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

he desired ansmi, coov That the Governor
s .o,Sgo,ns resolutions the FOREGOING , r"a
a"'hoty ofeach Of tho each of bs o
1."s states mn non Virginia in the consto Of
mag DC communicable n tc United states min
AMI that aI,e COW 10 .ast tey lay the before
10 zach OF ,he Senators md Re
s sd' s, ~ The g, Congress of the Uni
Governor Wood Federalist ,vos ,ho, H. Z,
o VIRGINIA and as much opposed to the resolutions ~
nyo, on constitutional grounds, as Governor TazrwoJi
VI" Possio'y be TO the cxpungng resolutions: vct IL
never occurred TO him that he was at Liberty IN eci;
IN eHecn"n OF them, and that in complying with them
he should "incur guilt This conduct Of The Governn
we persuaded must be regarded by all No oa
novel aud extraordinary proceeding; and If il docs not
suect him 10 an impeachment, must certainly expose
pie of this Common wealth -
Exactly in keeping with this conduct of the Govo,o
mas been The course pursued by one of our Senaor -
the Congress of the United States mir Ie T.: IN
gentleman, who elected at the last session or ,h
legislature by The most open violation of instructions
anu AGAINST me known wishes Of the State has declared
has determination neither TO oboy nor RESIGN Thus 60
rncng his principles TO his passions and acting ont tho,
principle OF resistance TO the popular will to which he
owed his election, and which ciiaracterzes The modor
Wing party in the United States
is peculiarly unfortunate for Mr.. Leigh and his sup.
pofers tha ne should have been the individual TO act
this part 1t is well known that he was the an,hor &C
the preamble and resolutions adopted by VIRGINIA in
ioi asserting the tight of the Legislature of State IN
Instruct her senators IN Congress- and which has ever
since been regarded settled article of our noloa
,ah. IL rs wen known, too, that in recent speech in
congress he declared shat man, representing nor
Ton oil her people (neanng the people of Virgin;aN
Ought 10 venture to his opinion of th. sentiment ~
Re spr, 20 Of 'He r EXPRESSION Of it. by the
our bosoins, and will not bear it, Yet MIR Te;Tb 10
now The unfortunate individual who openly disrega
:" the sentiment of the State as expressed bv the Lee
gsature and who has by this single torn from his
own brow the brightest wreath in his chapet IL is in
vain Tor MI Leigh and his friends seek an excuse bv
alleging that the Instructions question required him 10
perform what he believed DO am Unconstitutional act
for If they unconstitutional in his estimation he
was not bound 10 obey, bot had the alternative Of re-
signing.
But who can doubt the Legislature of Virginia had
thought proper TO instruct him TO vote for renewal of
the charter the Bank of IT, States which he himself
has declared 10 be unconstitutional that he would have
done so' Upon this subject he shall speak for himself:
" haveonIy TO ada Tor my own part that while | con-
nue representative of the sovereignty of this State in
the Se'nte OF the u. s. shall YER even under sense
ot The most mpcrous necessity, give my vote for anv
Naonay Bank, contrary to instTucfons nor indeed NTH
o posittc Instructions, (what is in my opinion tanta
moun) The declared sense of my constituents. Those
who distrust me upon this subject, distrust the
Stale herself lSee Mr. Leighs letter to James Lyons
and others in ls34] Hence, it manifest that this gen.
ueman will obey instructions, though they com
naud him TO violate the Constitution if they should hap
pen to be in favor of the Bank Of the U. States
without entering iaao any abored argument TO shew
how utterly worthless would be the RIGHT of instrnc
ton II were confined 10 questions of eSpediency ONLY
we ought TO remembers that is only upon great occa
sons that the Legislature would ever resort TO nstruc
tons at ALL and these occasions would almost invariably
be when some great constitutional principle was to be
OF when II was necessary to repair violent
breac! made in that Instrument As a proof of this in
almost every instance where Virginia has exercised tbs
question: and if the opinion the instructed Senator il ~,
right, IT has been in reference 10 some constitutional
prevail over that OF the Legislature because he enerans
different view of the Constitution il will readily he nor
tha IN w cases out OF lOO and those of the
most important characer the exercise of the RIGHT would
be defeated We may readily imagine too how eas;lv
an ingenious mind such that of Governor Taze
Wen or Mr. Leigh, could raise constitutional difficulties
upon any subject; and in such cases, who decide
either upon the correctness of The opinion expressed bv
.he senator or The sincerity with which it is entertain.
eu; bnt ~Ithont parsning the argument we will ONLY
ieier to the vote % the Legislature itself this session 10
shew how general the sentiment of the State is against
Mr. Leigh notion, that there is obligation 10 obey
instructions upon constitutional questions pon nro
position submitted by of Mr.. Leghs friends in the
House of Delegates upon the txpunging resojnon
'his question was precisely made and it only received
vote OF 81 in favor OF it, and so against the proposon
and among the latter large number of Mr. Leigs
political friends Again Upon the final passage of the re-
solution declaring that is the duty of the Represen-
tatIve To obey the instructions of his constituents or re-
sign lne trust wnh which they have clothed him. &c.
he vote was ~ n favor OF and only II against it, How
the friends Of Mr. Leigh the Legislature who bove
thus declared their solemn opinions favour Of the right
OF Instructions and those in the country who think with
them, can now sustain BIN in his course we are not
able to discern For be manifest that he basnot
only arGayed himself against the rioht of ns,rucon L,
IN so DOING has placed himself in direct opposition To- the
sentiment OF the State upon this subject nd il will be
for you TO determine citizens whether this great
tght, winch Mr. Leigh IN 1912 aided in asserting in the
case Of Messrs. Giles and Brent shall I've sustained in
Virginia, or ramped in the dust and thrown back in
suungy upon the Legislature by of her public sors
wants right in his own language in 1912, of
"viial Importance, the prostration Of which might
ultimately affect the existence of the State Govern.
menls The balance OF the Constitution, and the incq.
'y OF the Union IL will be your duty al the polls 10
return such will vindicalc this ri0bt in the
next Legislature, and reprovc public servant who
not Two years ago, said in relation 10 another individual
" III he does not know that the dignity of is
essential to the maintenance of its authority he has not
read the heart Of say confidently that whoever
shall succeed ia bringing Legislature into qencral
contempt, viii do 10 impair lust authority than
any single measure OF this government possibly can.
Neither are the people Oh Virginia Of temper accept
professions Of respect in lieu Of reality We perlecfv
agree with MIR Leigh in these opinions; yet he is the
Inflated individual himself who has not only aimed n
deadly blow at The great Right Of instructions but has
presumed 10 call IN question the motives and objects Of
The General Assembly Some Legislative measure, cx-
pressye oil The deep condemnation Of the pur-
sued 10y Mr. Leigh, would doubtless have been taken at
the session, but for the late period at which his
communication was received, and the press of upfnsh-
ed business OF a municipal character on hand
The other instructed Senator, Mr. Tyler has thought
proper to pursue different he has resigned his
seat, and is presented TO you by the Wings of Vir
ginia a candidate for the Vice Presidency How far
the circumstance of his being candidate lor the Vice
Presidency may have influenced his course is not for us
to determine. lie has certainly, by resgning given
PROOF oi hls obedience to Instructions and has saved
himself from the fate which inevitably await every
public servant who deiies the will of the people
Another subject upon which IL has become our duty 10
act during the present session. the resolutions call
ing upon the non slayeh holding States 20 adopt such
measures as best calculated To- prevent anv ntsr
perty This subject at period during the past sum,
mcr, the cause Of great excitement in the country:
md while thefe much 10 believe that the ex
element which then existed dspro portioncd TO its
cause, all must admit, tina, the subject presented very
different aspect at the time Of the meeting of the -.
gisaturr, from what il did in the previous sum
mcr. The various resolutions adopted in different
parts Of the South had the effect Of producing an