Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-03-13
Frem the Federal Repa6fcsa.
COMMUNICATION.
THE CASE OF MR.. LIVINGSTON

~. SO IL
()eMr. Jeferson's determined hostility
20 me very spirit of the constitution, we
haveshad much more ample md decisive ees'
ti,po1v than is displayed IA the letter 10
{ Mazxei. The return Of Callender's hne,
afier9isha lad been paid into the treasury OF
sths Uniecd States. under legal aentence 90
CRAFTY an Infamous associate whom ne da!-
ed mot aff-ont the unauthorized exPsnoi-
]; tures cng the Berreau, to please power :"
(Which, he wss devoted the attack upon the
Judiciary through The name OF Judge M ar,
shail, so'intinlge the malignity OF personal
disapbpintu,ent i: and many other equally
4 ulpable actions, concur to shew an impla.
cable spirit of opposition to the principles OF
tba, venerable Instrument, which he so au-
daciousi ssigma,ized as a" Lillipu,iantie."
But to astack the ,ines,imable right OF 2ial
ky,iury, to- oyerturn tn solemn adjudication
Of aindissat Tribunal, and to deprive citi-
zen of his property in consequence of the
sp;hica,of IN, attorney general, were acts
from which we might have supposed his
coward reeves would have shrunk.
4 Bot The ease which arm about to detail,
~iIIshew THAI. he is at leas. entitled to the
merit OF Consistency like NacheGth he is a
{ :na.e Co t,s ,lass. I recommend his case to
.the deliberate consideration Of the people Of
&c United States. I eonjure them to divess
Of party zesl-.o cast aside
cha, slayish submission with which they have
IMPLICITLY hailed this baleful meteor No one
sGths bright stars Of democracy. It is Rot
or myself that I speak. Mr.. Jefferson can
do me DO harm. For him and his friends,
froua the Spanish pensionsr down to the Cal.
eulta: col, Y entertain q cordial contemrs
which iaast, a. all lirnss, prevent me from
.neting under the impulse Of fear. But do
fear for iny country. am not ashamed 10
confess thar I srsmble, when reflect upon
what rrlsust be the situation Of those who
shall Succesd us, if we allow such acts to re.
:eivsshS sanction of preeedent. The case is
this. ..s.. ......
i "A, the time when Louisiana was eeded to
1she United States by the emperor OF France,
aeertain John craviet. an inhab'tant OF that
country, was possessed of farm adjoining
tbs city of New Orleans, which he or his
ancestors had held by virtue OF a legal grant,
for nearly eighty years. This land border
ed ON the Mississippi, and il was annually
INCREASED by deposits of land and mud (which
were occasioned by the foundations OF the
river. These additions or alluv'ons were
too inccpsiderable to be banked in but some
persons, who foresaw advantages which
would arise at futnre period, purchased
parts of them from Mr.. Gravier. The as
sienurnts were regularly made before the
notary of the government, whose duty it
was to pass no sales where the ysndsr did
not .heW title. The inhabitants OF the city
for long time, had been permitted to carry
of sand from this alluvion, to be used in
building houses, but upon being restrained
in the exercise of this liberty, the city. cor
poraiion claimed as rishs, what the eiti-
z-ns had hitherto enjoyed through the mat
tensiJn or indulgence Of the ProPrietor.--
Nj. Gravier accordingly instituted suit IN
the supreme court of the territory of Orleans
apAinss the mayor, aldermen and inhabitants
Of ths :i,y of New Orleans, to quiet the
slGioii5 in The possession 81 the alAnpion iona,
or BaEt1e, fronting the sa6srd Of ~, Mo
~. After his case had been three times
discussed, his rights were confirmed by the
unanimous decision, of the Judges, and he
was put in quiet possession of the land.
T.sa plain unsophis.icased miad. which
had not penetrated the regions Of modere
ohilosophys 60 explore :. she equal aud ex-
net rights ofsll men, " it might appear that
Mr.. Grasier was now the lawful posseasor
of th;s land. So thought Mr.. Livingston,
h,, he was woflily mistaken. He puychas-:,
"a portion Of the property for about $1,000
5oliars.. paid considerable sum onthc pur.
rh,.e. and then found there was smother
g hsy ~ uubDic reason'' than that which. she
las proyidesl and 70 which Gravies had sue-
cessiaIly Appealed. Mr. Jsasrson had begun
0 discover slaas shs people wers aos % much