Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-02-21
LlNVESTIGATEUR.
NINFEk 7.
THE VIRGINIA INSTRUCTIONS.
NUMBER I.
And saw ,ha, wisdom exceeded feny high, eyeeet
h,rln 4


NUNBEK I.
THE VIRGINIA INsTRUCTIONs.
And that wisdom exceeded fony far as light e'eehe'h
darknes-"-lsVtucus
lie /. the freeman " hon the truth make. free,
And all slaves bystdc-CowrrE
The spectacle the country presents, unpreec
dentcd the annals OF political or civil history 1t Is
unique and gloomy picture connotSscur would say
the shades dark and too while an amateur
would be struck and dispcasrd with its bleak and lnar
monous grouping but amused with the dro and novel
pearance of of its parts.
Never before has there been President who did not
affiliate with the prominent pares' IN the words
of Mr. McDuife hs tanned by either of the great
parties-hey have sympathy with him. Never before
has been marked with much imbeciy OF mlnu
and ndeCon Of purpose, IN the person presiding as Sha-
racter1es the present Incumbent and here would
have such for the station, that We would
advance the assertion, were u not sanctioned by inc
expressed opinion the leading parties Never IN
time OF profound peace has such universal pccuniay dis
existed and but inadequate parallel can be drawn
from the experience of times OF war. Never have ue
States wrnngcd with each other'- ana the American
cred-hc credit Of these States that have paid of ma
tona debt uf ons-has before been at so low an
ebb The 'dou Went que" nor the merits OF what We
have promised Fun rautrc do intend 70 discuss at
present. remarks growing of circumstances connect
ed with portion other of prciacing IDEAS VIII
frequently form the theme OF Thoughts transmitted du-
ring leisure hours and possibly arrest the aenuon
if and instruct the general reader and induce
him 10 investigate In the present number We Will eHs
that dro and somewhat prominent scene IN inc gene
raj picture-The instruction resolutions OF our Virginia
Legislature.
History, saws one ais philosophy esehing by examples;
and says another, o form an esumHie OF the character
and capabilities mankind comprehensive than the
experience Of a single generation can afford, we must ap
ply the retrospect OF the past The wisdom ct the re-
marks and the sefryidencc OF their truth will not be de-
med The yoluminOUs pages OF history, and the recoee
OF ones experience, admitted by
every investigating mind 10 afford much less errlng
lide than fancIul chimeras-thc progeny OF moment
Now, have the members Of our Legislature who framed
the resolutions instructng Senators been
tuaied BY such convincing dlctates~ith the history OF
their own country before them. snd their experience
which amply sufficient have their thoughts been occupied
a moment IN retrospective reflection We think can
adduce negative reply by showing that the main feature
and object OF those resouuons-rePeal OF the Iann-s
wholly uacsIled for by any analogous necessity.
Il viii be reco!eced that during the last session Of Con-
gre violent opposition offered to the passage Of this
scthavng for It, object the raising OF revenue, and al
fordinE the ume incidental protection 10 manuiae
lures and until every luyecve had been hurled
and all sadef plus que psHt aree reTife-ihai could be
said against that it Oyereae the ramParts OF noaHce
and prejudice, and an lnydlous oppoSluon ana was a!
passed Among other things ured against i then, was
that the time which has since elapsed the poor tanner
would have pay Tor ms lron, CLOTH both domestic
and WOODEN sugar coffee hats, &c the whole agregaung
the consumer; this strong language
fghtiG indeed for any thing wall scare u poor isno
rant country people, It u TO have 10 pay high Tor the
purchases OF our tobacco money"
But mas proved the and our fears are re-
ieyed YOU may 60 any merchant Richmond and buy
goods cheap before the existence OF the late ta
former prces; any grocer will sell low former
u; and Garbausti will sell YOU hat cheap, If not
cheaper than Here II will be seen the instructors
have looked back Il the whitening, the bghulg
effects predicted opponents have been experienced
That Is perfect, wall contend; Tor, like some Of
the Gods, it born in storm; and the Cycops them
selves wrought dreadful. thunderbol, than
hurled against during it, birh by the Jupters who
rode the political clouds the occasion That II does not
the whole purpose, owing 10 deficiencies m Its
parts. and defect whole: may require
md
ded and 10 raise the duty others but not repeal unu
every nation from conyoked assembly, decides upon Tree
trade ON all sides.
But admit there is dire necessity for the repeal erery
measure aud the non-pasage OF those passed
toned the resolutions Does there exist moral eg.
right instruct Common answers, no! IL Is
uue 'n theory Is Plausibe but the pausibly Of It's
theory however, the sophsy OF the language
its adyOcaes and nothing favour OF practical
truth: the right OF Instruction.. senatorial
Is assumption in defiance OF It's absurdes, based on
false analogy of circumstances: it i like saying, Tom
Is man, and Dick 4 man-ergo, Tom and Dick one
aud the person. for in the Legislature
structing Is not-wh excepuoEs-the Legislature
eecng, that previously elected the Senators; and the
striking analogy alone the generic Itmay
be commended, that the body nsrueng, coming more I'M
mediaiey from the people, reflect the viii Of that people
in local they may-but the subject question:
hold the reverse-and opinion dictated by these
conclusions Previous to the session Of the Legislature,
which elect Senators the candidates before the
People, the merits Of the they intend such
election, and that issue elected thus j. the will Of
the people revealed the federal point alluded 10 Sub
scquent this, and while the election OF Senators
IN tho vista Of uGuHy, OF the members elected
from IOca. prudcc and personal considerations and pre-
objections and be SAID with truth speak the voice
OF the people federal qucsiions-Besdrs did wise
ancestors the trainers OF the Constitution dream Of such
perersion Of that instrument, when they said IN IT,
should be elected for years They surely did
Yet those who consnd for the night Of nstucng Sens-
tors contend likewise they must obey resign and
this carried out changeabIe the political hues OF
Legislatures that there would be one unvaying round Of in
sucnr, resgnup, cecung and re.electng, pspaby
constituting and pcrycrng the Constitution. More could be
adducod strengthening the eide OF this question advo.
cate, but this Is sufficient al present
SPECTATOR, Jr.
! Pine Lawn, Amelia, Feb 18th, 40.
'Ndr the Virginia and New York MssSa
| ehuIeits and Virginia,
due specimen appeared l. Messeuger a year Or
two since The beet we've read the side