Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-05-25


persons in power. 1t would be dis
cult should suppose, to find any
man upon earth, however despotic his
disposition. who would not he con-
tented with the power Of sending to
prison, during his pleasure, every one
WHO should dare to do any thing to
displease him. Be'idea, when I am
told that there is little danger that the
gen lemen in the house OF commons
will often exercise this power, I can
not help observing, that though the
examples may be few, their effects
will naturally be gr-at and general.
1T this mon ent, i is true, we sea but
cre man actually in Jail for having
aisp.eased those gentlemen, bur, the
fate of this che man tss is tie effect
Of AL punishments) viii deter others
from expressing thsir opinions of the
conduct OF those who have the power
to punish him. Aud, moreover, it il
in the nature Of all power and especi-
s'ly Of assumed and underlined power,
To increase as il advances in age and
as magma charta and the law of TIE
lard have not been sufficient to protect
hir Jones; as we have seen him sent
To Jail for having described the con
duct Of one ofthe members, as an OUT.
rage upon the public feeling. what Sc
curly have we, unless this power OF
imprisonment be given up, that we
shall not see other men sent to Jail for
stating their opinion respecting rotten.
borouShs, respecting placemen and
pensioners sit ing in The house: or In
shor:, for making any declaration, Civ
ipg any opinion, stating any fact, be-
rreying any feeling, whether by writ
ing. by word OF mouth, or by gesture,
Which may displs ase any of the gen.
tlsmen assembled in ST. Stephens cha
pei.
Then again as to the kind of pu-
pishment; why should they stop al
s;nding persons tc jail? IF they can
srnd whom they please to Jail if they
can keep the persons SO sent, in!jail as
long as they please; if they Can set
their prisoners free ar the end of The
FIRST hour, or keep them confined for
seven years If in shore, their absolute
will is t. have the force of law, what
security can YOU have that they will
step at imprisonment ! If they have
the ab.elute power Of imprisoning and
releasing, WHY may they not send their
prisoners 10 York Jail, as well as to the
jail In London? Why not con6ne men
in solitary cells, or load them with
chains and bolts? They have not gon
these Lengths yet; hut what is there te
Restrain them, if they are to be tho
sole judges Of the extent Of their powe
e $, and if they are to exercise those
ro..ers without any controul and With
cur leaving the parties whom they
choose TO punish, any mode of appeal,
any means ofredress.
That a power such as this should
exist IN any country it is lams ntahle to
he obliged To believe but That it should
be suffered to exist, and that It's ex-
istence should be openly and even
buasifui,y avowed, in country, whose
thiei glory has been its free consiitu.
ton Of goysrnment, is som thing too
mopsfrsus 10 be belieyed, if the proof
were not b.fois our eyes. Hld the
least doubt hang upon my mind of the
iiIegsiIty Of ,ias proceedings In The pre-
sent case, Il would have been altoge-
iher removed by the answers gwen TO
the preferences made by me to the great
lunainari.s Of Cur law, and TO the laws
Themselves. the argumen., by which
endeavoureI 20 ccnvinc. the gentle
men Of the house oil commons, that
tier acts, in the case Of Mr.. Jones
we're ilie gi, shali row la. before you
IN p more ipll and connected way than
il co9id possibly be done by the parli
an!eDta,y repo' ters and in dong this /,
shall do all that aow rlma,ns IN ms
power towards the correction oil this,
as deem it, most enormous abuse
OF power, and most dangerous O..
al sncroschme nts upon the rights an.
Liberties of Englishmen.-I iemain,
gentlemen,
Your most obedient humble serv'l,
FRANCIS BURDEfT,
Ficsdilly, March %, 1910.
ln con5equence of a severe political
ltttcr, Published in Cobbett's Weekly
he tster slgned I" Francis Durdstt,"