Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-01-25


IDENTIFY deny. 1t may perhaps be found
upon examination, that while General
jackson had plurality Of electoral votes,
Mr.. Adams had plurality Of votes at
the polls; and we are confident, that IL
Mr.. Crawford and Mr. Clay had been
Withdrawn from the canvass, and the
contest bad been single handed, between
Gen jackson and Mr.. Adams, the cleo
ton would have resulted as it has done,
in the choice of Mr.. Adams.
But this is not the light in which this
question deserves consideration. The
minds of the people ought no, to be in
fluenced by such extraneous considera-
tions;--and above all, the principles of
our constitution ought not to be abused,
by admitting, for a moment, that the
plurality of votes, given to Gen jack
son. should have governed the ch dice of
the House of Representatives. We do
not mean to say, that's proper respect,
for the wishes of the nation fairly ascer-
tanned, ought not always to be observed
by its representatives But we do say,
that the present chief magistrate holds
his seat By the will of the people Of the
U. States regularly expressed, in the
only way, in which an expression of
that will has any authority. They have
willed, in the most solemn form, in
the form of constitution, which they
declare shall be the supreme law OF the
lane, that a plurality of votes shall not
constitute an election, that when there
is such plurality, the representatives
shall elect, voting by states--thus with.
drawing from the people, that equality
of influence which is given them, in the
first vote, and transferring il to the
State, in the second. This provision OF
our constitution is in the true spirit
which pervades the whole of it, and
which marks it the result Of confer
ence between States, surrendering in
part, aad retaining in part, their politi.
cal equality. Shall this spirit be ap
pealed from, by every occasion in which
il was intended to soothe and coneiliate.
and the spirit of faction be invoked. to
expose our magistrates to unjust preju-
dice, and bring our institutions into dis.
credit These things are revolutionary,
in their tendency, and ought to be dis
couraged
Of like character is the complaint a.
gainst the Kentucky delegation, for
disregarding the instructions of their
Legislature. We have too much res
pact for the Legislature of Kentucky to
suppose, that they meant TO bind the
delegation by an instruction. We can
only suppose, that they meant to furnish
the best information, in their power, of
the opinions of the people, on ques-
ton, which had never been submitted
TO them. Such information was entitled
to the respect due to intelligent opinion,
and no more 1t was no. the constitu
tional o, gan, through which the will of
the people was to be conveyed TO the
representative The representatives in
congress were directly responsible to
their constituents, not to the legislature
And an attempt of the legislature to con.
troll the immediate representatives Of
the people, would be a usurpatlon upon
the rights of the people; an act which
instead Of deserving obedience, or even
respect, required resistance and even
reprobation. The faithful representa-
tive will obey the instructions of his
constituents whenever eonstitutionally
given. He will pay respectful atteD-
ton to their wishes, and every evidence
of their wishes. But, when OF bound
by instruction he will look beyond the
imperfect evidences of their will, in
formally conveyed--he will rest upon
the conclusions Of his own mind, form
ed from the best lights he can obtain,
will consult his country's COED. and
firmly meet the responsibility of those
acts. he deems proper for its attain.
uent. This we believe the Kentucky
delegation did. They were notinstruc-
ted; they did not choose to shelter
themselves from responsibility, under
the cover Of legislative recommends
ton; --consulting their own judgments.
they preferred the man thought most
capable of advancing the interest Of his
country;--and there is no question, that
Virginia then concurred in the opinion,
and approved the act.
This vote, which, If honestly given.
is an affair chiefly between the repre-
sentative and his constituents. would
not have been obtruded on your atten