Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-03
Senator Lamar aad she Misslss
slDnl LeglRlRluPe,

ADAlOh nBhALD-MuCu ukH gGGu HAlu by
the public press Of the country In and out
Of the State, both In condemnation and
extenuRtion OF the vote cast by Senator
Lamar In violation OF the instructions Of
bis people, on what 10 popularity known as
the Silver Bill.
We propose In this Communication to
discuss briefly that question, and TO de.
termIne, IL possible, whatever his action
In the premises is defensible on principle.
We are second to 20 u in our admlra.
ton for the distip guished talents, the pro.
found learning, the great purity OF char
aCter, ana the unswerving integrity that
char 4cterlZe our Senator, but we must be
permitted to say, though II is done with
modesty, hat vi think he has rendered
himself obnoxious tn the gravest censure
on the part OF his constituents, in disie-
gaTding their wishes In the cUur, G pur.
sued by him on this great National
measure. We do NOT wish to be un.
derstOOd, however, as contendlng
tor a moment that the independence
of n representative should be
broken down and destroy ed by hampering
aim with unnecessary and harrassing in.
strurtipns. Far from Il. We think but
seldum happensIhat the public exigencies
require or demand such an exercise uf the
sovereign will, but 10 the administration
OF government II would seem that now aud
then great questions OF National signit-
canoe thrus. themselves upon the polili-
cal heater, which are OF such tremendous
import and Of such grave consequence,
that the people ought to hay0 the right to
demand that expression shall be given TO
their wish' through the votes OF their
representatives In the National councils.
Sucn all emergency had arisen. In our
judgment, when this silver bill was placed
on Ito passage | the senate OF the United
States. We ,hlnk il may be saiely affirmed
III It never In the history Of the American
people has there been greater ~unanimity
on aDy measure VI such tran.
scendent National importance as ex.
listed among the people of two great
sections Ut our country, the
which Senator Lamar 10 one OF the most
Distinguish d representatives., upon the
financial policy OF t e Government, as en-
bodied and shade wed forth In that enact.
mt Mt.
Indeed. we may say that for years the
money question OF the Government has
been the absorbing topic which has over.
Swallowed ell others 10 lite extent and i'm.
pOrtAnce. Considering this fact, had not
the people oil Mississippi the right. through
their Legislature, to instruct, or, II you
please, request, which 10 tantamOunt to
the same thing, their representatives ln
the Congress u the Nation as to how they
should q their votes on this great ques-
tiOn, and was IL not the duty OF those rep
resentatives aa faithful public servants 10
yield 4 wiling obedience TO those In.
sLrucliOns2
We do not pi ofess to be very profoundly
versed IN the tenets and doctrines OF the
Democratic party, but II we are correctly
informed az to the traditions and history
OF that organic alton, we believe that this
right Of instruction has ever been regard.
ed a. one OF its cardinal principles, and
has been exercised on several noted 0cca.
sions 10 the history Of the Republic,
II would Stem. too, that the senator
himself subscribed TO this doctrine, for we
nave seen him reported as giving full rec,
ognition " the right Of the Legislature Il
Instruct him, and yet with singular
inconsisten y, as It O!curs 10 us
yentiOn Of thair expressed wishes
and tue reason that he & ave at the thu
for 80 doing was not more complimentary
TO his own great endOwments than II wal
disparaging 10 the Intelligence and inlOr.
nation OF his IN structOTs. He told them
not In the language that we adopt, TO be
sure, but in effect, that this grave ques
ton OF Il. ance had engaged his q nesI
thoughts and attention f'T nearly a quar-
ter OF a century, and while he was thor
Oughly con Versant with IL, and hat
achieved \ perfect mastery over 1t, In al
lie phases and details, they were entirely
ignorant OF the subject, and knew not o
what they were talking. And yet WI
DOUBT not that the direct and immediat,
results which have followed the passage o
that Act, nave nov demonstrated even Il
the satisfaction of the Senator himself
that on that particular occasion he got, Il
borrow q plain but Very f0rclble maxim
from every day life, 'the cart before thl
horse" or, in other words, that thelMissla
slppi Legislature was right, and he wa
Wrong.
The country from one end OF II TO tn
other, began to realizethe beneficial effect
Of this law Immediately upon it's passage
BY It the paper currency Of the Govern
ment has been virtually placed on q pa
with gold, and resumption has been praC
tically accomplished q year In advance
the time designated BY law for that pul
pose.
But let US return to the subject OF gu
inquiry. lie II the duty Of . Representative
70 obey the Instructions Of his people, an
reflect their WisheB2
Ours is q representative government |
! the br0adest and most comprehensive senG
Of that term, and It has ever been O faml
lar maxim In our political ethlcs, that "
| live In Q government cot the people for u
! people, and BY the people" Under OF