The Morning After

We must now rely on consciences

Now that the majority has spoken, some comments I made in the Addendum essay seem apposite. I said:

“But the people are not omniscient, nor can they see far into the future. In the heat of some moment, in a gust of folly they may ordain some malign change which they cannot later undo and therein lies the danger you speak of.

The above point was made well by the right honorable Charles James Fox addressing the House of Commons almost two centuries ago in England. At issue was what obligation did elected representatives have to reflect the sentiments of their voters when the former viewed the latter in error. Let us sit on the bench as the great Whig orator addressed the chamber:

"What, Sir, is the conclusion to be drawn? Why, this. Let us satisfy ourselves. Let us act according to the dictates of honour and conscience, and be at peace with our own minds. It is thus that we shall sooner or later regain the confidence of our constituents, if we have lost it; and not by humouring, as foolish nurses humour great lubberly boys, the wayward whims of a misled multitude.”

In other words, representatives sent to Congress to represent the will of their constituents, may on occasion find their own consciences troubled by that public will. Fox urged them to follow the dictates of their own consciences in those instances and trust that all would be well. (Even at the risk, I might add, of putting their own re-election at hazard.)

So now it appears that we must rely on the consciences of our representatives of both parties to blunt the worst excesses of what may be a repressive Executive. And God give those politicians the courage to stand against the winds of otherwise unchecked power.