Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-09-08
LoUIsL.d.wa REMoMSrR.dWcE.
d. TO THE
CONGRESS OF TIE UNITED STATES,
IN SENATE AND
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

]
WE the Subscribers, Planters, Mer-
chants, and other inhabitants of Lou;sia-
ma, respectfully approach the Legislature
of the United States, with memorial of
! ourrights, remonstrauce against certain
laws which contrayene them, and petit
ton for that redress to which the laws Of
nature, sanctioned by positive stipulation,
have entitled us.
Without any agency in the events which
have annexed our country to the United
States, I'VE yet considered them as fortunate,
and thought our liberties secured, even
before we knew the terms Of the cession.
Persuaded that afree people would acquire
territory only to extend the blessings of
, frcedom-thatan enlightened nation would
never destroy those principles on which
its government was touudcd-and that
their representatives would disdain to be-
metheinsttuments Of oppression, we cal
culated with certainty that their first act
of sovereignty would he communication
OF all the blessings they enjoyed, and we're
the less anxious to know on what particu-
lar terms we were received. 1t was ear
ly understood that we were to be Ameri
can citizens; this satisfied our wishes, it
implied every thing we could desire, and
TILED us with that happiness which arises
from the anticipated enjoyment Of right
long withheld. We knew that it was i'm
possible to be citizens The United States,
without enjoying personal freedom, pro-
tection of property, and, above all, the pri-
vileges of free. Representative govern
ment. and did not therefore imagine that
we could be deprived of these rights, even
if there should have existed no promise
to impart them vet it was with some ga.
tisIacsion we found these obiects secured
10 MS bv the stipulation of treaty and
the faith OF Congress pledged to us for their
uninterrupted enjoyment: we expected
them from your magnapimity, but were
not displeased TO sec shem secured to us a,
Alright, and guarantee By solemn engage
ments.
With a firm persuasion that these. en-.
gagements would he sscretIIy fulfilled, we
passed under your jurisdiction with Joy
bordering on enthusiasm, submitted o the
Inconvenience % an intermediate domi
Mon without a murmur, and saw tie last
v
severed without regret. Even the evils o.
a military and absolute authority were ac
quiesced in. because it indicated an ca
gerncss 20 complete the transfer, and place
be Dad Tie reach of accident the union we
mutually desired.--A single magistrate
vested with civil and military, with execu
tive and judiciary powers,upon whose law'
we had no check, over whose acts we haC
no controul. end from whose DEGREES ther,
is no appeal the sudden suspension Of al
those forms, to which we had bren accus
toned, the total want of any permanen
system to replace them, the introduction
ut new language into the administration
of justice, the perplexing necessity Of u
sing an interpreter for every communica
ton with the officers placed over us, tn,
involuntary errors of necessity committee
by Judges, uncertain by whai code the,
are to decide, wavering between the civi
and the common law, between the form
of the French, Spanish and American IN
risprudence, and with the best intention
unable to expound laws, of which the,
are ignorant, or TO acquire them in a Ian
guage they do not understaDd-these wer,
not slight Inconvenience, nor was this
state OF things calculated to give favorabl,
impressions, or realise the hopes we en-
tertained.--But we submitted with resig
nation because we thought it the effect o
Decessity.-We submitted with patienc,
though its duration was longer than W,
had been taught to expect--we submitted
even with cheerfulpess while we supposed
your honorable body was employed in re
ducing this choas TO order, and, by YOU
legislative Eat, calling system of harmo
ny from the depth Of this confused discor
dant mass. But we cannot conceal, we
ought not 10 dissenble, that the first pro.
Ject presented for The government Of this
country, tended to lessen the enthusiasm
which Nntil that period, had been unIver.
sal; and TO fix our attention on present
evils, while it rendered less sanguine
as to the future still however we wished
to persuade ourselves, that further enqui.
nv would produce better information that
discussion would establish our rights and
time destroy every prejudice that might
oppose them. We could not bring our.
selves to believe that we had So far mista.
ken the sipulatiors in our favor, or thai
Copr,r.ae c,,,fd o. f,tu. .a,-o,.l ~. - .