Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-02
TO THE EDITORS or TIE EMO UIRER.
THE RIGHT OF INSTRUCTION.

THE RIGHT OF INSTRUCTION.
Although the Report Of 1872 by Mr. Leigh, the
Right of Instruction. does not expressly declare the in
sructrd Representative be bound resign unless he
can give the required vote; yet is the obvious import
of the arguments of the Report 1t is its spirit its
time n that the representative shall give the VOTE
SIGN; and there Is not single oppression the whole
Report, that impars that sentiment.
II has been thought the I'd Resolution, appended 10 the
Report is expressed in such language to allow the in
sructvd Senator TO escape the iucc Of the instruction
aiven by the Legislature, the Senator shall think
The rvcn instructions violate the constitution care
full examination of the terms Of the resolution will
vince those who have cherished the opinion that the Sc
nalor may escape, that they have msncrprecd those
terms he resolution is in these words:
Ecsorrd That is the ndubable Legislature
their Senators in Congress- all points, either
require such ncrcrruce by consequence the bound
duty OF the Senators obey such Instructions Prord The
be ren and obryd require TIC Senator
rioiatiUn ri The Constitution &C, Of moral turptHds.
AS TO the point in dispute, arheher the Senator uness
he gires the r0tc bound under the terms of the resou
ton to resign, it depends entirely the Specification of
the phrasr iii is The houncn duty IF the Senator TO
such insrurtons son all points, either constitutional
polite" Now what is meant by the word obey, as it
is collocaed in the structure of that resolutions? Clearly
to my apprehension, it to gre The rote pointed
by the instr uction; and such the definition of the
word obey when it is used in common parancc, with
ference the instruction Of the constituent body The
appointing power When say the representative has
obeyed instructions, that he has giren The cote
preventative hasrsgnd in acquescencc 10 the expressed
will of the elective body, should say he has obeyed
the instructions, audience, not knowing whether he
had given the VOTE given up his trust would take il for
granted that the representative nsrucied had actually
given the vote, refining the trust.
With this obvous, legitimate, nconrovcrtible dc6n
on of the word oJey let see, in view of he indub
table right of the Stale Legislature /" instruct its Scna
tor in Congress-, what is his duty under The terms Of
this 2nd Resolution, when the instruction is ''actually
given 1t matters not, whether the instruction is in
reference to point Of policy of constilutionalHaw
the Resolution declares it TO be the bounden duty Of
the Senator to Obey c., TO rs coz
foRMITr ito such insructionsprorided the instruc-
ons 10 be given and obeycd require the Senator to
commit r'oation Of the Constitution act Of moral
urpttudc. Thus the vote must be given by the sena-
tor in obedenee 10 the Instructions if by giving the
vote he will not incur the guilt of "a violation Of the
Constitution, the odium 81 act of moral turPi
tude Then, suppose tie Senator by giving the vote,
in his estimation vii! incur the guilt The odum of "a
violation of tbs Constitution of "un act of moral
turPudc what, in such case, is his duty: The scnti.
met which throughout the Report OF lal2 shall
give the answer, in Mr. Leighs emphatic and clear.
y ineligible language TO ,rit 1t cannot be pretended
that representative is 10 be the organ Of his will
aone for then he would be Ear despotic He must be
the organ Of Others Of whom Not Of the nation-foE