The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-26


country be 10 diltinguilhed by nature, fhail
then, and then only, conceive him to be great
er man thanyou. But might not an army, with
king or general at their head have compelled
them To afemble?
p. Yes; but the army muft have been form
ed by their own choice. One man or few can
never govern many without their content.
). Suppofc, however, that a multitude of
men, attended in a town or city, were TO chufe
king or governor, might they not give him
power or authority?
2. To be fure but they never would be 70
mad, hope, as to give him power of making
their IazvJ.
S. Who elie ihould make them:
p. The evbole nation or people.
S. What if they difagreed?
+ Z. The opinion of the greater number, as in
our village clubs, muit be taken and prevail.
S. What could be done, if the fociety were
10 large, that all could not meet in the fame
place?
p. A greater number mutt chufe iefs.
S. Who fhould be the chuers?
Z. All, who are not upon the pari1. In our
club, If a man afk relief of the overfeer, he ceaf-
es TO be one of as bccaufe he mutt depend on
the overfser.
S. Could not few men, one in feven, for in
tance, chnte the anembly of law makers, as
well as a larger number!
p. As conveniently, perhaps; but l would
not futfer any man to chufe another, who was
to make laws, by which my money or my life
might be taken from me.
5. Have you at freehold in any county of for
ty fhillingsa year!
r. have nothing in the world but my cattle,
implements of hutbandry, and houfehold goods,
together with my farm, for which pay fixed
rent to the 'fquire.
S. Have you vote in any city or borough
p. have no vote at all (? But am able by
honeft labour to fupport my wife and four chill
dren; and, whilN | act honefy, / may defy
the laws.
S. Can you be 70 ignorant, that parliament,
to which members are fent by this country, and
by the next market-town, have power to make
new laws, by which you and your family may
be ttriPPed of your goods, thrown into prifon
and even deprived of life?
T.. A dreadful power! never made maui
res, having suine.s Of my own, concerning the
buineis of parliament; but imagined, that the
laws had been fixed for many hundred years.
). The common laws, to which you refer,
are equal, jut, and humane; but the king and
parliament may alter them when they pleafc.
Z. The king ought therefore to be good
man, and the parliament to coniift of men equal
ly gocd.
S. The king alone can do no harm; but
who mat Judge the goodnefs of pariiamentmen?
Z. All thofe whole property, freedom, and
lives may be Affected by their laws.
). Yet hx men in feven, who inhabit this
kingdom, have, like you, 10 votes and the pc
tition, which defired you to ign, has nothing
for ITS object, f.t the reftoraticn of you all to
the right of chuiing thofc law makers, by whom
your money or your lives may be taken from
you. Attend, while read it diftinetly.
p. Give me your pen--I never wrote NV
name, i'll as it may be written, with greater ca
gernefs.
5. applaud you, and truf, that your exam
pie will be follwed by millions. Another word
before we part. Recollea your opinion about
your club in the village, and tell what ought to
be the contcquence, if the king alone were TO
lnllit on making laws, or in altering them at his
will and pleafure.
P. He too mutt be expelled.
.. Oh but think of his Handing army, and
of the militia, which now are his in fubftance,
though ours in form.
r. Ii ne were to employ that force againlt
the nation, they would and ought to refft him,
or the fate would ceafc to be fate.
,. What If the great accountants and great
lawyers, the LHLy5 and Speluans OF the nation,
were to abufe their trut, and cruelty iniure, in
itead of faithfully ferving, the public?
+. We mutt requelt the king to remove them,
and make trial of others; but none ffould i'm
PhNitiy oC tfuuCC.
S. But what if few great lords, or wealthy
men, were to keep the king himfelf in fubiecti-
on, yet exert his force, lavifh his treafure, and
mifuie his name, 70 as TO domineer over the peo
pie and manage the parliament?
p. We muit fight for the king and for our
feives.
S. You talk of fighting, as if you were fpeak-
ing OF Tome rultic engagement at wake but
your quarter itaff' would avail you little againft
bayonets.
7. We might ea6ly provide ourfelves with
better arms.
5. Not 10 eaGly; when the moment of re-
httance came, yon would be deprived of all
arms; and thoie who fhould furni(h you with
them, or exhort you to take them I'D, would be
called traitors, and probably put to death.
2. We ought always, therefore, to be ready
and keep each of us itrong frelock in the cor
ner of his bed ROOM
5. That would be legal as well as rational.
Are you, my honef friend provided with muf.
ket?
p. will contribute no more to the club, and
purchafe firelock with my favirgs.
). Ii IS not necehary-I have two, and will
make you a preient of one with complete accom-
trcments.
T.. accept it thankfully, and will converfe
with you at our leifure on other fubieets of this
kind. '
). In the mean time, fpend an hour every
morning for the next fortnight in learning 70