The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-19

olcnt revolutionary troubles IL France -thofc
troubles which have aImoa brought dT.race
upon the caulc uf freedom. IL srofe from
tate of danger and anarchy. when every man
felt the knife at his throat, & fought i'm alohcr's
ruin his own preicrvation. But here frch cauiSs
cannot have eNiltencc. Gu. government is Ell
tabli!hed; and its foundations are laid l,y rrs-
ion. iuace and liberty. Why therefore rcfor,
to 4 fyfem, which muir prove fatal as it l. fab
veriive of freedom OF opinion; Why be guilty.
of the Fighter departure from the principles OF
liberty, hnce Ala iinperious necsihty alone can
luitfy II But does ueCeility exit, which die.
tatcs to us TO look upon our brethren rs ene-
! mics, and to dcnouncc rs apofates thoic, who
differ from us on fome trivial and uniin2o,tant
politica. do<trinc When fpirii iuch as this is
/ 'nanlfeited. 1t becomes the duty OF every fran
and temperate repuhhcau,to Oppoie It's Gilflhon
by every fair and candid mans: TO with6ud
the Overlooking manner OF his antagonists: not
to fufcr hmieif g to be dragooncd into fubmit-
ion to their Opinions, but To cxpoie, with the
temper and freedom OF = republican, Tue fatal
! tendency OF this politica! invetcr.1y."
Intolerance III politics appears indeed to INC
| TO be both nconitcnt with republican prnCl-
! pies, and preiudicial to- the republican cSuic.
| Il differs not from religious intolerance except
in the iubject OF our opinions And who anong
! us bat would dcprecatc the cxiitcncc OF the
! latter I? " WHO art thou" flaws Paine with his
wontcd originality 60 that obtrudef thyielf be-
&C tween the foul of man and his maker? IF he
believes moi rs thou heiiovcf, IL is i prooftaat
~' thou believe6 not, as ne believeth, and there
! 4" is no earthly power can determine between
"you. Does the remark &, ply with lots force
TO intolerance n politics: Who is Tie umpire
that ihail determine tlt orthodoxy of political
principles, III country, the BATS OF whole con-
itituton the equality of man? Who fhal
boat fuPerior right 10 the enjoyment OF MS
! own opinion, under agOvcrD aIcnt, where IL is
! trcaion TO the contribution TO attempt to fltter
| the mind or 10 refrain the freeli cApreinon OF
the fentimcnts ! And what means that denoun-
cling fpirit, which has been lately Matched into
cxlitence byt the heat OF party animohty, but
an iuOrdlnatc dciirc to bear down all oppoii;i-
ON, 10 let up ojniclVeS as the ten OF truth. and
to f1gbten honcf and temperate nen into the
fame errors, bv pointing them ont 10 the peo-
! pie as cncInlcs or their country, traitors to
the contribution, and apoas,~s from the
cauie of liberty Is it not Ike the
cry of GO mad-dog" in village, where the de-
voted victim OF the fears OF the croud, howe
yer inofieniye, is lure 10 ,ncet with peIftcuton
and death
The principle Of Intolerance is ever the fame.
Religious bigots always make bigottcd politici-
| ans, and intoIcrant men out of power are iurc
10 be pcriccutors when IN power. In toe latter
cafe, iedition laws and tctt acts are the lEhru-
tnents OF puniihncnt in the former, there ia 4
| conit2nt endcavour to remedy their impotence
| by denunciation. and by pointing out inc VIC
TINS or their wrath as unworthy OF the eheein
and confidence OF the people.
1t may be fad however that fcf-intere(t die
tatcs 10 Us as a ncafurc of defence to hold IN
our own hands the reins OF government, and 70
exclude from every place OF honour, and proit,
thOfc whole he 10 ha I,,I
verhve of repubiicanifm, and who have iircsdy
| manlfeitcd ditpoftion ufc all the influence
OF office IN iuPport OF their political tcncts.
Admit that this be the cafe. Let the petition
! then be Imported with hrmnefs, but with de-
cency; let your argument prove the iinccrity
~ your opinion, but lcr your coCln-iS demon
| hrate that you are fill open 20 conviction let
coniclouincis OF your own redisude Of heart
umpire belief lii the rcGtitude Of Others nor let
your adVeriary DC iufpetted Of corruption unlefs
! you wond be iuipected of it youricf.-But
| iha 10 trifing difference of opinion, give rife
to iuch violent mcafurcs /? VIII it authorize
violent dcnunciat;on ofthofc who believe that
our principles are now too firmly eiablilhed
to be IN Danger from federal influence, and that
the moment mas at length arrived when the fnp-
porters ottheiaft aGpinift ratiouna be admitted
toiome iharein theoifices ofgovernmen; Does if
authorize us TO hold up 70 the people as obi.cls
9 GijiiiiIiIiiGG tiIUic, VINO GIIiCr
from US on this qucition of poiicy, however great
may have bcenthcir fcrvices, however pure may
DC their principles, and however unluipeled
! their integrity? Or would it uitify the pafage
or teit act, which like the iuttly abh0r
red laws of C1cat Britain, ilould make
iubicription TO certain opinions, pre-
Cedent condition to an election to Office?
There is INDEED reafon TO doubt whether a
perpetual excluGOn of the federaIfs from all
| Offices is found policy. 4 good republican
would he,itste about the correctness OF an OBI
Mon which would jutify the government in I'll
ling every tatioT with creatures i'm plictly fub-
fervicnt to Its viii. He would have rcaion 10
app ehend ione confpiracy aganif the liberties
otthe people, were every lucrative and honor
able pot held up as the reward of those, whof;.
complying tempers could bend oeyery modifi-
gallon OF the opinions of the governors. He
would have reaion - fear the power of an adj
miniftration Imported b. 70 formidable pha-
lanx. Have we not already feared it Was
IT not a9tource OF continued and lively appre-
henhoGcuiing the administration of Mr.. f.
dams, chat official influence would ruin the
Pcoples that the hope of reward would Zap tae
foundation Of freedom by deftroying the puri-
ty of The cFiilatiye and judiciary branches, and
that an ambitious Proficient, with 4 complaiant
Congreis, oDedient judges ard cringing militia
ry, would one day Or other triumph over the IL
berries Of or country ? Thefe were our fears.
Thanks toa found contribution, and youB,
< uncoTupted people, thclc danger: have PAT
tel over US. g bpt man is man, and who is