Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-26
KENTUCKI LEGISL.4TCRE

Legislature OF thar State:
Gentlemen the Senate, and effbo
H0g/f Of Rep,r/emtaiives,
AT no period, fnce the commencement
ct the Federal Government, have the prof
poets of liberty, harmony, and national
prcfperity, been more hast-ring, and more
promifing ofpermanency, than at the pre-
ient moment. Happy free from internal
commo,ion, and from the dread, as we'll
us the experience OF the horrors of war-a
general tranquility pervades the Union, and
an attachment to the federal contribution,
with a confidence in the administration of
its government, and conformity to its
laws, fill up the mealure OF the duties and
the Happiness of its citizens.
In recurring to the internal fituatien of
our own fate, our PROJECTS in many re-
fpetts, are not lels plealing. The increafe
of our population within the lait ten years,
rivals any thing recorded in the hRory of
man, and lnuR raife our confequen,e & re-
Probability in the fcale the federal Union.
Our agricultural improvements have kept
pace with our population. A Dow, but
progreaive extention of our commerce with
other nations, by the channel of the M;f-
iiiiippi, with an incveafe in the produce of
our foil, the effect of general induGry, and
of favorable feafons, afford plcaiiing expec-
ta'ions OF national PROPERTY, and dictate
gratitude AMI prahe towards an over. ruling
Providence.
If there be circumstances in the prelent
fate OF things, bearing a lefs kindly AFFECT,
it may be worthy of our attention how far
they have been owing to ourlelves, and
ho@ lar our own prudence and foreGght
may avers Acknowledgements ofthem.
The prelent eYhauhcd fate of eur trea-
fury. will, no doubt, excite regret, if not
alarm for il nuH if not remedied in time,
endanger, if it does not deHroy our ma.
tional credit.
fhe proceeds Of the. revenue laws, have
been found to be inadequate to our cxpen-
ditures of government, moderate and eco
nonical as they are, as vii! appear to you,
on having recourf. to the pEblic Offices.
The evil consequences of this, are too nu-
meTous and great, TO efcape your notice,
or 70 admit OF indifference as TO tie means
OF attempting correttives Of the evil.
Another circamaanse, r,erting your at
tention, is the alarming increafc Of capital
crimes. II IS not in my power to deter
mine, whether this painful fat, be owing
TO any inpcricttion in our criminal jurif-
prudence, or 70 any defect in the executi-
on Of the laws, or imply to the commo.
depravity OF human nature but fure am
that it exhibits one of the mott gloomy.
and one OF the mott fearful fcenes tina, ever
pFeisnted idelf to civil fociety. For
the credit CT our country and &C man. / fin
cereiy with that could confidently with
duty have drawn vicl oyer flbie5i 70
daagreeable: and though mention il,
nientlon Il with regret, and with view
OF drawing towards il your le1ious deEbs-
ration. The multiplicity of crime, NAV
be partly owing to legal obfrudions in
the way OF juaice, to the facility of avoid.
lag trial, and of eicaping the penalties of
traniSrehion, when the law has pronounc-
ed her Judgment. It will, therefore, me.
Nv Jour enquiry, whether the ordinary
proceis OF law might NOT be rendered more
efticaclo1s in bringing the sccufed to trial,
ana whether executive interference, in caG.
81 eicapcs from the Jail, and the peni,en,i.
airy houic, might not be rendered more
prompt, more certain, and lefs expeniiyc,
'han AZ can be under the exiting laws.
On recurring to the att of Congress re-
ipeeting fuSiti'es from the ju1ice Of other
Rates, apd comparing it with a claule of1he
act of this aate, preicribing the mode of
flung oat aud prof.cuting writs of Habro,
CoY2', iome dificulty, if nor rcpugnancc.
preients itfctfto the mind. feel II ofim
p rita ice to rcquef your attention to this
trbje6l, and i1ce the ACT of Couyrrs h,s
.iir.Anl -. e.. = - 80