The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-06-21


Whittemore, Esq. was assigned to this SER
vice.
Mr.. Marsh appeared in the house, and
having been announced to the President,
proceeded to address the Convention.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen
of the Conuention:
Established custom requires, that the
successful candidate, on occasions like the
present, in accepting the honor rendered
him, should express his Acknowledgements
to the body by whom he has been selected.
The custom is in nv opinion proper one
in itself, and it has a peculiar fitness. when,
as in the present instance, tie candidate is
personally stranger to great proportion
of those who have concurred in his nominal
ton. / am bound 10 presume, that the
members of the convention have not acted
without evidence satisfactory 70 them, not
only of the political soundness and political
integrity of the candidate of their choice,
but that he possesses some reasonable meas
ure of ability for the maintenance OF the
principles, which they and he in common
profess. might therefore perhaps be ex-
cused from making confession of my Po-
litical faith, but the confusion in which both
the leading political parties of the Union
have been thrown by the unexamPled faith
lessness of our accidental President has led
to such a general Reorganization, that the
old party appellations are not necessarily
sufficient indication Of the principles Of
those who beat them. For this reason
shall with your indulgence,s state the leading
principles by which shall be governed, it
ton of the Wing freemen Of the District to
your nomination. With regard to the gen.
eral duties of a Representative, hold that,
though elected by District, he is an officer
fthe nation,and consequently is not bound
or indeed at liberty, TO sacrifice the general
good of the rights of any section of our
common country, to promote interest of bis
own. He is however to consider himself
as specially charged with the guardianship
of the interests of that portion, which he
more particularly represents, and is there.
fore bound to make himself intimately ac-
quainted with those interests, and to defend
and promote them TO the utmost extent,
which is consistent with the rights and the
prosperity of the other portions. From this
doctrine follows almost as necessary corol.
larry, that the right of instruction, TO the ex-
tent TO which it is claimed in certain Sec
tions of the Union, can have no existence,
and agree with the great body Of the
Wings of the North in repudiating this pre-
tended right, as well for this, as for some
other reasons. The Constitution of Yer.
mont, | am aware, declares that the people
have right TO instruct their represents
tives, but if this clause have any application
except in regard to the members of our do
mestic Legislature, it is imperative, both be-
cause no mode has been pointed out for as.
certaining the sense Of the people and con-
veying the intructions. and because it is re-
pugnant to the spirit of the constitution of
the United States, from which alone both
Houses of Congress derive their authority
Neither is it in my judgment. the true the
DRY of our Government, that all men are
both competent and prepared to decide upon
all questions, which fall within the cogni-
zance of the national legislature. The
founders of the American Union held, not
only that all men are born free and inde>
pendent, but that they are endued with an
intuttive perception of their natural and
social rights, and therefore, that they are
competent to prescribe both the form of
their government and the principles upon
which it shall be exercised, as well as 10 Sc
lect those who shall be entrusted with its
administration. And by making all free
men eligible to all offices, without limitation
of birth, estate, condition. or profession, the
doctrine IS implied, that all rational men
arc naturally competent to the discharge of
the duties of every official station. But it
is not presumed, that all men are prepared
TO decide on all the complex and ever vary.
ing questions, upon the right determination
of which the successful administration of
government depends. There is large class
OF subjects, and an extensive range of ques-
tions, involving the general good of the ma.
lion, which can not always be brought with
in the reach of the great body of the free
men, and which moreover cannot be salts
factorily or fairly adjusted, without such an
interchange of opinion, and frequently
such mutual concessions, between different
parts of the Union, as can only take place
by personal communication. The only
practicable mode of accomplishing this is
obviously by referring these subjects TO DEL
egates from every section of the nation. to
whom the final power of disposing of them
is intrusted, and these are precisely the ques.
lions, which. by our constitution, from the
legitimate subjects of Congressional action.
But though the representative is TO this ex-
tent Independent of his constituents, he is
bound to treat their deliberate opinions up.
on all subjects, so far as these can be as
certained, with the most respectful consId-
Grafton, and it is not perhaps going too far
to say that upon local questions, those opin.
ions should have controlling force with
him. These then are the general principles,
upon which the action of a representative
Of the people should be founded, but it may
be matter of greater present interest to
you to know more particularly my opinions
ON the general policy which ought TO be a.
dopted by our government. and upon the
great questions, which have for some years
hnen fhe Driurinal fhopac If nol;t;c,I lie.