Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-05-05
Letter from our Memberof congress.


gross, was addressed 10 Hon. J. Cable, Of the
Saudusky Mirror; which out of respect to tn.
authors position, we submit to the inspection Of
our readers. II will be seen that he is opposed TO
the great swndle of Pierce Douglas Il Co
known as the Nebraska Bill
llousr oF RtPREsEsTATtvEs,
Washington April n, 1854 (
FRiEND CABLE;-l see from some of tie plli,i.
cal Journals of my ustrrt, that am severely
fiected upon Tor not openly aud publicly announces
lag my position upon the Nebraska Bill. Ii ap.
peared 10 me, that my position that du uesion was
sufficiently defined for the comprehension aud
sdtislucton Of every person, not utterly blinded
| by prejudice or p-oof against ev,dencs. Hive
not, time and again, in my correspondence with
the ciiizlns of my dstrict-1em)crats, wings,
| and free sOers, declared that in INV action upon
| the bill, should BE- governed by the will of my
constituents Did not in my ato visit to Ono
in my intercourse with my fellow cijiz .ns there
openly, emphatically. ui+qlivoci, express my
opposition TO Mr.. Douglas bili7 Have | net,
upon all occasions, asserted tn t was their rep.
lresentativp, their servant, aud fsit II 10 be ms
imperative duty, as such, to net upou all qu,s
tions coming before the House, precisely as a ma.
joritg Of INV constituents would do were they
mere in body upon the h0Dr of Congressi Are
such declarations. in such "A position, eouiyo.
cal, Z" incompreheas br7 Then sir, is the DuJJic
sentiment upon this question, in my district
s9lICocal aud in -ompreistsi6t! But who will have
the auddcty TO say this2 Is not their will in re
gard to ;h-s matter, as lrgibe as the hand writ
ing upon the wall Of the court of the proud King
of the Babylonians2 Aud is II coniseiured that
am too profoundly stupid to comprehen nd their will
or too stubborn TO respond TO their wishss1 No,
air; understand their wants, in relation to the
Nebraska bill, aud shall act in obedience TO
them. But the question ari.es-Is it the daig sf
a repre- 'en ativ- to be governed By the will Of his
constituents orish he at liberty to do lust as he
pieases, right or wrong. irrespective of, and with
profound indifference 10 thtir wishes7 &c So
why is II that remonstrances against this, that,
or The Other me asure, obnoxious to the people of
the courtry, are p,nred in here from every State
in the Union7 WHY so many mem emorials so ma
nv petitions to Congress7 Is it not bee tuse oil
the CONSEQUENCES, the part Of the legislative
ereigns OF this nation, Of an HGltcaGJis right thus
to do7 Thai it il their preroga,ive to instruct
their representatives,, aud that it is the imperative
duty Of snch 10 obev their instruction or to re-
sign aud come homer Isnot the right Of ia,truc-
ION one ofthe cardin. doctrines oCthe democrat
ic party, aud g it not expected that ,very true
democrat will respect and carry out that doctrine
We are told bv some persons, that the course for
a representative TO persue is, to act Independently
to do what he believes to be right, whether his
constituents like it or not. Now, sir. that nav
do very well totalk about; but doubt whether or
moi such course would be sanctioned BY demo
Gratis generally In o-ii11y cases it may he we'll
| enough iOr re0reSHntailVe 10 De g0Versnen Dy
the dictates Of his own Judge nen:--act without
knowing and consulting the will or wishes Of his
consiitnen's. In fact. az general thing. he is
compelled To do So. as il is utterly impossible fnr
him TO learn. IN time. their wishes upou every
matter introduced into Congress, into any
other legislative body; but when it becomes nee
essarv to ac, great and vital question, like
that Of the Nebraska hill-l question tn At has al
r ready dashed the whole Union into state OF the
widest aud most alarming excitement, then |
cont nd il s his duty 10 he cautious how he throws
bis nhnence and his vote. He should consult and
knnw the will and wishes Of those whose repre-
sentative he is. and having obtained a fall and
satisfactory expression of these, he should govern
|, him self accordingly IL however, he honestly
believes he il not amenable for his acts TO any
human trihunal--that he is clothed with absolute
authority to do Just as he peaSes-that his con-
stiiuenis, from the very hour Of his election,
rendered, unconfi6mly. into his hands their uni
. ted wisdom, judgement and inierests-depreca-
ting all nterfeTence with him, aud remaining un-
I'll the expira,ion fthe time for which he has been
apponted perfectly passive and Indifferent TO all
, that NAV transpire during that period-let him
act accordnglv-carrv out, to their fdl extent,
faithfully and fearlesslv. all the privileges and pre-
rooatves with which he has been intrusted.
But. iii is his dntv in matters o. great and vi
taI Ii,nnoriance to the present and future veal of
this otion to understand The will of his consiit-
mem a. and 10 he governed by that wl-,hen. sir.
ask, is il wise is it good pocv, is il right that
: he should forestal, bv word or deed, clear aud
satisfactory expression Of the mind ofthosc whom
he has the honor 10 raprpsrnt2
To this question I am forced to respond in the
negative. Arain, would ask. is it absolutely
necessary that representative, in order that his
position may he defined. should make speech
upon the floor of Congress7 that he should write
out and puhlis to the world a subject explanito
~ Of his views. &c.7 If so, how manv gentlemen
of high moral and intellectual worth, in every
Legislative body, fall short of their duty.
IL il the most loquacious, noisy. officious men
who accomplishes the greatest amount OF good
. dispatches the greatest amount Of business, OF
Yields the greatst amount of influence My OBJ
: sprvafion aud rSparience ryplv-.N1.
| would not. however, I'VE YOU TO understand
me as holding on, the idea, that speeches should
not he made. Far FROM it. Every question com
ing before Congress, or any other Legislature
]. should he discussed and discussed too, in pro-
M iion tc 10 the magnitude ofthe principle which
II involves--whatbar nr not. IL the measure be-
comes law II ia TO he b-a' in its practical operas
lions aud 4 .trnanial 10 the interests Of other
sect nns OF the cOnniry-whelher constitutional
o. unconstiintio al-l violation OF legitimate anI
solemn compacts between the General Govern
men I and the respective States of our confedera-
cv. &c Bui let such discussions b. marked
with dignity. research. thought-ake craditable
aud honorable TO the dispuiants aud to the coun
try. Much time is squ4ndersd away ia all Legis-
lative bodies, in unnecessary harangles- sgnii-
=
' pth. poiut. or practical utty-sheding no light
afforAng ediiicaon, rendering the wis
er. To such speeches am opposed. They con
sumo time that might he devoted to the Dispatch
: Of other aud more important m alters and TO rot
the public tieausrv Of thousands Of dollars thai
might he appropriated TO the accomplishment o.
ends infinitely more beneficial 10 the gOvsrnmsn
aud to TIE country at large. A f'n spseches, pr,
! and con. delivered bv master minds, ara ali that
is necessary. Al else is hut raputition, garbled
compiaions-strung together with few rhstor-
cal hOurshes or witty ano,dotes unsettng nc
mind fraught with no practical utility.
Thus. sir. have d,ine NV position, which
trust will be satisfactory, at least, to nv demo.
cratic friends. My political opponents. I DO moi
expect TO he able 10 please From them, as a
matter ofconrse, expect abuse, detraciion aud
presentation. The medium through which
thew look dscolors aud dstorts everything not the
legitimate product Of their own party, or that is
not directly nonincive TO its interests as such -
Nevertheless, their waHt1n attacks upon ma; thsir
rude. nnmanly bnse. an all MT divert me from the
p,Ih of duV. shall end@avor tn accomplish all
the gonh can Tor NV Est let, aud my country,
irrespective OF parties fiends ar foes. Thus,
| shall iFai tha Al ~