Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-09-04
FROM THE Nrw-YoaS EVENING Posr.
LETTER I.

niRration OF IT IS neglected. In diiputes
of this nature, the practical par,, the on
ly part worthy Of attention, ana that a.
lone which can be Of any benefit to locie-
~ is generally overlooked. Experience
IS the only teif by which the utility ofpo-
liticalpIans can be proved, ard ufe The
only means by which tie liability of poll.
teal fabrics afcertained.
A government which appears perfect in
theory, may be found when endeavored
to be brought into pratice, and accom-
Inodated TO the actual fate of mankind,
s NOT only very deficient il comprehensive :
Z neis and inaplicable in practice; but Of
ten at open variance with the objects it.
was intended TO promote. A fyfem 10
itielf good, may alio, by being adminif-g
tered by artiul and ambitious characters,
be rendered extremely p:ejudicial to the
true interefs OF fociety. So much depends
upon the adminiarat;on Ola governme Mt,
that even fyfems, which appear very i'm
perfect in contribution and uojnR in their
principles, when admiriGered by men of
honefy, talents, and humanity, have been
rendered not only eaiy and unburthenlome
but productive of great benefit TO fociety
while the beR iyttems administered by
characters ola contrary deicription, NOV,
ed by ayaricious and forbid views, or in
figated by ambitious defres, have given
lanaion to the mott abominable cruelties
aud been coverings under which the mott
ubiquitous attacks have been made againit
the liberties and rights of the people; and
whole nations thrown into confufion, ex-
poied TO anarchy, or reduced to ilavery.
HiRory will furnifh numberleis examples
of what l have advanced, and The expe-
1ience of the prefent age will add fufici-
ent comments.
Whenever the power Of "a government
is Proflituted to ferye the purpofes of par,
ties or to promote perlonal aggrandize-
ment, that government is ~dilorganized;
its principles corrupt, and its adminiera-
tion yrannical. The people can no lon
ger De pronounced free, when their own
laws are turned againt} themfeIves, to de-
priye them Of the uie OF their underfand-
ings, and 10 promote the felhfh views of
thole who have got tk7 poAeGion of pow
er. 1t is idle 10 talk ab Ut the goodnels
of laws, when they can give no protect
on. Laws like reslon can be made to LIT
on either Gde, and bead to the purpoies o
the tronged power; and tho govern
ment (llail ena.t laws ever 70 good in
thenlelyeS-fayorahle 10 liberty and the
fscnrity ofperfon and property yet if it
cannot enlure their jaR application, i'm.
partial and prompt execution, the people
will be as much expofed, and be as eafly
opprefed,' as under laws the mof depo.
tie and yrannica!.
If the Offices of juftice are no. ;ndepen-
dent of the rsigning powers, Especially in
elective governments, where power is con
tinually changing hands, and the judges
free from this infuencein the dilcharge of |
their duty, if they are dependent on aught |
but bus their good behaviour for their
continuance in Office, OF are amenable for
mlibehayiour to any other jurifdiftion
than the great council ofthe nation then
there is no longer any fecurity for jufice,
and II IS adufd TO talk about the priyi-
leges of the people when their Liberty, !
ray, their lives are not 10 fafety. When
party fpirit is the guideof mems actions,
and when evil men get into power, the
WORT paaions Of the human heart are apt
TO take the lead, and their fury mutt be
grati6ea. A court of jufice which is
under the controut Of fuch directors, will
be turned into az inquilition of vengeance,
and judges whom they can remove at
pleafure will beready infruinents to exc
cute their iniqai'oas dehgns againG their
opponents, and aGi0 them in committing
legal murder ff may be >allowed the ex.
Prefiion) on their adyerlaries.