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

v
II was the WILL OF MR.. CLAY, no
: the will Of Kentucky, which gave he
2 vote to Mr.. Adams, and gave Presiden
{ 10 the nation.
8 Whatever weight might be given tC
Mr. Clsy's excuses for his fragrant viO-
lation Of the will and wishes Of his State
in giving her vote forMr.Adams in 1926
there is more recent case in which be
! stands without the shadow Of an apology
Since that time, he has recognised the
doctrine Of instructions in its fullest ex-
! tent. On the 18th January, 1888, certain
resolutions Of The North Carolina Legis.
latuTe were presented to the United
States Senate, Of which Mr.. Clay was
then a member, requesting their Senators
10 vote for rscinding The expunging reso'
luton, FIR The distribution Of the land
money, &c. with which the Senator from
that State refused to comply. Mr.. Clay
gratuilously took them TO task, and in a
short speech, reported in the National
Inteligencer Of Jan l6, 1889, thus
laid down the doctrine Of Instructions,
ViZi
"And what is the doctrine Of instruc-
tions, as it is held by allf Is it not that
we are to conform to the wishes of our
constituents? Is it not that we are to
act, not in our own. but in a delegated
character2 And will any who stand here
pretend that, whenever they know the
wishes and will of those who sent them
here, they are not bound TO conform to
that will entirelyi Is it not the doctrine
that we are nothing more than The mirror
TO reflect the will Of those who called US
to our dignlfed office This is the view
which take of the doctrines of.inslruc-
tons.
''And now ask, is any peculiar lam
guage necessary ,other than that by which
the will off our constituents may bo under
stood and carried out9 Is there but one
word that will answer-no other word but
the word instruct? II the Legislature
simply express their willis that not an
equivalent word to instruct? Nay, more
is it moi more respectful to those recev.
ing the instructions, TO avoid than 10 use
the wold Instruction.
y y y
"Aud it appears to me, that il the Leg
islaluFe have the right, and choose 10
give instructions, it is no matter in what
words or language those instructions are
given; and | should feel myself bound 10
conform 10 their wishes thus communi
Gated"
Here we have the doctrine from the
mouth of Mr.. Clay himself. 1t is
"TO conform 10 the wilNOf our eonstiu'
ents."
"To act, not in our own, but in dele.
gated CharacteI."
"Whenever they know the wishes and
will of those who sent them here, they
are hound to conform to that will en-
tirely.'
"We are nothing more than The mirror
to reflect the will of those who called US
to our digniied stations"
|. is no mallet in what words or lam
guage those instructions are given"
''Ahd IT, says MIR. Clay, after mains
tanning that the word request is better,
because more respectful, than the word
instruct, "SHOULD FEEL MYSELF
BOUND TO COMPLY WITH THEIR
WISHES THUS COMM UNICATED."
Let us see now how far this preacher
followed his own precepts.
At the extra session of Congress in
Is4l, Mt. Clay took leading part in the
passage Of the Bankrupt law. which he
called"a link in the great system OfWhigi
measures"
As anticipated, the people ofKentucky
lose up against the Jaw, and demanded
its repeal almost unanimously. Their
"wishes and will'' were very significant.
ly indicated through the Legisla-
tUre.
On the fifth day Of January, ls42, the
Kentucky House Of Representatives
adopted the following resolutions unanim'
ously-or at least without q division
viz:
81. Resolved, That in the opinion Of
the General Assembly Of the Common
wealth Of Kentucky, it is the desire Of
large majority Of the people Of Kentucky |
that the Baukrupt law, enacted at the
late extra session Of Congress, shall be
repealed.
"2. Resolved, further, That our Sena-
tors in congress be, and they are hereby,
instructed, and our Representatives
requested, to use their influence TO have
said law repealed"
On tha 10Th Of January the resolutions
came back TO the House from the Senate
amended, SO as to read as follows:
"Resolved by the General assembly
of the Commonwealth Of Kentucky, that
| it is the desire Of majority of the peo.
pie Of Kentucky, that the Bankrupt law
passed at the late extra session Of Con-
eross, shall be repealed or SO modified as
! 10 free it from its retrospective opera
zion; and that our SenatOrs and Repre-
| sentatives ia Congress be requested to