Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-03-10
The Right of Election and Instruc'
ton

The Right of Election and Instruc'
ton.
There is wide divergence between
two classes of Pennsylvania Republl.
cans on one vital point of party policy
which deserves to be noted and dis
cussed. because it involves a most im'
portant principle. 1t relates to the
right of election and instruction OF del
egates to the National Convention
| One class maintain that this right
both of election and of instruction
rests in the State Convention. The
otLer class maintein that it exists IL
the Congressional districts respectively
and that where, as matter of conve
nience, or even Of custom, it has been
exercised by a Convention, it is still
competent for the people, as the tinal
depository of political power, to steE
| in and revise such action at any time
prior to the execution Of the trust. l.
this be not so. it must be affirmed thai
there is a power in a representative
BODY to bind the people absolutely
| hand and foot, not only against then
will, but against their protest. Such
doctrine is simply monstrous. 1t is
thoroughly unrepublican, and can only
live in a despotic country. 1t can have
no home in free land.
The National Convention IS made
up Of district delegates aud delegates
at-large. The former represents dis
tricts; the latter represent States
Analogy would suggest that the dis
trict delegates be elected by district
action, and the delegates-at-large by
State action. This is, in fact, the prac
tice of nearly all the States and it is
the national system which gives to the
districts their proper play, and to the
States their separate field This is the
theory of the whole organization of the
Convention and no contemporaries
in the past can be held to deprive the
districts of this right if they choose to
to assert it. If they fail to assert it by
independent popular action then the
| district delegates have it in lieu OF the
| District Conventions. The State Con
vention which undertakes to override
both, or either, merely usurps an au
thority not belonging to it, and its acts
have no force as against claimant un'
der rightful authority.
But this question of election Is OF
less practical consequence than the
other, which concerns the right OF In
struction. Where does it reside as tC
district delegates ?-in the districts Oh
in the State Convention 1t is rarely
matter of much moment whether A ol
B has the honor of being a delegate
1t is often a matter of greatest moment
how he may vote. Itmight be, therefore
that a party might acquiesce in the
usurpation of power to elect dele
gate without much injury to principle
but it could not happen that 1t could
acquiesce in the usurpation of power
to instruct without great injury botf
to principle and policy. And this is the
vital point now pending. The question
is: Shall the districts acquiesce in the
State instructions, or shall they exer
else their right to overrule and annu
them2 The question answers itself
While the people remain supreme, then
right to instruct their representatives
must be conceded. And, in this case, il
is a question between the rights of the
masses OF the people and the few poll
ticians who made the majority in the
State Convention.
This right Of instructing delegates
by County Conventions was SO well en-
forced by Mr.. Waddell, of West Chcs-
ter. prior to his election as delegate
that we take the liberty of presenting
his view
@. Are you in favor of the County
Convention instructing the delegate tc
Chicago?
A. | am unhesitatingly. For the
reason that, in my judgment, the peo'
pie of Chester county have a right and
ought to manifest their preference, and
by so doing advise and protect their
representative whoever he may be.
What / mean by advice is that they in
form, and what | mean by protect Is
that he thereby speaks the will and re-
fleets the wishes of those whom he rep
resents. A man acts for his constitu-
encv. and it becomes his province and
duty to carry into effect that senti-
ment in the National Convention.
Then he speaks as one having author
ity, and acts solely in the capacity OF
the representative of the people who
sent him. Therefore, / think it pruden-
tial to say to such man, what man and
measures they desire him to support.
If that support should be mistaken
one the responsibility will rest right
where it belongs The man so in
structed can yield a greater force and
influence in being the directed expo
nent of those who send him. If, how
ever, the people permit him to exer-
else his own individual judgment, the
wisdom or mistake Of such judgment
rests with him and he becomes the
party responsible.
These remarks were Immediately APP
plicable to the case of County Con-
vention about to elect a delegate but
the principle is far-reaching, and is
based upon the sound view that the
delegate represents the people for
whom he is sent, and that it is his duty
to seek to know their will and give it
expression by his voice Under this
reasoning, their right to instruct must
run to the date of the Convention, to
be exercised at their pleasure; in the
ordinary methods Of action.-Press.
Fire In Petrolia.
A fire originated in the sitting room