Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-03-30

additional, at least TO seme explanatory
remarks of mine; and although the HOUSE
would be very willing TO rsllnquish ITS
right, cannst. as anfindividual memher'
scoasen. to part with hyperion of theclalm.
In the first place that gentleman seemed
disposed TO announce to the house that was
not SO we'll versed in the law Of treason as
himself. He said that 10 treason all are
principals, and Of course there can be 90
accessaties. lis very true. The general
principle is correct. It has long beer set
tied as principle of English law, that acts,
which, infehny, would make one an aeces-
sary before the fact in treason, IS well as 10
trespass, reader him principal offender.
But there is humane Liberal principle in
the English law upon this subject, which
those exclusive republicans who are ready
TO justify general Wilkinson, by consider.
ing the persons accused by him guilty OF
the actual commission of the crime oftrea.
sap, either do not knew, or are not dispos.
ed to adopt. The general prinspls is SUBJ
ject to this qualification, except in treason
touching he death of the king, &c. In e.
very other kind of treason, j, is admitted
tina! offences of an accessorial nature may
exist, and that they are Of deriya,ivaeha.
racte.; some act must be done, TO which
the oRender must be accessory, and fran
which his guilt is derived; some original
and principal traitor may exist, to whom
another may be considered. in the first ia.
stance, as subservisn'. Although in the
eveo, of the prosecution such an offender
may be considered as principal, yet, in
his progress tozvards c9nplchon, which is
the cas- now existing 10 our own country,
be ough'. frem apcinciple of natural JUS
tice, u be considered msrely asln the-na.
furs Of an accessory, before or after the
FACT. Otherwise, if The person accused as
an auxiliary, were tried before the person
who actually committed the act, the very
grea, absuroi,y and Injustice might result,
that the accessorial agent nigh. be cen.
vic.ed. aad he WHO did the act, and from
whose guilt alone thar Of the actual acces.
sary could aow, mighs be acquitted. This
principle is 70 be found in Foster, Hale &
Hawkins, who may be considered as The
classical writer's upon criminal jurisprn.
dence ia G.. Britain.
Of the insiuuation that was igaoran, Of
the Law, i should. hswever, have had but
little reason to complain. TO aos reeol-
gsect that any one adopted the expression,
" champion of the constitution" bat my
self aud the gentleman spoke Of those who
announce themselves to the public, as tho
champions Of the constitution and the cause
Of liberty, merely for the purpose Of max
ing great noise, and Of displaying "pie.
suses," calculated to attract the attention,
and deluds ihe imagina len OF the people.
Twill no. presume, although | could wish
.shs gentleman were present TO givs>a seri
Gus explanation, that he intended 10 i'm.
peach my motives. bus some, hing must
be said n the subjrc, OF pictures and paint.
ing. From the extreme Difficult y w.h
which the geD'leHa"n managed his meta,
phor, II was obvious 10 Us all that he was
ne great pro6clca, In the ART. And yet he
is unquessionably the very be., painter of
the particular school TO which be happens
TO belong. There Is more animation In
his figures, there IS more nerve in bis att.
,tade, there is more glow in his features,
th'sr is more grace even in bis coloring,
than are to bsfouad in the hest productions
OF his associate artists. We have lately
heard aad read much of what are called, in
the newspaper cant of the day, republican
maj or'.y. and a,republican minority; of re.
publican majority men, aud republican mi
nority msn. The gentleman, probably,
wishes to be considered as the champion
and leader of the majority, composed Of
profound statesmen aud logicians, while The
minority consists of mere painsers and
deelamatory orators. Be il 80. Ye, /
would net ensure, a. the rate of ten gui.
meas per cent. which We are told Is the