Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-05-01

fron Virginia iays the judicial power
was not formed by the contribution. /
hall not be furprifed BY any declaration
he may make about the meaning Of the
contribution after this. Sir, the judicial
power is eaablifhed by the contribution
equally with the executive and Legislature.
The organization Of the courts has been
left to congrefs, but the inisrument under
which we ACT has e9abliihed the Judiciary
aud has alio ALIGNED Its duties. A charge
has been made againf us by the honora-
Bile gentleman which NUT deny, | plead
not guilty to it, and fay he is wholly
m:Raken. He has charged US with llav-
ing changed with the times and with hay-
ing formerly advocated the extenhon Of
the powers of this houle. Sir, this is not
the cafe, Temporal mutantur fed ran mu-
tamur in Ills. Knowing how frongly
difpofed in governments like ours the po-
pular branch always is to grafp at ille-
gitimate powers, we have in times pae
frugglcd hard for preierving to all the
branches Of the government the powers
delegated to them respectively BY the
conditusion we have ever been watch
full of executive and judicial rights, and
defended them from the encroachments
attempted by the Legislature. The gen.
tleman from Virginia mutt permit me tc
call to his memory the courle of conduit
we purified on very memorable location
when he and his friends wifhed this hou!e
to arrogate executive powers. ! refer to
the proceedings on motion made by the
honorable gentleman then his colleague,
who is NOT now member Of this bouie,
lMr. Nicholas) in the debate on the TO-
reign intercourse bill. Mr.. Nicholas faid,
!" believe all governments, like ours,
tend to produce all union and confoiida
tion Of ali its parts in the executive de-
partment, and the limitations of each O.
Their will be defroyed by executive infu-
encc unlels there is a conifans operation on
the part of the Legislature to reGit this
overwhelming power. A reprefen;atiye
government may be made the moi op-
preiiive and yet prefcrye ell its cornituti-
onal forms, and the Legislature fhall ap-
pear 70 act upon its own difcresion, Whit
that difcretion fhall have ceafed. Where
under cur government the executive has
an influence over the Legislature, The exc
cu;iveis capable Of carrying its views in
to efes in manner hyperion to whar can
be done in defpotic monarchy. Miichiefs
will be carried further becauio tie people
will be inclined to flbmis to a govern
ment of its own choodng. Monarchs can
not carry their opPredion 70 far without
rei9ance as republics. Suppole execu-
tive patronage had extended its influence
into the Legislature, and that in COME
quence of Thrift for Office, najorities
were formed in both branches of the legif |
iature devoted to the views of the execu-
tive; where would be chesk to objects |
hoaile:to the public good In what branch |
OF the government would You look Tor It!
Was il the fenatei Will you look to this
houfe The majoytties are bum5le cxbec-
tauts efee6Fee. Where then will yon find
any thing capable of controlling the over
bearing influence Of the executive i-It
muG be in lmaH and .frble miuey.fieis who
by their oppodtion and attention to the
irtereRs of the people againa arbitrary
power, may route the people to a ienfe Of
their danger, and force the public fentI-
ment to be reflected this he conceived
would be the only check" It hence ap- |
pears, that thofe gentlemen have availed
themfelves ofevery occaiqn to extend the
powers of congrets, and had their at
tempts been .fnccefsful, we fhould, ERE
this, have had consolidated govern
ment-a kind of gc yernment which the