1496. CONGRESS, The Administration
and.—I do not mean that any gentleman, relinquishing
his own judgment, should implicitly
support all the measures of the administration,
but that, where he does not disapprove
of them, he should not suffer them
to go off in sleep, but bring them to the attention
of the House, and give them a fair
chance. Where he disapproves, he will of
course leave them to be brought forward by
those who concur in the sentiment. Shall I
explain my idea by an example? The classification
of the militia was communicated to
General Varnum and yourself merely as a
preposition which, if you approved, it was
trusted you would support. I knew, indeed,
that General Varnum was opposed to anything
which might break up the present organization
of the militia; but when so modified
as to avoid this, I thought he might,
perhaps, be reconciled to it. As soon as I
found it did not coincide with your sentiments,
I could not wish you to support it; but
using the same freedom of opinion, I procured
it to be brought forward elsewhere.—
To Mr. Bidwell. Washington ed. v, 15.
(W.
1806)
