Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-17

comply With tnelf cllYas,CiHShl " w l1'
their subscribers with the Federal Repubii-
CAM Is there any law in our code Whlch pro-
hibits preparation against threatehen assault
apon our property and our lives 2sfaafeSer
difference there may be IN oplnion asSto Ire
discretion of the editors in thus attempting to
circulate their paper in a place SO iuli OF tu-
mutt and so void of laval must agree, me
decree of His Baltimore Majesty King
Mob, and the intendment OF the rcpofto OF ING
committee of enquiry to the contrary not"l'n1
standing) that they had constitutional, legai
RIGHT to circulate their paper, and TO maze
every necessary preparation against me attack
Will; which an infuriated Mob, without con-
troll and without sponsibiity, had threatened
,bem When attacked in their own house,
the acknowledged sanctuary of personal safe
ty, we see them adopting every expedient 10
avert the danger which threatened them, win
out rcsorting to violence 1t was not until
they had seen the total inefhcacy OF the lays
10 protect them, that they determined to pro-
tect themselves. 1t was not until the doors
were forced and the sayages IN the entry, that
they fred upon them. So that IN every
stage of this unfortunate transaction, we re-
cognize in the conducted the editors the prln-
ciples Of right, the obligations OF duty ana the
proofs of moderation and torbcarance. lheir
talents and their virtues claim our interest I'D
their sufemngs-but there is another and
stronger claim. IN the present instance they
represent the violated rights OF the people
In the iniury Of their persons and properly,
we see tie deep wound which has been given
to that great bulwark Of the peoples liberty
the freedom of the press. Tbs brings US TO
the next and most important view OF thts SUD
iect--namely, as it regards the people At large
" The handspring of republican govern
ment, says Montesquieu, is virtue 1t Is
government OF ls7vs. IF then this principle OF
virtue be destroyed if tie laws be suspended
in their operation or violated with IMMUNITY
by one or by many, by magistrate OF oy
mob--thc spirit of the government Is lost, the
nrepub!ic is undone." AS we'll may we break
the mainSpring Of the watch and expect the
continued operation of all the other parts
which compose this exquisite piece OF me-
chanism, as to expect the active and harIno-
NOUS operation OF republican principles, WNh-
out the handspring Of virtue to give and TO re-
pulate they motions. Can it be doubted that
in our republic this spring has lost much OF
rit Of anarchy and Of violence is abroad III
our land ? Can it be so disguised unaer the
mask Of Patriotism IS to elude the eye OF inc
discerning part of the community No. IKE
he first murderer, it Is branded with marx
by which all mankind shall know 1t. It Is
preceded by high sounding pretenslons 70 ex-
elusive patriotism, and by the scurrilous a
buse Of all true friends to liberty and law
il IS followed by prostratlon OF all the prncl-
nles ef social order and by the dissolution OF
al the ties of moral and religious obligation
Under great professions of zeal for the iiber-
ty and happiness of others, Ii hides the dead
lest enmity to both like the tabled FORTRESS
of Hell.
" Woman to the zvaist, and TAR
Bat ending ,foul IN manga scoty tofd
ToLumnouS and vaSt-a serhenH arnl'd
Wan mortal sting
Let us not,be told that the connections
which we have witnessed are common to all
large towns That they are merely the ex-
preston of popular hatred to a few obnoxious
characters. This would be bad enough, but
we see in it something more, We see in 1t
bold attempt to suppress the freedom OF poll
teal enquiry, system Of outrage upon the Sc
curity of person aud property, organized and
persevered in, under the eye of civil authorl-
ty; the laws Of the general and state govern
ments suspended and opposed by eight or ten
individuals without the interference OF eltser
the general or state authorities to prevent or
punish the offenders; we see III 1t the per-
mtted violation of public and private sanctu-
aries we see in it, the first fruits of that
wide spreading tree which delights so much
in our soil, and shelters the oppressed OF all
the ends of the earth under It's branches; We
see in it the necessary consequences OF prln-
ciples which always have, ard always must
produce individual and national ruin.
Can it be believed that there is spot in the
United States, the land which arrogates to IT.
self the exclusive enjoyment Of public liberty