The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-18
The Democratic Doctrine Of Instruc-
lions.

The Democratic theory is that the people
are supreme, and that all who hold position
at their hands act as agents, in subordin-
ate capacity, and are bound to carry out
the will of those by whom the powers grant
ed are delegated. This relation between
the people and their agents involves on
its face, not only the right, but also the
propriety and duty of the people to pre-
scribe the acts to be performed by their
agents, and as far as practicable, the manner
of their execution. And out Of this rela-
ton and the rights and duties alta ched to it,
grows the Democratic doctrine of the right
of instruction on the part Of the people, and
the obligation to obey such instruction on
the part of the agent. This doctrine has
been in vogue since the Democratic party
had an existence; and we know of no one
entitled to the dignity of being regarded as
an expounder of Democratic principles, who
has ever questioned its propriety or doubted
its orthodoxy.
1t seems strange, therefore, to find any
person, as this day, contemning the principle
of instruction, or denying its Democracy.
1t seems stranger still to find Democratic
journals who subsist by the patronage Of a
Democratic Administration, taking this
anti-Democratic ground. Do these papers
realize that, in denying the Democracy of
the right of instruction, they reflect upon
the Democracy of President BUCHANAN,
whom, evidently, they are most anxious to
serve? His political career is full of ex-
amples testifying to the orthodoxy Of this
doctrine, and OF his faithful adherence to it..
The name of JAMES BUCHANAN was never
presented to a Democratic National Con-
vention for Presidential nomination, with
out being backed by the instructions of the
Democracy of Pennsylvania to the delegates
to support him for such nomination as their
first preference. And, with two exceptions,
his name has been thus presented before
every Democratic Convention since Nation.
al Convent ions were inaugurated. All will
remember this to have been the case in
1856, when he was made the Presidential
candidate, and that the instructions under
which the Pennsylvania delegates then acted
we're as pointed and strong as language
could render them. We do not recollect
that this course met with any opposition at
that time, from any quarter, or that it in
jured his chances for nomination which he
certainly received.
Now, we have suggested, in moderate
terms, for the consideration of the party, the
propriety of instructing the delegates to
Charleston in reference to their support of a
candidate for the Presidential nomination !;
and in connection Herewith we have stated
our conviction that nine tenths of the De-
mocracy of the State were in favor Of Sen
ator DOUGLAS. Of course, it was legiti-
mate inference that we desired the delegates
to be instructed specifically to support Sem
ator DOUGLAS as the first choice of the
Democracy of Minnesota. In reply to this,
the Administration press of the State have
denounced the proposition not only as i'm
polite, but as anti-Democratic. Our re-
spouse to these denunc iations is made in sim.
ply calling the attention of these journals to
the illustrious precedent which we have cited
from the political history of JAMES BUcHAN-
AN, and in asking them at what precise time,
since 1856, the doctrine of instructions
became impolitic and anti-Democratic ?"