legislature cannot, therefore, dis
rcrn any sound objection IL The adoption
OF means in couetti with the other Stales
of THIS Union, lol the purpose Of avoiding
the occurrence of events - much 10 be
deprecated. Iimm may lead III the adop-
ton u better cxpedient than u caugrcssion-
al recommendation Nhcnsocter better
shall be presented, this state will be ready
to substitute it for that which has hereto
folc prevailed. In deciding al this timc on
the preprIety Of wsarlpg TO a tongrcssion.
al recommendation, il is led 10 enquire
what cAil has Yet befalen this land from
adherlng 10 that system which MAS intro.
ducrd 10 consolidate party, aud To give
force aud elect 10 public opinion, Has
the Presidency been conferred ON the I'M
worthy, or has any other than ihe Nation
! iavorite been elevated 10 thai high station
Has there been aught of penidy az hase-
ness originating with or growing out Of lie
| Congressional recommendation Nothing
of this sort is alleged or pretended. -
! The members of Congress form an equal
Representation II all the people. Each
carries with him the sentiments of his
constituents His responsibility to them
the desire 50 natural Ia him of preserving
their confidence aud affection, would lead
him To speak Their wishes, and express
their choice. " il not denied, that he
ought to yield his preferences and those
of his constituents where propIiety aad "A
due regard 10 the interests OF the Union
would require IT.. Bal the sane operating
causes would lead him To advocate the
| prctensions of that candidate who Btood
next highest in their confidence. This
course leads more directly To the ascertain
nent Of the wishes of the majority of the
people, than any other which has yet been
acted on. In this view. Virginia can SEE
nothing 10 object 10 H.
Nor can this assembly admit the force
of that reasoning, which rel5 nog on the
fact that member Of Congress cannot be
an elector, denies to him the pr, llega
belonging to every other citizen Of express.
ing his sentiments in regard 10 the quallf
cations of the candidates, II the trainers
of the constitution had anticipated such
dcplorable consequence from the exercise
of the right as its enemies dedncc, why
did they not 80 as far as 10 silence him
entirely by denying To him the right of
voting for the electoral ticket II, ~ is
pretended, they wished him Ia stand
wholly uncommltled and silent rs TO the
election until the last resort, they should
have silenced him at the poks, or more
properly have closed them against him
Tor surely, II cannot be- pretended, that his
commitment when he cuncurs in mere
recommendation AT Washington is more
complete, than when he votes for an cIec.
toral ticket, with II perfect understanding
Tor whom the elcctofs whom he cOntribu-
ted by his suffrage Ia elect, will give their
votes. The Legislature Of Tennessee
seems 10 infer from lhe Circumstance, that |
the members of { ongfess can only recon- !
mend, without the power TO enforce Their
recommendation, IN Argument c0nclu 4
measure. The cflor OF this argnmCrt CON
slsts ~ not properly discriminating ,ctwecn
the exercise by Them of power -. MON
bcrs of Congress aud rights - cilzcns of
the United States. II is oresumed. that
the Legislature Of To- .ne,sce. would not
dcuy 10 the Member. either 6di,i duall,
or collectively, TIE privilege Of recommen.
dihB 10 lie ~ ION a useful invention IN
fttF a. I.
anu YET u = recommendation IN either Of
ne Fnp' ascd cases wtld not be obligatory
II l41e mere fact of the election Of an in.
az dual IN Congress strips linn If bis civil
lights aud parcs hun in situation ia
which be dare not write or speak, or act,
bat in lis character Of Legislator, il would
not be difficult to fofosce that there would
not only not be u caucus but thai the Con
grcss ilself would exist but in name. No
| high minded or honorable man would cou-
sent 10 be placed IN such state of vassn-
/ lagc The right which each member
possesses of vntlog at the general election.
secures to lin the right 10 give expression
To his sentiments. The very act al voting
constitutes that expression. The right
tlien belonging - each individual mem
btf, belongs 20 the whole body Of mem
''crs IN tier character If citizens Of the L.
states, II would therefore secm, that
ihf'r authority to assemble together and 10
] adopt resolutions expressive Of their wish
I rs, was as complete as that of any other ho-
dy Of citizens in the L. States II their re
COMMUNICATION BIZ attended with more
force and effect Than similar expression
by any other asscmbaSr Of citizens, tie
reason is 20 be found in the fitness anil
suiiabIcness of the thing Itself. TO have
closed the lips Of the mombers would not
only have been tyrannical as 10 them, but
injurious to the proplc ; as they would
thereby have been cut oil from one Of the
best aud most certain sources Of correct
Information. But it is implied, that the
member is liable TO the tempered With and