Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-08
A9seGs,a'sEAE.
TIE RIGIT Or LISTRUCTIO.N.

tie State Legislatures to Instruct their Senators IN Me
Congress Of The United StQtes
Preamble and Resolutions asserting the Right Of the
STATE Legislatures to instruct their Senators in the
Congress Of the United States and Disappearing the
conduct OF the Senators from this State in Congress
III relation to the Instructions given them al the last
ssssinn on the subject OF the Bank cs the United
States.
[Agrerd 10 by both Houses. Feb 90 1871
The General Assembly of Virginia having a, the last
session, after mature drbcrnon the subject and u-
der solemn conviction that the institution of the Bank of
the United States tutional, Instructed the
Senators Of this State in Congress- oppose the renewal
Ut the charter of that Bank it has since seen with min
ged regret and dspe1sre, the authority of its nstuc.
uon denied y one Senator aud dsobcyed by the Other
No Ean, exalted by stallion character could
he considerable 10 excite the recruitment Of tbs
!sscmby-a resentment unworthy lis own dignity and
in anncr honorable to its object 1t will never descend
10 lnfiict personal injury or insult any individually il is
withheld III by Justice brngnity and its pride
from rnuluIug in Itself. exciting in Others the spirit
Ut persecution and revenge least nt all it ever be
void U sell spcct 10 enter into alteration with
It's servants. But under present circumstances
when rgi; ul vital Importance, the proStraton of
which might ultimately affect the existence Of the State
Governments, the balance OF e Constitution, and the
integrity OF the Union, is openly questioned aud denied
It this assembly were IL pass the subject silence
might perhaps properly be inferred, that rtreated
rom lis claim OF right. in humble submssiDn or aban-
donrd it dir yirGrd 1t unjust pretcnsion
Whether the General Assembly has been guilty Of an
'ct o! nsnPa'Ion "r It's Senators e cupable dIsocd
encr let t;. world Judge This Assembly will never
iiSdain ~ girr the Of lis conduct
There be doubt. that In. scheme Of .rp1e.
scnlltiv" republic was c -vrd prrallrs from the
Constitution q! the English ipse of Commons and that
that branch Of the EngIis, Government Whatever be
IN practice" It's origin. aud iE theory always
been. purely republican. II is certain, that tic
sta;"sn"n {" Ai"rca III assuming that As the model of
Institutions. GeSi uurd t" adapt here in its prI.cSt
or: and with It's srctst republican trnris and pnci
i.cp tI,,rp nj v,,t
utility than curiosity TO ascertain the sound doctrines of
The Constitution q" n" English House Of Communs, in
Gerard 10 this rI Of the constituent instruct The re-
pcSrnIlivr. For the position may safely be assumed
that The and yr:uOuS who framed Const
luJnS. Thoroughly versrd, they undoubtedly in
the English doctrines Of representation designed, that in
the n;.G States thu constituent should have least as
muci il no, great deal more influence over the repre-
sentative. aa known ~ have existed, time inme-
mortal. ~ England Lr us them in:errngate the his
tory OF the BRUSH nation. Lr, US consult the opinions
OF their Wise
Instances aoound in parliamentary history Of formal
instructions !ru! the constituent to the Representative,
al which, though doubtless strctE search would disclose
'any more, Tie following NAY suffice. In 1910 the
knights "f shire for Dorset and Kent informed the Com
mons TINT tiny h.'d IN chnrge from fhciT constituents
seven aTticrS "t grievances, which they accordingly
laid br!o:" the iIousr were received and acted on
In the SD year Of Ch!res H., the citizens Of Lrnd n
instructed their members to insist the bill for cx-
clutng the Duke OF York afterwards King James II J
from the Succession the throne: and their irrres
at!vr said, that lis du'y to his electors Obligated
him to vote for the bill Ata subsequent election. in
1851 ,nnany nsmai instructions were given TO
the mcmbrrS returned 10 insist OH the same exclusion
bill. We know from history hnw uniformly and faith
fully those instructions ubcycd nstruconSarp still
extant the subject Of The relations between England
and Franc, in 1Ul. The peace OF Utrecht gave coca
7I to instructions from various parts
Of England; these q" London particularly are III the
horltaire In l1ii. the citizens of Lon
don instructed their members to vote against standing
Inv DTIa lnnr
II evil measures. already felt anlicipatrd and ex-
prcsSy affirm their rig. Of instruction. We think it
isay Cy) d"iH. lis Il Is our Hnd0uhted rtgh 10 ac-
quaint you will. VIVA: desire ami cIpcct from you IN
Sch0rrc nj tic grcn, trust nc rrpOSr IN non and what
we aar TO he ygur dnY representative. DC. In
tic year. instructions of similar character were
sent from al! pats Of England. In 1912, the cities Of
London; Bristol Edinburgh York, and many Others, in.
;tr.ctcd their nribcrs Parliament to seek redress
ranst certain individuals suspected to have betrayed
md deserted the Of the people, and in 1863, the
city of l.onG"n instructed It's members 10 guard with
walcul diligence the trial by jury, the hoLeas corpus
act and IN various other points 1t will be remarked,
that some of the instances above quoted relate TO points
Of constitutions! law, and some OF those nt policy and
hat OF hen occurred about or since the revolution
If 1865 at which time. and by which event. the English
politicians tell Us their constitution settled, the
rights OF In. People asccainrd, and The pow of every
branch of their Government limited and defined
Instances are asu record Of the dcIbrrlte formal
acknov cdGl;!ent of the right Of instruction by the
House of Commons itself. especially in old times. Thus
.he Commons lCsatcd to grant supplies TO hirg Henry
ILL., tn McV ind Mc ccnSc c their constituents. and de.
sired tina; Parliament nriyh be summoned which
;nvI, Le prepdrcd ch 0uthOyiy from Mcr constituents
Passing Uv other ancient precrdents one more instance
,ha be- added occurring IN modern lines III The puTest
IRA of tie English Consution (tle reign OF " lillian
i'll y Of an acknowledgment 10y the English Commons
In substance least II not III tcrns) Of their absolute
cycud,prc ON irir constituents II will be found in the
proposed remnns;rancc of the Commons, the occa-
sion of the King refusing his assent to tho bill for free
and impartial proceedings in Parliament. Moreover
We are informed by authentic history, that t"rneriy
when the Col,.nrs gave their answer, touching the
subsidy demanded for tie wars they desired leave TO re-
turn iito the country, to cOnT 'cim Their netshborS
and again That the Commons " often refused |" agree 10
puuys.,iuns from the Court, for this reason only at
Mcv ccuid uoi till they rcnt home and consulted rh tt,T
constituents
.iu,,rucons f.ays member Of the House of Com
mons ought Ia bp tpi0ircd impirily after the member
has Respectfully gwen his constituents las rpt"0n OF
them Far be r0m Ia oppose my judgment 10 b''o
Of ma feiotr c-tus. The practice (suys anofr) OF
consulting cur constituents, was good wish It was
continued Hc discharge d"y no bcttfr Man an
folor;ug Tie d:rcrtion c Mosc rh0 sent MS hnhtr what
the Pcrt chooSc, right because they choose H. IL were
an endless llbour collect catalogue VI INDUSTRIOUS
statesmen the ws It and best England ever saw VINO
have, from time 10 time publicly suoscr'o'o |" OPP
Mons; but it impossible not 10 single OUT IN" name
of HGs:ci who il particularly recorded 10 nave acccGeo
To- the sentiment lst quoted a.. .,
Witbou, referring to the minor political authors, with
out number they are without 'a's' WY "a'e i mum,
tanned these positions, QUOTED from ore OF th"i)
| ,oI in re -;rhi l., inslruc, their representatives.
s s p n" man ought 10 DC chosen that will receive in.
s,THclons the pope understand enough of the in.
,rrs,s of the country 10 give general instiac'ohs'a'
- 1870 ,h cr.t,r, formerly instruct ali the members,
md hs nature OF the drputation shows that the custom
was we'll grounded it is proper to mention, Una. ile
r c,nsii,ona lawyer Coke, though he onTls:.ed in
the days of Queen Elizabeth, (whost Attorney General
M ,. yhcu pr,rorative stretched To Its uttermos
bounds and ranry the martyr of freedom and RePub
csnis. concur on this head. Coke says it is the Gus
,n of Psr!sment when any device is moved for on
, mrs behalf Cor his ajd and tine ike, that the Com
s nav answer then dare not agree to lcithoat
80. lin ,Lrjr couniies' And Sydney (whe he ad-