Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-07-03
AR. LEIGH.


The Wing is fetbly supporting MIR Leighs dctermi
nation TO hold on To his seat. in spite of biddings
justice, honor, and duty. and in defiance daring and
seorniul of the peoples will His doctrine is that the
legislature alone qualified to instruct the Senator
Now, sir, in ordinary this ID true; but in Mr. LIS
case, IL IS thoroughly and clearly untrue II is ia
ordinary cases because when the people elect Delegates
to the General Assembly, these Delegates being clothed
by the peoples Constitution with authority TO elect
Senators IN Congress- they c People, also entrust 10
these Delegates the power in the interval TO instruct
The Senators; and yet these Senators the Peoples
Senators, and not the Senators OF the Assembly
The hduciary power of the General Assembly derived
from the people to instruct their Senator's revers to the
people at the periodical al, ctions and sn each
ne~ai OF the d,cgaii"n the members of the previous
Assembly accountable to the people. for the manner
III winch they (he peoples intermediate agents) have
used or why they have failed use, this fducary
power to instruct their remote agents Hence, all the
agents OF tho People, whether immediate remote are
accountable 10 them, directly indirectly the stated
ly returning elections.
This doctrine that the General Assembly alone is
9uahcd I" instruct the Senators though ordinarily true,
Is utterly untrue and nspplicabe in MIR. lcighs ease;
because the pledge of his friend (Gcn. s. r.. Parker)
relying ON his honor, and his PATRIOTISM his trust
ness TO his own iame.as well the circumstances of
the contest have taken Mr. L. of the scope of
the doctrine which ordinarily holds good 1t matters
whether Gen. p. authorized to make that pledge or
not lie made the pledge in firm reliance that re-
preventative integrity which lac believed in view of past
events would not bcnch blink and lack of auilori.
y To give can impair its force. tits the pledge
that MIR Leigh would resign obey instructions The al
rrnave of obedience to absolutely up
by the roots IL surely could not have been seriously
embodied in the pledge. What. Mr.. Leigh 'disti-
gnised for high, and honorable, and patriotic traits of
character obey instructions to support certain
IN relation TO the currency. when, while denouncing the
acts OF the President, all of which tended in truth in
their whole constitutional vigo the of
reference to those acsWill the eyes of his pnrtisans
hirta linded by Mer confidence the nnocency of his
hc Prcsidchr i.,..tions and the harnesncss OF his
designs be at leiS< Can he, consistently
with nice sense Of b. D1n.i.... q e fife tua,c
those measures, when ht
powers claimed by the Pres!S - his intatory pro-
ted IN
mnion and when he has Indirectly attempted 10 east
suspicion on athr innoccncy of his intentions! Can
lac, consistently with nice of honor and con,pa.
tiby with chs patriotic traits OF character in olr,l
ence to instructions, with zeal which, the ueon. de-
mand, assist IN good faith to perfect The State Bank
scheme, when lie has said that uniform currency is ne
ccssary, and that ''t is difficult (erenJ o conceive
how the State Banks could furnish such currency! Its
as obvious 10 me, as clearly the horse which passes
III the street, that the men:a vigilance of every sensible
and honest would suffer even the ltouyht
OF obey such instructions to obrudc itself uDon his
secret musings But. sir in relation the
II they must be given have firm reliance on the
high and honorable, and patriotic traits of character"
winch distinguish many, very many, ofthe of
the next General Assembly But aside from that pledge
and these considerations deny on the strength of the
circumstances, with Mr. LAai's a.. election
tat the General Assembly lis alonc qualified instruct
him. The power TO instruct the Senator's which the
people enirust;o the General Assembly only revcrts
10 THEM at Inc periodical ciections by vEss tho right
OF suffrage; but IN fact, II pepctuay abidos with The
~'., 1''.l "a, b" intervals between the elections il
Is not absolutely surrendered. lac rcd;l
cevcd by every sensible who will cal.rts survey
the noble structure Of The General Government when
was erected on the rdeTative principle and is the
prOudest monument of free peoples wisdom and bro
tiiery love Stale Rights should be- the last 10
DENY that the power TO instruct all tbsE agents abdcs
p'rpeu1Iy with The sovereign people of the STATES But
an argument on this topic would again lead from the
only point to which intended to advert AT the very mo-
ent OF Mr. Lcgs reelection, the opinion pcrvadcd his
native State, from one extremity the ether that lie
Was about to he elected (at bcs doubtful concurrence
WIN the wall OF the people This clearly seen. by
hs friends, aud scnsibly felt by thenr the Tey
lsfa =,
virtue and intelligence Of the people their reliance
On the people, too relied The case has been tried
and tired az fairly any tried be
the tribunal OF the people The has been tried and
AR. Leigh $ friends have been least in the issue II
tne sentiment OF this eloquent fact is 'cschewed" by
HIM, am sure the kcencst shaft of polished arpumen
and truth would fail to strike his senses and be- 6uncd
by scared conscience. Sir do wish to ha harsh
guilt above ccnsurc"