Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-03-17

u III SuCh ohShCCS, rum ought TO stare
/ man in the face, & when he has SO seri-
ously abused his power he ought 20 be strip
ped OF it forever But if we have no laws !
TO guard us against these abuses and are !
unwilling to make any, we take upon our !
selves all the responsibility Of future viola |
tions.
wish and propose to entrench orr pri-
vilcges with the most vigorous laws, such
as will suffer no man to violate them with
IMMUNITY. There is no citizen of the Uni
ted States, however abject his condition in
society, in whose person the constitutional
rights of personal liberty arc not sacred
and however exalted the situation of the
person who trampleS upon them, or howe
yer plausible the pretence, the punishment
ought to be prompt, certain, and eXemDla-
ry. Dangerous indeed, will be the SITUATE
ON OF our country, if every alarm of consp-
racy IS TO be followed with the seizure and
transportation of oar citizens, at the will of
military commander, and in defiance OF
the civil authority. If such doctrine be
looked upon not only without adherence
nut even with appreciation, how easy will
be the transition from lawful to !awless DOW
er. Leaving thc examples of ancient times,
where the rumors of conspiracies have raj
seq al an instant the body guards of tyrants,
we have seen in modern France the cry of
conspiracy made the signal of massacre, or
the preteXt tor some violent usurpation of
power. ] do not pretend to say that this
conspiracy has been tomcnted or permitted
from any sinister views. 1t is enough to
point out The danger to be apprehended
rom suffering thisdark auCldangerous ma
chine OF conspiracy, to be any apology FIR
the violation of all the most solemn consti-
tutonal rights of personal liberty ITa-
wing witnessed the defects of our laws and
the dangerous abuses of our most valuable
privileges, let us proceed to provide the
remedies Rights so important cannoc be
too strongly guarded, and violations so Sc
rious cannot be too strictly prohibited.
Mr.. EPPES observed that whenever he
should teel less attachment to the personal
right o. the citizen than the gentleman
from Delaware; or any other member of
the House, he horcd that hose BY whom
he was elected would select scmc rcpresen-
tative more worthy of their confidence. IF
the gentleman was really sincere in the
principles he had advanced, he rendered TO
aim his congratulations on his conversion
20 Democracy. If on the contrary, his new
principles were assumed like n SUNDAY
coat, to be laid aside in the evening, it
would afford one more example of the truth
burke, that ihe same party can at one re-
Rod trample on the rights of the citizen.
and at another become disclaimers in favor
OF personal liberty He did not consider
the resolution as designed to remedy anv
detect In our laws, but to afford an oppor-
tunity to gentlemen who care not much a.
Dout-personal rights, to make some noise
aDout them. He considered it as a portion
uf the same spirit which had manifested
ItSeit IN the courts below-Who are there
the champions of human right The ex-
attorney general of the United States
The leader of 1898 and 1899, turned Jaco-
bin, changing his political catechism and
become the dupe Of his own elouuence.-
10 crown the climax, behold another no.
bic champion of human right, the ex-attor-
ney general of Maryland-Thc very man
who turned down the leaves of the Pros
pect Before Us-marked the passages
which breathed too much freedom-dreyv
IN cold blood an Indictment at one hundred
and iiity miles from the scene of action.
ana became volunteer in the godly work
OF persecution. When the personal right
OF the citizen shall depend on a man like
this, liberty will indeed be in danger. If
ever the goddess of liberty should meethis
foul embrace, she will not be deflcd only.
but strangled. The greatest monster in
human shape, is tyrant in principle, with
the Rights of Manin his mouth. A wretch
sunk to the last step in the political ladder,
and willing again to mount, by professino
principles lie never felt.
Where has this zeal of a certain Dartv
for the rights of man 50 long slumbered?
Where was it when the Sedition law was
passed !-Where was it when a member
OF ibis house was imprisoned and deprived
OF his constitutional privilege for printing
a letter from the secretary at war acknow.
lodged TO be genuine ?-Where was il when
general Hamilton was seized in the wcs-
tern parts Of Pennsylvania without the sha-
dow OF authority, driven like convicted
felon before the bayonct to Philadelphia,
and there imprisoned for months without
the possibility of obtaining a habcas cor
Dus Where was this zeal when the rights
u aliens were suspended, that whole class
If people placed under the will of the exc
;ut,ve, and a power given by law TO seize
md ship them Dead, Sir-The rights of
nan were not much i'm fashion with the
Jarty at that time. Plots, clues to conspi-
'acies, and gag for the mouth fhim who
Jared to arraign the federal immaculacv
vas then the order Of the day. When I !
hall believe the sympathy which these
ncn affect TO feel for a character, so re- !
emily hunted by them through the commu- !
ity like wolf, is sincere, may then Gre |
ii their attachment to human rights, and /
OF till then.