Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-09-05

to Blackstone, the only authority WIN io"ye.o
who have never penetrated into the arcana OF
noble science; nor to the authority OF nutSe'
who could only give support 10 .ne 81: ;,an
of American freemen, by CONSUMING h' -
men, instead of instructions; nor Of our w"
Robertson, who, upon being remlnuea ~
public voics, declared that he aohmo"ie.s0 -
obligation TO obey no other puonC ,oiNe
,h,, of his ocn constituents; nor Of Giles, whose
.tyle. modelled on thai Of Locke, is equaiied oy
few. whose masculine understanding ana pow
or NJ rac;ocination would render him invincioie
in rood cause, and make him formidaoie III
bad one-whose book on Instructions Is e'aSsio
authority, and who proved TO all, whose PFeJo-
dices will allow them 10 weigh bis reasoning
that the State Legislature have not even 'he
power 10 give mandatory lnsirucions ~ 'e""
tors appointed by themselves; nor oi,'ros'enoi'
the Dexter of the North; nor OF Randolph, the
Eschines of the South. Rejecting all lhese'
sbsIl adduce but one. II is all authority, now
ever. precisely in point. 1t is that OF States
man who now ranks high in the estimation o,
h;s country. by whose nervous eloquence
have been often electrified, and 10 whose COM
mandipp intellect Mr. McDGffie will be as
ready as myself to bow. 1t is that OF VIZ.
CALHOUN, The Magnus Apollo 0! Mr. MeD",ne
| In the debate to which have already ca'ied
your attention, Mr. Calhoun, with his aecuS''i'''
ed energy, exclaims: y, :.
"What has produced this magic sPei: ~,
"structions! Well, then, has II come 10 ms
"IIave the People of this country sna.c nea '"e
spower of deiberation from this BODY! nase
",hey resolved the Government INTO Tvs oriSr
"nal elements, and resumed 10 themselves '"ei'
"primtiye power Of legislation! Are we ,nen
"body of individual agents, anc net deii'Sera
hnf nOsSeSSlnp
She form ofleeisla,ion? If such be the Tact,
s,et gentlemen produce their Instructions proper
"ly authenticated Let them name the time ahd
"place at which the People assembled and de-
"berated ON this question. Oh no! hey
shave no written, no verbal instructions; ou'
",hey have implied instruetionS--lhe law Is I'M
"popular, and they are bound TO repeal II IN op-
opposition 10 their conscience anG reason. Have
"geptlcmen re lected on the consequences oil
"this doctrine? Are we bound, in all cases, 10
"do what is popular? Ifit is true, how are po
"lilical errors, once prevalent, ever TO De Cor
."rected? Suppose party to sprmS up
"in this country. achose reaI rie,0s ~ere me
obstruction Of liberty. Suppose that by
"nsanasenaent, by the patronage OF OF
;'Gces, by the corruption Of the press, they should
l"delude the People and obiin majority
SAND SURELY sucs STATE OF THINGS Is NOT
|"IMpossIBLE-whatth then will be the effect OF
I",his doctrine? Ought we to SIT quiet! Ought
eve TO be dumb? Or ought we TO approoa'c,
Though we see that libertyis TO be engulphea!
"This doctrine Of implied instruction, ii am
}"not s,aken, is new one; tor the hrst ume
sbroached in this House; and if am not great
mlv deceived no, more new than dangerous
sit is very different in its character and effects
"from the old doctrine that the constituents
aha,e a right to assemble and formally TO in
"sruc, the Representative, and though Tould
"noi hold myself boundto OBEY ANY such 'nsfruec
"iions, yet conceive that the doctrine is not OF
"a very dangerous character But THIS
"doc,rne is OF far different character. Such
Construction NAV exist any day, and on any
"subjec: II may be always al hand 10 justify
T"any alteration from political duty. Mr.. G..
"would ask its advocates, in what do they differ
ain their actions from The mere trimmer, the po
'6iicai trsaihercockS
! 81, too, Said Mr.. c. am an advocate for in
|" struc,ions. ! AN INSTRUCTED. The Constr
g tuition is my letter Of Instruction, written by
:" the hand Of the People, stamped with their
authority, i, admits Of no doubt as TO Its obli-
"ga,ion. Your very acts, in opposition 10 It's
/" authority, are null This is the solemn voice
|" OF the People 10 which bow in perfect sub
4" mission. This is the all powerful creative
I" voice which spoke our Government into e1-
1" is,ence, and made US politically as we arc
|" this BODY is the FIRST ONE in the political
/" crea ion and stands nert in authority TO the orr
ginal crsatire uoice Of Tie People; and any at
" tempt 10 give different direction to its move
|" menl from what the Constitution and the de-
Z" Rberofc consideration o. ITS members point out,
{" consider an innovation upon the principles Of
|" our Government"
"You may rely upon it, the public wish and
"expecl US to &C, by the convictions Of eur mind
" and tUiA ''' For his part, he preferred that
I"ereclness Of mind which, in all Cases, felt dis
"posed to embrace what was in itself just and
wise"
This specimen Of chaste & manly eloquence,
worthy of he best days Of Burke or Chatham,
must strike dumb forever The advocates Of i'm
piled instructions 10 the Representatives in Con-
gress, through the fundamentally Of Stale
Legislatures.
But although Mr.. McDuffie may stand aghast
al SO unexpected an opponent as Mr.. Calhoun,
| and conscience NAV for once aDDly the severe