Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1801-02-06

insraions IS wei as 20 ,li sE- fsslints sn6 rood
f@'.s Of NJ American p-col=,
Mr. Criiwoli laid, ii sorid be well for The
.onmis'ce 80 a,tcad % the vghol. of TIE Iays
The gentleman iaid, ,lis, al tbs cid wii,iags
were deotoyei ana we .nId begin aor,.
Mr. Davis explained ,het he laid lt fecined
- though ;he old papers were to be burnt up and
INA, we ihop,i begun .assy)
Mf. Gsiiwc't then horsd from due esamina
sion oil dis law, This 1aaid be one ysrt he wcald
with to prefers .rom deGrG9ion. Safe.y the in
hala,ions made. sgAinl the whole law could nor
he Of force; ton,e OF IL parts ssre certsisy unob
jectionsble. lhe fra part provid,e psGialrusn,
again9 unlawful tc,nbuatoas TO opeoic tho na,I.
onal government It poliihle ra.a Mf. c-ifwsl6
the gentleman mag think .nSh re-tcns suga- not
20 bt puniihed, but DO, and in my opinion, the
preiefyst,ou 4; this prosilioa IS eAsas.s! 20 oas
very exi6snce.
Aaother part IS againa peTlons who rife
IN in'usfe6iicn, or thoie yho encourage it
by uafellicg and a5sstiag it. That luch
AIS ihould be Prnilhed appears 20 ne ieif
eviien, prcpofit;on, whatever the gentleman
nigh, think Of it, YET he thinks the law
ought nos to be renewed! Surely mo-
rlea:'a confederation mut prove that fcch
pefiohs cughi TO be pupiihed, and that fhsir
pnniihmans ought &c; &c be l.f, 70 The In
limited dilcrstiso Of he coars as BY con-
moa Law, bu. ghoo!d De defined by tta,ute.
Bst she moi eiential oppaiiiion appears
TO be againG chat part where libelling lhs
government is made an ofsnce and Pusiii-
able. That this part hould be oopoled by
. gentleman Whole ORDERLY conduet removes
aim beyond ,he fear of,the pena,ty, h was
mach iurprifed. What Is rhe eef;t4 Of ,his
pFovlion 1t is that if any Perfon ihouid
Pnbliih mltrulhs againIt the government,
with an in,ca, to bring it inio ,ii2race, iuch
offender lhoula be puaiihed. Is there aay
gen,lcmau in this committee nho wii;es to
pub!iih fal(hoods, and u,s6cious faiihoods !.
He uuted not; and ifnoJ, phy ihnoId gen
tlemen b. unwil!ing 70 make thil wilsui Of
fescs, punilhahle by itatu,e' There could
De 30 ground for ;srtu, iiuee the penalty
was only inteaded 10 aFeet the publication
of fallhoad5. Faiihoo1s tended to much
evili nsy, theY were evil il ,hemf:lges, AID
Ii vas neceaary TO puniin them, in order 10
Preirrve 70 the goveruia=nt its neritet po.-
im2oftaat, and he thought the ideas Of bis
friend from New, Yosk muIS have conlide.a-
hls weig6t with he committee.
Ii was well known faSR. that at COM
mon law the truth could no, be givea in evi-
dencc /; il was equally well known, that the
puuiihment for crimes was left rndefued
AID ct the viii, he had alrooi laid, the arbi-
tTsry vii! OF the court. He did not think
It ush, 20 leave this power in the hands Of
tie conf:, nor did he shinS Il right TO itiaIr
thc iettimaay oftru,h in behalf OF the &C.
cuisd. He did moi believe II 70 be tAe with
of the honl- or of the administration to fup-
prsiS trpth It the governmen. acted IN iuch
a manner as not to bear the tel, il certain
iy mcrited aaimadveriIo,l, and With lcverity.
70 continue the right of giving truth ia
evidence. and to keep ,he pev,sr Of nrefcrih.
ing puniiameEt with the lrgi1atufe, be
hoped The law would be re.enacied,
As conRitalional 9ueaion, he thought
no donbi could new exif, whatever might
have been entertained before the eueaiaH
@ae fettled on lis prefeor principles The
judiciary had decided il to be law eFsetu-
ally within tbs couttiIutioa. There might be
iome other quorum .owhich gentlemen would
with to appeal; perhap, obey nigh, be bet.
ter latis1sd by appealing 70 The people, but
he could not be ie believed The deciiion
10 De made in conaitutionaI mode, and
was delrous OF giving it his decided fspport.
TO he eos1japed