Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-31

nrincin, WIS dictate by every consideration Of regard
for integrity and Justice and he would enter his protest
against innovation which lost sight OF the great
principle that il was right and important that our do
inrs here should be open day ght dongs such as our
constituents could see either for praise or condcmna
ton He never could, under these views, consent to
cxpunrc the 18th rule.
Mr.. WELLER did not intend to dctan the House
long with the few remarks he was about To make. re
considered the question be simple, that but little
need be SAID to illustrate 1t; and therefore, what nc
was about to say, would refer principally TO his own
course on this occasion He intended as nng US nc re-
manned Representative q" the people, that they should
see the manner which he sustained himself IN his re-
preventative capacity, for he was not AFRAID 70 et nus
constituents be the judges Of his conduct here Nay,he
was anxious that they should know the manner IN Whch
he discharged his duty them, he would dsdain 10
net as their aren't unless his conduct should meet with
their fullest appreciation He who acts agent, (sad
Mr. w y should be accountable 10 his principal: and,
therefore the records of this House should show how The
agents of the people discharged the trusts cnnided !"
them He stood here neither under Executive influence
nor under the influence of banks. He thanked God
he had influences to operate on hun but the hhn-
ences of those who sent him here and with them he
would always be ready to made prompt settemeni
of their mutual accounts Why should it be said
that those who prefer the rirn system OF voting
were under Executive influence: lie DID not lear
the Executive, or that ne would attempt an improper
influence the members OF THIS House. II there
was such a man on this floor, let him avow It. he
did not believe that this Executive his prcdeces-
sor was a tyrant or usurpcr. He knew that 1t had
been so charged in the columns of corrupt press,
but the people of the country had pronounced the
CHARGE to be false and unfounded He was under no
such influence himself-he stood here as a Repre-
sentative of the people, fearing no influence what
ever, and he not to DC deferred from the course
| his Judgment approved, by violent poundngs on the
| desks or a flourish Of arms. There might be men
here who possessed more physical power than HIMSELF
and, By pound ng of desks and violent gest'cuat'on
m chit attract more notice but these appliances would
never deter him from the course his judgment
He repeated that he under influence, cithcr OF
the Executive of the banks, and therefore WISHED
eyery vote he gave TO be openly proclaimed to the
whole world
Mr. BRIGGS said few words in reply to Mr.. Van
dcrpoc and referred to the in the Constitution
where the ballot system of voting was prescribed, argu
ing from thence that that system was more IN accord
ance with Republican principles and was sanctioned by
the trainers of the Constitution.
! Mr. CRAIG said he did not comprehend the apPii-
cabilty Of the remark of the gentleman from Tennes
see Mr. Bell, the remark that the Executive held
up a whip over this House. BY what part Of the Ex
ecutive was il held up: Was it br the President,
some of his subordna.cs-thc heads Of Departments,
or bv what other branch of the Executive: For his
own part, (said Mr.. c. he was unconscious of any
such influence that indicated By the figure OF 'the
whip, except that which came from his constituents
To them and to them alone, he acknowledged himself
TO he responsible. The constituent body, and they
alone had right to nct lasles upon the members OF
this House. The members of THIS House were the
mere agents OF the people who had elected tet and
sent them here as their Representatives. BY conse-
oucnce it was the right OF the people To Know al
their artnes and doings IN this hall How could the
people approve or condcnn, il deeds conceal
| cd from them
| Sr c. further said, there but one class OF the
community in whose political honesty he had much
coptidcncc-thul that great class made up OF the
agriculturists, mechanics, manufacturers IN "oiu'
that great class w" S Il G iu nno Mch we all
live and are mad. comfortable. Every day expo
renee and observation seemed but to confirm hun IN
the opinion that there way Of preserving our
Republican institutions but by keeping the conduct of
the members of this House fully open to the inspection
of the people They, in the mass honest-thcy are
yirtuous-they have interest in error, and they will
not knowingly permit their Liberties to be bartcred away
under Executive influence, or in any other way What
other motive can suggest the secret mode OF voting BY
ballot, instead of the open mode, 'rtta r0cf but
wish TO conceal our acts from constituents: IL 10
not the dread of responsibility to the Executive, but Of
responsibility the constituent body, that induces
preference of the secret mode
Let sad Mr. c., the idea generally obtain, that the
House of Representatives may conceal themselves from
the view of their constituents, and in his best judgment,
the way VIII have been paved TO the downfall of PoPu
lar liberty.
At the POLLS each individual voter stands Of
the independent elements of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BILE to any person authority whatsoever. The mode
of voting in the primary elections may therefore be
supported by many strong arguments bat not one OF
these arguments is applicable to the Representative.
He is agent, and responsible to his employers Inc
voter the polls independent, and ought, might be
said to have the means, if nc wished to do 80, OF
cealng for whom he had voted.
Formerly the mode ofelccting officers in the Legis
laturc of Virginia by ballot; but recently, in a
change of the constitution of that State that mode had
been repudlacd. At this time, all elections, whether
in the Legislature among the people, are conducted
on the rira mode. This is the favorite mode OF
that State and it cannot, it seemed TO him. occasion
any surprise that her Representatives should be IN ia
vor OF its adoption here.
After some remarks from Mr. WISE, in opposition
TO the amendment,
! Mr. BYNUM expressed his regret at hearing gen.
tcmen dcscant in the old way about Executive infu-
cnce and Executive patronage. de had hoped that
the events of the last five or six years would have
taught the gentlemen lesson. What Executive IN.
luence did the gentleman from Tennessee allude to?
| He was the last earth who ought TO talk on
such subject. That gentleman himself stood on tn $
floor side by side with the dominant party, sustain
/ ing Executive influence and Executive power during
the highest excitemens of party These charges have
been made time after time, for political effect, for the
last five SIX years, and never had there been
single charge verified. ST, (sad Mr.. Bynnm, the
idea that should not vote era through fear OF
Executive influence, is ridiculous. The gentleman
| from Tennessee had mistaken the influence III there
was any lash more than another that Representa-
tive should fear It the lash of his const tuens,
ny stated by the gentleman from Virginia, (lr.
Crais) That the fear; and it was the fear OF his
constituents who not here to watch his course,
that made the rtra principle objectionable to those
who wished to misreprcSent them. lie would con.
hdenty ask every member present If he knew Of
any Representative who deserted the interests of his
constituents in consequence Of Executive influence.
What had been the events of the last ten years. and
what were the changes in the principles OF members
that they had witnessed: Had these changes been in
favor of the Executive? On the contrary, had not all
Of them been in Opposition to the Administration.
When he first came into Congress Aere majority
of thirty forty in this House in favor of the Ad-
mnistration, but there were influences more potent
than that of the Executive at work, by which that
majority, before the close Of the session, dwin-
died down TO twenty or thirty. When arrived
here few years since, there an Administration
majority Of twenty. FIVE or thirty What changes were