Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1798-10-12

X from Generalh1. -ihril drg4af ttials bic
ave the sppssraccV o; ocuf1ririiy .vUh a.
I .tIsrai opinion of he c Gn;Ey, 80 the fuh
sct Of the E'iea end srdii'or Bills, 10 que
be ile a'ar;na 81 The people AT the condos
| 'frbv government ofiie uritcd Ssatcs; se,
| % remove their iuit aOprehe n.ion Of the osc
| feQusnce ofincreeGos he force OF Execu,iv
ollGencs. II they ihonld ec9 Rep,ef-nta
ve of his DilfiS out Of the uniform ID
| riE-ra of IA ninifrstion il is doe TO truth
! cnquirc- how FAR the veil founded Objec.
ion 60 thoGe laws, have r1ccircd GcneTsl
MarihaWs iupport. u is 20 b+ prelymed.
rom the charadcr Of General MMiiss !, tina,
he puiicstion has been produced in the war
I Pretends, by qneGions really propoantsd
70 him Sut Il is ALTO fair 70 .uppo(e, ihi. the
anfvers vere 20 carefully digeEsd, as TO at
ford knowledge OF General Msrlliall's OF;
7inu on the common topics, arihns out OF
'hnfe laws,
The people Of Virgin havebscn al,r-nrd,
at fuppoied infra6tion OF the contribution
OF the United States, in psfing the two
laws "a quea;oi; and as fuct, it has been
coniidersd by the great body of the people,
as far as can be underltoGd from conmcl
intercourle; and as luch i; has been treated,
by every public meeting, Of which We have
been informed.
The queiy which relates to ihefe two
laws, Is, TO be fure, general, as to M. Mar
ihal's appreciation of them; end hi. faying
they are nlele'5, and indeed produ i've Of un-
necehary dilquiet, is unqueitioaabiy an an
iwer 10 the INQUIRY but it cannot be deni-
ed that the query goes equally to The power
OF cOngreis TO pats fuch laws; and, as the
conititntionality of law NUT aIwaysbe coa-
hdered Ct more Importance than its exyedi-
ency, as 1t naturally precedes the e7pedi-
ence In the inveitigation Of TIE merits OF
law and, DO 1t mutt have been forced or
the mind oFGeocral Marthall, by thr ankle
ty felt on this fahject by his d;t..St il is
lair TO preiuinc, that General NIayihali IS of
opinion that The laws are coufiuusionai and,
that ne has been filcnt on this part of the
iuhled, becaaie lie 1ppTehended his opinion
would rot eaccepiable to the diitri6t he
wiihes 20 rePrefent.
That this IS bis opinion, may be ALTO IN
ierred from another declaration concerning
theGe laws; that If an uufuccefsful ATTEMPT
Is made in the next FELTON, of congrsfs for the
repeal OF them, ii would be better that it
inoud NOT be renewed in the fucceedirr
congreis although new election Oil have
taken place, and the deciiion of that con.
| gseis, VII De deciion by the people on
the important queltion.-Evcn if the laws
were 90 expire, by the time they could be
repealed; it muf be preiu7..cd IL General
Marihall thought then dangerous alumni
Gus Of power, that he would noe with 20 fee
! iuch precedents pals OF Without inlpeach-
rnent: It would be ccytaiuly ram. zthe rifque
Of aFording authority 70. the reveal q thcln
at Gomc future fine.
lit Is fair 10 prgiums, that General Mar
Ghan has no opinion unfriendly to ,bor- laws,
but that which he has exprefIed, it remains
to be examined, how far that is squ;valsn, to
the one which rreyals IA the ditria how
far thoie who think Inc laws unconaitutioa-
al, hould be fatisied by declaration that
tho laws are uuWife: which eyidrntlv leaves
] poiiibility, that IN his opinion, d.fc.er.
! circuwilaaccG may make them proper
The ProvGoas Of the contribution si.ch
are inpPoted TO have been yioiatc5 are OF
iuch nature IS to require more ialoG-
! guardiaHhip than any other; more eipecial-
| " that which forbids the Interference with
tlc liberty q ths pref becanG- .L= admi-
nisration OF government, viii b conGandy
urged by their own feelings to dilregard IL.
The ufc of this liberty can only be dIa-
greeable 10 them, and the proyi!;on of tine
ccnl;tutiou, is nothi 2 more than faying,
that the prcies Of the United stcs n4aii lot
be gigeo up to be fcoWged, according to the
paiions OF The administration. Cuufder how
unlafe it viii be, TO fac ifc. Che contribution
al barrier, to the repcd of the prefent laws.
! wa it be any thing lels, il when a candi-
date gives ycuroom to prelume thathe thinks
congreis have a power to pats fuch laws, you
give him your fuGiges? VIII it not eaa.
bliih the principle asfar as il /, il the power
OF this diaH6t? SuPpole law to pafs, re.
peal;ng the P'eient avs; declaring the fame
Fealon5 General Matl.all has given, for being
agsina them could any thing more a.onG.
/ y confirm the ightof congrefs to pats fuci
laws anew, when thty thought il expediert
If we may be allowed for moment to be-
licye thatthere IS az inclination 70 extend tn,
boun4s Of the con}tution in thefe rcfpc9s
arc you not giving ityour fsuaion, and ar,
you not receiving Z; an equivalent for grant
/ ing dangerous power, the mere fo.bear.nc.
to uls 1t for the moment? Do Won rot flew
the means Of extending the powers Of th,
general government al their pleaflrc? Lei
them aiiumc &c" power, ard il will onl,