American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-01-16

others were pressing resolution Of in
structions through the State Senate,
through the influence of iiall Gamer.
on's right bower in that body, the reso
luton was buried in the budge II the
Judiciary Committee from whence it wps
never resdrrected that Kall bad also
declared that he would, stand by John
sons Administration. I might hove
further added that Cameroa's organ, the
Telegraph, continued to heap fulsome
eulogies upon johnson and abuse all
who opposed. 1t might lurther be OBJ
served that the Senate of the Uuiled
States, at that session refused % pass the
bill. 1t Is worthy ct remark here, that,
ike Lincoln, Curtin never proiessad to
lead publ: sentiment. Bdt Was always
content to keep pace with it. During
the prosecution oil the war, the Gover<
nor contented himself with sustaining
the policy of the Federal Government,
with RESPONDING to all her calls for en-
,aud with ministering to ibe wants OF our
soldiers wherever iouud. When the
great RECONSTRUCTION measure orCongre.s 5
the Constitutional amendment, was
passed, he was the first Governor in the
North to propose its early adoption. In
his late message, too, he takes strong
ground as to the radical powers a1J duties
Of the Federal Government Congress
having at its present session passed. the
franchise bill which it declined to do ut
the last session, he fully concurs in it,
1t is worthy of remark, too, that this fact
was known to our Senator. For in an
swer to his question, the Governor, as |
was informed by one present, assured
him, that, had he been in the Senate he
would have voted with his party to pass
the bill over the veto But it is q hite
unnecessary to follow this branch of the
case any farther. If representative has
right to ignore the judgment of ten
thousand voters who elect him to reprc-
sent Them, thea we have no right to com,
plain. But this | hold to be a position
at war with the fundamental principle
upon which our government rests. From
its earliest history, too, it has been the
custom of the American people to e1er-
else the right of instructing. In eigh-
teen hundred and forty-soven, while he
was in the Senate, the Legislature Of
Michigan instructed Gen. Cass to vote
foi the Wilmot Proyiso, a measure that
had not his approval. In announcing the
reception Of these instructions, he t,ok
occasion to ackno Wedge tia right of The
people to instruct their representatives
and assumed hat the only alternative left
for the representative was, either to obey
or to resign. This we.take to be the true
theory. Indeed our Senator himself wa,
one of the most bold in assuming thi.
right to instruct by pressing the passage
Of the instructions already refe~cd to
And, if memory serves iqe rigas, inf
te,wards voting for resolution calling on
Senator Cowan to Desiyn because he 'uil.
ed to act in obedience to the wish Of hi,
constituents, 1t is not pl nsant for me tc
thus examine this subject. Our Senate,
has always treated me with kindness.
have great respect for him; but | hav,
a greater still for free government Wha
ifeedom,-what democracy is there in ,
government, if the voice, the judgmen
of ten thousand qualified voters, can b,
disregarded and that of one vote set III
in their place? While the very ar SCENE
fetid with corruption, we believe our Sen
atoi's hands are cleau,yet we must insis'
that he entirely failed to realize his duty Ii
no vote, since he reached the Senate, die
the people feel such an interest, in noh,
have they been SO disappointed, am theil
sentiments, and rights too compromised.
Again, what evidence have we of tn,
superior radicalsm of Grow? lie lvf
public life before the Republican party
assumed its present radical principles
anil so far az we know has been, since
then, engaged ID founding the famou,
city of Reno, in opening up thorough
fares to aud fiom it, and in specializing
in oil property. While l intend moth
ing derogatory Of Hon. q. A. GroWR a,
a fair man, l must say that it is surpris.
ing 10 Cad the representatives OF our dis,
trict, with one honorable exception J
casting their votes for him. The ex2la
nation is only found, in the fact, public.
ly stated by CamerOn's friends, that the
Grow men were, in general, Cameron
mep in disguise, that, if necessary, they
could have been used directly for Gamer.
on. In conversation with one of our
Mercer county members, he assured me
that the three. .fowths Of their people were
for Curtin, and expressed great surprise
that their Senator Brown should vote