Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-03-13
Foe THr MHIe.
L On IhL W ulg.
INSTRUCTIONS To SENATORS


Il Is strange that the resolutions passed by the General
Assembly, the 9th January remarkable as th.y are in
form and substance and containing, believed many
errors both OF fact and doctrine should have attracted
little attention. As the General Assembly appear have
much difficulty in dsPaichng any business excep, what
concerns our Federal Relations and this seems to be the
age Of eeantaon least Of reconsideration respect
fully suggested the General Assembly u revise
!uiions aud make official explanation respect
them.
Tne three frs', upon which only now proposed to
comment are as follows
list ResolUed by the General Assembly, That the
principle been held sacred by the p,ope Of Viz
gniu that the Representative bound to obey the will
Ut his Constituents resign his seat: That this prucip,
has often been declared by the General Assembly Of
virginia 10 their Representatives the Senators IN the Con
ress Of the United States that they do now soemply
Ir.aim II t. their present Senators, WIN. C. Rives and
WIN. :. Archer
''2nd. Resolued By N, General Asssrabiv That VIM.
>. Archer Of the Senators from tins State in tl,
C2nges. OF the United states, b. his in favor Of
L. > Bank and for the repeal Of the provision of the
law Tor the distribution Of the proceeds the sales Of
the public lands, which provided that the distribution should
cease whenever the duties imports were increased
20 per cent has violated this great principle and disregard
ed the known wishes Of his constituents.
''3rd Res0lred by The GcneTai assembly, That our Sc
majors m the Congress Of the United States be- and they
hereby instructed and Representatives requested
topocuro the repeal Of the Tariff passed last
at Congress- and 10 oppose and against any Tariff
which Is not solely for revenue"
nc ufsresOluuOn aiirins That 1.-THE principle has
been held sacred by the people of Virginia, that Re.
prcsenduve u bound 10 obey the will Of his constituents
or resign his seat" and that this principle has often been
declared by the General Assembly 10 their
the Senators m Congress-"
Now, 50 Tar from this principle, having been always
held sacred IN Virginia, It Is believed never until Of late
ycar- - have been officially promulgated ALL IN manner
aud form a. here set forth About the of the Expung.
ing RDspution-a precedent which, IL is Il, be- b,rd will
never be referred To az establishing any prncplc-t was
found hot the doctrine IN this Orm might serve a. con-
venen instrument 70 effect the removal of Senators or ,f
senator, who had the independence or the rshnt4 q,
oppose himself 20 the mad career Of JacksOnism Then
u - believed, the doctrine Of instructions first assumed ne
present form The General Assembly Il d. time AS l,p
ago a. lsll2, claimed the rgr 10 instruct Senaors t
MI Lei2hs famous resolutions then adopted, contain I
hA no SUCH alternative; they simply affirm the right OF
the Legislature % instruct Senators a questions ron
sutuinl and polite, and their boundcn duty 10 oley un
les he instruction require them violate the Constitution
OF commit 900 nct Of moral urudc, OF which Of rour.r
'ney "' mem'clycs % Judge. Nothing IL said Of their
"uy' D" any contingency 60 resign their seats.
"" ga, 'ne Senators properly be called the Representa-
T." 'i' We lcrai Assembly. They represent the Sf1ie
Z" Nigr', and cgsae t3r the whole Union Tri, tl,sy
he 'eel 10y the General Assembly, but 20 are the Gov
efn'f and Council, Militia Officers and other. and ,b,
Judges are not only elected but reroyabl. Inv ,b Ci
assembly, n'WeNufe THIS, however, does not constitute
ih.n Representative Of the General Assembly
10 TRUTH the instructions II the Legislature n,c =, ,,,
no iuWef binding tnn they afford evidence OF ,. ,, -
tbo people Mind of evidence often t4u,,,a. ~ M
must admit, aud ono which Democratic S,n,t,r, h., H.,
every instance in which has been brought q, hen, w
ihen have taken Che liberty 20 disregard aud consider n,
no evidence at o.
The 81 fcfolIu decnrcs that Mr. Archer by m vote. d,
favor IT Bank pi the United States. and tor the ref .
the ~ per cent Limitation IN the distribution act ,ns. ,
lated the great principle aud di-rcglrdcd the known " III
his constituents"
THE is grave charge, and should be lightly mad.
IT, determine whether not it be we'll founded b Inpp
tan o. consider. first, who Mr. Arcbcrs constituent
nt e time he gave the votes complained Of And -, %
what uehu have their opinions The matters qu,sO
become Known
q the pre.en, General Assembly consider ,hern.elyes
have been MI Arches "constitucnt" In the uH
ter' o. understood by ihcm, NJ the time ne gave he yot
in qhc't"n they nbouf under ogregious mistake. o.
OF th'-e yot's gvoa the - Of September 1871 VIII
according O. ucir own principles aud the decision OF N
tsovefnor snd Che Attorney General The Extra Sessio
in June 1851 were hts constituents Why TIE very
aud their associates who IN March preceding, elected BIZ
o. lhc senate How u known that They opp I-eJ
Bank Of tho U. s. IN every possible icrm1 Certainly
by any OCT oi theirs they msdc any official declar
u'n on he subject they entertained the opinion impl