Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-17

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Mr. Leigh has it is true, seen Legislatures and Sc
Mates corrupted; he has Vrgnia LEGISLATURE re-
turned by the people, with ST cmnp maiorItv ovowed
~ friendly TO the Presidents admin ration he has
seen Senate of the United States clec,cd bv MAORI
" OF the States supporting the President and returning
such men hangum, hoorr and Black snlemnlv nl,dG
ca To support himhe has Senate of Pennsvlya
MA, where such men Burden, Prn1osr, Dickey were
sent to maintain bis principles which these Of their
constituenls-and Mr. Leigh has seen power change
hands III these bodies, fall of from the President of the
pe"pr and fly to The President of the Bank But can
hir Leigh point to instance, where the Pres
dents power and patronage have been brought to
bear upon State Legislature and turned the scale
Of The majority elected by the people, from being
| against him, TO prepondrTate in his favor; No such
Case HATS occurred But Mr. Leigh has seen tie in
tucncr Of the Banks money, operating upon the men
defy the known VIII Of their constituents. He has seen
list OF the Bank accommodated, turned from fidelity
TO their Constituents, by varying from 1000
down TO S0OJ lie has sn"lt The incense Of Bank boun
~, appealing TO vanity and ambition of members
ing IN the fumes Of sealngwax arising from packages
OF speeches IN The bycIooins nj the Capitol published
at the Banks expense He Las franAcd, and sent TO
others to be franked, thousands Of his speeches.
printed hy MI Bddes order, 10 extend the panic and
spread The Senators fame among the people of Virginia.
and secure his reelection. lie has a majority of
eight or nine in the Pennsylvania Legislature, exactly
inverted by means of the Bank, and charter secured,
jory Of the betrayed constituency. But when did
MIR. Lrl9h Legislature COMPOSED Of members
adverse 10 Democracy, or Democratic Chief Ma
gstrae, brought by influence and patronage? Is
there an instance III the annals of any State, Of the
confrdeIaird Government: Not Men in power
may BE- brought To betray the people, but be in
duccd 10 bctray their own high toned principles Of self
ugrand znrnt Tor the sake q! the people. In the DAYS
OF the elder Adams, the Senate the side of "rc
sdrntiai influence, and favored the Alien law the nea
sure pronounced ri.c amt constitutional" by Mr. Leigt1
because 1t was All abrdgm'nt Of popular zig hts
and it will always be fold that the oligarchic
Senate will most easily be brought support great
Executive great niunryed power, waging
against the power Of The people, The reason is that
exclusive privileges in bodies corporate polite,
natural allies against those from whoiA they derived
and withdrawn. II is from Tie operation Of this prn-
cipic in the bosum Of Mr. Leigh, that, in slgmatzng
The present Virginia Legislature BY whLh he stands in
structrd, i carries his MALICE beyond it, and mpucs
decentralization OF thu People themselves aud charges
it also to "PrcsidcunL influence and payonayc" VIII
Mr. Leigh say by what bait OF patronage the people Of
Virginia have become dcm0rulI-cd? VIII he tell them
how Senator, wo is capable OF appropriang lis share
of the Banks Spccch money! venture TO the
high part Of Standing cut To the people from them
srlvcs-u deliver them from the process, which, by in
sructios he IS cAcd uon 10 take acurc part esta
Whing, and he says calculated Ito place the Fede
raj lIr strongest temptation employ it's
influence powrr and aron IN the purchase Of SUBJ
SrnaoTs and To place the State Assemblies un
der Temptation provide the Commodity for market 10
deslrny the purity OF the people, upon which all depends
at last; destroy the putty OF the State Assemblies,
and to PROSTATE their dignity authority, and influence
in t-e dust
10 maintain the purity Of the people, and the State
Assemblies, and 'hc dignity authority md influence,
OF the latter especially, lie has resolved 10 set their most
solemn acts al defiance.
We add by way Of contrast TO this determination Of
Mr. Leun the letter u MIR buchanan TO The Legislature
the issue which certain modern Wing Senators had
made with their constituents upon this subject, MIR.
Buchanans Views not called until llc had been
elected, and he then gave his creed, That upon which
alone he would accept the trust conferred. The
Pcnnsy Senator course will, we have no doubt,
form stonga contrast in practice it docs in princl-
pie, with That OF ilr. Leigh:
d" Without entering into argument upon the gene
raj question, which would be altogether misplaced up
the present uccasion II may not be improper to OBJ
serve that The principle applies with rcdoubed force
to Senators in Congress- They represent the
reign States who the parties to that constitutional
compact which called the Federal Union into exist
In the Senate, hs e States represented
distinct communities, each entitled TO the same
number of votes, Without regard 10 their population
In that body they all equal, t!.ey before
the adoption Of the Federal Constitution. Here
phaliray if any where, the voice Of the States ought
he heard and ought To be obcyed. Shall II then be
said that Senator possesses the constitutional right TO
violate the cxprrss Instructions Of the sovereign State
which he represents, and weld the power and the vote
which have conferred upon HIM !pr the benefit OF
his constituents, IN manner which they have solemn
i
DANGEROUS their Ibc rites! The bare statement of the
pt opposition Conviction to my mind All,
is all the a; lie. slaturus, have long been in the prac-
ce of insirucng Senators, and this affords tie
strongest evidence oi the prime pies upon which the
tom is tDun!cd.
- 1t has been objected that the Right of instruction
might destroy the of tile Senatorial office, and
render it subject all the political fluctuations in the
several States But the Senator is only bound obey
he is not called upon TO On. And although there
ma bc circumstances in which man Of honor might
feel himself constrained 10 retire from the public service
rather than give the vote III ms State against his own
convictions yet these must from eiF nature, be
OF rare occurrence.
Besides, this objection implies entire want of
confidence the Stale Legislatures. 1t supposes that
they may become the instruments of faction for the pu
posc OF harassiug Senators and compelling them to
sIun In TACT, results in the principle that the people
are incapable of their own concerns and are,
under the necessity Of comforting rrespon
s,b. political power upon Of their number
save them frum themselves. From the nature of
Institutions We must rrposc such degree OF conf
deuce in the State Legislatures to presume that they
will not abuuse the power with which they have been
entrusted
If should CLEARLY appear any case, that the
immediate representatives Of the people have not obeyed
their will in voting instructions, this might present
exception to the general rule Such occurrence,
however, though possible, highly improbable. 1t is
be presumed that Sate Legislatures will exercise
THIS important power, unless upon grave and solemn
uccasIons after mature de.Ibrralon and thorough
knowledge ufthc public will
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