Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-12-18 00:00:00, page 3

*mtginta ^Crgud.
» - - —
RICHMOND,
TUESDAY, Dkcknbkr 18, 1810.
No very important business has as
yet been acted on by the Virginia Le
gislature. It has been almost exclu
sively occupied in reading and refer
ring memorials and petitions to the
different committeesr---*
FEDERAL WRITERS.
-4 ““. ♦
The mode in which the federal
writers manage their opposition to the
administration, is at once a proof of
the “leanness of their pates” and of
the weakness of their doctrines. As,
even a bad cause may, by witty and
dexie ous men, be so conducted as to
“ make the worse appeiir the better
reason •” and if the doctrjne be sound,
the merest dolt n ay, if he meddles at
all, make a tolerably decent figure iu
print. When our present race of fe
deral writers attack the administration
in their most (lushing polit.cal vein,
they giveyus nothing but grass person
al abuse. Thus, (to ilU}s(ratc their
logic,) they argue that U'.e republican
management is bad, because this ot
that r-ersi n is wicked. iVis would do
well enough, were the qu<Aiion a mor
al one ; for, in that case, individual
wickedness would very properly form
a part of the etquhy. But, in a po
litical scrutiny, it ought tobethewnthat
evils have occurred to the public tr ,m
executive or legislative act3, or are
certain to accrue from such acts, be
fore the writer can claim thq lean pre
tension to an audiencdttrom the people.
"Whin ribaldry reigns„whefe reason
ought to preside, antji "calumny meet®
us full in the face whdjre we ought to
encounter legitimate tnfcse, or wir, or
humor, it gives us a poor opinion of
the writer as well as' of the pr nciples
of hta par y. Open the pages of the
Fffdtral Gazettes and peru.e their col
umns, and you will hnd little else but
point blank detraction agr-inst private
reputation, invented by envy and pro
«atcd by folly and duine s. All re
ling men perceive in such a course
ipposition, that it is the places and
; not the politics of the men in power
that are the object ef the assailants.
Hence it is that the progress ol the
Federalists is like that of a crab.
They make great head-way back
wards. For where selfishness is bo
palpable, converts are not easily muL
tiplied. X
And wjj^hout^ tv#«ro«rler at the
J feebleness of theke writers ? They
are, chiefly, a set of journeymen po
liticians, who roam about the country
at all seasons, like reapeis in harvest,
ready to cut down any characters for
pay. They sell their labor as a small
dealer in rope-yarn vends his cordage,
by lines, regardless of the qualitv oi
the raw material of which the lints
are made. What cafe these hireling
and vagrant scribblers about sense and
reputation ? having none themselves,
they do not desire that other n.en
should have any ; You may pick up
hull" a dozen of these fellows at any
time for a trifle, tovl they will cheer
fully do you a summer’s jobif yoi
will only iind them in beefsteaks am
whiskey#
Things are otherwise conducted ii
Old England ; where, although lead
jpg politicians on each side have thri:
s- r-bblers in keeping, as ancient feu
dal lords once had their miostrtlp, ye
they arc compelled to lit-uiah some
thine l k - sense arid .'^re r.cft suffered ;<
deal in personal vulgarities, lit ally, 1.
Federal Gentlemen of fame and for
tune, ought to think a little on thi
t*>j>ie ; and rescue the cause of thei
party from the vermin who, instead o
promoting it by nibbling at Republi
cans, only defile i1 by their excremer
tal method of writing. Bad enough
to be sure, the Federal doctrines are
hut they might be rendered less odi
cm by literary oinamants, it bette
workmen were engagedVor the set
vice. Even the Devil nimstlf ma
be looked upun with; eoinposure whe
he is decently painty with agreeabl
decorations.
In fine, wr. feel for the intellectur
character of our country, when we se
inert wielding a pen in politics wh
ought to be employed wiih a pick
axC ; and whose souls would he muc
bent fitted by a cast gallon of their b(
dies ax the whipping post.
FOR THE ^KGUS.
UPON THE COUNIVCOURT!
N o. I. \
T It has been said that, th£l« couri
are incompetent, to discharge the inr
portant duties reposed in them.
I differ widely, from those who thin
1/ so. I-Ho candidly consider the? Cout
ty Court System as one of the be
features in our constitution.
The great portion of executive pa- '
tronage, placed in the hands of the.
county courts, le ;vts the governor but
little more to do, than to issue com
missions, upon their recommendations.
In this point of view, then, the«e
courts, are all important to the peace
and good order of society. •
Mark the difference between the or
der and harmouy of our country, and
that of Pennsylvania, as lbr example,
in the election of a governor : there
all tumult—here—all order— & to what
is this owing ? but to the executive pa
tronage there, being exclusively in
that officer and here, principally, in
the county courts ; for they either ap
point or recommend, to all the offices
in the government j except to the
higher offices in the militia, judicia
ry, and executive departments: by
which wise distribution of executive
patronage, over this wide and exten
sive country, its evils are no where
fell, while its benefits every where are
seen.
Again ; as 'courts of law and equi
ty, they are not less important to the
justice, ord- r, ancl convenience of the
people, than, ns courts of police ; and,
tho’ they may sometimes err, it is
equally true, that other courts do so
too : but, ll the cases, that began in
the county courts, and were finally
carried to the court of appeals, form
:» correct standard, by which to judge
of the rectitude of the decisions of the
county courts ; then, I apprehend, it
will be found, that they have erred less,
than those, who undertook to correct
• I..:. -___ . .
uvuiaiwuoj wii iuvii aj VVJ UIC
court oi appeals.
Tire reason of this is obvious. The
county courts are generally composed
i of the roost respectable and intelligent
citizens in their county. They are
nor, it is true, Lawyers; but as hon
est, independent men, they endeavour
to under-taud, the cuse before them,
and to do justice ; and this nine times
in ten, comes correctly at the law of
the case: for law and justice, should
be, but synonymous terms : So that
the magistrate, who, understands the
justice of the case, and decides it ac
cordingly, will generally come at the
law of the ci»se .• but the judge who
does not understand th« law; and,
yet, attempts to stser by it, for the
justice of the case, will, nine times in
ten, miss both : and so must stand
corrected oftener than a county court. ]
And now permit me to add that, if j
this was the case* when the superior
courts of law hid, two judges, in
them i is it likely* the sc-lc will be
t»rnrd in their favoOu-, now, they have
but one ? V
The county courts hold a session
every month in the year, at four of
which, they may try all matters at
law, and etfuity; ami all this from
the spirit of patriotism, and the ex
pectation ofrthe jjnagisirates, thatVach
may, in the oqufrse of his life, he the
sheriff of his county, artd as such, he
entitled to the fees of oificr, as some
remumntion for his s.-rvic s.
Besides-—look to ihc advantages of
society in those monthly meetings r.tf
the people :—-where they communi
cate with each other about their la
bour and improvements of the last
month -a most important School in
deed, for ir-en of all descriptions*
In fact, this is the o; ly system a
mong us, that has bc« matured by
i time:—Ml the rest result from the
■ revolution :—and we shojlJ give to
‘ them a fair experiment.
1 feel coi fident that a wise Lcirisla
t tor, wno holes to the best interest of
■ his country, and is not under the in
> lluence of anv person .1 consideration,
s will not be disposed to such innovation,
* as shall in any tnanntr be calculated
* to put down so important a part of our
r put,lie institutions as the county courts.
I For take from a magistrate the im
* portaoce attached to him of being
* both judge at law and in equity, in
, his county ; and he declines, at Pace,
; all the minor duties of his station_
- and leaves Society at it were unpro
r tected.
- This, I fear, would be a mos' rapid
y stride towards the destruction of the
n best constitution in the world—The
e Constitution of Virginia.
We should act then, with great cam
>1 tion, upon the subject of tunu syitems,
e lest we should affect thdse that art
0 the result of <ime,t V N*
In the system of thesAcouVts, I am
h inclined to think,there ^ no defect
h hut, there may he in the execution ol
it ; and if so a proper remedy «hoiilr
be applied without afV cttttg the ays
tern* These hints are submitted unti
|, you hear again Iro n A. B.
COM Mu N 10* TED T OS TH^AlSDl.
F.vc ry d^y m m l more convtn
ces us of the high imporunce of a wel
k organized^militij^’and, phrticol'irly, ii
i- the lower p^rts of the state. This he
it mg evident^ every one is particular!
called on to give his assistance, howe
vet* small, tb prortr.cte the common
We *1.
1 his remark is intended as intrn
duc ory to an election of a Brigadier
General for a dbtrict or^Brigade, which
office is vacant by the death of Bri
gadier General Wells, an event which
happened since the fast session of tire
Legislature. •
After the death of Gen. Wells, the
executive couLrred the appointment
ipon Col. Benjamin Wyche, of Sus
sex; who tmtil now has not only offici
ated, but.gW-en general satisfaction.
To litis honorable-and elevated sta
tion Col. Wyche has a rfoMt to aspire,
not only from the office bf Col. which
lie had deservedly filled, but likewise
from the high ancl well merited coufi.
dence of all, who have had an opportu
nity of knowing him, either in his pub
lic or private character and duties. For
it may indued be truly said that no man
mere completely possesses and de
serves the universal esteem of his fel
low citizens than this respectable gen
tleman.
It does not often fall to the Tot of an
ndividual to sustain the entire confi
dence of his tellow-ct'.taens in the op
posite duties of a military commander
and an obliging neighbour and friend.
In this iu tance, the case occurs, and
in so high a degree, that whilst every
man will Lei himself more safe under
the command of CoL Wyche as his
officer, he will also be himself most
happy in his society as a friend_To
all this may he added that Co!. W>che
is in the most active stacre nf hi* life_
he has already filled the office of Uriga
dier General j he is revered and hon
ored ; and when necessary, will be o
beyetl, without fear, doubt or murmur !
and in case of necessity, will from these
singular advantages be able to carry
more hearts into the field than could at
this time be united under the banners
of any other leader from that part of
the. country, wherein he will have the
honor of command.
As it now rests with the Legiala*
tive either to reward the merity which
has had a temporary elevation, cr to
disappoint a man worthy oi confidence,
and still mnore thousands cvho know
him—-it his been deemed proper as
well as jus to submit these candid re
marks to tje public eyg bv
A FRIEND.
From VW.hington City, December 15.
The House oi Representatives were
yesterday chiefly eng ged in the con
sideration of a subject of considerable
moment—the apportionment of Repre
sentatives according to the Third Cen
sus. A large majority cf the House
appeared to be in favor of the ratio of
one representative to every forty thou
sand souls, which, it is calculated, wi 1
give an aggregate of from one hun
ched and eighty to two hundred mem
ber*. Independent, however, of the
g-ner.l arguments of those in favor oi
a larger of smaller ratio, derived on the
one hard Iro n the advanmgegs of a full
representation of the people, and on the
oth r from the alledged unwieldr.ess St
expense attendant on a numerous body ;
a ■ objt ciion was raised to the niil on the
ground th \t it was worse than usehs3
now to pas? it, as anothei lpw would still
he neci ss .rv, according ro'the constitu
tion, to declare the‘specific number of
representatives to which eac.h state will
be entitled in consequence of the cen
fvus, and the law now contemplated
would have no validity, being hereafter
subject to repe 1 or amendment. In
»w uni u jcctiun, 11 was urged
that a great public advantage would re
sult from fixing the r*tio at this time,
before the precise number of each statt
was known, and the passions & preju
dices of its representatives enlisted ir
support of that number which ahoultJ
leave it the smallest fraction. After the
ratio is fixed by law, it was said,thrr<
will he no difficulty in declaring by law
the number of representatives to whicl
each state shall, alter the returns art
received, appear to be entitled.
The bill was postponed till Monda)
next. Whenever taken up, the cr ntt s
between those in fjrvor of a larger o
smaller ratio promises to be vet'
warm ; principally becadse, if a ratio a
hove 35,006 be adopted, it is probabl
that some of those stalest whose popu
lation has not materially increased
will experience a dimunition of even
their present number of represer.ta
t«ves. Nat. Int.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
nous EOF DELEGATES.
1 Tuesday, Dec. 11.
The bills * concerning,the public fei
ry from Hampton to Norfolk’ j— * at
, thorising C. Scott, to erect a d m i
cross an arm of Dan river’—“ cot
- cerning the town ol Moorcficld” wei
1 read a second time.
Mr. M.tdison frote the commit*
- of Propositions and Grievances, mat
i a favorable report on the followir
•1 petitions, vit—Fiom John Ward,
Campbell—From the fown of Romney
—From Campbell county, praying for
j the removal of the seat of justice in
J Srtid county—From John Brvsod, for
j opening a road thro* the Blue Ridge
, in Grayson—From the inhabitants of
I E. City county, lor erecting by sub.
I scjriptlou a bridge across Back river
agreed io and bills ordered to be
brought in.
Petitions were received, read and
referred—From Campbell, &c, for an
encreane and extension of the capital,
stock of the Bank of Virginia, and es
tablishing a Branch Bank at Lynch
burg—From G. Rust, on the subject
of introducing Slav< •--From Gerard
Pusey, praying that the fines inflicted
on E. With us, T. With us, J. Brumitt
and r. Harrod, by Stafford court, for
»he commisMorf' tof pn enormous out
rage on die bpdyltof said Pusey, may
be appropriated tgfhM use, to satisfy
his physicians, &(l8c®—From the in
habitants or St. IVnr)w parish in Caro
line county— From a Humber of the
inhabitants ot ’\JVlontgouifrryj praying
for a town to be .called Newbern, on
the land of Adam HanVe-*-From Lou
don, pray ing for a town to be called
IMillsville—-From Harrison and Mo
noDgalia, praying the Legislature to
appropriate money io improve a road
in said counties—From Goochland,
See* stating injuries received by per
sons on James river from the Water
men navigating said riv r and praying
fora law subjecting them to certain
restrictions -From Thomas Mathews,1
commissioner of revenue in Essex
l?__ r_ o_ ■ !
▼ * ■ j v jiiij i
Sheriff of Patrick county.
A petition was presented and read !
from Johu Jeter, of the county of A- j
melia, pra ing compensation for ser
vices rendered as a captain of a pa
trol under the orders of the executive
iu the winter of 1808 ;
Also a petition of Richard Murphy
of the colinty of Buckingham, stating
that he is very infirm in consequence
of injuries done his constitution whilst
serving in the militia during the revo
lutionary war, and praying some pro
vision for his necessities from the le
gislature ;
And the question being put on the
reference of the said petitions, it pas
sed in the negative.
Resolved, That the said, petitions
be rejeted.
Ordered, That leave be given to
bring'ia a bill, “To amend an act en
titled an act, to prevent the destruction
of oysters within this commonwealth,”
ar.d that Messrs. SeawelJ, Dawe, Rice,
Goodson, Blunt, Corbin and Perrin
do prepare and bring in the same.
Ordered, That leave be given to
bring in a bill concerning William Tin
gle and others, and that Messrs. Bee
son, Pruntv, Coplin, Nicklin, Booth,
Evans (of Monongalia) and Currin do
prep ire and bring in the same.
Ordered, 1 hat leave be given to
bring in a bill “ Concerning the supe
rior couit of law for tie fourteenth
ci cuit, composed of the counties of
Accomack and Northampton,” and
that Messrs. Parker (of Accomack)
Parker ( f Northampton) Dunton,
Corbin, Shield, Newton, Finnie, John
son (of I. Wight) Mull >ry 8t Hoomes
do prepare and bring in the same.
Ordered, That leave be given to
bring in a bill “ if incorporate a com.
pany in the boretkh (k Norfolk for
marine Insurances rfnd other pur
poses,” and that Nlesliw. Newton,
Holt, Lee (of Norfolk borough) Dashi
el, P.uker (of Northampton) Johnson
^of Isle ol \v ightj Grave*, hL.immel,
Stith, Jarrott and SeaweM, do pr* pare
and bring in the same.
Ordered, That leave he given tc
bring in a bill, “ To amend (he penal
laws of this commonwealth, and give
further jurisdiction to the county ant]
: superior courts in cer ain ca es, and
for other purposes,” and th«»t Messrs,
i Kelly, Smiih (of Greenbrier) Clai
: borne, Ball, Preston [of Montgomery’
Stith, Standard [of S, ottsylvania
Ritchie, Egmon, R. Christian and
t Taylor [of Botetourt] do prepare and
r bring in the sam *.
On motion. Resolved, That the
■ committee of Privileges and Election*
: be instructed to enquire into the con
» duct of John M Keon, one of the dele
, | gates io the present General Assembly
I from the country of Lee, who is repre
* | amted to this house to have been guil
tv of the crime of bigamy, and that thej
make report of their proceedings will
their opinion the.re\p; A to this hduse
On mo'n n, OftfAedAThat so muc
of i he go*eruoi4c«*i» ■ imitation a
relates to the aubj^fc«W etmeation be r«
’* ferred to Messrs. Noland, M*»nro*
>* Corbin, Stevenson, Otey, Blackbun
l* Botvyer, Bollirg, Campbell fof Wasl
>* mgton) Strode. Peake, Coleman, (
« Pitts) lv«nia_) Archer and Saunders.
a
e | DIF. D —suddenly by a fall from
e carriaoe on 'Tuesday the 11th inr.tan
ig : Mrs. ANN Y A TES, wife ©I C;ip
A JoUu Yatca, of Caroline. By this nt
lancholy event) a husband, a numerous
family of children, and the. neighbour- |
hood in which she lived, have *y stain
'd an irreparable loaa f but she will
gain the inheritan ce prepared far the
iaithful servants of the livin* God.
—— A few days ago at Leesburg, Va.
Epwarb Carter Stanard, E»u. Editor
of the Spirit of'76. 4
-J°° *be 23di|f last month, at New.
York, Col. Samum, Chitfin, at VVdPamk
burg, an old iind meritorious revolutionary
amo5~Alley,
A T the NewJroTk~,4Mftfety Shoe Store,
informs tltf ladies that he has just re.
ceived a fres#supply of Cork soled Ho £
tecs, Walkinj^Shoes, 6cc. he. Site. 3w
l>ecember 17.
NO T / C E]
BV virtue of a dectee of the High Conrt
of Chanceryforvhe Richmond district,
in favor of WjmSnkYutts. Complainant,
against Johi^CcalJfe^id i'uvncr Nance,
Defts. XViWbe j#id,l to the highest bid.
der, for rrn#y inApy,Tlj the twenty second
day of FebAary Jbxr
21raft m Land,
Situate abcu^^haeemtlrs from Nutoway
Court.house, cootaihmg about one hundred
and fifty acres, more or less, lor the pur.
In
rtuvanna Lounty, State ofVi.ginia.
I
rr
‘
jy U 1 1 G E.
BY virtue of the Mtt* wi’l and testament
of Pleasant Ynupgluhtlianri, dec’d. will
be said at the Cuim-Muse ot Henrico C<.du
ty, at public auction the rili ot ntxt
month (January, 1811J being court day, a
Tract oNUmd,
Containing 400 sares, more or less, ly'jiij
on White Oak StAmp, atmut 14 miles from
Richmond. Thaland will be shewn to ary
person wishing m purchase, by Thom is
Goodman, living on the premises. The
terms of sale will he one third cush, and
for the other two thirds, a credit of one
and two years; bonds with security to car
ry interest from the day of sale, and arie^d
of trust on the property, to secure the pay
ment of said bonds and interest, will be re
quired by the
Administrators.
12th Vlo. 14, 1M0. tds
Virginia* " ,
At a Superior Court *f C» ancery, hnjden at the
Capitol, in the Ci y of Richmond, the 18 h
, day of September, 1810.
, Saish Cross, F tf,
Ol ver toss, ^ * lift.
r o|'HE Dcterdsr^pojPtsvingrn fre«. n • appnr
1 * ance and givw» t£uriiy| according to «i..- act
of assembly ami wc ■!«> ni his court, and it
appearing to thelsamf^titft of thecou r, that h«
1 is not an inhaMt*nt"f tUiicountry v on mo on
4 of the plauvconAsel.it is ordered, Ti»at
. the taid drftndan^prap ear hei« on >he fi-u
d?.y ol the neat term and answer the bill of its
* plaint)if » Wd thatacopy oi this order hr forth*
*» with inserted in some newspaper published in
l- the Gi*y of R chmond,f r two no ths tur.ie-sivr
,f ly, and posted at the’irent r.oor f the G puoi m
! the said City.
Win. W. Hcning, c. c.
,* “ wfCzgNDs,
; or aulo st Ijliis Olive.
/ »