The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-08

1
tagc oftwo laws which were enacted bv = n,,..
Jonty OF Conyrefs, ie oppofcd to the admins
Uation or that gentlemen here, who Doubt,
whether fcoJe fgvc laws were the beft that co,ii
have been adopted on the fame fubjec1 ;, are enc.
miesto the administration No fuch concIu.
iion can be jnitly made.
But, iir that not the quefiou--the trne
9ueHion m-ltW yon ees,fre tie minority?
! What will be the effect of this courfc of ., o.
| ceedins Are you ready to elablifh by THO
precedent that upon every occaion whef any
republican representative, impelled by a fenie
or his duty, hall oppofe the with of the Exc.
tive, or any meafure Of the government, the
General Afiembiy of Virginia will interpoie
| with its dcnunciations If this be done on one
occaiion, it NUT on another, or the Preiitent
| and the Administration will be left under indi-
rett cenfure-for gentlemen fay we muft adopt
this reioution, or it will operate a rcproach
upon the government. Do you expetf. f;r.
when once this courfe of procedure is (auefion-
ed, there will not be found in all fuo ceeaino
time, men, counting executive favour, or with
better motives, to offer fimilar refolutiops--.s
aha thereby put you under that fame fort of ne
ceiiity, the authority of which you now ALLOW
Or is it expected that this denunciation. tb,
prescription Of the minority of the laft Conerefs
will hlence all oppe6ton in future, and that NO
republican Representative will hereafter dare To
oppofe the Executive will What, FIR, if thi.
WW require improper things to be done, or If !
it become vicious-ihall it not be oppofrd /,
But all republican oppohtion to any neafnre,
Is hereby to be profcribed; and as to the fetIe.
ralifts, fuch has been their habit of oppolipp
every meaiure right or wrong, they will not be
believed. What then will be your ftuation
What well informed republican who DIN.
think and be honcft, do you expect will
under thefe circumstances, remain in your
approximation? ifhe has capacity, he will think:
IT ne thinks, his judgment may lead him on
lone fueJeets, to concluiions differing from, the
Administrations it he be honeit, he will follow
the dictates of his Judgment. But if he dare
10 this, the Legislature of Virginia denounces
him rs traitor This will be his 6,pat;on !.
on one hand are placed hopes and profpeets of
Executive favour and patronage, if he rdvocate
meafures pealing to it but the honea dictate.
OF his judgment tell him tho(e mesiures arc not
good on the other hand, ref ia terror the denuu
cations OF the tate, If he dare oppofe! What
mutt be do Give up his indepea dence and
become corrupt, or abandon his pot. ms
courfe 70 objectionable to my mind, will throw
your government back into the hands of the f.
deraiiits, or produce you reut fill more ter
rible, if indeed there be any thing more to be
deprecated. Are the means ef feducinr re-
preventative from the refpest he owes5 to the
iource OF his authority, the people, too weak
in the government of the United States. wbofr .
that we mult throw in our denunciations to def.
troy his independence, or drive him from his
pott In what does the greatef fecurity
OF representative governments coniift Is il
not in the independence of the Reprefen-
tative, as oppofed to executive influence, and
in ap.ve relponfbihtp to the people whom he
Immediately repreients? Why 1hall we in
tervene between the people and their Rrepre-
fentatives? Wherefore this snxiety to take
from the people the right of having the aeeeuaf
made TO them, by their public fervants Win
you take from the people the Responsibility of
their Representatives. and transfer it te Rich
mond to the General Afembly! Are Won
afraid to truf the people If the people be
diiiaiisied with their Representatives., they will
leave them at home and elect others But
you deem them unworthy eetaking the aeeoars.
and ofiicioully throw your weight into the
icale OF Executive Infuence--an influence here.
fore deprecated by US. Has it by any means
become weakened? Do not gentlemen fay we
have an Executive, the wifeif, the frueff, the
mott virtuons that the world ever faw and an
administration 10 enlightened as to be the won
der OF nations, and the boat of Americans
io my mind IT appears but poor compliment
to iuch government TO allow, that our aid be-
comes nccefIary to protect it again0 the con-
fequcnces of a difference Of opinion, which
has happened between 1t and few Reprefenta-
tiyes of the people-a difference of opinion too,
that relates only to one o.: tzVo nseajxre5 of ex.
tsdicncy, and which does not bring into oueftioa
the right to exercifc any power or authority de-.
llegated by the conftitutiop.
Gentlemen may cali the oppolers of this re-
lioiution by what political names they pleafe,
and denounce them as enemies of the admin
Iiitration-but it will not change my courfe--
Have they not refufed every attempt to modify
the reiolutioD, 70 that while it ilould exprefs
an undminifbed confidence in the government.
it fhould not be calculated TO give the evil effect
OF which complain ~ wa. willing to do
this, although Thought it Lnneceffary-but {
am not willing to praiie the government for
meaiures which apprchend to be Objectionable.
Yet may DC mifakeu. But a6f upon the
convictions of my mind, as they now are and
viii not, through fear of being called feCer-
aliit, iuffer gentlemen 90 force into my mouth
whatever language they pleaie in the form of a
Retolution. expect this day TO be found in
aminority---but Iappeal with confidence to the
people. When they are ready to profcribe
every Representative who dare tand between
their rights and the approach of executive
power When they are ready to abandon every
man who fhall have frmnefs and virtue enough
to oppofe the honen convictions of his iujg.
meut to the wilhes of any sdniDaration-tben
] ihall become an unworthy Representative.
But, iir, truf a. long time is vet to come, in
which there will be always found faithful, en-