Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-03-12

""VH HI'U' q TUT w HlNT control hnvinv hrcn rosrrvnd
oty the people TO themselves, all initial interference with
~ ON Their part, seemed neither necessary nor d.siroLl.
Out despite OF this consideration, and detrimental as the
import oil those instructions was deemed by many IN
DE-, TO great interests as well as 10 lust princinlcs OF co.
vernment; yet, such was the habiual reverence for lin.
"sntoi te people 10 control every description of repre-
sentative agent, that no effort was made 10 prciudca
impair or arrest their authority. Nav. sir. SO far iron, 4,
tue annals OF that Convention will. Themselves ,,ernr'
tuaie Tor the admiration OF our, and of a distant dav
."c "oe homage which was rendered to this very rigLi
ny inc voluntary sacrifice made To maintain 1.-THE s@lf.
sso,ancS d a patriot who surrendered his ambition to the
principle, and who retired from a field, rich TO him in H.
promises OF fame, lest he should wound his conntry bv
ms example, (Gen. r. Taylor)
IL would be idle, hr. Speaker, to say of any one mode
III contradistnction TO all others, that IL was the truo AMI
INC only true one. Secondary, at hest, as this ones,;o,
Is, II IS at last a simple one of public convenience, and
aans, og setieu py tac circumstances which principally
aHeet tlat convenience. Upon general considcrations
i would undoubtedly prefer a public mectinu of the CT
uzehsi Tor the purpose OF instruction. IL seems 10 me
that TINS mode united most advantages with f.wcst oh.
leciions; was the least open to selfish and deccntivs oh.
lects, and the best entitled to secure the general conf
ucnce ma popular Government like ours. the action
ci ths people upon any public subject, should rest. as
lar as possible, upon an open and public conference
AZ all events, the object of that action ought To be ori.
s.n 'vu ana set lSFth IN such conference Of the people Will
one ahotier: The precise obicct-and this is the main
point ON which exact accuracy should be had-the nrr-
cise object ON which public intcrposition is invoked. is
nnquestionably less open TO mistake. imposition or arti.
nee; less open To every unfiirness OF purposc. persou,l
or political, when II Is stated and approved by n poblic
meeting before which it must be explained and justified.
imam when 1t is lcft TO the statements and maoifestoes az
private elub-rooms, or private closets. 1t is possible vea
probable; sir, that most deliberation may be had in a
private dwelling; but most fairness and a fuller and bet
Ter acquaintance with the whole purposes of a public
movement, is to be expected in 4 public meeting.
lhere is yet another ground on this subject. Nh.
speaker, to which II few remarks may be directed
Some persons imagine, sir, that the election of a rcnrc.
sentative upon opinions avowcd by him at the polls. is
inc only ialr instruction; that it is the only one which
is properly verified, and that il should supersede every
other one less formal and regular than itself That il IL
III some cases, anu may be made in all, an instruction of
inc most positive kind. no one will deny. When the
ieturheu member receives a majority of all the votes of
ms constituents, when he receives them with a singlc
anu exclusive reference TO the subject upon which
nc is 10 DC neld as instructed, and when no connter
decision, founded upon after-vicws. and sustained hv
IKE majority, shall be made, then, indeed. is the election
Il clear authoritative, and final instruction. But, when
al '"is oe' When can IA subject ever arise. so sinule
and so extraordinary in its impression on the nn5Gc
mind-oi such absorbing and overinasterino power nc 90
exclude from an election every consideration of every
other subject whatsoever: When can il be. tbot , on.
sentative will be elected in reference TO one isolotcJ Do
~ only, amongst the many duties which his station in.
volVes-that he will be elected from the midst of friends
helSnOors ana experimentation the midst of
population, between whom and himself, there exists all
Tie ordinary feelings OF attachment and opposition and
yet no personal motives, no local motives. no motives
arising out of n comparison OF ompetitors-neitbe ,c.
iecuon nor hate, prejudice nor friendship, nor any other
OF the thousand passions which sway us With inGomita.
pc energy IN the common transactions Of lie, are TO have
the least decisive influence or effect in the result Ne.
yer, Sir-never. Such an election can never occur. II.
VI the laws OF our nature shall have been repealed. A
great question, relatively to other questions. NAV bnyc +,
in1uence-but il must have m -
and exclusive influence upon the majority of ali WHO
cicct, ana so known to have, 10 make out that only in
struction which is supposed.
There are no people, perhaps, on the continent, who
are less disposed to disturb the result Of their regular
elections, than are the people of Virginia. n vcbe orc
more disposed to leave their representative to carry
throngh; as he may hive the means and opportunity
az principles ana opinions avowed by him when elect
cd ANA this the representative may fairly consider. he
mas Their authority to do, acting, nevertheless upon his
own responsibility, unless that authority sbo,II Lo ac
UT controversies Nhpu hn tre..
tending our elections shew the result of them to be
the vote which decides them is com
paratively n full vote-thc leading princinlrs ana
OBJECTS entering into them undcrstood-when this is the
case, the political controversies which they bring 10 n
mead, nre determined for the time, and however deter
me a general acguicscence succeeds. ThcS parties
draw OIL from further conflict, and the delegateLc eject ~
committed to his responsibility and his opinions. But
when an election shall go off under different c;rcun.
stances-when the principles and purposes on v,h;ct, :,
might properly turn shall have been impcrfrctlv mn
derstood-the deciding vote a small one-new and i'm.
poreaht matter afterwards springs up-whcn the issue of
IT, from any cause whatsoever, Shall be deemed an mn.
faithful expositor of the general interest and feline.
IN sueIi event 1t is the undoubted right of the people
10 interfere, II they think the occasion worthy of in
reference, and correct the result of the polls bv insirnc.
tons to their Delegate. They canno; suffer anv torc.
closure upon a subject of public business. which they
would suffer, however, il they wore, prevcntcd Crom AZ
rectng, at any time, the agent who manages il. silnnlv
necause, ut some previous time, they had appointed him.
lubi'c questions are open questions, until they are finally
disposed OF as the laws shall require and tic course If
public servants upon them, is, by consequence. alv,ovs
uei then' IN the hands OF their constituents. An election
. d uei'gate, therefore, compromises no right to instruct
him-no, not even in perfect opposition to ibr ground on
winch he was elected, If new views of that ground. or
new matter connected with it, should be sufficient. in
inc opinion Of the voters, 10 authorize and demand
such instruction. No change of opinion-mucb more
no correction of opinion, can be forbidden 10 tI,e
people. IL Is, indeed, the very preropatiye of =
sovereign will, like theirs, that II may chanoe-that
IL may decide Just as it plcaScth, and without account.
ability to any one the subordinate will. which is that
OF The rePrcSenthuyc-that only can lie bound The
great end, Sir, of the right Of instruction il. TO reserve
the legislation of the Government at all times within the
control OF the people, thereby enabling them To adont
IL TO Objects and events as they arise, and as their iudg-
nlent shall dictate. Restrain This right to the dav Of an
and this control is partially withdr,wn-;t 10
no longer constant, but periodical-it vests the Govern
lnent, on fixed days, in the hands of the people. and
transfers 1t to the hands of the represent
ave mus, to restrain the right, then, is nearly. if NOT
quite the same thing as To deny il. No subject of snc-
cal interest may exist when an election 10 made. a.,
no instruction IS given by it: afterwards important and
eFehtinl matter may arisc-it is then too late all instrnc- /
tion Is prccluded! Sir, the people are bound TO abide Inv
lHe man whom they may choose as their rcprcscntatiyS.
NJ an election; but HAT Is all; they cannot tn,. eJurg liz,
but they are perfectly free TO direct him as the cLoscI
organ OF Their business. Bound by an election as IN
s'iUJeels; sf Suppose the people were mistaken at the
tlhe o. cIeciloni suppose they were drawn by art or
Into the support Of opinions as avoNed bv I,
candidate. which they should condemn. upon aGcr.,eGoc |
uoni as false and peruici0usY What then. Sir? arc tI,cv
20 be bound to those opinions, Notwithstanding Arc
J. l" DC ucOarrcd iTonI correcting them ito be denied
Gommonesi, yet most necessary Of all priyilegcs. lie
privilege oil correcting mistake? A~c they bound 10 ct !
'hclr error run on, working what mischief + h NAV IL
STAND ny, WIN tied hands, and see their delegate on
through with the false duty Of carryinq into e1cct SSs
lhelrs, an opinion and n viii, which they have renamed
ana nnJurad what the people ! the Acknowledged
source OF all power, yet having no power To prcN
vent inc execution Of their own mistakes, by their own
agents! :! SIR, the supposition is ridiculous The nv.
Poihcsis, therefore, which admits H. cannot bn ,roo
NO. Sir, IT is not true, that an election is the on1v