Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1850-09-26
The Doctrine OF Instruction.
Mr.. Webster in his late speech in the
Senate has the following:


Senate has the following:
Sir, il is serious enough to observe
how this idea, that member chosen in
to public body to act for the whole
country, is bound, nevertheless, by the
instructions of those who elected him,
which has risen to sort Of rule, in
some of the American States, is differ
emily received and treated elsewhere
] According to our notions and habits of
thinking, it is not allowable, but incum-
bent upon member of Congress, in the
opinion of many, to follow the instruc-
.l,ions given by his own particular con-
stituents, although his vote affects the
interest, the honor, the glory, the re-
nown ofsswenty millions of people. As
IAN instance, sir, of the various views ta-
ken of this subject, as question of NOR
ais, may refer TO what happened in the
Chamber of Deputies of France some
years ago, perhaps while the honorable
member from Michigan was residing in
Paris, but more probably shortly after
his return. A gentleman, who was q
candidate for the Chamber Of Deputies
in France, promised his constituents
that on certain measure, expected &c
come before the chamber, he would vote
as they required. They required him
TO vote so and so, and he said he would
do it. Well, sir, he was chosen; and
when he came to the chamber TO take
the oath Of Office, he was told: Not so
fast Objections was made. The
chamber said he did not come there as a
fair man; he did not come as an impair
tial man, to judge of the interest of the
whole country upon the great questions
| that were to come before the chamber.
He was pledged and trammelled he had
1 given up his conscience and promised
his vote, and therefore did not stand OF
an equality with other members of that
assembly, who came unpledged and I'M
trammelled, and bound TO exercise their
own best judgements. In short, they
rejected him; and whoever wishes TO
see the most beautiful disquisition upon
political morals, and the duty of those
who represent the people, that ! know
Of since the time of Mr.. Burke's speech
at Bristol, can be gratilicd by reading
Monsieur Guizot's speech on that ocoas-
ion. The member came under pledges
made to few to give his vote for them,
although il might be against the many,
and they held him not TO be worthy
representative Of France, fit to act or
Il the questions which concerned the in
tercsts Of the whole kingdom. For my
part, sir, | know how easily we glide
/, into this habit of following instructions.
Although know, too, that members Of
Congress wish to act conscientously al
ways, and believe they wish themselves
free from these trammels. But the
truth is that under the doctrine of in
structions, Congress is not free. To
the extent to which this doctrine may
at any time prevail in it, the two Houses
are not deliberative bodies. Congress
needs " Wilmot Proviso," much more
than the snow-capped mountains OF
New Mexico, or the salt plains Of Utah.
If the genius of American Liberty, or
some angel from higher sphere, could
fly over the land with scroll bearing
words, and those words should be-
4" BE il ordained that neither in the Sen
ate nor in the House Of Representatives
in Congress assembled, shall there be
slavery or involuntary servitude, except
for crime" it would be glorious crown
ing honor and felicity TO the Constitu-
| ton Of the United States. Oh thou
spirit of Nathan Dane! How coudst
thou take so much pains to set mems
limbs and motions free in the Territor-
les, and never design TO add even pro-
viso, in favor Of the freedom Of opinion
and conscience in the halls of Congress?
A correspondent Of the New York,
Observer writing from Dubuque, July
9th, says:
In my last, | alluded TO the fact that
steamboat had commenced running on