The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-24
lFoLuML ].

for each fpeciSs of ctcnce or crime we find nm
, thing which ranks this amongf The acls of con-
tPiracv, confequenty nothing witch c;,- pup,i,,
1t as fuch. The not revealing a crime within
your knowledge, whatever may be its nature
receives taere no qualification. has there no place
aligned to il.
Yet tiiefe two laws confitrte the whole of
our penal eeiflaton. Since their pr,n,uigsr;on
nothing has been known rs crime but what has
been rendered fuch by forne overt act. And e
very action which is not there defined, can but
receive public reproduction. Opinion NAV con-
deInn out The law has no power to Judge it.
Nor is j, OF any confequence thouyh t,me an
c:eat law may have given TO an aGt The character
Oh CRIME; II the new code, more IndcIgert
and more wife, has not particularly declared il
TO bs 10 the act IS no longer criminal.
SUCH is tee diGtum of our penal code.
1t the act rendered criminal by the ancient
ftatues, Is recosnized by the prefent code, tie
sceuitd VINO ihaf be found guilty of it, fbaiI
iut1rr the penalties of the preGtnt code: which
has. IN eSPrefs TERMS declared that ali crimes
INDICATED by anterior laws, ard moi hefsir re-.
newed nthat fsnfe, Iiall ceaEe 10 BE- lnch.
Or, which is perfectly fynopynois, or even
more hmpie, as cited above, there can i've 90 o.
Their crimes nor punihments than thoit. ex,yree.
~ deiignated by the prefent code--Anci, COME
quently, by rot permitting any punililr.is.rt *
cept fuch as it has appointed, il strogstcs all
thoit which may have been known bcfS.te If ex-
flied.
To turn overa Erslc folio of the ancient "a.
tutes, with view to diicover law which IN.
hlcts on thoie who do not denounce conG,ira-
GU the fame penalties incurred by the ccnfpira-
tor, is therefore, inadrniffible.
We know perfectly we'll that finch I,u r,s
enacted, in l477, by Louis XII, the molt infoie.i.
Gus of the Kings of France.
we ALTO know that Cardinal Richelieu aya.d
hmielf OF tins law III order to CRAFTY his revenge
on the projects sgainit the unfortunate De Thor :.
proceis which in recalling the execrate,i nane
OF Lauoardenont, recalls alto the long train of
hcrrours OF which he was the miniher.
bll o: what contequence is fi'ch law, long
hnce. after one folirary application, funk into
oblivion Never was it reitored, never conf;r,,,,
ed, by any iucceIior of Louis X.
Nether the celebrated ordinance CT 1890. "a.
b1cated by the chancellor Puget, for the mr.
pole oil computing the death of adrnira, CbaI,t.
nor the ordinance of Orleans and of BIois no,
any other ordinance fubiequent 20 1477. are dic.
graced by iimilar provifion.
we Mould not at this time Dofyefs {, C;1
!!egiiiation, embracing every cafe, and autbor;s
Ing no other punihmeDts than theft wh;ch =
provides, had 1t not been from the fear thar nm
Ger government whole laws were eRahf;n,a,,
upon the difpohtions, and adapted to the ,oa,-
hers OF the people, and which had given civil
code TO France, fome chance might have renew.
ca tne power OF Imaginary eti;tl .uiii.,l ise=
neglect ofcenturies had fentencedfo an eter,ol
flsnce, and whole Jingle application hss ~,
puriued by the eXecration of poteritv. Tbe
revival OF uch authority, it was iuflv fsit ,,opl5
nave been dngraceful to the reign OF Liberty and
the Emperor of law '',
In not dencunciDg the ccnfDiracy even had
ne known its exiitencc, general MORGAN would
not nave ohended agaInit any law, and confe
quently would have Incurred no penaIty Ac
ID tl - G..
to denounce 1t was impoiiible, and to n,m;R
MN Tor ignorance would be uniuft and impol;-
tick. N ''i'po''
In terminating this melancholy talk we NAV
be permitted to return TO one part of the scc,;,
iltlon and to dfcharge ourfciyes of b,-tb,,,
that has preiled heavily upon our heart. from The
hrit moment when this defence engaged our n.
tention. 49, oN' ct
Moreau is accufd of having aimed n roc,c
hing the iuPreme power; of having Dlotfed =.
gainit the life of the e,nperour "'
NO: ny honour and by fame we fwear. Mo-
reau cannot be guilty h knew. too we'll tbs
horronrs OF revolution ever to be b;tnEs,f tbe
author of new ore! He knew that blind H.
Vourlng, and remorfelets, mon1er; which while
ne was NEEDING on his country glory and re-
noWn, at the moment when victory was cro,,.,.
ing him on the field of battle, brought md 49,.
gulGosine the head Of his venerable father lJ,,.
Moreau Dcver could delie the ruin of thar cC,,,r.
Try, IN which, as long as it exits, his NAM. CO.,
never be pronounced but with prafc and craft.
tude lie who never difcovered the moi jstent
iPark OF ambition when ponaiIcd of the ,,n,,,.'
OF gratifying it, cannot be fuppofld TO entrrt.;,
the defire ofrule now, when deprived of n, tba
means OF accomplishing his views He who No.
yer harbonrcd jealous thought aoaipfS thof.
rivals whom weak and miffaken coyernmen+
preferred 20 command over him, could NOT ,nvv
the RANK OF that privileged genius whom nrnv;.
dencc ieems to have peculiarly deiigneG TO h.
the regulator OF empires; under whom everv
place rs place offpendour Whit all The ns,i-
ons and iovereigns of Europe flle for the aitancc
OF Bonaparte, can it be fuppofed that an idea nc
dipiacing HIM could enter the mind Of r,sn.
who, whatever may have been his opinion .f ihe
FORM or government, has ncontcGibly proyed,
dnrtnG twelve years, his unobtrulive obediencs
to the national will He who Yielded ;nnIici,l,,
70 the command of Schcrer, Of Jouhsrt. and ~
Macdonald, could never conndsr bin,Glf ,l;c.
graccd 6y submitting TO their chief.
POSTSCRIPT
Many arguments which would Of tbc,,,c.,,...
remove far from general Moreau all oronnd &c
accuistion, have been omitted. We will E.,e
eHnmerate one or two of ttofe.
We have already made apparent. in ,b.. mo
NOR and IN the pleadings, the perfeH ;ncs,.e