Washington sentinel., 1855-02-10
THE RIGHT OF rNsrRucr,oN.

The instructions recently received by Sena-
tors Cass and Stuart from the legislature of
Michigan, have brought upon the tapis ques-
ton which has not much occupied the popular
mind for many years. 1t so seldom happens
that there is any real disagreement between
the senator and his legislature, that AN obed
cnce to instructions is, generally, but an ex.
preston OF his individual views But it does
sometimes happen that this is not the case, and
i, therefore, behooves US to examine into this
alleged power, which in former times created
so much sensation in the political world. In
expressing our views, we are conscious that we
run counter to one of the favorie dogmas of
many members of our party, and that we thus
lay ourselves open TO the charge Of opposition
TO the principles of Democracy. But it is our
| custom to speak the truth, at all hazards; nor
can Democracy, properly understood, be inim-
ical TO our views.
We regard government as the result Of
compromise between the various individuals
subjected to its control-not as the weapon by
| which dominant majority may infict wounds
Of a fatal character upon hopeless, defense
less minority. Power is already with the many.
Government is the wholesome check to the
| abusive exercise Of that power. So far, then,
from Government being made to support ma.
jorities, its mission is TO restrain them. Its
fundamental idea is to protect rather than to
aggrandize; to check usurpaton rather than TO
aid aggression. One Of the most efficient
means of attaining these objects is by the re-
preventative feature Of our Government. A
representative is not the mere speaking trum.
pet Of the majority that placed him in power
the puppet which can only move at the will Of
those who pull the secret string which controls
it, He is the representative Of the people, the
whole people, the promoter Of their interests,
the defender Of their rights. The power Of the
majorityis sufficiently recognized by their choice
of the representative, while the rights Of the
minority are also regarded by an untrammeed
man. Any other view Of representative power
would result in representation being merely a
matter Of convenience, adopted to prevent the
| trouble andrexpensc attendant upon mammoth
meetings Of the people. The two Senators from
State might with propriety be compared to
the two hands Of the clock, blindly obeying
the instructions Of the pendulum and ma.
chinery withn-ignorant and regardless Of the
information which they convey to the world
Such system would illustrate, in all its power,
tho sarcasm Of Mirabeau, who with bitter
irony claimed instructions for the benches on
which the National Assembly was seated, on
| the ground that they had as much power as
| its members.
Taking the view which we have suggested.
that representation is but the compromise
established by Government between the power
Of the majority and the rights Of the mi.
nority, we think, the whole difficulty is solved.
The power Of the majority, unquestionablc
in principle, but always dangerous in exer-
cise, is thus exhausted in the choice OF re.
preventative. The rights and interest Of the
mtote constituent body are then committed to
the hands of the representative who must hon.
estly support them according to the dictates Of
his own Judgment. IL in answer 10 this view,