Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-03-18
Alr. Broom's 4fleeci c0n.ihAed.

be. a few momsnts reflection will satisfy
MS that without the writ of haBeas corpus
tkey could avail bar little. The rights
NAV exis, as abstrae; rights, bat the writ
OF hsbeas corpus affords the mos. import
ant, If no, the only means of exercising
them. 10 vain does the, law proclaisa that
10 man shall be imprisoned contrary 10
law, if the parry iiapr,soasd has DO &C
cess 70 a ,ribunal 10 decide the question OF
legslsy. La warn does tbs law promise a
,tlal by peers, if the. party imprisoned can
have no access &c q srihanal whereshe may
demand such trial Ia short. without the
writ of habess corpas, rights Of personal
liberty, howeve. solenaly proclaimed.
would exist ba, IN name. This writ CT
habeas corpus is soeyal with the rights
which il secures. It existed by the force
OF common law until The sabFlcties of law
yers had nearly rshaed it away, when it
was aidetiby the statute of Charles, and
has since been found folly adequate TO pros
ducs the desired effect If then, this
privilege of the writ OF habeas corpus has
been productive Of the NEST salntary ef-
feels 10 England, in guarding the liberty
Of the sabiect, we have the strongest proof
which we can require CT It's importance to
u.s., except our OVID experience. Nistrue
wsiiye under . form of government whsfe
the Sovereignty is acknowledged 20 belong
TO shs petpls; but les us not vainly in,sgin
that We have no necessity fol, laws restrlet-
i've upon mrn 10 power. Under the fair
senblapee IF repobcauism, has often been
praotsed The most detes,able tyrsnny, and
the mild laws of arepublic have too ofstn
afforded shelter fer knaves aud tyiants
inssead of shield for the viftuous and op.
pressee. ask then of this housete hedge
round this valuable privilege Of IA: wFl, Of
habeas corpus with efficient laws. beg
them 10 profit by the experience Of Others
ant grow wise in tins. Letir rot be SAID
,hasswe are less jealous of cur personal Ii.
berry than the people of England, or that
The important privileges which guards it is
less dear TO ua. because We have net like
them waded through blood TO maintain 1t.
Let US with the constitution, Acknowledge
the Importance and sanctily of the privi-
lere and proceed without delay TO iortify /.
we have lately received call loudly oaus
TO guard il more effcc;ually 10 future. Ii
has been too generally oar misfortune &c
wait until offences have been committed
before We have provided a punishment
but when such Offences have been commit
te /, he pub ic aitensioa has been aw akene6
ard laws have been made to guard against
IL. {,,t,S cG
constitutional privileges q. New Orleans
have shown clearly the insufhciency OF ex
listing l~ws aud the imptriaus necessity Of
providing the remedy, If we will not be
reused from our slambers by the expert.
euce which We have had shall despair TIA,
we will ever be awakened to any sensibili.
~ Of our personal rights-for let it be re.
memberec tina, these abuses are not OF an
ord nary character; hey have been commit,
ted by military officer at the head of the
army Of the United States, and in The foil
view of the highest authorities OF the
union. The civil authority at New Or.
leans has been trampled under foot and
the commander of the army ia the pie.
nitude of his power avows his disobedi.
ense TO laws and constitution, and takes
on himself all the responsibility of the vi.
olation of our observation-disclosures OF per.
sonal liberty. Lost in amazement at this
bold and unprecedented stretch of power
We can scarcely be sensible offs extent un.
less We Contrasts deliberately with the con.
ssitutien. The constitution declares that
no warrant shall issue but upon probable
~ \ l.
That no citizen snail be deprived of his H.,
berry without due process of law, and thar
the accused shall enjoy the right of a spec.
dy trial by ajnry OF the district where the
offence was coamitted; yet IN defiance OF
all these constitutional provisions, our. ci.
tizeas have been arrested without any war;