Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1919 — Representative and His Constituents. [ARTICLE]

Representative and His Constituents.

It ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live In the strictest union, the closest correspondence and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It Is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfaction, to theirs; and above all, ever and in all cases to prefer their Interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightenedconscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set cf men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he Is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you not his Industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.—Edmund Burke.