Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-11-25
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
4 &c II 1T o Nd.
MONDAY. NOVEMBER IS. 1911.
FOR THE. APGrrS

L q -
=" tee NJ smuggling. whehs odiou every where and
partilriai'y criminal IN free governments Where
inc laws Being made By al for the good Of all n
irsph y committed on every indiviiua as ws.ll ss
ON the state, attans its utmost guilt when IL blends
" with pursuit or Spominicrs eain t.carh e,,n,,s
snbseryi,xcA IN the t~,nsgtssso;s. TO foreiya no.
" hey, asvdN 10 lhst of their own country. II, Is
. .I,s" I'at r;ao:s i,agsa9n Of ,le gaEs
gi'ar amin Versions ofthe most competent laws -
= t.rc@drik .Hadso'fs .hsssage to Coarress.
.AoD. sJh. 18th
ii we we're asked to poin1 to that part OF
the first message Of the President n CONGRESS
ut the opening OF tho present session, which
IS most Indicative of republican snirit and is
most vitaiy important to the free form Of
government under which we live, We should
lay our finger upon the passage that we have
taken for our motto. It has often been said
that republican government means any thing
ornofft7E. This is enc CT those superficial
reservations which party men and huctuat-
ms minds ind convenient to their purposes.
II IS scarcely used except by~ knaves or b,-
those who never formed pr;nci,lts 60 them
serves upon any subject Whatsoever. The j.
dea OF 4 republic, and consequently of reuuh
lcanisul, is as clear and dehnable as that of
any thing else. Let us. then, attempt TO de-
flne 1t. A republican government is a gov
eminent OF Ldsos; and not only Of laws but
OF fa6Ec aud kHbSv1 laws: And Is put in on
position TO aristocratcai, nonarchal, or des-
potc government, which more or less, arc all
anti-repuhiican, because they are eovern=
ments in their nature hersoraL and qr5iira
~, subjecting the Citizen TO the whims and
caprices Of men instead ct fixed and stsa-
az rtfe y co7tG1tck The perfection of re-
publican government, therefore, consists in
theiirn, &just operation ofthe laws the want
OF such o2rSa tion being, in a republican gov
ernment What imbccility is in the prince or
ruling. aristEracy Of other forms of govern
ment. Where the people have the right of
eiecting those VINO make the laws, they can
amend them whenever they are defective !;
and hence 1t follows, that as each voter is a
constituent part of the law-making power.
so intractions OF the laws are a putting at de-
flance the will IF the people individually and
collectively. +" L7sta6nifp," said Bonanar,e
ON certain occasion, deSfr0Vs every thin, r. .
he never uttered a trier observation To
give stability 70 republic the laws must be
maintained; and in republic men ought to
DC forever changeable, but Eavys ought never
to be INDIRECTLY varied or relaxed during the
term torNYhich they are enacted. If laws
comeNtote despised and dsobeyed with i'm
punity, as they viii be if not enforced. then
republican government is a nullity or worse
II IS mere scene Of distraction. I'm every
government there must be something that
shall be fired in its operation. Ia monar-
cbies, it is the hereditary ErineijtEe that pre-
walls, and it is in this point of view that IA
yereTS1bffn onarchy have been able 70 adduce
their moN plausible Arguments For, saw
they, Interpretations of government that Is
controlisS by the viii Of the majority are
forever huctuating, because, as one genera
tion dies oil another springs up with new no.
tons, and overturns whatsoever has been
done by the generation that precedes IL !:
mus, measures are continually chaneing !;
there is nothing like system. nothing per
manent and fools undo what wise men have
instituted. Fix, then, continue the monar-
chists, one family at the head Of government.
whose interests it shall be to make every
thing stable, in order that the works of wis
dom and experience may not be trodden
down IN the mire of ignorance and anarchv.
10 oppose with success this artful argument.
what have republicans to do but to guard
their laws with a sacred vigilance, TO en-
force them with nervous vieor; and
20 maintain with unabating rigor, against Of
tenders either IN or ont Of power, whatsoever
affaiSs q Bis is the only doctrine that can II,
insure tec duration of the republic: and we
are ple'tsd to end it officially INDICATED in
the mesNge Of President Madison in a Gaze
which most imperiously calls upon the Con-
sreSs to folicw UP the executive Vindication
with force
IL IS N vain that we endeavor to perpctu-
ate free institutions, IL our legislators hermit
themselves to be the instruments of tcrnpo-
rary and heeting ezpedient. no nostrum or
plaster viii answer. There must be firm
manifestation of yigor; resolute and oDen
aYo"ai ct an invinlabie determination to en-
force whatever lawsare made and offenders
must be made to see and to feel, not only that
the parchment ordains punishment, but that
the arm Of Justice Is sufficiently powerful to
infict it.
1t any fear exists that the political health
OF the nation is too feeble to bear strong cor
receives, and that fear should prevail 10 conn
toractthc suggestions # the President. then.
ndee1the hope for free representative re-
vernrNfnt will he faint We must be permit
ted topre IS this subject upon public obserya-
ucn ;eor never have we remarked greater
cianof%g taycf Of freedom and independepcc.
aud ncyethavc we seen mems nii.ids incline
more 70 eristocarcy and serVliiy The divi-
sions Of cur political parties are, In effect, all
her5onaL It's no longer question whether
ihis or that measure shall be supported, but
whether this or that man shall be maintained
o saved " tho party. Every whore intrigues.
and management, and combinations, and CO.
partnerships, are spoken Of With "A degree Of
letity that Is alarming to the true friends Of
The constitution. It is 70 no purpose that the
sails vt the national vessel arc filed with fufS
r.ff f.sff sfe. e q a.. -.