Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-01-27


the other Houfe; and that fmilar ma.
jority was expected for that in which We
6t-Mr. Pre6dent, are we then to un-
detfand, that oppoition to the majority
in the two tIorfss Of congress Is imp,o-
PER, is indecent !? Iffo-wha, are we to
think OF thole gentlemen, who TO. only
with proper and decent, but with lauds-
bic motive, for fueh is there claim 70
long, 70 perleyeringly, 70 pcr,inaciouay,
oppoied that voice of the people, which
had 70 repeatedly, and for 70 many yeass,
declared itclf sgaina them, through the
organ of their rePselenta;;vess Was this
indecent IN them: Ifno,, how could it
be improper for us to ieize the only mo-
men. which was lef. for Tie then majo-
sity to do what they deemed Miscellany
act Let n: again refer to shote impe-
rioas demands OF the contribution, which
called on Us TO eaahlih inferior courts.
Let me remind gentlemen Of their aGer-
s;oa on this floor, that centuries nigh,
c!apte bcforc any Judicial fyaem could
be ettaol;ihed with general content. And
then let me ak, being thus impretIed
with fenie Of the duty and the difficult
ty Of performing that arduous talk, was
ii not wife to ieize the u(picious mo-
aen,?
A mong the many f;gmas affixed 70
this law, we have been told that the Pre-
adent, 10 lele:sins men 20 fill the Offices
which il created, MADE vacancies and
filled ,hem from the floor of this houie.
And tina, bu: for the influence of this
circumftsnce, a majority in favour of il
could not have been found. Let US ex-
anime this f'gscfion. Il i.sro.od d n
the fuppohticp OF corrups influence de-
lived from hope, founded on two re.
mote and G.c:cfive contingencies. Fira,
rhe vacancy might or might not exit
Tor it depended as we'll on the accept
ance Of another as on the P7eGdcnt's
grant and Secondly, the PreGden, might
or might not fill it with member Of
this houte. Yet on this vague conjec.
tsre, on this unsable ground, it is In
ierred, that men in high confidence vio-
!a.eed their duty. 1t is hard to deter
mine the influence of feH intcrrelt on the
heart of man. I ihall not therefore
make the attempt. In the prefent cafe
it is Poaible, that the impu.ation may
be jua, but l hope NOT, believe nor.
A,any rate gentlemen will agree with
me, that the calculation is uncertain and
the conjecture vague.
But let it now, for argument fake, be
admitted. Saving always the reputation
Of honorable men who are not here to
defend ttemfelves. Let it I FAY, for ar.
gument fake be admitted, that the gen.
,!ernen alluded to acted under the infu-
cnce Of improper motives. What thcns
Is law, that has received the varied
afent required by the contribution, and
is cloathed with al the needful formali-
ties, thereby invalida,ed! Can you i'm
pair its force by impeaching the motives
Of any member who voted for i'll Does
it fellow, that a law is bad becauie all
ihofe Who concurred in it cannot give
good realons for their votes !! Is it not
before US? Mutt we not judge Of it by
its intrinicsmerit!. Is it fair argr-
ment, addreiIed to our understanding,
to fay we mutt repeal law, even good
one, if the enaaing of it may have been
effected in any degree by improper mo.
tivesl Or is the judgment Of this 1oa!c 70
feeble, that it may not be trufed?
Gentlemen tell Us, however, that the
law is materially detective, nay that it is
unconstitutional. What follows? Gen.
tlemen bid us repealit. But is this jua
yeafoning! 1.-THE law be only defective,
why not amend! And if unconaitut;-
onal, why repeal! In this cafe no repesi
can be necelary the law is in isislf void
it is mere dead letter.
To thew that it is unconstitutional a
particular claufe is pointed out, and ar
inference is made, as in the cafe of goods,
where becauie there is one contraba.a
article on board. fhe whole CARGO is for,