Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-07-09

HENRY CLAY AND THE RIGHT OF
lNSrRUCTlON.--THE PRESI-
DENTAL ELECTION OF 1925
AND THE BANKRUPT LAW OF
l64I.
During the first portion Of Henry
Clay's political career, he was emphatic.
ally TIE DEMOCRAT. There was
no popular doctrine to which he Gid moi
subscribe. He was always for The peo.
pie aud with the people; and we believe
IT Was some distinguished Englishman
Whc called him "nhe great CommOner.
N MAJ, went further in intoxicating
the dn'y Of obedience ts the will OF the
People by their servants in Congress and
the Legislatures Of the States, or was
m0re prompt in denounciDg and attempt
iuy to punish delinquent Senators aad
Representatives. in 1911 the will oil
lhe State OF Kentucky was clearly ex-
pressed against recbartering the old Bank
OF The United States; but John Pope then
Mr.. Clay's colleague in the UnIedStaIes
Senate, disobeyed the instruction, and
voted tor the recharter. For that act
Mr.. Clay and his friends pui'him down
IN Kentucky, though man of excellent
talen and better character than his
rival.
Although Mr.. Clay afterwards went
over to the Bank, he continued 10 pro-
fess the sams faith on the subject o III,
slructions, both popular and legislative.
He ynled for the celeb ated Comp ensa'
lion Bill! at the session Of Congress in
lSl5-l6 aRd its repeal at tha succeeding
session. The reason he gave for this
change was the will Of his constituents
Ia a speech which may be found in the
National Intelligencer of January; 1917,
he thus laid down the doctrine OF lnstfuc,
tons, as he recognised it both in theory
and practice, viz:
''Mr. Clay said he sgreed perfectly in
the sentiment, that instructions given by
the people are obligatory on the Repre-
ssntalves. This was principle conse-
Grated by the Revolution, insePerabIe
irom aIl free government, and which be
therefore hnped never 10 see departed
from, in practice, under ours Whilst,
then hs had seat on this foor, Mr.. @.
said, il was irnmaterial how he arrived
at the will of his constituents, or what
we're the evidences of it; il was sufficient
that he should know it. In all csses of
expe diency, be held the doctrine Of Obli-
CATION on his part 10 observe the instFac'
iiohs, express or implied. ,ot his Constitd"
ents."
But Mr. Clay was ambitious 10 be Pre-
Sident. He bad seen the Secretary of
State succeed to lhePresidency, until he
looked upon it as the established order
Of succession. He though { he should be
sec urs Of The Prize, ifhe could but place
himself in the line Of ''sate precedenls,"
as he himself called that position in
1925.
When, by the result of the electoral
election in 1924, il was found that the
contest in the House OF Representatives
would rest between Andrew jackson and
John @. Adams, the Legislature OfKen<
lucky, by an overwhelming majority,
sdopled The following resolutions, viz:
"Reselved, &c. That the members Of
t.e House Of Representatives in the Con-
prsss Of the United States. from this
State be requested TO vote for General
Andrew Jackson as President of the
Uaited States.
"RssoIved, as the opinion Of thisL eg>
islalurs, That Gen Andrew Jackson is
the second choice Of the S:ate(of Ken
tucky for the next Presidency of the
Unilcd States; that very large majority
Of the people Of this State prefer Gen.
Jackson 10 Mr.. Adams or Mr.. Crawford; /;
and that The members Of the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES in the Congress of the
United States will, by complying with the
request herein sgn6ed, faithfully and
truly represent the feelings and wishes
ofthe good people of kentucky"
What said Mr.. Clay? In a letter to a
friend il Virginia, dated 4th Feb, 1925
and published in the National Journal O.
2e,h April, 1928, he said:
"What do you desire3 That | shoulC
vote for Mr.. Crawford3 cannot. Fol
Gen. JacksOnG / WILL NOT"
Huiting the action TO the word ne vo
tad for Mr. AdsmG and by bis vote an
influence made him President, and re