, 1841-10-30
For the JourusI.

Mr.. EplroR:-From an article in the
"Journal," Of the Esd inst. over the sigma.
ture of "Hones,us," l discover that the plan
which suggested for assertaining the prefer
ence OF our county, between aspirants for
nomination at our state convention, had failed
omeet with that appreciation from the friends
of all parties, which l had reason to expect.
Entertaining as | ever have, the greatest a.
version to all kinds of newspaper controver.
sy, and distrustful of my ability to attract
with success the serious attention of your
readers, reluctantly offer for the second
time to encroach upon your columns.
The r'd'cule with which my former com.
mnnIcat!on was received by one at least,
would serve under ordinary circumstances
to have deferred me from again appearing be-
fore the public; but impressed with the firm
belief, tina, my suggestions were worry of
mature consideration, and of final adoption,
! am encouraged in defiance of any opposi.
ton with which they may meet, to attempt
to sustain them with undated frmness, and
with an unchanging sense Of then justice and
importance.
Passing by without notice, at present the
motives which "Honestus" attributes to me,
in my former communication, but which are
in the outset positively disclaimed, l will at.
tempt to notice some Of the objections urged
against my proposition. He says that "such
Ia cours-af proceeding, as that recommended
by Justice would if adopted, present IN ano-
maly as strange in its character, as it would
be destitute of a precedent in our political
history" and expresses in the ensuing sem
rence, great and just surprise at the idea,
that "one body or set individuals with dele.
gated powers only, should take upon them.
selves the authority to'ins'ruct another body
or set of individuals. Of similar or like char
acier with themselves" 1t is true that we
should hesitate TO adop, any scheme. that
may conflict TO a great extent, with old and
established rules, and that we should sooner
embrace a plan which has the sanction Of pre-.
cedent, than one which if carried into effect,
would be an "anomaly in our political histo'
ry." But where a Uant of precedent, is the
only seriou, objection that can be urged a.
gainst a proposition, we must acknowledge
that our adherence to its adoption is not SC
great as that manifested by the over-scru'
pIous "Honestus." If the world had always
been made up Of such men as he, and had
stopped at every trying stage in its history,
for want of a precedent BY which to be gov
e a d, they certainly would not have advanced
very far in the science Of political ethics
The idea that this should constitute an in
supcrable objection, is indeed to US ridiculous
ly absurd.
In looking however at the very structure
Of our goyeEsssat, and ,hc process of car
rying out in many instances the public will
we find that our plan is not without the pale
Of example, or a precedent in our political
history; and that no such objection as tina,
urged by "Honesius" in reality exists. A
government composed of the representative.
Of the people, where that system is at all com
~plicated, renders it often necessary TO multi
!. ply their agents in order to render their will
!. effective, which agents act not as the execu
tives of that will, bot as the means of con
veying a fair expression of public sentiment
! to other bodies. If these delegates appoin
ted by Township meetings were aof simila1
or like character" with those appointed a
our County Convention, I then should b
inclined to doubt the propristy or "thsil
right" to instruct the others, or if they wsr.
sto take upon themselves the authority t.
instruct" those who were their equals in eve
Try respect, il should Be said that they wer,
exercising a power that did not belongl &c
, them. But tho truth is that their character,
would be totslIy dissunilar and unlike, and