Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-07

hopes at its very foundation. / rejoice that
the gentleman from Virginia Mr.. Nelson)
has limited his proposition, so as topreciudes
aly mistake concerning the object OF It We
are not now advocating an unrestralned prlvl-
lege of debate. The enquiry is---shatt q main
question, in this deh5erafiue boay, eDcr De ta-s
ken until eprry member, qvho has not already
stoken, shall haze had an oiltortnnity, ne
7vishes to apaR himself oft, 70 SPEAK. AZ
EsLEAST ONCE UPON THE QUES7IoN nc
ground taken, by those, whooppose the pro-
position is, that ofnscSsSity and conpenteace.
These are the very points, which, In a Tree
country, ought most yigiantly to be guaraea'
For it is, here, that the spirit OF despotlsnl,
always lies in ambush Under the cover OF
necessity, or convenience, It steals upon the
liberties of a people, and never fails, sooner or
later, to make them its prey.
1t is not to be denied, that the subject IS IN
some respects difficult to manage, with any
hope of convincing There is a state OF feel-
ine, both within this house and out OF 1t, very
unprop!tious to an impartial debate. In this
house il is argued as question concerning
who shall have the power, majority, or .
minority. And as it is agreed, on all hands,
that, in the exercise of the power, abuse may
happen, the present majority, like all other
majorites, have a prevailing inclination TO
reserve, in their own hands, tie exclusive
privilege of abuse. And without doors, the
subject is of less difficulty. For, OF late years,
the populare ear has been so yeXed, With speech
uDon sDcech,--wind, upon wind,--the public
patience has been SO exhausted, in hunting up
the solitary grain Of sense, hidden in the bush
els OF chaff, that it is ready to submit to any
Limitation ola privilege, which subjects it to
SO il'ksome labor. The people are almost
ready to,Sexclaim, {" do what you Will, with
the liberty ct speech, provided you will save
us from that fresh of words, with which we
are, periodically, Inundated
Now this is the very state OF the pnblic
mind, in which tie corruption OF essential
principles commences. Through apparent
necessity, OF temporary convenience, or dis
gust at abuse, the popular sentiment is made
to acouiesce in the introduction OF doctrines,
vitally inconsistent with the pelpetulty OF IL
berry.
Task the house to consider what is that pEln-
ciple OF civil liberty, which IS amalgamated
and identified, with the very existence OF
Legislative body. In what does 1t consist !:
And what is IFS character 1t consists In the
rigat ct elaboration. Ard its character 49,
that it belongs not to the body, but to The IN
dividual members constituting the body
The body has the power to control and to re-
pnlate it's exercise. But it has not the power
to take away that right altogether, by the opc-
ration of any general principle. An Individu-
al member may render himself unworthy OF
the privilege. He may be set down. lie
NAV be denied the right, because he has aous-
ed it. But whenever q legislative body as
ssumes to itself the power of stopping, at Its
will, all debate, at any stage OF dehberat'on,
1t assumes power wholly inconsistent with
the essential RIGHT Of deliberation, and totally
destructive Of that principle OF civil liberty
which exists, and is identified with the exer-
else OF that right
The right Of every individual member is,
ju fact. the right of constituents lie IS but
their representative. 1t is IN Their majesty,
that he appears. 1t is their light, that be re-
Hccts Erhe right Of being heard by their re-
preventative is the Inherent and absolute right
B Of the people. Now it is in the essential Cha
r,cter of such right, that 1t exists, lnde-
nendent, and in despite of any man, or body
&c men, whatsoever Il is absurd to say, that
anv RIGHT is independent, which depends upon
the viii of another. 1t is absurd to say, that any
riy;,t is absolute, which is wholly relative to
ths inclination of another; which lasts only as
long as he chooses, and terminates at his nod
Nov, whether this power be exercised, by
one, or many, it matters not. The principle
of civil liber,yis gone, when the inherent and
absolute nature Of the right IS gone.
Apply this reasoning to the case before US
It is impossible to conceal the fact, that as
our rules and orders stand, independent OF
the proposition, now offered as an amendment,
I it rs in the tozper Of q naJoT'y, 10 nrecftaf al
debate, uhon any qufsf7on, ana JORGE every
member ofthehouse TO voff, Nffo" any hfolsod'-
tim. znithout giving him the ohltortAnNy 81 ec-