The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-06-23

The Rfghe OF lngtruct1on.
Our clever Bogue Chitto friend asks
us If we fever knew a Democratic |
Seaas or TO obey.-th ms ructions of
Wing legislature That question don't
touch the merits of the issue. Bu;
our friend would nor have asked it if he
had read our articles on the question OF
the right of instruction Certainly,
we have known Democrats to obey the
instructions of Wing Legislatures time
and again; aud we have known
Wing Legislatures time and again toI
assert the right Of instruction by pass
ing resolutions ''instructing" the Sela-
tors to whom they stood in the relation
of constituency. The same may be
said Of Democratic Legislatures and
also of Republican Legisla ures. Bat
to the inquiry In 1886, Senator james
Buchanan afterwards elected Presi-
dent obeyed the instructions of the
Wing Legislature Of Pennsylvania and
voted against a measure which he in
fact approved. Hon Felix Grundy.
the illustrious Democratic Senator from
Tennessee, did the same thing on the
same occasion, thereby acknowledging
the right Of instruction. just "a Hugh l..
White, a Wing Senator from Tennessee,
not being willing to disobey the in
s'ructions given him by a Democratic
Legislature, resigned his seat. And
just as Daniel Webster, the great
expounder," gave it 10 be understood
that he would resign rather than cast a
vote which he had reason to apprehend
might be required at his hands by the
Legislature Of his State
On this question of instruction, we
copy below some precedents which are
worthy of reproduction. They show
practically the attitude of both the old
parties in North Carolina aud that two
/ Democratic Senators, who admitted the
right of instruction but availed them
selves Of quibble to avoid its applica-
ton, were defea ed for reelection and
Wings were put in their places;
/ From The Raleigh N. e. Y Tvs and Observer
/ In 1888 Senator's Bedford Brown and
Robert Strange represented North Carolina
In the United States Senate. Both were
/ Democrats aud meu of ability. TIE Wings
had majority IN bptn branches of the
/ Legislature in 1889 who did not approve
the doctrine ct State instruction to Stua-
4 tors, willis Me.4r-. Brown and Strange did
I Tue Wings IN the Legislature adopted a
series OF resolutions, introduced and ably
advocated by Kenneth r tvnor. in which it
/ was resolved that ''the general assembly d,
condemn in the most decided manner the
act OF the Senate of the United State
Iexnunging the records OF that body" etc,
and generally cpndemning the policy and
action of the administration ahd declaring
'lhat the power and patronage of the exec
utive department of the federal government
have increased To an alarming extent and
ought u be diminished" Ther further
resolved chat our Senators in Congress
/ will represent the WIS Ie4 Of a majority 81
the people of this STATE by voting t. carry
our the foregoing resolutions" Ga Dacem-
Der 81, 1888, tue Two Ssn ttprs al dressed -
( letter to the GtHerdl Assembly, in which
! they sall The resolutions do not ex-
pressly instruct Us To carry into eff ct the
opinions expressed therein nor are we aule
70 perceive ip them imEle3ly any sutaori
tatiVe com nand, such as distractions
convey. We are, therefore, lett to INFER
that it WAS the inteution of the General
Assembly not to assert or exercise the right
of instruction We have heretofore public
" declared that whenever instructions arr
given us by the Legislature we viii either
obey them or resign. We, therefore, re-
grertfuly ask Your honorable bodies if we
err in our oqEytrnction Of the resolutions
that we may be set right" The legislature
in reply, merely resolved that 1.-THE resolu-
tions are sufficiently plain and int Eligible
! TO he GOmpreAeaded bv any one DESTROYS Of
understanding them, &c. But il was argued
by Mr.. Clay in the Senate and the Wing
4 press that they were resolutions of instruc-
ton. Senators Brown and Strange present
! ed the resolutions to the Senate, but. not
| regarding them as instructions, did not
resign at once. The Senate at that session
WAS barely Democratic, and had they re-
signed it would have put their party in the
mlgGtity Their failure 10 resign apparent
! " raised great storm IL lie State. At
length-it would seem TO have been in the
spring of 1870, after the adjournment OF
/ Congress and prior to the August election
Gf that ye3r-they addressed letter to the
! Legislature, IeHqrtiEs tE2;r res iynations, 10
take effect on November -, 1910. The
question Of their reelection was thus
practically passed on at the polls,
and the Senators we're not sustained
The people elected Legislature with ma
iottaZ cf Wings in both branches, and the
I designations were a,Cei.el hv a large ma
jorty of the popular vote VIM. A. Ora
ham and w p. Maugum were elected by
I the Legislature as their successors on No
vember %, 1870.