Some founders held that convention delegates should follow voters’ instructions rather than lead.

Evidence

Late in 1775, after Congress authorized New Hampshire to replace its royal charter with a republican constitution, Dickinson secured instructions from the Pennsylvania Assembly directing its congressional delegation to “dissent from and utterly reject any propositions, should such be made, that may cause or lead to a separation from our Mother Country.” New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland soon issued similar instructions for their delegations. In May 1776, with these instructions by four of the five middle colonies standing as a barrier to independence for all, Congress adopted its revolutionary resolution on independent governments calling on all colonies to free themselves of British authority. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 180 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

It soon became apparent that, in contrast to the official U.N. propaganda which trumpeted the fact that over 2,000 people attended at various stages, many of the ‘delegates’ were actually self-appointed and represented themselves rather than anyone else. Others had simply come to test the waters and see whether they felt the enterprise worth supporting. These included half a dozen of Siyad’s generals, of whom the most notorious were perhaps Morgan and Gaani. As, after months of gruelling negotiation, the Arta marathon began to reach its climax, other prominent members of his discredited regime were soon seen to be playing a prominent role, wheeling and dealing with funds from a variety of sources, and with contenders like ‘Ali Mahdi who had returned for the occasion after a long exile in Egypt. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Assembly instructions constrained four middle colonies’ delegates against independence — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 180; Self-appointed delegates undermined the claimed grassroots basis of the Arta conference — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676

Broader Connections

• Assembly instructions constrained four middle colonies’ delegates against independence #exemplifies (0.85) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 180
• Self-appointed delegates undermined the claimed grassroots basis of the Arta conference #complicates (0.75) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676