Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-12-18
erNAToRlAL ELECTION.

= 4 ~,uc nj Delc5OsSS
ne f1ou'S y. election of a u. s. Senator on the
70 20 y" ~. Senate refusing its concurrence, and
is.n mus. N. 18th of February, instead. We
suo'."t" ~. hive not room for the interesting de-
ns'e : occurred on this proposition. We may
~. ~. General outlines Of il, however, in very
M, e~on,erded, with great force, by the advo-
y. ~ an early election, LIST, that Mr.. Leigh
I'D h. informed, as speedily as possible, wheth-
"S. mast course had met with the appreciation
a.. constituents, which, it is we'll kno wn. has
w., n. ,ubicc, Of very long and warm discus
''sn h,ioy posi- iyely affirmed by his friends, and
no,,;vely denied by his e~ncmies-2dlv, that an
III. decision ofthis asitatins and exciting qles-
,io, wo, desirable, as well for the tranquility Of
W. nublic mind as for the despatch of the Legs
i,,,ye business, the former Of which would CONT
mil, 10 be disturbed, and the latter retarded, as long
-, hi, subject should remain unsettled and adly,
| that. as every men Der Of the Legislature might be
nrs,,red to have made up his mind on the sub
te,, they might as we'll enter into the cleo
non al once, az postpone II TO a future day.
On the other han it was conicnded, LIST, thai,
III. election of a Senator, SO early In the session,
Va, contrary TO usaee-though, we think, It would
rv,.Ie those WHO made this objection, TO show
Tia, there has been any thing like common usage
in such matters, in Virginia, or, if ttere has been.
,ha, this is no, . case entitled to exemption f,om
ordinary rules ;-2lly, tina, more light was needed,
b III ia respect 70 Nr. Le,gh's opinions and TO the
wishes Of the pcoplc-Ihou IN, II seems TO us, that
sntl,mcn who have been so long dcnouncine Mr..
L..h fr the character of his sen,imcnis S, sho sid not
nav pretend 10 be ignorant what those sentiments
4 ar, AID still less should they rre'ead 10 doubt "ha,
are the wishes Of the people, when they themselves
msde The Senatorial election d test question al The
ApuI elections, and fairly lost the battle, IN open
k0nba:, which they ac now cndcasorins to re-
hn.ye by mannnyrc, trek. deception and faud;-&
sly, that their system Of " Instructions" is not yet
ma,urci although they have been hard at work for
biz or eish, months. and therefore that further time
mus, he allowed for then smeriIas 10 beat up for
ma recruits, by pursuing that same detesiabic
msic of e"tiament, which desrades the srea,
r:h. Of instruction., and confcrs ignominy on those
wm,hus tampcr with that conservative principle.
The right Of instruction., when fairly exercised,
hs no more decided friends aud advocates than
ourselves. But, we deny that, gotten up as they
EL.u been, in this Safe, during tho last summer
AID autumn, -numero cases Of palpable frauds
having seen detected and exposed, leaving the in.
(~s,itable presumption that there are many hundreds
d s,hsrs shielded from detection by the same lgno-
pnss which favored their rerpetration,-we
by, We deny that, thu, procured, they are emit.
.sed 10 any weight whatsoever. This. 10 how.
ever, q general rule, subject to some exceptions,
which We will proceed to mention.
In Chesterh-ld and Petersburg, where, from,
some cause or other, there was no opposition TO the
successful candidates, and where, of course the
Senatorial election was not made a test question,
d the April election, II wns natural and proper
That efforts should be made by The party which had
no candidate in the heit. to ascertain their actual
stftns'h by the only mode in their power-and, il
II should Ce demonstrated thu, they constitute a
majori'y ofthe qualified voiers, then the obligation
Of h"r representatives 10 comply with their wish
Il, thus indicated, would be impcrative.-So, like.
wise, IN the county of Frederick, WHERE, from the
operation Of local question, the Senatorial election
vas lost sight of,d the delegates were voted for in
f''tfenee 10 the former, to the exclusion of he latter.
resort to the Il hit Of instruction was the leg III.
mate and proper moie Of nsc'rtuining the wishes
o'lhe pneple, IN reference TO it, and their wishes,
mus ascer'a'ned, should be obligatory u on their
dsssates.-And members ofthe State Senate, like
s'e, whose terms Of service commenced anterior to
we last Spring elections, & who were OF course cho-
ven Wl'hout reference TO this question, should unhes-
'''ns'y obey The will Of their cons,itnens.l in what
ever way It may be ssccr,ained, whether by their
wv icupe u tHdt "lH, o Wy IiVc
n"'uelions. But in those counties in which the
'eha'orial election was made q test last Spring,
" deny the binding force Of subsequent instruc-
'on'. The people instructed their delegates then
p'n'y, md above board. And, wherever it after
'''d' appears, in such cases, that i,inerant dema.
psue' have con'rived 10 procure a sufficient mum
v, Of ,'snatures, to instruction papers, secretly cir. |
"'a'ed, TO reverse that dec sion, il is a fair presump-
Won mat those signatures, if, indeed, there be any
.esfanty that they are not forgeries, have been ob.
"'ned ny false representations or fraudulent devices
!. presumption fortified by the incontestibie fact
. numerous cases of such misrepresentation and
s'Me' nave been detected and exposed and still
...'"', sustained by the farther legitimate infer
!. :, ,"a' men who would be guilty of the mcanncss
"an"g these misrepresentation and employing
NV, w. "eVces would have no hesitation in commit
wS w scarcely more heinous offence Of forgery,
%N' were necessary to effect their purpose. The
.Hssaes elect are bound to he guided by The best
.. .'."' IN Their possession of the wishes Of their
~snuents. That best evidence is Individually
' uecis'on at The polls-unless it can be demon
n. ~, 70 'he'r satisfaction, that every signature TO
."uei'on papers, reversing that decision, is
sr|A !nat II ~as affixed TO them, with a clear
of ,hs a"""s OF their import & design on the part
,,.,, ss"e' and hat no improper influence was
r,.. ~ ~ f"oeufe It. While, therefore, the dele
and IL" "e" chesterfield, Petersburg and Frederick,
h,,. " SENATOR from the Halifax district, ifihey
,hon,a ' Instructed to vote ugains, Mr.. Leigh,
,,.. tu""e:''a'ngly pursue that course, the dele
no ,br. !" Amelia, Nottoway, Surry, &c. &c. are
to d,s,.a o'u"o' On the contrary, they are bound
p.r,-sa'o and to treat with contempt those pa
d.n,s oea..u''e' SO far from being the best CIV.
coma. ~" wishes Of their constituents, they
zion of,h' me best evidence, which is the deci-
.u,,oo People at The polls, enlightened by dis
inaus.0"o removed from those secret and vicious
.-1euces which hive si... ..-...a H.. .a.ha