Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-05-16
Frow TIE NATIONAL EGI5.

w I1EsN any ClltLcn liSS uuCiCT ili0iCt-
Inent or Impeachment, or even when pub
lie enquiry only is Regularly instituted a.
gainst him, a generous people will sus-
pend their Judgment. They cannot avoid
hearing something on the subject; but
they will reflect, that the enquiry is neces-
sariIy instituted ex -parte. They will feel
a disposition to indulge the accused, and
wish TO learn from him what evidence he
can probably produce in his favor. a
dopting the mild maxims of the law, they
will even leni d favorable ear to his pro-
testatlons of innocence, his solemn = ap-
peal to the Almighty searcher of hearts,
to the testimony of his own conscience, TO
his country, * an impartial posterity." No
good man will SO Danish the sense of pro-
Priety, as to anticipate his trial, and labor
TO prejudice the public mind. But if an
Inveterate party will never cease their in-
discriminate Censure, and every regular
prosecution Is, by those vino know nothing
GIFTS merits, to be denominated hersecu-
ton; especially if the party accused. in
the standing Of Judge, and knowing the
decent submission which he has required
OF others, will, under the form of Memo
rial to Congress, never presented indeed,
but published after the session was over,
Unexpectedly charge a majority of that
august body, as being" inflamed by party
spirit, and seeking the destruction of its
opponents as having 4" desire to cri-
inmate a Judge, in order to heap odium
on the party with which he is connected ="
and a President as being I" at the head of
this majority and guiding its passions"
with "a desire, from motives @Cprivate re-
sentiment, to effect the ruin of any Judge :"
and 1t this same accused person, arrogat-
ing the character of firm, upright and
independent Judge, will publicly insinuate,
that the prosecution is &c in order 10 sub
stltute other judges more complying and
timId," and that the necessities of fa-
vorite partIzan require his removal, in Or
oer 10 Create vacancy in Office" as you
have done can the friends of government
be expected any longer 10 retain that de-
licate reserve? Can this your conduct be
justified by any man of decency, even by
your own party, that party who proclaim
themselves the friends of order? Yes,
sir, we call on you 10 reflecl, what would
have been your sentiments, if Fries, if Cal
lender If any Printer of public news-pa-
per, indicted, and to be tried before the
Court, OF which you was Judge, should
have made previous publication, or me-
morat presented in the news papers, adj
dressed to the Court. plainly insulating
that your honor, inilamed with spirit of
party, had been guiding the passions of
the Grand Jury, directing them TO find
bib pointing out to the Attorney General
the mode OF enquiry, and the means of
obtaining evidence; allowing yourself, and
encouraging witnesses, to indulge i'm the
most rancerNue veclives, " from motives
of private resentment and political inte-
rest; )" aiieusng elso that YOU were deter
named to make OF hum, " a devoted victim,
however innoceut;" and that there was
a" no way TO shield himselffrom the thrust
OF such weapon )" say, would YOU not
have denounced him as a disorpanizinp
Jacobln, aud considered this conduct as a
proof Of his former sedilions? O, sir, if
FrieS or Calender, or any other have done
this, and you are now accused of forget
ting the dignity Of your Office, and the du.
ties OF an impartial Judge, while they
were afterwards on trial before YOU, we
hope the fact will be made 10 appear, and
operate ltnot to your complete iustificati.
on, yet as mitigation, that you may save
your honor, if not your ofIice.-We have
reason to resent this outrage on our ro-
vernment IN you, sir, more than in any or
dInaTyman. You are Judge and il be-
comes you to set examples of submission
to judicial authority. Still we preserve
our former principles, and will hold re.
solute silence respecting any part of the
evidence against you and every article or
which you are charged.-We will ONLY
answer to the heads of groundless com.
plants stated in your unwarrauted memo.
rial.
The FIRST regards the time Of prosecuti.
on'--Your words are, " that crimes and
misdemeanors, public in their nature.
should have been suffered TO remain four
years, and that the prosecution should be
commenced freciSeiy at the moment when
a political change, supposed by many,
though you hope unjustly, to be favorable
to It's success had taken place, are circum-
stances but little calculated e. impart con.
hdenee tothe heart Of inDocence,o or to quiet
Che alarms, which she may feel when op-