Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-08-27

DIAN SIN The House has Just refused by an
almost luminous vote. II reconsider lis derlsun up
on the sub Treasury bill, rs reported by the Com
mttec Of Ways and Means. That decision, yoa
VIII have heard, was etrdly made Yesterday nj
tcrnoon; the Commillee Of the Whole having struck
out the cnactlug clause and made report accutd
ngN, and the House ordered the prevlons question:
So suddenly, that many who were deslrouS ct cN-
pressing thcr sentiments On the great question, we've
deprived al an opportunity OF doing 80 III debate.
waSouc oil them. Situated is was IN consequence
Of the repeated declarations of the Legislature, II
own opinion, ~ well rs that OF all my friends
here. tht atuauilcst piopIety, # nothing more,
Cuned that | should assign the reasons which dc
tcrmned me To disregard those declarations Not
that | would be understood rs admitting. under any
circumstances, the righto that body To instruct to
dngbtaam@ c9cct, the representatives Of the people
III another sphere. ! cefnnll do no such thing. My
views that subject, generality were expressed vcrN
distinctly III the Southern Review, IN paper upon
Halls Travels IN America, NS2H) have seen no
reason 10 change them; quite the contrary. am
sure they met with the hearty concurrence OF the
great maloty OF the people OF South Carolina At
that Tune and am yet 10 learn that any revolution
IN public opinion has taken place since. 1t would
in my Judgment, be deplorablc falling OIL fit were
SO. When came here III September, | found that
the moral influence arising from our supposed lnde
pcndencc III tins particular, was almost the only pow
ct LETT rs; but II WdS power, and a very precious
one. ltwould ntallibly perish under the sltlsh
doctrine by whIch II Is attempted "to COW out free
Spuits." aud to Turn the members ui these high de
Lucrative bodies, into mere tools OF popular leaders
out II doors. The idea Is Incompatible with our dig
uiDy men aud as Cmolinlaus--lt IS ut war with the
great first principle oil the moral order Of the uni
,cIsc--rtspoHN bWg-Mhth IT would utterly destroy
in ON Governments III Ire constituent well as IA
the representative. It's neither more noi les than
tu clam right of every elective body that odluus
privilege oi the pccaee OF England, the absuIduy
OF winch has lately attracted 50 much attention
the vote by proXy-the privilege OF participating ia
Adhesion without hearing the argument. Suppose
all argument cut OH, ASH might ~ well be under
such system, by the previous question. and
every representative voting pcipetudly under in
struc.ions, and YOU have the ideal perfection of a
dclibctatyc assembly constructed according 10 these
notions, a body winch IL would be hlueiy To CIlld
hump Parliament, ITO compare with the Senate Of
'rbcrlus and Caligula
Considered a principle Of regular government,
the doctrine OF which ! am speaking will not bear
moments examination. The hight to give "A b,Hdiue
instruction, implies the right to dsaYow any net done
in violation OF IT, aud In revoke Immediately the pow
cts Of the agents dsobcylng 1t. But nobody, so Ear
as am ytt informed, Is 50 cNuayagant ~ To pIc-
tend thai any such right exists und.r ON Go'ciu-
ment. The Senator OF ferrrst WHO acts up
on his convictions and not those ol his couStit-
ucnts forlrs OF his authority, Is rot Iut the
less a awgivcr, binding the whole eo0nuy by hls
acts 10 the utmost extent OF the jurisdiction Of the
Government. 1t IS a wild conccu to imagine, rs
have seen itassciod somewhere, that Tho state Ic
gislaure has Iight TO control the coRdarf, though
1t has nothing to do with the coHScicnctS oi lis rewc-
seutaliyes here This Is Il diJorcc IN The tue spult
OF the other which II Is intended 10 advance, but
much more inconsistent with all ideas Of good GOV,
eminent aud social order. ltWunld be nothing shoit
ola fundamental revolution in ouis Institutions
II would be making us mere league 81 iofcigu hd-
tons, and turning tins Congress Of law gHcrs into a
Congress of ambassadors. In shutt, no doctrine
(suppusing II abused, II will always be- IS more
utterly ceniious and subyelsyc IN all ITS bearings
aud tcudcncIcs-aud what may not al fnsl stlhc you
there one, AT the same, brttcr calculated III
the long tun To Law the power Of tins body The lie
gsIatutc oil the country. aud all the precious prnci
pies OF our Government Of laws, AT the loot OF the
Executive and disciplined corps OF managers under
its influence. shall not stop to develope this I'M
porant ranch OF the subject on winch have had
occasion to mediate much but ! give II To you as
my deliberate CONVICTION, that the constitution IS
subyertcd; that through the external influences 50
constantly brought 10 bear upon #, the federal lc-
gslaluIc IS shotn Of almost all dignity and authority
ih't tire freedom al thought aud action essential to
the very idea OF a ltpicsentlttc assembly, charged
with the conduct OF limited government Is assmlcd
all sides, and las been seriously lmpdl ed: and
that republic is beginning to take lie shape OF
an elective monarchy, ftmpfrcd III some degree by
two louses of armament, whose occasional oppose
ton to the will OF the Executive IS treated Is re-
volt against the people, IN The person oil lheIr only
true representative. ! do not speak ol tins OF that
administration OF What the actual President is do
iug, or whal the late President has done. speak of
a system becoming more aud more established every
day and OF what all nlnic Presidents will do as It
matter OF course, because systems too strong Tor
men aud uycrulc the best intentions. speak Of
what the inevitable consequence Of the ipIuc
Of party as II IS oNpressyely called here, by
which all freedom OF private Judgment Is sacrifice to
the iuagHarY viii OF the mdJorly, and public o
pIuI)u Is shaped, with view to iutuie elections, by
few leaders debating, no one knows Low, 10 multi
tudcs oi dlssc ming, dissatisfied, and yet Compl lying
iollowrfs-thc whole body dong whd almost every
member Of It disapproves. This is the mystery Of
gtoat masses, the drcdht1a PERM oil vast body
polite which every day oi Our future cXpcflncc viii
tend more and more 10 reveal If things 90 rs they
now do.
do not, of course, mean TO deny, that Tie oplu-
ions ol his constituents afc entitled II great weight
with the representative. UuquestIGnahly they are
and where they differ from his they ought =" to give
hn pause," and awaken IN hlm deep SENSE Of the
responsibility lac ncurs in declining TO comply with
them. will even concede, that III cases oil much
doubt and difficulty, II is safe course 10 conform
to them, and that there arc some questions, OF very
rare occurrence and very peculiar character, where
ii would do more harm than good to resist them
But the Truth is, there IS not the least reason for APP
pretending that they will not generally have their
full effect On the contrary the danger is oil the
othcrway. Its, unfortunately, but too rare thing
every where, to public man resist the passion
or prejudice Of the day, At the sk OF his popu-
laity aud success, though he be sure it will pass away
with the day. Even II ambition did not tempt, OF
baser motives dispose him to yield, that which has
been well described as :. the great lnastervice OF
men of business, a degenerate and ingorous sloh "
,pp IuluI ne q n no