Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-11-06
FOR THE VIRGINIA ARGUS.

Yin. MIN
Tie JfoiisGpiagi is RE substance or qohqt Ycost
,Houy reeoRecl, If a Journqi said IA be qDr1t
ten bya Tyaveiler, epho had visitsG ,slssiost
al me countries o.. me Acbife6ie l1io6e.
HE said, that - China, India, Turkct,
Russia and even in Germany, Prussia,
Denmark, Sweden and france, in propor-
lien 10 the power Of the Monarch, we're
the Ignorance and Wretchedness of the
common peoplc--end their Bigo,ty, SUI
pers,ition s. Dependence or their Priests.
Bot, that great as was The power of the
Sovereign, he found lis excess though OF.
ten enormous, and attended with circun-
stances Of shocking cruelty, almost ~.
ways under some restraint from lear Of
popular resentment. The bow string had
frequently brought down the neck If the
naughty ,ytant in Constantinople. whose
ned had the day sbefore deprived many
recks OF their hoary hest!5. And on the
other hand, in sovernmtnts called free he
had universally seen bold strokes OF des-
pctism committed; without hesitation or
fear, because they could be said to DC sane
toned By the people.
The rigors of the penal laws in En-.
gland, and the vindictivc power OF govern
men; when exercised 10 preserve The con.
siilutioG, as The Minister calls it, when the
ha6fas eo,f'1tS oef is suspended, as il has fire.
quentiy been, exhibit shocking instances
of tyranny, without producing the least e.
motion IN the breast of any man in I'm.
gland who is not wing. In short. he
says, the frcer the government is suppos-
ed TO be, the easier are the people iu,pos.
ed upon, and induced to believe, tina, what
ever their ceHsfi.atsa authorities DO, must
be tight. In despclic governments, he
says, sensible men told him, that they
had entrusted their affairs to a Prince,
who, on condition that he administered
them well, was to hand down The essolu-
ments OF his office with all its prercrs.
lives, to his children forever. That This
50 completely bound him, by every ugy
which could lay hold on human fceiine{
to guard their dearest interests, that tbe9
thought the wi, Of man conld not go FAR ;
Their to secure their national happiness.
That the greater the power Of the soye.
reign, the more perfectly was he enabled
TO preserve order, protect the innocent,
chasiise the ibsolent and guilty, and en-.
force obedience 10 the wise laws y h:ch he
could enact for the government OF his sub
lsets, and the regulation of their afTairs.
The revenue being a, his disposal who
was most interested 90 use il for the bene-
* of the nation, he could procure the az.
slsisnce Of the wisest and best men n, ,bc
nation, TO assis, him in the admiuisfrsti,, n
OF the government, But these scnsibl,
men oandidly confessed, that this erea,
power was too otter miscrably nisapoli.
ca and that unhappily, there was some.
Thing N power, which seemed to harden
The human heart, and render il hard 10
the calls of humanity, and uraecountsblv
encfsased in It desire Of more power,
necessarily increasing that desire al every
moment Of It's qualification They &C
knowiedged too, that the sovereign often.
er chose unwisc or wicked advisers, than
wise and good. And that even when he
chose The most wise and yirluoas ptiyy
council, She heads Of the departments OF
s'ae, or their subordinate officers ecueral-
" ac,eddespot OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES insoleucc