Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-02-10

the suppression of a few desperadoes-of
small banditti already surrounded bv voul
troops-pressed from above by your militi;
met below by your regulars, and with
out chance of escape but by abandoning
their boat, and seeking safety in the woods
consider the means at present in OPERATE
on amply sufficient for the suppression o
this combination If additional means were
necessary / should he willing to vote a:
many additional bayonets shall be ne
cessary for every traitor. cannot, how
ever, bring myself to believe that this coun-
try is placed in such 4 dreadful situation
as to authorize me to suspend thu personal
T,dShts of the citizen, and to give him in lieu
! of IRE" constitution the executive will for
his charter consider the provision in
the constitution Cor suspending the habeas
corpus as designeG9nly for occasions OF
great national danger. Like the power OF
creating dictator in Sncient Rome, ii
prostrates the rights of yoSrr citizens and
endangers public liberty. LiKsS that it may
| on some very extraordinary occasions prove
saiutary, but like that it ought newer to be
resorted co but in cases of absolute nScessi-
! ty, or to use the emphatic language oS the
constitution swhen the public safety ~
CURES It Believing that the public safe
~ Is not endangered, and that the discus
sion of this question is calculated to alarm
the public mind at a time when no real dam
ger exists, / shall vote for the rejection of
the bill, in its present stage.
Mr.. VARNUM said ifhe was of opinion
with the gentlemen from Vermont and
Virginia, he should vote for the rejection
| OF THU bill but he entertained different
opinion, and unless he heard something to
change it, he should vote differently from
them. He did not believe the constitution
restricted the power of the government to
suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus to cases where the country was sha.
ken to its centre. There were no express
sions in 1t to justify this inference. It's
terms are "The privilege of the writ of ha.
beas corpus shall not be suspended, except
when in cases of invasion or rebellion the
public safety shall require it" Will gem
tlemen deny that there exist in the u. s.
at present rebellion I presume not, said
Mr.. v. 1t is too notorious to admit of doubt
VIII they deny that the conspiracy has
been formed with deliberation, and has ex-
isted for long time sit not evident that
! 1t has become very extensive? If then this
is the case, and the head Of the conspra-
! cy has said that he is aided by a foreign
Ipower; If this is true, are we justified in
considering the country in a perfect state
iof safety until it is brought to close /?
conceive not. consider the country in a
degree in n state of insecurity. aid if so.
the power is vested in the Congress of the
u. >. under the constitution, to suspend the
| writ of habcas corpus. i am also appre-
hensive that we shall not be able to trace
| the conspiracy to its source without such a
suspension. We have had an instance in
which the head Of the conspiracy has been
brought before a court of Justice and where
nothing has been brought against him. 1t
is not my wish to insinuate that any court or
public functionary is contamited by this
conspiracy yet it is possible, that this may
be the case, and the very existence Of the
country must depend OIL tracing it to its
source. | am not disposed to advocate SAN
culinary punishments, but think they ought
ITO be exemplary in regard to the chiefs of
the conspiracy for which purpose we ought
to adopt those measures which will lead TO
a full discovery of those concerned in it.
] am sensible that the government of the
y. S. has not hitherto resorted to this mea-
sure but know particular state Of the
union who did consider the measure neces-
Isary, in the case Of an instruction which
occurred within her limits, and I think it
very doubtful whether that insuirection
would have 50 happily closed, if it had not
been for her suspension of the writ of ha-
lbeas corpus. Have we had any inSurrec-
ton or rebellion in the United States like
this We have had one insurrection in
Massachusetts, but whence did it arise
Not from a design to subvert the govern
ment, but from the burthen OF taxes-tax-
es which perhaps exceeded those laid in a.
ny country since the formation of society.
do not mean by these observations, by a.
ny means to justify that instruction, and
4 believe, from the circumstances with
which am acquainted, that the insurrec-
ton which took place in Pennsylvania did
not go to the subverson Of the government
But let us lock at this conspiracy. While
the nation from one extreme to the other
enjoys degree Of prosperity and happi-
mess unparalleled in any other nation, apd
not a single individual within our limits has
any reason to complain of oppression, an
instruction is fomcnted, subyersive OF Che
government and destructive Of the rights
Of the people. II appears to me that this
Instruction is the most aggravating Of AL
i1surrections which history gives us an &C.
lcount Of. There is not the least opDressi.
on or the least pressure of circumstances
to induce any individual 70 rise mp against
the government Of his country and il con
Isequently bctrays the greatest turpitudc o.
mind in those who either lead or unite IN il
For these reasons / think it ought 20 b,
traced TO its source, and ! think il vcrj
Doubtful whether this can be- Elected, with