Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-11-14

Opening how'r SO sweet has mown.
MAY some Kindred heavenly spirit,
Watt above tn parting sonl
Ihcir reward shall greet thy merit,
God who bruised thee make thee whole.
--.---=
ut would seem that men of genius in all
countries, have a prcdisposition to be
republicans in sentiment unless their
dshave been perverted by the allure
ments OF power and c{icc. The follow
ing passage on the Hbe7ry Of the frcss,
from DIR. Aioorc's s'View Of Society and
Manners in France breathes spirit
of freedom which would do honor to the
citizen of republic. Such sensiments
are more honorable to the author, as he
was himself favoritc of the great, and
had basked in the sunshine of noble pa
$ronage.l
feel as much indignation as you posi-
bly, can, against those who endeavor 70 hurt
the peace OF families by malignant publica-
tons, s enter fully intoLord IS feelings
'on SO unrnerited an attack. Yet should be
heartily sorry to see these evils remedied by
sany restriction on the freedom of the press
because am every day more and more con-
WINGED that its unrestraincd productions, the
Tcentious newspapers themselves not ex-
cepted have conveyed to every corner OF
Great-Britain, along with much imperti-
hence and scurrility, such regard for the
constitution, such a sense of the rights of
the subject, and such a degree of general
knowledge, as never were SO universallF
diifuscd over any other nation. Such law
as gaur friend proposes might, no doubt,
protect individuals from unjust attacks in
print; but 1t would at the same time re-
move one great means of clearing their in
noccnce, and making known their wrongs,
when injured in more essential manner
It would limit the right which every Bril-
ton has Of publicly addressing his country
men, when nc finds himself Injured or op-
pressed by the pcrversion of law, or the in
science Of Office.
Examples might be given of men Of great
integrity bel s. attacked in the most cruel
and ungenerous manner by people high in
Office, and guarded By power. Such men
had no other means of redress than that of
appealing t. the candor and rood sense of
the public, which they used with success.
Every mans observation may SUGGEST to him
many kinds Of Injustice and oppression,
-Wdich the rich, the insidicus, or the power
tdi, can commit liz spite of law, or herhaps
by the aid OF law, against the poor, the un-
'Saspecting, and the friendless.-Many, who
Stsii oaiNtANS GNDtlG law, IrNTll-
bic at the thoughts of their injustice being
published and nothing is, nothing can be,
a greater check on the wantonness of pow.
err, than the privilege Of unfolding private
grievances the bar the public. For thus
the cause of the individual is made public
concern, and the general indignation which
their wrongs excite, forms at once one of
the sew rest punisilments which can be in
flicted on the oppressor, and one of the
strongest bulH ariss that can be raised in
defence of the unprotected.
BY this means also the most speedy and
eRectual alarm is given all over the nation
when any great public misconduct happens. !
20 upon any appearance of DESIGN against |
the constitution ; and many evils are detec-
ted and prevented, which otherwise might !
have beeiunobserved, till they had become |
tco strong for remedy. And though this liz
berty produces much silly advice, and ma
Ignant censors without number, il likewise
opens the door to some of different cha
racter, who give useful hints to ministers,
which would have been lost without the
freedom OF anonymous publication.
The temporary and partial disorders,
which are the consequences of public free
dom, havebeen greatly exaggerated by some
people, and represented as more than cnui-
valent to all the advantages resulting from a
free government. But If such persons had
opportunities Of observing the nature ofthosc
evils which spring up in absolute govern
tnents, they would soon be convinced Of
their error.
The greatest evil that can arise from the
Gcenciousnessw which accompanied ivilliber-
~ Is. that people may rashly take a dislike
to liberty herself, from the teasing imper-
Thence and absurdity of some of her real
o. 'ifected well-wishers as a man might
become less fond Of the company fhis best
friend, Il he found him always attended by
o snappish cur which without provocation
was always growing aud barking.
Bat to prove the weakness of such con.
duct, we have only TO call to mind, that the
s-ream nf lceucinusncss perhaps never rose
higher thanit lid some years since in Eng-
iand. And what were the mighty evils
that followed !--Many respectable charac-
tiers were grossly misrepre iented in printed
Affections Certain daring Scribjlcrs G.
vsded the punishment thev deserved -
IN nv Window were broken, and the chaTi-
a. of few uno~nboru If ,.,,f;a,,ovt ,,...