The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-23

jd'tcover defeSts-and the hope that in m
mean time, the inftrument with all its defeSt.
might produce focal Happiness, If a prope
tone IS gwen to the government, by the fevers
agents m its operation {: But Gnce experienc
mas evinced, that much mitchell may he don
under an unwiie administration, and that eve,
me mott valuable parts of the contribution. ma,
DC essded or violated, we ought no longer tt
reit our fecurity upon the vain hope which de
ponds on the reetitude of fallible men in fncceC
i've administrations. But now that the. unior
'sas firmly efablifhed by the general opinion
OF the citizens, as we can ever hope it to be. i,
oehoves Us to bring wardamendments, which
may nix It upon principles capable ofreftraninp
human frailties.
Having, Itruft, fhewn the utility and necec
hty OF fuch efforts at this time, | will adyen.
ture to tubmit TO the confederation of nv f.l.
low-citizens with great humility and Difference.
whether 1t would not be advifeable to have the
contribution amended,
liz. By rendering PRECEDENT Ineligible for the
next term, and transferring from him to the
Legislature, the appointment of the Judges.
and ftationary foreign miHiiters making the
ftipends of the latter to be no longer diccre-
tlonary in the preident.
2. by depriving the Senate of all Executive
power and fhortening their term, of feryice.
or ian)ecting Its members to removal by their
conitituents.
s. BY rendering members of the lee(l,ture
: ana the judges, whilf in office, and for IL
mited time thereafter, incapable of taking any
other Office whatfoever, (the offices of Pre-
noe"t and Vice.Prefident excepted y and
iun]eeting the judges TO removal by the con
curing vote OF both houfes Of Congrefs.
4. BY fol- ming fome check upon the abufe of
pune credit, which, though in fome nitances
utetul, like Fleets and Armies, NAV, like
thote, be Carried to extremes dangerous To H..
oerty, and inconfiftent with economical 90.
yernment
S. BY initituting fair mode of impannellinp
jaries.
6. BY declaring that no treaty with FOREIGN
nation, 10 far as it may relate to peace or
war,-to the expenditure of public money
or TO commercial regulations, flall be law,
un'il ratified by the Legislature the interval
between iuch treaty and the next meeting of
Congreis' excepted, 70 far as it may not relate
to the grant OF money
Z. BY defining prohibited bowers 70 explc;,,v
as to defy the wies of contribution. IF NO
thing more fhould be gained, it will he a
great acqultiton, clearly to nterd2 laws re-.
1ating to the freedom of Speech,-of the
freis'--and OF Religion to declare that the
common Law of England, or of any other
io'e'gh country, IN criminal cafes, fhall not
be conlldered as law of the United States.
and that treafon flla be confined to the
Gales Hated IN the contribution, 70 as not to
DC extended further, by law or contribution.
OF ny ulng other terms, fuch as fedition, &c.
and
9. by making out with more preciiion, the
d'ttinct powers of the General and State Go.
yernments.
In the Virginia Bill of Rights is expre(Ted
this Ineitimable fentiment, That no free 90.
vernment, or the blefiings of liberty, can be pre-
ierved to any people, hut by firm adherence
to luitlce, moderation, temperance, frngalitv,
and virtue /; and by frequent recurrence TO
fundamental principles fentiment pro-
duced no doubt, by the experience of this me.
lancholy truth, That of men advanced to
power, more are inclined to detroy liberty,
than to defendit there is of courfe CONT
nua effort for its deifrHt7ion. which ought to
be met by correspondent efforts FOR IFS byelsr-
Uation.'
fheie principles and PROPORTIONS are moa
respectfully fubmitted to my Fellow-Citizens,
with TINS obtervation THAT it is only when
great and good men are at the head of a natl
on that the people can expect to fucceed, in
forming new barriers TO countera9 recent en-
croachments on their rights and whenever A
nation is 10 fupine as to fuffer flch an oppor.
tunity to be loft, they will foou feel that THE
DANGER WAS NOT OVER
EDMUND PEMDLE7ON.
Caroline County, Virginia,
October 5th, 1901.