Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-06-13
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
To ,rhat ertcnt public agents are bound By
the WWo the People,!
No. w.

To ,chat ertcnt public agents are bound by
the viii Of the People,
The doctrine Of instruclins Representa-
lives is suhec, as highly delicate as II is
imporlaut. llhas been mnch discussed in
England and in this country, without re-
sulins, however, in any very discriminate
notions. II would he impraclcab!e at
present 10 enler upon any extended inves-
legation of The subject. We purpose offer.
ing only few suggestions. which may
serve as rules for practical direction.
Against the right of the people to in
rerrogale their candidates before election,
no fair objection can be urged. On The
contrary, on questions Of interest. it is en-:
lirely fit and proper. The people should
have some means Of judging Of the rules
and principles by which their agents are to
govern their future conduct, or lhey-have
no assurance ,ha, they will be fairly rep.
resented. Iu truth it is lie only way in
which the people can vote intelligen1Iy.
We hold, therefore, thai candidates arc
bound 10 notice. any respectable call from
their Fellow Citizens 10 answer questions
in reason propounded 10 them. We do
not believe, however. they are under .obi
gaiun to reply to every anonymous writer,
who may chouse to pr"pund questions
because it is easy for such writer to satisfy
bimsclfby private application to The candi.
date. or ii his motives be not sinister, TO
give his name TO the public.
But there is one mailer touching this
point of the question, mn which we dissent
from the common opinion 1T is calling
on candidates to give absolute pledges on
measures of mere erpediency. A man
hound in lhiAs5fanaaHFFf 81 aFfss nn4 aS4 .s. s!!sass
&ssfi ordinary mechanical power, usedto
bring into cffec, lhe thoughts and SEMI.
.menIs of others. His only province,
would be tn give his cote, and that very
often without The convictions Of his judg.
ment. There is no field open for The ex-
ercise Of his reason, his judgment. his in
tclliscnce or his patriotism. Beside. the
doctrine may lead 10 very silly consequcn-
ces. One measure. on first blush, may
seem wise and expedenI, when after ma.
ture deliberalion, another may, iu reality.
be much more so. The Representative,
who is not lef, 10 choose between The two,
is unworthy of the name he bears. A
candidate may with proprieIy pledge him.
self to the support OF particular man for
office, or to use his efforts to accomplish
particular purpose; hui The modus operundi
the particular method of eflectns the
end, should be left TO future judgment,
with the privilege Of choosing The besl
measures that may he devised. This we
maintain is the only rational doctrine on
the subject.
So far there is no great difficulty. When
the candidate is elected, however, he stands
in new aud peculiar relation TO his fellow
citizens. lie is now their Representative
or agent, entrusted with certain high pow
ers of Legislative duty; but lie is still Iheil
Feilow citizen, with the rights of nIher
citizens. Towards other Representatives,
he is constituent. He is then both Rep
resenlative and consliIuen,-public agent
and private cil,zen. But he differs from
olhor agents in this: hc not only represents
the interests Of others, but together with
these. his own interests. In word, he is
trustee, with high moral and intellectual
duties. constituting peculiar agency, in
which he has himself deep concern. In
being made, then, Representative. he does
not lose his rights as citizen; and in ex
ercising the duties Of one station, he is not
ipso focto debarrsd from exercising those Of
the other.
Now one Of his painesl rights as citizen.
is the right of forming his. own judgment
on all mallcrs connected with The public
veal. and of using his honest efforts to
give his views prevalency. ITO deliuer
au opinion is the right Of all men," Blu,
the doctrine of instruction takes away
from the Representative this glorious privi.
lege-'his inalienable right. And in so
doing. it degrades him. 1, renders him
the subject of lhoughllces action. 1t makes
his miuI the mere Intellectual channel
through which the ideas Of others pass
into noice. The mind that does mol think
for itself, but only adopts uurehec,ngly the
Thoughts OF others, is a poor specimen of
intellectual superiority. And that form Of
government, leading men 10 this. would
certainly be lI-adapled to all mans wants,
social. moral and intellectual. We will
not charge so gross defect upon our ndmi-
rable poiiy. We repeat in the language
OF a philosophc Salesman "autkorita.
tire instructions mandates issued, which
the member is bound blindly and implicitly
to obey, 10 vote aud TO argue for, though
contrary to the clearest convictions of his
judgment aud conscience; these are things
utterly unknown 10 the laws Of this land,
sy Edmund Burkc.-spccch to the Elect.
OILS III Bristol