Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-16
4 DOSE ADMINISTERED:

MUSTERED:
Dedicated to the
clHgsHcer, and .nessrs. Nan
. &c.
NICER AND THE RIGHT OF
CTlON!
the article in the Intelligent
e said that i, had been argued
lSl2-l3, and adopted by the
N overwhelming vote. We
INNS, extracts from the arI-
ouncing and ridiculing this
firg&ia Report in support
the authority Of Ru-
lexander Hamilton. at the
Constitution, also in vindi-
(trom LcigA'S R.por, If lS!2-l3. }
"Thc General Assembly there
lore rest satisfied that, in eAeIcis-
Ing the right OF ins,ructing the
Senators in Congress, i, has I'D
ranccd no novel prctension, as il
will presently appear i: ha: made
80 unjust one; anl that if eNani-
pie could justify diso5odisnce TO
.urh u cumHanI, oven that lus:i
!iea,ioa IL wanting OIL the proscn,
occasion.
$40 view the suhicc. upon pr;n-
RICH; OF the constitu-
"a, TO instruct the representative
joIy, seems 10 result, clearly and
ronciu>ivtly, from tho very nature
IT the representative sys,cm.--
Through means Of the, noble in
,ii,u!iou, the largest nation may,
almost as conveniently rs the
enjoy all the advantages
oi' q government by the people,
any OF the evils Of deIuo-
MISREPRESENTATION, confusion,
turbulence, distraction from tho
ordinary and useful pursuit Of in
duslfy. And it is only to avoid
those and the like mischicfs, that
representation is substituted for
tho direct suffrage OF the people
in the office Of legislation. Tie
Representatives., therefore, mast, IN
he nGture IF things, represent his
o'rn particular constituents only
lie must, indeed, look to the gene
raj good Of the nation; but no
inlust look also, uad especially, 10
the interests Of his particular con-
>tituents, as concerned ia the com-
mon wcul becnusc tho general
good is but tho aggregate orindiri-
dual happiness. He must lesis-
llte 10. the whole nation; but laws
lrc expressions ofthc general will,
mi the general will is only the
result Of Individual wills fuirly col
l"s;eh aud compared: in order 10
which collection and comparison,
that is, in order to express the
general will, in order to make
laws it is plain that the Repre-
mus, express tho will;
aa1 speak the opinions Of the con-
>titueats tina, d-pute him.
81, canaot be pretended tia! 4
Repre- sentative is to bu tho or.un
ui his own will alone; iur then he
;.ouli BE- 40 far dcspotic. lie nnst
&c the organ Of othGrs-of whom!
not OF The nation, for the nation
deputies him not: but Of his con-
s;ituents, who alone know, alone
have trusted, ind ran alone dis.
place him. And If it be his pro-
vince and his duty in general to
express the will OF his cons,itu.
cuts 10 tho bci; Of his knowledge,
without being particularly inform.
I'd thereof; it seems impossible
20 contend, that 10 IS not hound
10 10 80, when no is so especially
informed and instructed.
"Thc righ, Of the constituent
10 instruct tho Representative,
therefore. il an essential principle
Of the representative system"
/" II appears, therefore, that tho
right Of the constituent 10 instruct
The Representative is firmly csta-
il England, on the broad
',asis OF the nature Of Representa-
,ioa. The existence ofihat right,
there, hus been demonstrated by
.hn only practicable evidence by
" lIich the principles Of al uawsit-
zen Constitution Gun bc ascertain
ec-histosy and pscceden..-Tho
truth is, ,hn; our institutions sup
pose, tina, although the represent.
ntivc ou.htto be und generally will
be, selected 70. superior virtue and
intelligence, yet u greater mass OF
wis JON and virtue still reside in
The coastl,uen, body, than the ut
nos, portion allotted 10 any indi-
S:dual. "
" But although tho position bs
admitted, which, indeed, it seems
impossible 10 deny, that the peopln
have right to Instruct their i'm.
mediate Representatives, or that
the people composing oGch State
in their sovereign capacity may
instruct their Senators IN Con-
.rcss, ii may still DC denied, that
the State Legislatures have any
-uch right of instruction.
" II is obvious 10 remark, in the
drSt place, that those who allow
TO the people vi each State, the
'Irrcisc OF hi. act Of sovereign
~, the instruction Of a:e.S Sena-
Irrs, and deny the same power to
The State Legislatures, give us
he c,n?ty theory, aud deny Us the
hencfcial practice ofsuch instruc-
:ioas. II is difficult TO conceive
now the psopla can give such in
otherwise than through
their State Legislatures. +"
"The power Of the State Le-
:iSlaiurca 10 interpose on qucs-
lions Of deep political interest, in
tho affairs Of the General Go
vcrument, By wGy ofinstruction TO
their Senators, and the obligation
.! such instructions, ure sustained
~ authorities, the weight Of
which will not be resisted"
"a, the session of the General
OF l199-ls0o, also, va
riors instructions were given 10
our thon Senators in Congress-
1t j. believed, that neither the
rish, nor the obligation Of those
was thon questioned
It cannot escape observation, that
those instructions, as well US the
report uhave mentioned, are sane
toned with the recorded assent
II the same honorable Senator,
who has since dcRied the ublisa-
zion ofthc Senator to obey, while
he admitted the right Of Il State
Legislature TO instruct; which ID
precisely the relation, not be-
tween the State Legislature and
4 Senator, but between it and a
member Of the House OF Repre-
sentativcs O Senator is instruct
I'D, u Representative roquasted.-
The honorable Senator formerly
voted to instruct our Senators, aud
To request our Representatives.
10 instruct is not merely to re-
commend: on instruction to u
Senator, in con,radistinction 10 4
:equest, to u Representative i'm
'iieS commend. II il useless to
offer proof, that the right to COM
'1'and, implies the duty TO obey"
h Mr.. Leigh asserted in the
MIA enforced against two of
/, wv. L. Giles and Richard
lntelligencer, (as the mouth
2 party, pronounces TO be not
rst principles Of Republican
zing and unconstitutional!
III and Tyler, and the Wings
do We respond an .Amsn to
low your hands-Answer at
e Of the most ultra ofthe old
shot behind this doctrine Of