The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-12

they con.ended land probably with truth
had been intended for their special indcmni-
fcation. They alledged their ignorance OF
the fraud, and the incompetence of one lepis-
lature 10 abrogate any act of another, which
amountedso sale ofproperty and that such
an act could be cancelled, only by some para
mount authority.
strengthen the pretensions of the claimants,
and to cncrense the prospect of embarrass-
| ment to the United States, was, that the fe-
deral courts had been in the habit of disre-
garding the laws of the states and of Con-
gress, Whenever they conficted with their
arbitrary expositions of the constitution. Be-
tore these tribunals, with their favourite
dogmas of the inviolability of contracts and
the sacred rights of property, the United
States would have to contend with a nume-
rous and powerful host of adventures, whose
intrusions and whose litigation might impede
the sale and obstruct the settlement of the
hnest part of the Mississippi Territory. I'm
der these circumstances, the commissioners
90 not hesitate to pronounce an opinion that
the claimants are destitute of any title, in law
or equlty, to the lands in question, but for rea-
sons OF eXpediency, recommend an extincti-
on OF their title by compromise. 1t should
be recollected, that although fraud, bribery
and corruption, furnish excellent topics of
defamation, yet when they have involved
US In difficulties, our adherence of the crime
should not make us lose sight of the means
OF extrlcation. When we recollect the le-
gal subtleties which might have been en-
/ ployed in supporter the Yazoo title the lust
claims OF those purchasers who were ieno-
rant OF the corruption, on the moral equity of
Congress, and the political expediency of ex-
tnguishing an adverse claim are we pre-
pared to brand compromise intended to eff
feet +hcse purposes, with the epithets of
shameful and dishonorable or to pronounce.
that James Madison, for having recommen-
! ded 1t, has forfeited his Claim topublic conf
dences
The confidence of the party who oppose
the election of Mr.. Madison, appears to have
remained unimpaired, for length of time
| after the obnoxious opinion was pronounced.
heir hostility bears the same date, with
that OF their opposition to the measures of
the present administration, and is attributa-
bic to the same cause. This chronological
/ inconsistency is still more apparent in the
subsequent charges, which extend to circum-
stances OF so remote a date as the adoption of
the present constitution.
tbs said that she deserted his post in the
hour OF terror and persecution, and sought
IN obsCurity and retirement, shelter from
the political tempest" The relinQuish-
ment OF seat in Congress does not imply a
desertion OF his post. In periods of strong
! political delusion, when the rulers of ma
ttion become deaf to the voice of reason and
moderation, it is the duty of wise man to
appeal from the government to the people.
The legislative hall and the ministerial ca
6lnet are often SO polluted by sel6shness and
faction, that they can only be purged by the
Herculian strength of an offended nation.
at such period as this, it is true that Mr..
Madison did not indulge himself in Irritating
ettusions of spite and spleen, on the floor OF
Congress. He did not insult the officers of
the army by calling them ragamuffins. He
J did not seek to degrade the Executive depart
ment, by villifying it in the coarsest lam
gpage, nor term the President a sEhhered
Ean!afoon.. But he repaired with alacrity
and decision, to the only scene of action in
which patriotic exertion could be of any "a
vail. BY his memorable report on the alien
and sedition laws, he emnently contributed
TO AWAKEN the people to a sense of their vio-
lated rights; and defined, with precision,
the constitutional boundaries of power.
1t is also made subject of reproach to
MT. Madison, that he assisted in writing a
work called the Federalist, in conjunction
with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, in
winch the most extravagant OF their doc
tr1nes are maintained and propagated. Oh
the nature Of the doctrines which are here
termed eXtravagant, have not the means OF
forming conjecture. But it is well known
that the period of that publication, was not
one, in which extravagant doctrines were
generally promulgated. They were reserv-
ed tor later times, when the construction o.
the constitution, and not the principles of it.
formation, was thessubject of contention. II
to have acted in conjunction with Jaw and
Hamilton, be an. evidence of political obi.
Equity, all the actors in the revolutionary con.
met must participate in the censure.
| 1t was scarcely to be expected that the
slgners OF the protest would have made it a
subject OF reproach to any one, the having
acted IN conjunction with federalists: theI
for two years, have acted in such strict con.
junction with federalists, rnonarchists and
tories, that the line of discrimination be-
tween them, is difficult to be discerned
hey who, in conjunction with the author O.
| b1ar IN Disguise, have maintained and pro,
pagated the most extravaganza British doc
ltrineS in favor of maritime dominion and
maritime pillage.
In these observations / have confined nv.
| self to defence of Mr.. Madison against the
objections which have been alledged to him
With regard to his positive merits, his ia
tents, his integrity and his public services,
II was competent to do them Justice,
should, on this ortasion, decline the under
taking. Many considerations impress me
with conviction that there is no period in
which 1T is proper to write the panegyric OF
an eminent man, any more than his bioera-