The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-12

in different hands. Reason teaches us. and
experience has long since verified the OBJ
servatior, that whenever the same bersons.
who make the law, arc permitted to Judge
of its iniraction and execute its penalty, the
citizen will be inevitably oppressed. By
granting those powers to different branches
OF our government, we arc secure from the
evils consequent upon the consolidation OF
immense power in one hand, and each Sc
parate repository of power constitutes "A
check upon the unwarrantabe exercise of
it by another.
vcnerate that principle Of our constitu-
ton. which making those, who administer
our affairs, orr servants, instead of being
our masters, returns them at frequent pc
riods of time to that condition from which
they rose; and renders them responsible for
their public aCtions.--Without free and fire.
qucnt elections, hold it impossible for IL
berry Ions to exist. However virtuous and
intelligent the man may be, to whom we
intrust the management of our affairs, we
all know. that il he ceases to be responsible
TO us for his conduct, he will soon become
ignorant of orr interests, and inattentive to
their promotion. To enable those, who are
to exercise the right of suffrage at these e.
iections, to discharge their duty to them
selves and their country, the freedom of
speech and the freedom OF the press are in
dispensable. Consi iering those who admit
mister the government as our servants and
responsible to us for their conduct, we have
a right, and l deem it duty which we
ought all to perform, to investigate that
conduct, to applaud where it merits praise,
and to condemn where it deserves censure
The freedom of discussion in the public
prints, is not less necessary to the preser-
walton of our liberty. much we
may lament the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the press
in this country however much we NAV re-
greet the many instances in which we see it
degenerate into the Inere vehicle of Sian
der and falsehood, the evils which attend
1t can never be considered sufficient to
countcroalance its advantages. 1t informs
the public mind. it holds up to the execra-
ton of our offended people, the political
nypocrlte and the tyrant, and disseminatcs
itself that very information by which its er-
rors are corrected. There are some who
thlnk 1t little short of treason to differ in
opinion from those who administer the gov
eminent, and among them are to be found
many who In former times and OH other o.
casions delighted in teaching us the wide
distinction between the necessity of main-
saining the constitution of the United States,
and the propriety of supporting those who
had been elevated to pawer. The distinc-
ton was just then, and it is still just. The
sentiments of man may change, but truth
is immutabie. i cannot agree that the per-
son who disapproves of the manner In which
the affairs OF the nation are conducted and
who expresses that Misrepresentation, must
necessarily be opposed to the form of gov
eminent which he thinks incorrectly admi-
nistered. | cannot identify the administra-
ton with the government administered by
ut. The form of government may be wise
and freie its administration may be mad *
tyrannical. 1t is cur duty, therefore, and the
press assists US in the performance of that
duty, to keep watchftl eye upon our pub
lie servants. and ce that they walk in the
path prescribed by the constitution and our
interests. In a government like ours, which
is dependant upon p i5lic opinion for it's ex-
istence, and which has been formed for the
benefit OF the whole people, it is important
that those who are placed in authority,
shoald be made acquainted with the wishes
OF the people. Let then the press be muzzled !;
let its freedom be destroyed by arbitrary
laws or illegal combinations, and you close
the widest avenue to public information, not
less necessary TO ourselves than TO those who
administer the government.
ihe wisdom of our political fathers. who
framed the Federal and State constitutions.
and who have since been our laweivers. is
IN nothing more conspicuous than in secnr-
ing to every man in the community the Ii
Derty or Coincidence and the right of W or
shipping God in the way most pleasing to
himself. Whilst i cherish the belief, that
the prevalence of virtuous habits among
the people is essential to the durability of a
Tree government, and consider religion as
the surest prop of virtue, should regret to
see any form established by law. An union
between church and state must inevitably be
destructive Of the holiness Of the former
and the freedom of the latter. The opin.
ion which / hold upon this subject is so uni
versaliy received among all orders and
ranks OF men, that | should not have
thought its Introduction necessary on the
present occasion, except for the purpose eli
contradictlng aIreport which has been extern
sively circulated to my prejudice, and which
charges me with having advocated an esta-
biishmeut of religion
admit that part Of our political crcono-
my which divides the powers of government
between state and federal authorities. Bv
this division the possession of overgrown
power by Eny one set of men is avoided
The state authorities being limited by small
Ter territorial boundaries, and Coming more
Immediately from the people for whom they
act, are better acquainted with their local
concerns, whilst the federal representatives
selected from every section of the union and
having their attention solely directed to
subjects Of national moment, are enabled to
Investigate those subjects with more ability
and with the greater certainty of promoting
the national prosperity. This division Of
power IS peculiar to the people Of this coun-
try, and constitutes one OF the surest safe