Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-03


highest IN my confidence plotting dissolution of
our glorious Union that those who had been manly
s'tninentnl IN preJudicing and poisoning my mind
against air an Barren his Interest personal and
poitcai eneinics (and although honorable them
selves could not The MIXTURE Of things Justice 10 him
mat the opposition TO him ia the South is mainly per.
s"na and sectional and is principally nstigated by hs
political rivals and by those whose fayore scheme fy
several years has been the dissolution of the Union and
ie iofnaton OF Southern coni.deraoy and that the
most ehrctual mode of defeating these reasonable
schemes, viii be the election of Martin Van Buren,
Sr these are the leading which Ina We deter
mined me To give my humble support to Martin Van ,r
rem lor The next Presidency and the very liberal
gentleman from Kanawia infer nothing from IL but
a desire to please aud worship President Jackson! 1
nave been his supporter since he first brought before
Tue American people for the Presidency Yes SIR gave
hini my humble support when he in sia minority
III us S'a,c, ana have stood by him in evil as well
sooo report freely condennng such OF bis as dis
approved, and zcaously supporting such as my udy-
ment aPproyed and presume that the gentleman win
aunt have furnished the concusiv We whence
of my patriotism and dsnie RI edness, when inform
nun mat never have been directly Indirectly an APP
plicant TO this Administration for Office either in person
or py Trend that have accepted Office and will
accept none from this Administration nor will accept
any from the next Sir, have never desired The tram.
mes oil oihee All these emoluments and gli,ernp hon
ors have no charms for The summit of my a,nb,.
ton is, to represent Free People; and that monica as
certain that cannot do this consistently with my con-
science, shall the tie which binds my consti.
tuens DC severed and shall be found in domestic re-
rement winch will afford more real enoymen and has
more charms Tor me- than all the honors of political pre-
fermcnt. r.
Mr. Speaker let call the attention of the
Senate to the merits OF the subject under considerations
and trust, sir that will be pardoncd for the lonr dgres
sion have made from, il, when it is recoleccd thai
nave been driven TO il in seEdeience for the purpose of
repeling The attacks which honorable gentlemen
nave thought it their duty 10 make upon the pattv
win whom 1t is my pleasure TO act, and upon nv.
sei bnt, SIR, we are met by the gentlemen from
fu,riax and kanawha, at the very Threshold with
denial OF the right TO instruct constitutional oes.
TONS and snecessnry 10 establish this right before we
proceed TO discuss the merits of the nsi uctons The
argument used by the gentlemen is that no such RIGHT
can eN because the exercise of il would be contrary TO
that provision OF the Federal Constitution which 6Yes
the senatorial term of office at six years the repre-
sentative at two; Senator Representative would
be required to violate their oaths by doing an unconsti-
tutiona act or resign their Office and thereby enable the
than that fixed by the Constitution And another nrru
ent used oy The gentlemen u.s. that the exercise of this
gh would be IN violation of that principle Of the Con-
stuton which fixes the Senatorial term al six years for
the purpose OF placing the Senate beyond the influences
OF popular excitement. DO not gentlemen perceive
That their last argument proves too much for them -
tat denies the right OF in eases of polcv
and expedency, well those of a constitutional cba
racteI, as nine out of OF such cases as would
probably produce popular excitement would not in
voive constitutional question But sir their first
argument Is equally unienable; for would i'm prac.
'ce SO weaken The obligation the representative to
obey the instructions of his constituents INV yivng
INN the privilege of determining what is aud what is
not consituhonal-oT, in other words what il would be
proper Tor him 10 obey that in practice the
1--WE would obey no INSTRUCTIONS of which he dsapprov
ed-and, consequently we should be stripned Inv H., r.
deral Constitution of the great right OF instruction
winch has been so long held sacred both in England and
IN inns country Sir, Is this true; Was so understood
oy me FATHERS oil the Constitution 1t is well known
That the Federaliss gave this instrument The nos h
raj construction, by which they acquired for il much
stronger powers than the Democratic party woud con
cede TO III and yet The leaders of the federal party at the
adoption OF this Constitution admitted the .,t of the
state legislatures to instruct their Senators liz
W -" Ahe eeserYc-y ccIcprated Mr. AIexau.
Ser hamilton ana Mr. Jay, IN the Convention of New
York, and MIR. King in the Convention of Mnssach,
setts called to adopt the Federal Constitution urged in
reply 10 me arguments in those Ioiics against The
length OF the Senatorial term of sir ufars Thai The Set
Legislatures would have the right TO instruct their Senn
ois (.he immediate Representatives OF the State soye
reghy) whenever they should think proper; and tbnt
owing to the jealousy which the State tioyernmenTs
would always entertain for the Federal Government the
stale Legislatures would be ready ut all times I'm
their Senators in the Congress- by sendinc Them
lions Sir, this argument used in all The State Con
Ventions called TO adopt the Federal Constituonand
wilnout IT. people, jealous of their liberty would ne
yer nave adopted that Constitution with such C.a,r
III IL as the Senatorial term of six years The rght ~
@ IS 100 wen understood, and held sacred
~ nus ota'e TO require labored argument in lis defence
ntths day Suffice it TO say, that it is principle which
lies at the foundation of all free Representative Cavern
"eh'si lhath Is night which neither be conferred
nor taken away by free Constitutions TINT il is onc f
'hose natural and inalienhbe rights, of which free
nun cannot dlvest hImsei-that long as the soye.
egny resides among the people, and they are free thew
must necessarily exercise the right of nstructin
rePrse ntatves and agents. that The very name Of
semt"Hoe Government implies the duty of the rrprcsen
ve 10 represent truly The will OF his constituents and
ooey eir instructions all occasions or RESIGN aud
"' .his u"cuhe De not true, and the representative
mas Hghi 10 set up his will against that OF his consti
tuents ours the most despotic government on
ana The representative, instead of being the srvnn ~
the people, becomes their master But The
from Fairfax very triumphantly asks what s n riab,
worm without remedy and where is our reu,rJv =
or, periodical elections and the and contempt o,
an indignant public are complete remedy ri tfoso
who are guilty of violating the instructions or -,
constituents, or OF wIluy mi.rcprescutiny tbpu, g.
ever afterwards receive from them certain s,,nci.,
ana out iew VIII dare 10 violate instructions or isrro
sent theif constituents We all know how saIutary tbis
remedy has been IA this State; that the disting,isbcd
WIN Is Giles, with his splendid abilities was -
anu dTlven INTO retirement for near twenty vcors g.
having merely denied the right Of tine State /
:" uc him although lac admitted the rgbt oc ,ls
people 10 do ~ aud actually voted an lie was Ins,r,c,
ny the General Assembly OF ths State Sir Z Iii 49,,
detain the Senate With another reuaSG on this subisei
IL would be an insult TO the understanding o Che ueop
of Virginia.
/ Sir the subject under consideration is moi n marty
but great constitutional aud national question IL i,
believed and charged by the friends of the Adminst,a
ton that the IT, $ Senate, by the adoption OF the eeo
luton condemDing the President, has inflicted n doe
wound upon The Constitution, which threatens lie en-
tire desirucon unless complete remedy should be i'm
mediaicly applied that this resolution is untrue j,
fact, and contains base sundeF on the President wines
character and fame are public properly and te,eCor,
IN justice both to him and the nation, ought to be per
iecty annuled; that tle parliamentary mode is To-
punge, That II is not in conflict either with The letter y
spirit OF the Constitution and that all the
connected with this transaction impegiously call for IN
exercise at this time.
Let us then examine the LIST proposontlot the n q
Senate had constitutional right 10 place fr resolution
on Their journal, which - proposed TO have cxpunped
and by doing inflicted deep wound Oh the Cons1tu
ton, winch threatens its destruction Like the gentle
man from Wyhei believe that powers can be law
fully exercised by either branch Of Tie Federal Govern
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