The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-09

those hands which dca'-cd, hy the ponl,efs &
wiidom OF Provdenec, to elctp ii, fond embrace,
the wife of your bolon and the children Of your ioins
are doomed to forge the weapons of war, and to
be bathed in the blood of innocent
Ii is clear, that before can perform his du,v
1t is necefiary tbs. he knowit. II government claims
the right OF punhment, neceIar'y incurs the duty
OF nlruttion. But &c the thouiands who fall victims
to the rigour of your laws, how few have government
taken the pains 20 nllrua Nay, by wrnging from
hc poor the i,aDty pittauce which their hard iahour
earns, iupport lords of the ted-chamber wardens
of Cirque ports gentlemen of the band ofpeniunets
have they left them aught, but the melancholy alter
native OF periihing in the ditch riundering the
road. The .nares of temptation every where fet
around them. Governments. like the author of evil
irit make the criminal. and then Punh the crime.
The property Of the rich every where heded round
by the fences OF the law, while the little poIeons of
the poor are expoed to depreciation. The lordy peer
may trample Down, with IMMUNITY, the Of the
hufbandnan hut if the peslant kills hare give
food to his family, he is fen,enced pay the fun Of
three pounds, which he has of obtaining.
and if he perform an mpoiiibty, is ient, by
the decree of iafifc, TO perth in gaol.
The moral law is ensraven upon the fefhy tablets
OF The heart Of man, by the finger of God, of which
rea,on the interpreter, and confidence the Judge
but moral diGintaons arc every where confounded,
or obhterated, by legal articles. The principle,
| which ihoud apportion the penalty to the crime, is
wantouly violated, and the code of criminal urfpru-
dence, to the far greater part of mankind exhibits
~ black and bloody roll of penalty and prolcrpton.
y member OF parliament, whether he be lord or COM
roner, may iquander in riot, gambling and dpation
the property of the honeG and indufrious radeinan
and may proudly helpa,er with his carriage wheels,
the man whom his extravaganza has reduced to beg
gary. Their facred Pcrions TO rude hand of ihe-
rih IS officer dares to contanuate. But the ruined
tradeiinan, hould he owe the fun of ten pounds,
which the villany OF his Leieys has dabled him from
paying, is unfsergly hurried into prior, deprived
OF an opportunity OF eSercng his calling, and is iuf
tered to glide into the ient tomb upptied and forgot
ten.
The practice OF municipal law is adapted 70 the
principle The practice of law, which ought to be
an exa dirbution of jutice, is only ganful appli-
cation 10 the little of chcane. The great obje
of all law fecure in the enjoyment of our lives
properties. How is this efleeted under the preient
yiern ! AS much money is fpent in the attempt to
obtain our right, the thing contended for is worth
and he who is not injured by the injuhice of the de-
cliion is frequently ruined by the delay of the ut
10 the bulk of mankind, property is only valuable
becauie 1t affords them the means of fubGfence
But it obitrucions and delays thrown in our way
OF obtaining it. the great end for which property is ac
CURED, fruitrated and the relief for which applca-
ton is made to of judicature, cut off Yet if
life, that acred boon of heaven, is the fubiea of de-
ciiIona few hours deemed fuicient to determine
whether ihall Peaceaby poaefs, ignominioufly
oie 1t. Abfurd and prepoiterous regulation. which
mverts every fubRantial rule of unice, which produ
ces diPatch, where there ihoud be deliberations and
deiiberation where there fhould be difpatch, and
which makes the heritage of the field, and the very
eiod we tread upon, of eieiation in the eye Of
uftice than the acred image of the great Father Of
| the univerie, rational and immortal man
This horrid perverion could never have taken
place, if The judgment feat had not become Hior of
traiic; and if juiice, which Mould be freely difpens
ed could not be procured ALL unles it were dearly
purchaied.
The law, we have been pompouny told, Is equally
open re- the poor and to the rich. With equal truth
1t might be aerted, that there is no aa of parliament
to prevent you from flying Yet if money be the iole
initrument by which we are enabled either to obtain
or to defend our right, he vino is without wings may
as well attempt TO fly, as he who is without money
may attempt obtain juGice. He has then no other
alternative, than fit down the patient victim of the
INJURY which he has fained, for ihoud he exert that
force, with which nature has armed him. as the laG
recnrce of obtaining redre, the dragon fangs of the
law are fatened in his vtals, and he periihes
To the want of an adequate representation in par
liarlent may be traced all our Offerings