Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-06-22

/ fined to the high seas and to chose tract
and districts of our country which are
under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction
of the United States"
i seems, therefore, that some Of thes;
clauses will give The federal government
eognizanee ofthe crime of murder commit
ted by member of it's administration, OF
by any other person within ihelimits or ju.
rlsdlction Of a particular state. This may
be considered as lamentable defect iu oui
constitution or 10 our laws. One would
fmagine that the conduct of the officers oil
/! the union and members Of the legislature
ought, at all times and in all places,
TO be. under the Immediate inspection and
'controul of the general government; thai a
power oughtto be lodged blythe constisu.i-
on IN some department., adequate to he
punishment of its officers for such fragrant
violations of the laws of nature and OF mos
raj rectituee that this additional barrier
ought to be erected to preserve the purity
OF government and prevent the commission
OF crimes, by those nen who have been
promoted to stations of profit, honor, pow
er and importance. ifcongress has power
by the constitution 10 provide laws tor
such cases, the members are guilty OF gross
negligence in suffering that power to slum-
ber-lflegislators possess, and do exercise
the power of making laws, for the proven
ton O. crimes and the punishment OF crimi-
mails, they violate the highest duties of the
station; for the security of persons and
property is the prime object of Legislation.
Yes they az in degree accessories before
the fact they encourage crimes by holding
the promise of imponity to transgressors,
or eface all moral distinctions, by viewing
virtue and vice with equal indifference
In either case they are highly criminal, and
sacrifice the rights and security of their
country.
But il is supposed that congress does not
possess this power. 1t is supposed that the
constitution does not vest it in that body
or 10 any department, the jurisdiction of
such crime even when it is committed by
an exalted officer OF the government. Is
not the constitution then defective? How
Can the wise trainers of that instrument an.
swer for the omission to the purity of their
own hearts or Of their country? In vain
have they expressly acknowledged the
weakness, falibility and possible corruption
of legislators and civil officers, if they have
not placed them within the reach of punish
ment. In vain have they acknowledged
the depravity Of the human heart, if no
power is given to restraini It's impulse.
How shall we account for the apparent III
consistency? Let uspursue our inquiry
still further, and, FIVE cannot find JUS
ti6cation, We may possibly find some ex-
cuse, for the deficiency. Perhaps some a.
dequa,e remedy may yet be discovered.
The federal government was erected up.
on, and co-operases with, those of the in.
dividual states. In order to acquire com.
petent knowledge Of the beauty, regularity
and harmony of the whole system, it is
necessary to examine the connexions and
relations of its several parts. Prior to
the establishment of the federal constitu-
ton, the different states of the union ex.
ercised, separately, the powers of indie.
pendent sovereignty. 1t was found that
their different views and Earring interests
would soon rend asunder the feeble cords
of their confederation and involve them in
general warfare and commotion, until the
more powerful would eventually swallow
up the minor states. TO prevent this
threatening calamity, general convention
of delegates from the various parts of the
union was called. They assembled and
the federal compact was the result of their
deliberations. Its object was to establish
experimenting, controlling power over
the states, to enforce the performance of
their relative duties.st manage their exer-
nal concerns and to combine the effective
forces and essential of the whole. The
great and extensive objects of the united
body were condded to the direction of the
general government. while local regula.