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veloped by the course its authors and friends may pursue toward me. If they shall oppose my election from an honest belief that I am not morally or intellectually qualified to fill the sta.tion for which I am a candidate, or that my qnalifications are inferior to those of each of the Caucus nominees, I will have no right to complain of the preference given to the latter, however much I might regret the existence of opin- ions unfavcrable to me.-But if they assail me upon the gronncl, that l have disobeyed the dec'lared will of the Caucus, then it will be mani- fest, that the mild appellative, "recommendation," was adopted only to conciliate public favor, when the act, to which it is applied, was in fact designed to have the force and effect of a Papal bull, and for dis- obedience to which, political excommunication should be the penalty. But among the enlightened citizens of Georgia, the .thunders of a self- constituted caucus, will be as little heeded as the thunders of the Pope. What degree of respect is due to such a tribunal, and how far the people are bound by its mandate, are enquiries which naturally present themselves. To me, it appears, that inasmuch as the power under which the members of that body acted, was an assumed one entirely, ·they cannot claim f_or their proceedings, the binding efficacy of a statu- ary enactment. They are fairly entitled to that regard only, which arises out of their separate and individual characters.-Being all in- telligent and patriotic, their opinions must necessarily have much weight; but the people can be under no obligation to receive these opinions as law, and conform thereto, in opposition to their judgment, and conviction of what is the better policy of the country. Let the acts of such a body be recogujzed as obligatory, and the people are at once eff1ictually disfranchised. Instead of choosing their own mem- bers to Congress, the choice will be made by such persons, as may have the boldness to arrogate the power to themselves. I know very well, that any individuals have a right to organize themselves. into a club, and dubbing or dignifying it with whatever name they please, may present candidates to the consideration of the public, and throw the full weight of their separate and associated character i11to the scale of their selected favorites; but when they atltmpt to give to their pro- ceedings the stamp o.f authority, and to threaten punishment to those who may not think, and act as they direct, then do they assume the insulting attitude of dictators, and justly forfeit, by such effort at usurpation, all the respect to which they might otherwise be entitled. And I would ask, what greater right to dictate can one unauthorized body have, than another? If one set of men, acting without author- ity, claim the privilege of putting up and pulling down whomsoever they please, may not another as rightfully do the sameT Why should the decree of the late Caucus be more obligatory than the decree of .any otl1er. caucus of equal respectability 7 'fhe Commencc_ment at .Athens is nigh to hand, where will be assembled, from vnnous sec- tions of the Stato, men of the first order of talents nncl inttgrity; and suppose they were to erect themselves into a nomiuating tribnnal, and present a Congressional ticket,.dill'rrent from the one before t~e pub- lic which of the two Caucuses shall be obeyed, the one nt M1lledg-c- vil1Jc or the one at Athensf-I wonlcl answer, neither. Doubtless one wouid have quite as good a claim upon the absolute obedience of their
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