Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-01-31
INSTRUCTIONS

The course recently pursued by Senators Strange
and Brown, Of North Carolina. is a striking practical
commentary upon the sincerity and honesty Of par
~ politicians. For several years, whilst The Wings
b.ld the undispuied ascendency in the Senate of the
United States, we were continually aslounded with
the parrot cry Of Obey or Resign !" whenever the
m inions of certain Senators came in conflict with
the will of the Federal Executive. And, in ODE
disnce to popular sentiment, expressed not always
through the medium of formal instructions, (particu-
larly in the case of Mr.. Mangum, of North Carolina, J
Several Wing Senators actually threw down the in
SIGMA rtofice. But what democrat" have we yet
81 saie the example, If we except the case Of
Wa. C. Rives in 1888? Not one. Although they
assume to be the exclusive champions and guar
dians Of this, as they style it, - great conservative
principle" Of popular government, they nevertheless
practically disregard and contemn it whenever they
ac in danger of falling victims to It's exercise. We
have recently had conclusive evidence Of this fact,
in the conduct of the two North Carolina Senators,
who, sdmonished by the result of the late election
of that State, should not have required any more
decisive manifestation Of public sentiment as a guide
to their conduct, but who, upon their own princi-
pies. are left absolutely without excuse for their o.
pen defiance Of the will Of the constituent body, by
the broad and definite expression Of the sentiments
eta majority of the Legislature of that State, as con-
tanned in the Resolutions a few weeks since adopt
Cd by both of its branches, in relation TO the mos,
important subjects which now agitate, or which have
recently been acted upon by Congress.
Blu, we are graycly told, by these gentlemen, ,ha,
are not sinstructions." That is. because they do
--t -, ,la ,,ory ~. b, :, ilay .~a ,laraf,.a mot
binding Was there ever a more %coLtemptible sub
terfuge resorted to for the purpose of defeating the
peoples " i'll, by self-styled " democrats"-par en-
celence - peoples men,? Is ii necessary, in draw
Ing up Instructions to a representative, that we shall
scrutinize the form with critical skill. as if il were a
legal process, in which The form constitutes an es-
scniial part of the substance J Surely not. II the
right of instruction" be a sound and defensible
doctrine AT all,-it implies that the representative is
bound to reflect the known will of The constituent
body. by whatever means soever that will is ascertain
ed-whether by its expression at the rolls, or by
public meetings, or by legislative resolutions. Sup
pose, for example. both Houses of the Virginia Lee
6islature, at its present session. shall, as we hope they
will, by decisive majoriiies, adopt resolutions in OPP
position TO the policy of throwing away our Public
Lands. by Graduation and Prescription laws
would il be commended that Senators Rives and
Roane would be Unsuitable in voting for such laws,
In utter disregard OF an unequivocal expression of the
opposition Of the constituent body to that policy be-
cause fo,sooth they might fail to incorporate in their
resolutions that magical word, "inStrUct' 1t will
not be so pretended. The su pposi,ion, when stated in
these plain terms, is so preposterously absurd. that ii
is at once secuted by every sane mind And vet this
4. r.o:,oI a., or,,,. e,.,, l., H.. Na.,I (r.-
lima Senators-those protesSed champions Of the
Right Of Instructions I! The North Carolina Legis-
lsture, by majorities Of both Houses, declare that
the Expunging resolution ought to be rescinded !;
that the Sub-Treasury system is incompatible with
the genius Of our institutions and with he prosperity
Of the country that The public expenditures ought
to be economical; that Executive power and pat
ronago pug ht TO be abridged and that The wasteful
policy Of the administration in relation TO the Public
Lands ought to be resisted and they add, that, in
carrying out the spilit of these resolutions, their
Senators in Congress would be acting in ae cordance
with the expressed opinions Of a majority Of the reo-
pie of that State. But because they do moi use the
word instruct" these sapient gentlemen contend,
ind enter into a most elaborate afgument to prove,
that they are not bound either to obey or resign
Was there ever a more piti(ul subterfuge-a more
barelaced equivoque-a more ~palpable attempt to
evade the obligation which their avowed principles
impose upon them? These demacogues, when it
suits their purposes to flatter and cajole " The dear
people," do not hesitate to style themselves " pub
lie se,vants'-well what would be thought of that
servant, who, upon being informed Of some particu-
lar Dukes which he was desired to attend to in his
4 ss,,. and as'nce, should neglect Them altogether
s0dh.S~ ~ 1is justification that he was only told
81 MS masters wishss, but not instructed" or order
ed to see that they were complied with ! He would
be, like the servant in the scriptures, and as Messrs.
Brown and Strange deserve to be " punished with
many stripes" because she knew his masters will,
and did it not" Messrs. Brown and Strange know
the uiH Of their constituents; and they are not re-
lease from their confessed obligation-confessed by
themselves-to obey that will, because it is express
sed in a declaratire and not a mandatory form.
But these honorable Senator's they are all hon
orable men''-do not belong to our bailiwick and
we have no reason to suppose that the people to whom
they are responsible will permit their gross attempt to
refine away a doctrine which they have SO long and
loudly professed to revere, to 60 unrebuked and un-
punished. We have only referred to it, for the pur-
pose Of inviting the attention Of our readers to anotl-
er 'ilustration, in addition to the thousand glaring in
stahces heretofore recorded, of the facilities with
winch unprincip'ed men can tramplc under foot
doctrines. which, when it suited their purposes 10
"'.e use o'thsm with the design of destroying thei,
lucy proiessed to regard with the most sacred