Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-15
cO1lHU.yYc.syEL

49, COMMUNICATED.
To those Members Of tic Yrgina Legislature 'cdo hare
been instructed to rote against n. w. Leigh as Senator
of Me United Suites Congress.
In few days you will be called upon to make a Sc
lection between the pre- incumbent Mr. Lcigh and
other individual who will be put in nomination Inv
the Republican Party in the Legislature. Some Of you
stand in the predicament of entertaining towards that
gentleman, politically feelings totally at variance with
those entertained and expressed by decided majority Of
your constituents. AS it regards your individual Opt
mons, no one WILL for moment, doubt they have been
honestly formed and your unquestionabe right 10 free
and unrestained expression of them at the polls But
the duty you owe those whom you represent is Of para
mount obligation; and in yopr legislative character
when your opinion and that of majority of your con
stuents arc brought into confict-and Of this fact Won
have satisfactory evdenceit matters not in what way
obtained there is but left youeither to obey
resign. This is the very essence of a true Rcpre
sentative Government. Overthrow this principle. and
that which las been held sacred and worth
preserving among us, is gone the fabric of our
Independence must tumble into ruins Much has
already been said to draw your attention TO the sub
Ject II cannot be too earnestly pressed upon your
considerations it is a subject of the deepest mo-
lnent one, the Importance of which is less than
the salvation and pcTpcuity of this Republic Deny the
right OF instruction, and you sap the foundation Of our
whole system The opponents Of the present Admins
tration, taking advantage Of your preference Of Mr.
Leigh and DESTROYS Of propping the sinking hopes Of
Their party, arc, some of them, staining every
lnyahdatc the nstructons, and regardless Of the
quenccs OF dsobcdcnce 10 yourselves provided
attend their eorts erecting aarc for your political in
notation Be not deccivcdby them Let sophistfy or
party zeal decoy you from the path of duty let them
hurry you into the Preparation Of act that in yourcoo
and rejecting moments must incur your own dsap
probation, and draw upon you the frowns of an insucd
and indignant people No man has aborcd more srenn-
ousy and more efficiently in support Of the abstract
right Of instruction, than Mr.. Leigh IN reference TO the
Petersburg memorial, during the last session Of Con-
gross, hc uses the following unombguous and emphatic
language; lis language is temperate the sentiments
It expresses are moderate and caaous was prepared
circulated for subscription and submitted TO tie exami-
nation Of those who signed IT, Every circumstance in
dicaes delberaiiona dispassonac and concat0ry and
an anxious wish to avoid whatever might produce
cclnent Other passages might be cited from the
speech were not work Of snpcrerogotion show
That Mr. Leigh himself regarded the mode Of Instruction
recently adopted, as better indication Of The expression
Of popular sentiment than that obtained through the
dunn OF public meetings ] would ask, what
sutes the difference in the citizens Of Petersburg in
sracling Mr.. Leigh at time and on particular oc
casion, to vote in particular way and tho voters Of
Chesierfeid or Caroline, Of other county, in
sructing their delegate another OCCASION and At
other lme to vote IN particular way' Is not The prin
cPle the same If the instructions in the ease are
deserving Of respect, they equally sonay man
daory, IN the onerY Those therefore, who advocate
reelection Of MIR Leigh upon principle, must fatto
accord TO tho instructions the full credit which they
are entitled But, gentlemen, you have been told hat
the April elections test Of the strength ef parties,
and that until the people reversed that decision "a
another election, the Instructions then oivoB, sre,