Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-02-15

OH WE Hu3NnS, exposes As glarinS IN
consistency aud breach OF faith in that pre-
sident. 1t appears there were some who
thought that severe examples ought to be
made, to whom tine president, before the
! trial, had said, that if Fries were condemn
ed, he would not pardon him, but leave
| hun to the law, yet he afterwards did par
don him. Ii is presumed, however, that
he would not have pardoned, il Fries
had been tried aud condemned i'll due
course of law, but il is evident to every oh.
server, that this was not the case.
"Towards the close of last session, in
a bill Tor arranging the circuit courts,
Judge Chase was appointed TO preside i'm
me district composed of Pennsylvania and
New-Jersey. Both these states opposed
this arrangement, but, as it was most ccn
venent, because otherwise Judge Wash.
ington must travel a much greater dis
lance to attend the courts, Mr.. Chase's
appointment was urged and would have.
! taken place, had not Ibis laci been stated,
and believe some others. On this state.
ment being made, the bill was altered.
his statement was made b. member
from Pennsylvania, and Supported bv his
coieagues and the members from New
Jersey. his struck the attention OF Con.
Sress, and though there was no time then
ior investigation, yet an enquiry became
indispensable. Consequently the original
ietter ct hiessrs- Lewis and Dallas 10 the
president has been Obtained, or a correGt
COPY OF Il, aud committee orseven mem.
oers Is appointed 10 take Information and
report 10 the house. Till that report IS
made, II cannot be known whether il " III
end IA Impeachment ur not, but even the
enquiry IS great obi@ci Il shews that
II JdiBes are corrupt or tyrapncal, they
WIZ rot escape exposure and punishment,
aud thAt u iIiey are rSproachcC wrongful
~ their characters will be yiutlica,ed. Ii
! WAS 50 with sir Robert Evres, chief ;.,.-
tee OF the common pleas Of EnpIand. And
1t was 50 lately wnh Judge TucSer of VIZ
6!1ia, VIII" ON charge and enquiry by
lhe assembly was Viudicated, and is sine.
appointed chief justice of the s:ate. +,
I was 50 with The late secretary THOMPSON.
1 "hen The charge of q. frauuccs was en-
CURED into, and 1t was also SO with the
! present secretary 0t the treasury ,shvn an
( enquiry Va made at the close t;s ,h,. las.
sesNIon'-Dut ihcrc CanGct b. q greater
! pubic evil than 10 let lyramical iudaes
! pass with impuEily. Let the other de-
I partmeits of the government be ever so
! pure, and the constitution ever so free end
well adapted 10 the peoples circuus,an-
ceS, and the laws ever SO wholesome, vet
as the courts a.e he organs Of the govern
ment, which brlngs the laws home o HE
| peoples feelings and interests, ana 10 tbe
! protection Of the oppressed, If Inc co,rt,
are tyrannlcal, or beinl The application or
The iaya III Favor Of their own Caprice or
! prcjuiices, or ii instead Of CANDID eXpo-
sIton ot the meaning OF the laws, ,hcy
{ themselves become law makers on The so
icnn seat Of justice, all The other advan-
tages of the government are lost 10 those
who stand most in need of them.
6 ] am friend to such e degree of indie.
pendence Of the Judges as is necessary for
The public security, and suited 10 the prin
c'p!cS and circumstances Of the govern
Incnt. We have drawn the models Of our
Judiciary from England, and particularly
mat Of the independence OF lhe iudres.
during good behaviour; that indrpsn-
$500 'iH' ~ - 't~-s9dty 10 Aac pfOEctI-
on ot the lives and property of the people,
against the tyranny of the monarch, in a
country where the monarch is hereditary.
and which is in part governed by a very
powerful hereditary nobility, aud where all
The freehold iuheritances being held bv
!eudaf tenour, descended by hereditary
right 70 the eldest son of the ramily-yet
II did not take place in that country uil a
late date, till after The best blood in Eng
land had flowed Oh the scaaold, during The
reign OF the Stewards, by tie sentence of
me Judges, given in compliance 10 the
crown.
" But even in Britain they are not so in.
dependent as is GENERALLY thought. They
are not only subject to impeachment,
which, with them, may not only affect
both lille and property, but may Danish
them from thc'r native country, but thev
may also be reno, ed by the vote of sim.
pie majority Of the two houses, and thev
may be removed and bche,drd, and their
family degraded, by bill Of attainder, or
their independence may be abolished BY
an ACT OF parliament, whose act esrabss5-
cd their Independence. In this country,
Judges are in all the states, Independent,