Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-19
oftllc cxpunging resolutions,


ne desired transmit copy oo the Commonwealth DC request
me foregoing resolutions the foregoing reo-
Excessive authority to tho Senators
the MAY be u The United Sntcs request
''Aa4 tina, copy be furnished nGSs' 'N'''
| to each Of the Senators and Rel
prcsentnves representing thi"
State in the Congress OF the Uni
Governor Wood Federalist, was then the Governor
OF Virginia. and much opposed 10 the resolutions Of
l7.S, constitutional grounds, Governor Tazewcl
possibly be 10 the expungng resolutions; yet, it
occurred 10 him that he at liberty decline
execution OF them, md that in complying with them
he should @ncur guilt This conduct Of the Governor,
we are persuaded must be regarded by all rs a most
novel and extraordinary proceeGing and if it does not
subject him sYeac!ssrcnt, s'sst certainly expose
him to the censure and condemnation Of the good peo
pie of this Commonwealth.
Exac,ly in keeping with this conduct OF the Governor,
has been the course pursued by Of Senators in
the Congress Of the United States (Mr. Leigh) This
gentleman, who elected ut the last session OF the
Legislature by the most open violation oil INSTRUCTIONS,
and against the known wishes 1 the State, has declared
his determination neither to 06ry Thus sac
rifcing his principles TO his passions, and acting out that
principle Of resistance TO the popular will, TO which lie
owed his election and which charactcrlzes the modern
/ WING party in the United States.
II IS peculiarly unfortunate for Mr.. Leigh and his cup
porlrrs that nc should have been the individual to a"t
this pasl Il is well known that he the author OF
tie preamble and resolutions adopted by Virginia III
Iel2 asserting the right Of the Legislature Of State to
instruct her Senator'S Congress, and which Esis ever
since been REGARDED as settled article Of political
a;ll 1t we'll known, oo that in recent speech IN
CONGRESS- he declared SHAT man. representing por
ton of 7cr people (mcanlng The people Of irginIaO
ought To 10 set his opinion Of the sentiment OF
the State opposition 10 the expression OF 1t by the
Legislature. .sir spirit Of our fathers yet burns III
/ our 5osnns and will not bear it." Yet MIR. Leigh Is
now the u1in:u.ar individual who openly disregards
.e sentiment of the State expressed by the le-
gsaturr aad who has By this sing lie act torn from his
own brow Tie brightest wreath III his chapct IL IS III
Il q ,s pypIlS
alleging that i Instructions ~ question required nm 10
cri:r, what IL! hclIc"rd to be an unconstitutional act
10, if they unconstitutional In MS cs''natlo' nc
was not bound 10 obey but had the ALTERNATIVE VI IT,
signing. c,, ,
Bur who can Doubt if the Legislature of Virginia had
ouobt proper 10 instruct him To vote for renewal OF
tho charter =, the Bank vi L. States, when lie i,lnsen
has ,rcarcd to b. unconstitutional that he would nave
d,nr 50: Upon this subject hr shall speak Tor h!seli
have only 10 add for my part, that while con
,uur rcprcs NATIVE Of the gnty OF tins Statc III
the Scna,r Of the g. 81 shall never even under sense
If dc most mpcous necessity, give my vote LOT any
National Bank, contrary to iHstFuthGnS nor dcea 'e'"
oi uy.nc INSTITUTIONS, (wha is in my OPINION tanta
monuu the declared srnsr OF my constituents Ihose
who dslrus; upon this subject, must dislrust tue
Sr,,c herself" fScc Mr. Lcigs letter to James Lyons
and others in l:j4 Hence is manifest that this gen.
llcmln will o,ry instructions, even though 'hey COM
m.nd him To vinate the Constitution, II they should nap
mem to h, in fl nOr OF the Bank If tho !. States
Without cu:prnr into any i;b1rcd argument to shew
nn if il were confined questions Of expedcncy only,
we ought rcacmEcr. that i; is only upon great occa-
sinlS that the Legislature would ever resort 10 hsfuI
tons at all and these occasions would almost ih'arapy
lr when some great constitutional principle was 10 pe
Settled ar when it was necessary TO repair some Volent
breach made in that instrument As proof Oh 'i,S, ~
almost every instance where Virginia has exercised t's
ors,ion and If the opinion OF tie Instructed oeHalot 10 ~
r,ph ii has been in reference 10 some constitutional
prevail over that Of the Legislature because ne
different viyss OF the Constitution it will readily be per-
crivcd, tt III ~ cases out OF iOO and those 100 VI .G
most mporl.n character the exercise oil the right wouio
| be- defeat 3D. We may readily imagine too how easily
Al, ingenious mind, sucl as that OF Governor laIe-
well or Mr Leigh, could raise constitutional uhcuities
upon any subject; and in such cases. VINO Is 70 W
ewr upon The correctness of The opinion expressed oy
the Senator the sincerity with which, It is
ed But without pursuing the argument we VIII ony
refer 10 the Of tho Legislature itself THIS session.
skw how general the sentiment OF the State Is against
Mr. Leigh notion, that there is no obligation 10 OBEY
instr actions upon constitutional questions upon pro
position submitted by Of MIR. Leigh iIehds III 'he
House Of Delegates upon sae e@Pnhg'ns na;oI,
this question was precisely made, and 1t only received
vote of 81 ia favor of it, and ~ against the Proposlon
and among the latter were large number Of MI Eeleh
political friends Again, upon the final passage oi tne re-
solution GeclGsing that it is the duty OF Inc hePese
To- obey the instructions II his constituents, or re-
sirn the trust with which they have clothed nm, &C,
the vu;s y,aell4 in favor Off, and only IA against IT, 40"
the friends, Of Mr.. Leigh IN the Legislature VINO uIc
Ibus declares their sUlcm OPINIONS IN favour ol Tue Is'
ofustrucons and those in the country who think WIN
Them can now sustain BIN IN his course we are Nv.
able To discern For it must be manifest That ne mas not
Iv orraycd himself against the right OF instruction, but
in So doing has placed himself IN direct opposition to inc
sune ut OF the State upon this subject AND VIII DC
for you determine, Fellow-czens whether this great
rig which Mr.. Leigh III Isl! aided ~ asserting IN tnc
case oc Mcssrs Giles and Brent, shall he sustained IN
Virginia. or ,ramplcd in the dust, and thrown back IN
sultInry upon the Legislature by OF her public ser
van!s; right, in his own language IN i7la: OF
I 'yilal Importance, the prost'aton OF winch iel''
! al I,T thp
ncnis the balance of the Constitution, ara the meg
ry Of the Unon. 1t will be your duty al the Po''s u
,,tucn .uch cn rs will yIndicalc TINS lghl IN inc
u.,t LEGISLATURE, and rcprovc public servant VINO,
,o ne,rs ago said in relation 10 another individual,
. If Inc DOES not know that the dignity OF government IS
cssruaL to the maintenance OF It's authority, he mas not
read the heart Of say confidently, that whoever
shall succeed in bringing Legislature into genera
cu,rpl will do to impair It's Just authority, lhai
aur siunlc measure OF this government possibly Gun
Neither are tc people Of Virginia OF temper 10 accept
proiessuns Of respect in lieu ol reality. we Pe'e.ty
,rrr. with Mr. Leigh in these OPINIONS; yet nc Is Tue
! III. failed individual himself who has not only aimed
deadly blow al the great Right Of Instruction. but mas
presumed To call in question the motives ana opecls OF
the General Assembly. Some Legislative measure, e1
urcssiyc Of the deep condemnation Of the course pur'
snrd bv Mr. Leigh wouId doubtless have been taken at
the prcscs, session. but for the late period ut which his
communication received, and the press OF unhnis
| "a, business of Il municipal character on hand.
The other instructed Senator MIR. Tyler, has thought
proper to p,tsuc different he has resigned ms
seat and is now presented 10 you by the Wings OF VIZ
rina as candidate for the Vice Presidency How far
The circumstance of his being candidate for the vice
Presidency may have influenced his course Is not ci U
to determine He has, certainly, BY resIgnIns' glveI
proof OF his obedience instructions, and mas saseu
himself from the fate which mug. inevitably await every
public servant who dctes the Will OF the PeopIe d,, -
hpo,hcr subject upon which it has become our outy 20
c d-rr the nrcs,ut session. was the Iesoluliohs Gull
n as uDon the Holding States TO adopt sue
as were best calculated to pfGTfm ANY inter-
& fhpIrr
terence on g Subject at one period during the past sum-
prrly-l ms s IF great excitement in the country;