Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-11
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| On the l4th Of July, 1898, the congress oe
the United States enacted that if any person
should write, print, utter, or publish, any fs,.
| * malicious writing agains. the government Of
] the United States, or either house Of con.
gress, or the president, with intent to deiane
them or either Of them, or to bring them q,
either of them into contempt or disrepOte; or
to excite against them or either of them II.
hatred of the good people Of the U. States,
then such person being thereof convicted,
! Gnot by a mob, without prosecution, trial. cyl.
dence, or the benefit Of council but, with all
these advantages, by jury of his PEERS, Be.
fore any court of the United States, having
jurisdiction thereof, should be punished mot
by the demolition and plumber Of bis proper.
ty; the tarring and featheripg, and mutila.ion
of bis body, and the murdcrous privation of
his life; but by a fine not exceeding two
thousand dollars, and by Imprisonment; not ex-
ceeding two years.
It is not easy to conceive what detriment
either religion, morality, or government could
sustain by the legal punishment Of jal2ebood
! and malice. Yet, in this law, the minority
found an instrument, which they welded with
| such address, dexterity, and force, as to frac-
| ture the scull Of federal popularity. It was
exhibited to the people surrounded by Sucha
group of terrific spectres, as frightened them
from their wontcd stations, and drove themto
the ranks of democracy for protection from
federal intolerance, usurp2tion, and despotSR.
| 1t is curious to observe with what Spartan in.
trepidity, with what reverential heroism, with
| what holy enthusiasm, "the toTvers that be-
| hen marched forward to rescue from PeFd-
ton the sacred freedom Of the press.
The consequences of this (the sedlton)
act'' says Judge Tucker, who has given Us
| an eptome OF all the objections against IT,
" The consequences Of this act, as might nave
F.. been foreseen, were a general astonlshmen'
| and dissatisfaction, among ali those who con-
! sdered the government Of the United States
| as limited system of government; ii It's b"'
| ture altogether federal, and essentially dlfteF'
ent from all others which might lay claim 70
unlimited powers; or even to national, ins's'G
| of federal authority. The constltua0nanY o.
| The act was, accordingly, very gehersliy w
MED, or questioned by them. :
+" They alleged that is 70 The treraSMg
4 fLsS II cboolb t6Ot' tbP .IDteFVHH
natton is inde bred for us liberty, lis Aaill"f'''
| its enlightened state, nag more, j0r rs e@'S',
| ence that in these states the people arc 'S
only sovereign
Ignorance, or wickedness, or both, has pU'
upon these last words a most wretchsd con-
struction-a construction which strikes a p'6
ger through the heart Of the consu'u"o'
| prostrates order and subordlnauon' eA'"'
| guishes civil liberty, dissolyes the soclaI 'S'
and converts society into bear garden IHS'
the people of America are sovereign, ana D''I
a RIGHT to alter or abolish the existing torn e"
/! government, no man in this country who n''
the possession of a moderate fund OF common
sense, united. with small poftloh u
tional knowledge, will pretend to deny D''
/! a man who should contend for an a4 "'''4',
right in hamlet, a foliage, or any otHsF ''D ~
portion Of the people, "a Baltimore m0o'
example, to dispense with the laws anu ~
ssitution of the country, would be fit ''n'l,
date for lunstic hospital, work-house' o
pillory. We proceed with Tucker VINO
on thus: lam.
{" That the government established Oy ~ ,oS Cd.
selves is for their benefit; that those W. tbst
minister the government, whether i ~ the
of the state, or of the federal union S.3 "a.
agents or servants of the people n0' Int be,
lers or tyrants that these agents .u'o our
and are, from the nature and prnciPl9sy for