Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-08
SE.NAI4 ef.Ae UNIr4D SldlES.
thursday, Feb. II.

THURSDAY, Feb. II.
Debate on the 6U for me punishment ottrea-
son, and Of other crimes and OFFENCES a.
gainst the Unifed States.
(Afr. CHESS steect concludedJ
The transactions disclosed on the trials
at Richmond, seemed to be o:n very differ.
en-, character. 1t appeared there, that a
design to dismenbsr the u. S. by torce,
and TO establish separate government in
the part thus separated. and also 10 seize
upon, AID include IN such government
some OF the territories OF spain, had been
deliberately fprmrd by the most active,
daring, iutc,liSen and enterprising citizens
OF The u. - That parIiz ans were engag-
ed 10 effect this design, extohding them.
Re'ves from the CITY OF New York i'm the
direction ot the lakes, and from thence to
Orleans, and from Philadelphia, from this
plscc, &c. 20 Piushurg, and IN that direc.
ton 10 Orleans; which appeared 10 be the
first object of attaok, and from whence fur
Their operations were To be determined ON.
That ~ pursuance of this design, mum
Der OF men with arms had convened a, the
mouth of Cumberland, with he chef oro.
Jeclors ~ this enterprise at their head
and en- e'td into formal capilua,ion for
surrenderins themselves TO the authority
aud laws cf the u. States, after having
cautioned the acting officer Gf Of The u.
states against compelling them 10 shed
blood in the civil contest by refusing their
terms oi surrender, and thus urging them
;o.resislaBce. These transactions, accor.
ding 10 the opinion Of the caurt, unoues-
uoaabiy do not amount 10 lreason against
the United States and the persons commit.
ed FOR trial before The tribunal hay me- cog
nizlace thereof. Rnt the as5emblaee is
decFibed bythe jatge Us demeaning them
s-lses ina peaceable aud orderly manner;
no act Of violence was. committed nor any
outrage on The laws pr.ctisrd. There was
M act at dlsohedisnce loRhe civil autbori
~, nor We're there any uniilury apps ran.
ces. although the men ,aere drawn uD IN
something Ike se.ncircle, &c. SC. the
capitulaion, aud MS accompanying clrcum
stances 70 The conira;y Notwithstanding.
This circumstance, however, was not
thought worth meniion,eg BY The Judge IN
his recapiIulation of Ike evidence.
These judicial results appeared strange
TO him, and he believed they did 10 ever,
impartial man in the United States. He
did not mean to infer from these crcum-
stances any thing more than that the high.
est judicial officers were not exempt e ON
the fraiities and feelings of human nature
nor did he mean 70 Use them for the pur
pose OF detracling one atom of indepcn
dence from The Judges very far from il
He wished they we're more independent
than he feared They we're. But he enter.
tanned very dffr,eni opinion OF the hoo
orablc op' diYnilied character OF an ind
pendent jlgde of department in some
respects dependent; and Of Judge, who
forgetting the nature Of bio Office, is per-
petually aspiring not ouly 10 render his
depar ment absolutely independent, but TO
render II supreme over all The other de
partments oil the enycrument---in The enc
case he IS placed ia the elevated and Dig
oifed attitude ofdislributing justice impair.
ialy amongst Ins fellow citzens in the
other, he Is reduced to the mise, able poll
teal intriguer, serambling for power ; for
when ooce this appetite for power is in
dulged, the sacred maltlc Of the judicial
character VIII be found but feeble barrier
against its influence. There was noihinr
n names, il was not material whether the,
were called Judges, or consnls, OF censors,
once place power before their eyes, and
they would all, with an equal impulse, pur-
sue the means best calculated 10 attain it.
This IS human nature and under such
circumstances raise this sacred mantle Of
The Judge, AMI you will find concealed be-
meath " strong marks OF the lralllies com.
mon 20 human nsture. Hence this srgu.
ncnt derived from the secredness Of the
judicial character had but little Influence
on his mind and therefore could never
be an induce ment to him TO yield TO their
claims To ultimate ard unlimited powers
EVEN the oaths taken by the Judges have
been suggested by them, as arguments 10
favor Of their claims to The ultimate power
of the government. Without seeming to
recOlIect that their number is seven, and
that the same oath is taken by above one
hundred and seventy members OF both
houses Of Congress and as a further pro-
lection Of the constitution, Congress Is
composed Of two branches, placed as mu-
tual checks on each other.
lie said he World now dctain tie Seifate
only few minutes longer, whilst he made
q few observations on he only remaining
clause in thc constitution connected with
his subject. ] is the last clause OF the
Sd. sec. OF the 81 article oil the CONSTITUTE.