Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-01-13
SENATORIAL ELEC ZION Letter Of L. j.
Dotsden, Esq.

Our inforua,ion from Richmond DIES no, suhorize
us to believe that the Legislature will, at present
session, perform its constitutional duty, by elscting
Senator Of the L. States ill The vacancy occssoned
by the expiration Of Mr. Rves's term of sevceunless
indeed, The Locofco majority in the Senate, (at least
three Of whom represent Wing DISTRICTS, shall sasfsc-
tory ascertain that, in the event VI election.
Der Of their party will be the successful nominee !!
Il 10 thus that that party which is pepetually praling
about It's veneraon for the constitution ever spurn its
soleup nunc,ons and disregard its cearest prohi
bons, whenever a compliance with the one or an Oh
ssTance of the other may initiate against their own
purposes
The preie1 for the ado plion Of this unwarrantable
course, however, is al hands preexs have always
been and will be, for violation Of and sacred
obligations That preieAi is broadly and openly
stated tbs have elsewhere it, a recent pue-
rile letter (ssrcascaiy said by The Enquirer to be
powerful producon) Of Lemue J. Bowde the del-
sgae from Ysk county 10 ofhs constituents |, is
10 substance. this: that az al the late election Of Presi
dent the LAGOS obtained decided majority in The State
Of Vsnia the Legislature is consequently bound to e.
lects Locofoco Senator and if il shall indicate a de-
termnston Ia do otherwise, tho maturity in the check
mating" branch Of that body not only justified in re.
fuse We need say tina, such an assum ption is Vi
sla,ivs Of all morals, well abandonment, of
high constitutional obligation. Let suppose for
moment, (whats nottrue,) that certain Wing members
Of The Legislature bound vote in accordance with
the political complexion Of their several counties, as
made known by the vote for President in November
last rather than was, n reference the Senatorial
election far more cmphacally Indicated by their own
election the preceding Spring, and tina, they think prop.
er nevertheless to the responsibility Of voting
for Wing Senator Is it for the Locol,co majority in
tho Senate, three our,hs Of whom were elected from
two to four years ago, to declare, that they will not
although stsorn maintain, preserve and defend the
constitution" proceed in election required by that
constitution, because foresooth Of this assumed vio
lation Of the will of tho majority 7 If the Wing
members referred TO think proper 10 violate their
representative obligations, does their denquencies
su'horlze their political opponents to refuse TO obey
constitutional requirement unquestionably not
Tho simple statement of the proposition strikes ev.
cry mind at once with the untensbeness Of the
ground thus assumed. and Of the utter indeensbili-
~ OF those who occupy it, Each member is responsible
to his own constituents for ihe which he shall
perform 'hs as well 10 every other duty devoved upon
HIN by his position: Yet if there be question: more
than any other, in reference which each member ma
he said 10 have left homo instructed by his constituency
Is Ihs very question Of the Senatorial electiun-the on
~ question perhaps, connected with Federal politics up
on which he will be necessarily called to act nowh-
standing the election throughout the State turned almost
exclusively upon the classification of the opposing candi-
dates. in relation TO Federal politics! Especially is such
position wholly untenable, when assumed by An Individual
or by party which asserts the unqualified right Of the
Legislature to instruct Senator's the unqualified duty Of
Senators 10 "obey resign" For example: Suppose
in the present Legislature, the Wings had majority Of
ono in each branch-us sufficient pass resolutions OF
tnstructlon--and that they should instruct Messrs
Rves and Archer to vote against all the measures Of
the Locooco party aud for the leading Of Wing
policy Those gentlemen would be bound according 10
the dogma Of the Enquirer aud its disciples, do
they were hidden, or to resign their Suppose
those gentlemen, choosing to regard the 5000 majority in
November for Polk better criterion Of tho wishes Of
the people of Virginia than the in the Spring {.
members of the Legislature, when voting not as a
mass, bu, by countless "a naJorlly for party of tea
in one county seqnay influential on the flor of the
House with majority of thousand in another county
for the opposite party,) should in conformity with this
doctrine refusing to obey. resign their seats Wha,
the leave the Offices vacant, (Which ii has no right to
do), proceed TO fill them. And in that case wha,
would he The resuR The election OF Senators whose
opinions would DE direct conflict with those of ma
jory Of the people Would the Enquirer, in that case
contend that the Legislature is bouad no, to elect or
that, 1t II did elect, sufficient number of the members
OF the Legislature shall violate the pledges express or
impied given TO their immediate constituents in tie
u'ngs, IN order to secure To the of the people
otVlrsnIa, when voting n,dsse Senators whose opin
ons are concdent with their own7 Ifso whu is To Sc
ect the victims for the sacrifce--and by what rule
stall they be designated Shall the delegates from
Bedford yield to the popular voice as expressed in She
na"doah and lhose from Campbell violate the will of
the majority IN their own county to appease the Loco
ioco hosts Of Rockingham So in tho presen, case
What Wing delegate is to abandon his faith, in order
to CRAFTY Locofoco love of power We shosd like to
see the mode in which this process of merging the cou
TIES, by balancing the ANAL naor,es Of some hall doz
en- or more in scctfn Of The State sgans, the over
whslmlng maturity Of some county in another sec
ton. is 10 DO attained
But perhaps IN Mr. Lemnel j. Bowden's "powerful',
ie''er' this process is explained. Let us see This
gentleman seemingly ofgelul Of the peculiar position
which he occupies contends that each oi the members of
TIE Legislature ought to refer to the Presidential cleo
ton in November order In ascertain the vote he ouch,
to give for Senator. But it obvious that the power-