Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-10-09
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ADDRESS OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE
CENTRAL COMMITTEES

and extraordinary determination made known by
majority of tho Caucus Electors, to disregard th
wishes of majority of the People declared at tn,
polls have issued an Address, to tho Virginia pub
lie, which, from tho warm aud general interest OK
cited by the conduct of the Electors wo Law at ono,
before Tho reader The Address is calm in tcmper
and according to the principles of old fashioned
Rcpublicanism, unanswerablc in reasoning.
1t appears that Mr.. Roane, (son of Spence,
RoaneD Elcctor for this District, Mr.. Logan Of
Halifax, and Mr.. Bland of LOWS, coincide will
MIR. Loyal and the IS, and consider themselves
boand to prefer the views of tho Caucus, over the
will of the People! The remaining four, Messrs
Opic of Jefferson, Carr of Albcmarlo Mcmillan
of Brooke, and Russell OF Washington decline re.
spouse to tho enquiry
We have heard in much conversation on the sub.
Jet, one gentleman and only, vindicatc the
course of the Electors More general SURPRISE or
unquoihed disapprobaton, we have never seen pro-
duced by any political manouevre. The People of
Virginia have tamoly surrendered themselves to DO
led by the at the discretion Of few indvidu-
ais, or this crisis will wake them up with ven-
geanco.
We had supposed, that the right of instrnstien
and tho obligation the Representative to obey
had ripened throughout the United States, into the
dignity of cardinal, fundamental, and sacred pin
cipo; and that no man or set of men, who under
s;oud the nature of Representative government, or
respected public oi"sp: valued his or their own
political standing, would hazard it's negaton. Not
one man only, has been found bold enough TO do
this, but nuAbor of men selected TO fill respon.
sible station, for their worth and responsibility
The circumstance is alarming it assumes a conse
fin aboyn thp inn ,Tn
now and ominous feature in the characteristics of
the times.
Where has this rev doctrine come from? Is il of
Virginia GROWTH Who so blind as not to see in it
specimen fAlbany tactics-the transference hither
of Regency mana cement the development of that
system of state intrigue, by means of which few
mon in New York have invested themselves with
almost regal powers, and by mn adroil direction of
the patronage of the People, held the People in
but IL is question more particularly for the
Jackson party, and to them va leave it. AS to Mr.
Van Buren, or Mr.. Barbour, we have no choice be-
tween them. Both are equally nimical TO our
views, and we are equally inmcal to both. Never
theless, even the friends of Mr. Van Buren,, ms re-
publican citizens who value their rights, ought TO
protest against a doctrine which strips the People
W.
them but the worthless privilege Of executing the
mandate Of Richmond Caucus, itself the creature
IF Thomas Richie! Let them vote for Mr. Van
8uron, but let them also pr otes against the abom
liable doctrine assorted lest it grow into precc
lent.
We invite perusal Of tho Address.
At meeting ofthe Jackson s., Barbour Central
of Correspondence hold at Charlottes
Vile on Monday the LIST October, lS32-TlSsletters
of Mcssrs. Dade, Loyal, Cargill, Mason, Jones
OF Gloucester, Jones Of Nottoway, Williamson,
Beai, Aastin, Martin, Horner, Nelson, Blackwell
Harwoood Gibson, Logan, Bland and Roane, in
reply to tho communication, which was addressed
by this committee to all the electors nominated by
tho Legislative Caucus, were read. 1t appeared
that no answers had been obtained from Mcssrs
Opie, Carr, Mcmillan and Russell The commu
MICA ion of this committee to the electors was al
so read
From this correspondence, it appeared, that
SIMPLE inquiry had boon respectfully submitted
to tho electors to ascertain whether they wenId
consider themselves bound (if elected) to vote in
the Electoral College, for Vice President in ODE.
dlence TO the will of majority of the people of
Virginia, as that will might he clearly expressed
at the polls and that all the electors from
whom answers had been received (except Messrs
Mason, Nelson, and MARTINI had either positively
declined to give such pledge, had yielded it in
terms so ambiguous and cquivocal, as to warrant
ne reasonable hope, that they would regard the DO
ton on them, in bcstowing tho vote of the Stale
Dangerous as this committee regard the princi.
ple which assumes, that in representative repub.
lie, the delegate is not strictly bound by the will
of tho constituent body;-thoy fear that doctrine
still more dangerous and subversive of popular
rights is disclosed by many Of the electors on this
occasion. 1t is that no who may be elected by
The people, for the sole purpose of choosing the
most important officers of our government, is not
only at liberty to disregard the declared will of
people, whom To
but that he to is look elGowhere for authority or
l discretion which is paramount to theirs.
Ii the people are really supreme-;if they are
he natural proprietors all political power none
an be legltimdlely exercised without their sane
ion-ccrtamly not against their express authority
1t frequently happens in of ordinary expe-
Iiency, that the representative is left free to con-
nut sound discretion in exercising those pow
IT'S with which he is invested by his constituents
But that discro ion exists only beeoose the people
rave not thought proper TO prescribe a rule ofac
ion in such cases. If the people arc indeed com
'etent TO prescribe rule for their public agents
md they do prescribe it this committee are un-
ibe 10 conceive from what source those agents
IAN derive the right the discretion TO disregard
I. Our plan of government assumes rs its basis
he axiom, that the people are capable Of under
tnnding and controlling their own political Of
airs. If this truth be not conceded thsn ro al
institutions founded in error II it il not N, il
cannot bc) donied-we would ask why the people
ire not as competent the electors, 10 estimate
hc consequences Of their own acts2 If it liz dan
yerous to liberty or to party, tbatth election of
Vice President should devolve on the Senate Of the
United States, surely the electors might permit the
people to Judge of that for themselves.
Wo have learned, for tire first time in Virginia
that there does exict somewhere, political power
whose mandates above the controul of the
people. As this high prorogativo is claimed for
Cd"c1s, whose authority has been heretofore re.
gardcd as not extending beyond mere recommend.
alton, this committee feel Themselves prompted by
a sense Of duty which outweigbs all considerations
Of party, To enter their solemn protest against en-