The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-25

return A gentleman who was candidate Tor
the Chamber of Deputies in France, promised ms
constituents that on certain measure expected 70
come before the Chambers he would vote as they
REQUIRED They required him to vote so and 30,
and he said he would do it, Well, he was chosen,
and came to the Chamber to take his seat But
an. IL was said, not 80 fast Objection was made
II was said he did not come there as fair man (;
he did not come there as an impartial man, to
Judge of the great interests Of great country in
the questions before him-he came there pledged
and trammeled down he had given up his rights
and pledged his vote; he did not stand there on
an equality, therefore, with the other members,
who come there Independent and untrammeled,
and bound to exercise their individual judgment.
And they expelled him on that very ground, or
rather rejected him And whoever wishes to see
one of the most beautiful disquisitions political
morals and the duty Of those who represent the
people that know Of since the time Of Burkes
speech at Bristol, will be grati6ed by reading
Guizot's speech on that occasion AT any rate,
coming there under pledges TO give his vote for
them, though against the majority, they held him
not to be worthy to be representative OF France,
and to act on questions in which the whole king
dom was concerned"
1t will be observed that this is an attack, not
only upon the doctrine of Legislative instructions,
but upon the very principle Of representation
For if legislators are to enact what laws they in
their judgment may deem best, without any ref
erence to the views Of those who elected them, Of
what value is the right of representation? They
rule, and not the People; representative govern
ment in fact ceases. We take it. that in this
country, Government is of, and for, the people
The principle of self-government is recognised and
/ T. k.,t Ill I'll a,,J Ckata o.
situations: the assumption is, that the people IN
derstand their own interests, and the means neces-
sary to promote them. Representatives are chosen
to carry out, not 10 defeat these measures. The
people of New York having made up their minds
upon one line of policy, it is audacious assump-
ton that Daniel s. Dickinson has the right, as
one of her Senators, to thwart their purposes
When he does so, he abuses his trust, he usurps
power he attempts to subjugate three million of
people to his individual will.
Important questions are agitated during a po-
litical canvass. Parties are arrayed against each
other upon them. The majority Of the People
elect candidate, on the ground that he is prepared
to advocate and vote for certain measures for the
settlement of those questions. That he Is bound
to execute in these respects the will of those who
erected him. we hold to be above all argument
Where they have indicated only the objects to be
accomplished, Ssaoa. SPECIFY my 1l.--%:-, *
clearly left to his own discretion in the choice of
the latter and where new questions arise during
the term for which he was elected, he is Of course
to decide for himself what policy ought to be pur-
sued in relation to them, as no way is provided
by which he can ascertain the will of his constit-
uents concerning them. But, where the People
of the District, who elected him, did so because
they believed that he would support with all his
ability certain great principles and measures, he
is guilty Of disloyalty, bad faith, practical false
hood, if he array himself against them, Guizot
and Burke and the French Chamber of Deputies
to the contrary notwithstanding. OF course, no
honest man will assume representative obliga-
tions, unless fully persuaded of the rectitude of
the measures he binds himself to execute. 1t
speaks little for Mr.. Webster's argument against
the representative principle that he is obliged to
borrow his illustrations from the old, corrupt in
situations of European countries. They will not
recommend it in the eyes of American citizens.
Now as to Legislative instructions, binding spe-
cially upon Senators: we know not on what sound
principle their obligatory force can be contested
If Senators were elected by the People, they
could be bound as Representatives are now bound
but being chosen by the State Legislature, they
must be held responsible to the Legislature, or
they are totally exempt from responsibility. The
Legislature, representing the principles and pol
10y OF the State on certain great questions elects
Senator'S known to concur with it in opinion. 1t
unc ousru may s,arrry
heard in the Senate Of the United States Are
they not bound to carry out the measures to sup
port which they were elected2 How can they
get rid Of the responsibility If they oppose
these measures, they violate the representative
principle, and defraud the People of the State of
their right: they are rebels against their SOW
ereignty.
1t will not do to assume that the People have
judged the questions upon an er parte hearing
the fair presumption is, that they have examined
them on all sides, weighed opposing arguments,
and decided deliberately and intelligently.
But, it sometimes happens that subjects Of
great Importance arise during Senator's term,
which were not canvassed pending his election
Nobody disputes that, in the absence of instruc-
tions here, he might judge tor himself But, sup
pose the Legislature of his State take these sub
jects into consideration, and after due delibera-
ton come to the conclusion that they should be
disposed of in certain manner. What then is
the duty of O Senator? We will not say the OBJ
legation to obey instructions in this case is a
perfect one, as in the former casebut still II is
an obligation. He is not elected by the People
the members of the Legislature are and it is be
presumed that, being elected while these subjects
are under examination by the People, they en-
body the predominant sentiment. II the Senator |
has reason to believe that their resolves are
hasty, the result of imperfect information, or
that they misrepresent the People of his State, !
we will not say that he may not defer obedience |
ton, in full view of all the facts of the subject
But IT, after such reconsideration, they reiterate
their resolves it seems to us that the only ques-
ton, is, shall the People, or one man govern
This is easily decided lie is the agent, not the
principal it is his duty to carry out the views Of
his principal, or, II these conflict with his own
views of duty, to resign.
The Legislature Of Illinois, at its session before
the Last, passed resolutions instructing the Sens-
tors from Illinois to vote for the Wimot Proviso
in the establishment Of Territorial Governments
One Of her Senators being under the impression
that circumstances demanded reconsideration of
the instructions, presented reasons in favor of
such course at the last session, but the Legsla-
ture was not convinced-it maintained its ground.
The result is, the Senators from Illinois, with
proper recognition of the right Of the People 10
81