Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1802-10-09


YET, the. fate which the system
hi,s experienced, must have been render
ed inevitable, by the very arts that were
employed 70 avert IT. The power OF the
Legislature 10 repeal the act was perem-
toriiy denied. n doctrine WAS msintain-
etb which made, in this respect, the per-
sonal interests Of the Judges every thing,
and The national interests of the people
nothing. In a country, whose populate
on is but in the germ; WHOSE resources of
commerce., arts, and manu-
faclures, are inea,caiable; and whose in
tercourse with ihe distant regions of the
world expands Al every gale; il has been
contended, IN effect, thrt 4 legislative ar
rangement of the courts OF Justice, once
made, is immutable and car neither be
modified 10 CONFORM 10 encI easing cxigen-
cies nor BE- amended 10 correct the err
rors, which experience shall detect. In
other words, The appointment oil Judge,
upon the tenure of good behaviour, has been
represented, in wild, end boundiess, la
titude of Interpretation, as constitution
al stipulation, that, under every possible
! circumstance OF public Inconvenience, the
Office shall be perpetuated, that the judi
ges may be paid. Combining, therefore,
the result OF those positions, with the au-
thority exercised BY the courts of law, TO
determine the validity OF all acls of con-
gress, and the federal claim OF common
law jurisdiction N criminal cases, tits OBJ
viods that something more interesting
Than the mere peal OF an obnoxious statute
was at stake ) inr, repeal had, at last,
become the indispensable medium to vim
dicate and preserve the theory and es-
Sence OF ogr government. Permit, the
whole doctrine Of the federalists, in rela-
ton To the judicial authority, TO prevail,
and every trace Of a republican compact
vanishes from the Constitutional code /;
the sovereignty of the nation passes from
the people, and the immediate gepresen-
tatiyes of the people While the Judges
| Though appointed by the president, and
! still, as we have repeatedly Witnessed,
within the scope of executive favour and
bounty3 viii, indeed, be the rulers OF the
land.
| Other topics offederal misreprcsentati-
on and Glamour, present themselves In "a.
pid succession. The disconhnuance of the
internal taxes has been reprobated, not
because ther revenue is wanted at this time,
but because it is possible, that q future e.
Emergency nay require pecuniary sup
ply;--not because the discontnuance at
| lords no relief to the community, hut be.
Cause the fiscal economy of the admins
tration cannot safely embrace repeal of
! more taxes, nor conveniently apply the
repeal &c ether taxes instead Of these.
The provision for the extinguishInent of
the pubic debt, has been called artfuf and
insncere ;syet al! the art consists in Sc.
Letting the best means for the attainment
OF the Object; and the only shade of in
| sincerity (the power to re-loan) is, simply,
| a precantion to guard the public faith from
the effects of accidental disappointment.
Every display of the attribute Of mercy
! mas been censured, without information
on the tacis, without decency in the man
ner and without humanity IN the design.
The slow, bat, we trust, certain progress
OF the executive, to restore the repubIi-
cans to that share IN the public patronage,
OF winch they have been so long, and so
un|ustly deprived, furnishes an sveriast-
ing theme tor inye6tiye and defamation,
to the presumtuous, the idle, and the des-
perate. The base and paltry paGlices of
private scandal, have likewise, oeen in
dulged, at the expense of truth, Inodesty,
and feeling, when the hope OF establish.
mig Official Delinquency, or public error,
has been abandoned. IN short, it has
been eyiDced, In the Course of opposition
% the Observation-Disclosures thatitt.e sole
object OF the federal party is the acqujsi,
ton 81 power and, wefear, that this OBJ
Ieet sanctihe, in THEFT opinion, every
measure which can be devised to accom-.
piish it For regardless Of lhe conse-
quences OF the honor Of the nation, OF to
the peace OF the community, is it not the
direct aim OF every federal press, aud of
every federal orator, to degrade the GO
yenment, to depreciate the talents and
virtues OF the rulers, and TO scatter iea-
lousy and aiscord among the people The
system IL, indeed, az once system of
seduction and alarm but it will impose
only on the weak, and can oyerawe none
but The tirnid.
These remembrance Of past sufFcrings,
Of present enloyments, and OF surround
ing dangers, have been presented to YOU,
fellow citizens, not with view 10 awaken
In your breasts spirit Of retaliation, but
TO confirm your zeal and constancy in
maiut9JDinfy fh.. e,,,s,;re re 70 rs.i, Ii1o-,e.