The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-04-22
Believes in Instructinr.

MIDDLKBURG, Tenn, April 10, 1872.
EDrToEs BULLErIN:-The executive
committee has decided that August the
4th shall be the day for democrats to
nominate in the primary, the man to
represent Hardeman county in thu 4Sth
General Assembly. When this has been
settled, would suggest that the new
com mitteemen who are to be elected on
the same day, organize a. soon az con-
venient, and order primary election to
be held ON the day OF the regular election
| in November. The object of this election
will be TO give the democrats of this
county an opportunity to vote ON certain
questions submitted to them BY the COM
mittee, in order to ascertain the sentiment
of the majority. When the vote has been
cast, the committee can canvass the re-
tnrns and report the result. The decision
of a majority of the voters upon unsettled
questions should and undoubtedly would
have a tendency to heal all dinsentions in
the ranks Of the democracy, but the prime
object of it would be to instruct the rep
resentative M TO how he should vote. when
any of these measures should come up
before the legislature.
This vote would also be guide to the
senator's and foterial represt NATIVE, rs
far as Hardeman county had any claims
on them. Any question could be settled
| in this way, whether national, state,
county or local, that is 1s far as the peo-
pie of this county had any thing to do
with it. A question of party policy could
very easily be determined upon in this
manner. If the people wanted certain
law enacted, or one repealed, or a certain
man to be elected to the u. 5. Senate or
any other Office for that matter, that is to
be filed by the member OF the legislature
it could be submitted by the committee at
the primary and the people could vote on
il and the returns would show exactly
how a majority of them stood on any and
all oftho questions submitted.
No representative would violate with
IMMUNITY, the obligations that their in
structions would place him under; If he
should ii would forever end his political
career. The decision of the committee,
based on the returns from the election,
would act an iron-clad instructions for
the representative on all of the questions
that related in any way to his Office.
The primary would not differ material
ly from that of any other except that
questions would be voted for instead of
ment of certain principles, and of course
would serve as a rule to govern the can
didates elected at the preceding primary
while acting in the capacity of a public
servant. Ballots would be used, and the
voter could designate the particular quea-
ton that he desired to vote for by placing
a cross on the margin opposite the ques-
ton, or i'm any other way that the COM
mittee might decide upon. No extra time
need be lost in holding their elections, az
il could be held ON the day of the regular
election in separate box. On this par
ticular day large vote will be cast and
is an other reason why il should be the
one selected.
I have outlined plan that 1 think is
feasible and also a very practicable one
If there is better method than the one
above mentioned, in which the sentiment
OF the majority of the voters could be
reached on an indefinite number of ques-
tiona simultaneously, 1 would be very
much obliged for Tome one to suggest 1t.
The question may be asked, what ad.
vantage will this be to the citizens OF this
county. First, it relieves the representa-
tive of all responsibility SO far as the
questions involved are concerned. Second,
it would insure the people against mis-
representation. This alone should be
sufficient to awaken the interest of the
people.
OF late years the Misrepresentation OF
the peoples interest by their agents Is
fast assuming a threatening attitude, and
to a great degree inperils the salty OF our
public institutions. There is but one way
in which this can be stopped and that is
for the people to instruct their represent
tatives and hold them to a strict account
ability and when this is done there will
be less reason for complaint.
Have the people right to do this? /
don't suppose there 10 q sane man who has
anv doubts about IT mt all Under a
republican form of government, all the
power is vested in the people, there ia no
higher authority. They created the
government itself and every Office in 1t, |
and no man can hold an Office without
their consent. 1t matters not how high, |
or how low, or of what kind, the office |
may be that the representative of the |
people holds he is nothing more than |
their agent and is clothed with no higher |
authority than to do their bidding.
The people elect their agents to Office,
and they have an equal right to instru ct /
them. The Federal Constitution does not I
forbid il, nor does that of the state. No /
earthly power can forestall this privilege
The right Of the people to instruct their
is unquestionable. The
whole fabric of this government and of
ali governments OF the people, or in other
words republics rests upon the viii Of the
majority. Numbers constitutes the powers
that can create or d,mOlish government
The inherent right to govern lies with
the majority, whether it relates to the
running of government or to the man.
agement of party affairs. In all govern
mental affairs it is to the interest of the
people that the majority rule, it is also