Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-03-23

A.
ON such Violations Of the rights OF c'nsrs'
and indiarrensly folding his arns console I
himself that it is not his own case, Is not
worthy of the character. 4ot an American
or the privileges which he enjoys. II
these men are guilty of treason their crime
is of the blacklist kind /; depraved indesd
mus. be thar heart whichca copceis' trea-
son agains. the U. S. have no charity
Cor the crime, and With sllmy heart would
punis!, il. Butt cannot consentto pfeak
through laws and constitu,iou 20 push the
traitor, much less ore who is only suspect
edof treason. Now let aae ask gentlemen
in my turn why they fee. 80 much sensbi.
lily about general Wl!kinsoo, and SO little
about The rights Of the clsi2ea Are they
az aid that the administration will be I'M,
plics,ed with the general, or ave they 'a.
dignaDt at even the suspicion Tat the pow
ers that be can DO wrong? For myself.
though am willing 20 repose all JUST con-
hdence in the officers of. cur government,
ann not so blinded in my devotion as 70
be willing to fall down 10 the dqst ane kiss
the foo, that tramples on me. am not
prepared to surrender myrish.s at the loot
stool Of ministerial or military power; nel.
,hrr am wiling to cry nrace peace !!
WHEN I.see tae RICH ct others invaded.
The gentleman from Virginia has taot
proper to congratulate ne on my conver'
sion to democracy, and TO express his plea.
sure lha, my eyes have been opened The
gentleman would have done we'll TO consl-
der before this compliment. in what situa.
ton ii placed Kim for if l am advocating
the principles of democracy, he is orpos
ing them and if my eyes are opea, his
niue; be shut. wish ii TO be understood
that ! am not advocating the speculative
sbstract rights Of man, bu. good old con-
slispioQal rights, such as have securedlhe
civil liberty Of England, frona time irpne.
mortal, aud such as will SECURE cur owoao
long as We please to. pregerye then inv!o-
late: aud shall TO- BE- deferred from my
course, even by The charge Of democracy.
! mean here no dsrespsct TO democracy,
such as il ough. 10 be understood, but only
10 that can;lug bind which promises much
and performs hot liItle. 10 country
baasting less OF democracy than our own,
such eondue, as We have witnessed would
have produced the most dangerous convul.
slons. Suppose tina, in England, without
any suspension OF the habeas corpus bis
aaajessy's secretary of STATE, upon his own
warrant, had caused any British sobjacs 20
be seized aud dragged TO The Tower, and
there denied ali intercourse with friends OF
counsel, and deoied the privilege Of ha.
beas corpus Judging tsom the temper
here'eaafs manifested, it wcaid net be
d'tlcn!- TO pronounce the consequence.
Inc enTaged passions Ct tie multitude
could DC appeassd with uothing 5u: the re.
sora'iou of tights thus anwarran,ably sus-
pended. | is alleged as il in ;uslihcaticn
OF general Wtlkipsan's conduct, that %
years ago, member COW o. this house
from Ten1syisania, was arrested upon TIE
charse Of bang concerned IL the western
lnsurreeslon, and fol- three months deaied
me WIS OF habeas corpus Without de
'rrnHnlng the degree Of ceusere which
ough: to attach any where, must remark
thai fin truth he ccald not obtain the
"fs;, his case saor('s strong proof thai
me laws are detective, aud ough, 70 Be re-.
nsd.ed. Whether the motives Of general
Wik;oson be good or bad, i, is not now
necessary 10 inquire. L en- not moving an
'nqany INTO past events, 10 orGer to pa,,rah
'hose who have been guiliy Of violating
cur laws. | sa merely asking tia, we
should ;r:qaire, whether laws ought to .oc
enacted more eff-ctuai|y 10 punish or pre-.
vent Ihen' IN future, ana urge as the
strongest reason for such an inquiry, that
ex'sting Laws have been found ty c&Peri.
eoce insufficient top: even. such abuses !;
ana contend that ;he punishment already
provided, Shy no means adequate 70 VIC.
laf'onsso gross, as these we have lately
witnessed. But. geatlcmen contend that