Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-06-20
"a dollars per annum.1

, IN Expectations! In municipal crimes, there
is no discrimination between Convicts, whe-
ther first, or last, i'll robbing ,inoffending traI
vellers. And where is the difference, on the
land or on the ocean, between a public and
private robbery; except, that the former is
pre-eninent in criminality .Hgais, it is std-
ted that "no proposal or hope is offered to
us, of a restoration of the vast property, un-
justly surprised by that perhdious (meanng
the French) nation" Are the secrets then
of our national Government, or ought thew,
IN regard to pending negotiations, to be
pubic! lfnot, how can 1t be asserted, +" that
there is no proposal or hope for such restora-
ton ?'' The Government of the U States,
on every occasion, with stn1iUciIed ability, has
commended for our national and individual
rights; and is it not surprising, that the "as-
semblage'' should thus attempt to condemn
our national measures, without the least
knowledge of themi
The " assemblage" have q resolved, last
ly, that they consider " the statute Of Con-
gress of Cd March last, as an unjust, OPP
pressive and tyrannical act ,'and that /" the
only means short of an appeal to force" "to
prevent It's calamitOus effects is the election
OF such men to the various Offices in the
state government, as will oppose by peace
able, but firm measures, the execution of
laws, 7ylicA, if persisted in, niust and saH be
resisred,n
1sSdtet of Congress of the first ofMays
1910 Iiicted " from and after the pas
sage every British or French armed
ed ve5S-l, with certain exceptions, from en-
tering our harbors and waters and pro-
vided for its ceasing to operate against
either ofthose powers, who should revoke
or modify TO certain purposes, before the Sd
OF March, 1911, its obnoxious edicts, and al
so for continuing in full force againstkthe o.
Their power, who should not within three
months thereafter revoke or modify her e.
diets in like manner, certain provisions of
g an act to interdict the commercial inter-
course between the United States and Great
Britain and France" The Emperor of
France officially made known to cur go
vernment," that g on the first of November,
1910, her obnoxious edicts would cease to
have effect - and the President by his pro-
clamation Of the second Of the same month,
discontinued all restrictions, imposed by
that act, in relation 70 France" Great Bril-
tain had three months by the act to adopt a
similar measure, but refused or neglected it
and cur government, az the end Of four months,
BY It's act Of the I'd Of March last, carried
the interdicting act into effect and tbs is
the statute, which the "assen5lage" have
declared ''unjust, oppressive and tyrauni-
cal, and one of the laws (which if persis-
sSC III HluSI ana Will be resisted.
The assemblage having declared as the on
ly means to avoid certain calamites, a change
OF our government, or the alternative, free
(or resistance make use of these as con-
vcrtible terms and they are such, the def
mite meaning of resistance being the " not
yielding to force" or opposing force to force
And why must force be opposed to the exc
cution of these lawsi Because, saws the as
semblage, every citizen had right to con-
strue the act of the 1st of MAY, 1870" and to
govern his conduct accordingly" and that
p" any law winch should have the effect to
make his construction a crime, must be not
only an &c floStJacto act, but unjust, oppres-
sive and tyrannical This doctrine of the
right OF every citizen thus finally to construe
law, and to govern his conduct according
ly, is novel; such authority being invested on
ly IN the Judiciary. Ii a person, charged with
having violated law, has by due process
been convicted thereof and received his sem
tence; this will and ought to be carried into
effect, his construction of the law notwith-
| standing 1t often happens that law in
some instances operates unjustly, and the eff
feet of it in such cases is usually prevented
| by petidoning the legislature, whose duty il
| is to redress the grievance or, by a recom-
| mendation, (before sentence) of the judicial
| court for pardon Of the person convicted. If
al NSAOSSlNC laws III Z &C IlO8E /0CtO acts, De-
cause in few instances they may have oper-
| ated as such our national and state codes a.
| bound with them; and every legislature has
been justly chargeable with injustice, oppres-
sion and tyranny. Many laws are of great
length and intricacy, and the construction of
them by individuals may be right or wrong.
! or partaking of both these qualities; these
state constructions, according to the opinion
OF the assemblage, are to be so many criteria
| for determining whether the law is an e1 hosf
Jacfo act, or unjust, oppressive and tyranni-
cal. il every citizen according to the de-
Carnations recited) has right thus to put his
construction on any law; to declare other
laws, ii opposed to that construction, unjust.
oppressive and tyrannical to preclude by Il
| an supplementary or explanatory laws Of the
| legislature, and to resist them by force our
constitutions are nulities, our constituted au-
tho-ities are usurpers, and we are reduced to
4 state Of nature.
Again, If our national rulers are Justly
charged, as it is stated by this assemblare.
with having passed tyrannical act, and
laws that must and viii be resisted, they
have rebclled against the sovereignty of the
| people, are subject to punishment and have
forfeited torevera claim TO public confidence.
| But If the charge IS unlounded, il they have
! conducted agrecably to our national charter
(Which is manifcstly the General sense IF fhf.