Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-11-17

jury. smuggling. forgery Of papers. franz
On tine revenue, false packages, false invoi-
ces, and all the circle of iniauitou, impo-
sitions, and abandonment OF morals aud
honor, are the familiar practices in Enea
land. The government of England, by or.
ders OF council, and by The proc!amations
OF their colonial governments, openly invite
the citisens of the United States To- viol,te
the laws. and hold out premiums for heir
disgrace and we have seen i'm The case of
Folger and others, which we published a
few days sincsi that there are Americans
crPabie OF as moch depravity as any e:n.
gisnmen among US or in any other coun.
lcy; indeed when the state of Massachu.
ss.ts, oy IT'S legislature, recommended hos.
|tfiity to the established law of the land .
when senator OF the United States was "a
corrupt as to stand up the advocate and
poiogist OF foreign outrage, the turpi,ude' of
the British agents appear. to bear a shade.
less execraoie upon the comp arson
Nor is the evil confined to these limits.
the unfortunate infatuation of the tenth con
gress has furnished at once an excuse and
"a pa!liation of the violations of law. =.
Many who violated the public laws pro-
duce tne panic struck repeal of the emsar
go, as AN evidence OF its Injustice, Others
now ind an excuse IN that panic struck act.
Tor entering into measures to evade or. win.
iate the lne1lciens law which was substitu.
ted for the embargo. f'I :
i.And the lawyers, like the vultures ns.n
fields of battle, are ever ready TO come =,
and lend their talons to demoish the fahrir
iof law when once it has received wound.
and feed upon the torn carcase of the bodv
which sustains these. I'
Inc contamination extends to the officers
Tof the government +; constituted, like Other.
men, OF unequal portions OF faculty and in
'tegrity like other men, as liable TO be o..
operated on by fear, interest, or favor the
INDIGESTION OF congress has ex ended the in.
fatu,tion or encouraged the vices of m apv
of them.
In our sea ports the courts sit which, are
to try cases OF violation of law the iuries
are composed IN many instances, of persons
Concerned IN similar frauds, we have seen
cases in which the RELATIONS of the defeo
dants were impannelled as iurors--and
could from the compiexio of the Jurors. -aa
clearly set down the verdict before the cae
was opened as after the pleadlngs were
closed.
We have been informed of cases in
which officers of the government were
themselves implicated as participators
in the profits arising from breaches OF
the Law.
10 single out one man, or one ship,
or one house, or one lawyer, or one
oihcer OF the government, would me-
vertheless we think be not merely un-
just, but futile /; the remedy is above;
congress possesses the power to de-
clare, and to provide means for en-
forcing the law; but it is not by such
imbecility or infatuation as wa. exhib-
tied by the tenth congress that villainy
can be repressed, or public officers
taught to fulfil their daty when the
representatives of the people are un-
faithful, or which is In effect the same
thing, when through panic, or false or
erroneous information, or want of a
true knowledge of their trust, and the
best method of fulfilling it, they desert
or betray their duty the humber of
hcers of government calculate upon
limpunity for their criminal frailties.
and veil them under a pretended
imbecility, uncertainty, or ignorance.
1t Is now admitted on all hands
even by the infatuated part of the tentn
congress, that the most la al measure
ever adopted, since the foundation IF
the American independence, was the
repeal of the embargo it is now clear
that 1t has done us no good, that it has
neither procured us justice nor respect,
and 1t II as certain to every man of
common sense, that had it been con-
tinued for six months longer, that we
should now have foe and unobstruct.
ed commerce with all the world.
The example of congress, is as much
as the law--if that body is wavering.
so will the people, but particularly the
public officers IF congress on the g.
Their hand acts with decision and Dig
nifty worthy of the nation, and they
have in the history of the old congress
an example and a precept, the people
will cling to the laws and the con-
gress, and treason and traitors will dis
appear.
A line of Telegraphs has lately been
established on the River Delaware.
/ 4 =