The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-12-23
ENQUIRER-oFFIcR, Dec. %.
ALLEGHANY E,T.FcTrnN

we call the attention Of the reader-aph
it We had voice loud enough, we won,d call
upon the whole world 10 notice this gross
ana outrageous attack on the liberties of
| eHe people. II ever the sacred maXiIns oe
he Elective Franchise were tramnlsd nm
der foot, If ever principle was sarrifces 70
party, 1t ever A free people were called M.
on to protect the palladium of their Con
sututlon, 1t ever there was case in which
ho7ver was oStf.:ned by the basest fraud. we
pronounce IN the face Of the world III 1t II
has been in the ALLEGHENY Election. Men
may honestly differ pron questions of poIi
icy; there are some points so dark. or so ne
cessar'ly wrapt up in the general prejudices
or party, that /; IS not always possible TO see
our way through then But there are
other points, again so plain, SO apparent tn
the meanest capacity, sointimately connect
ed with the first principles cf our govern
men,' that there can be no d;spu e--there
can be no conscientious difference of onir.
ION --he who denies them in theory or trans
crosses them in practice. must be a knavp
a. heart. Charity itself cannot furnish apv
ex ne for his aberrati ns
III Tie did we dream, when we snw tie
urn OF the four jndees of the County Of
>ileghanv, that the fetleralists in the Y.erie
tature of Maryland would dare r, orr v.o
mem IN the rece e atrocity. T.: o. we were
a~arr OF the pr"jud;ces which acturte such
political Hotspurs as Thomas and Wileon 81
hhsour h ugh We we're aDprehcnsive cf
t lust OF power which irpcIs tbe CO, fInct
u the leaders of the Party vet, we did NOT
suPp"se that these men would BE- SO iD,hoE.
nc as to expose tie c!cven foo to the eyes
OF the people or so dz'tng as to trampje
~ principle. and even shame under fnot.
w nave attempted to look at their conduc,
a'm'y ard attsn'ivelY as we could ard
| rPSnlt Ell
with shame. Indignation, and a species O.
| de nordency
| we have seen the judges cf the Election
OF Allegheny andsc;ous enough to set aside
the snffrages OF the peonle, usnrDjrv tbe
powers OF the Legislature to decide on the
returns otits cwn members, and returninr.
set II men as elected who had rece ived only
Minority OF the votes Of the people.
we have seen the federal party in the
Iiouse oi Delegates sanctionlng this unprin-
| c pied and Unprecedented return and ,ro-
ing beyond i've have seen them, nor or
dering a 1e7v writ in consequence of the in.
formality OF the old Election. 6ut, declaring
that those who had the n7noyifv of votes
( shouid be the Representatives of the DeonIe .
| And we have seen the result! we see a
federal Governor 7Uinding himself into now
err; party sticking at nothing to eject its
purposes plot Commencing with fraud
ana closing with outrage the consti ut;on
sacrihced to party and principle. appear.
ances, even decency itself d. sregared. 70
erect the glorious purpose Of making l. eyi,,
! W.nder Governor Of the State Of MARY
iand An end worthy indeed ofthe sacriH-
ceS, which were made. for its attainment
When we contemplate this scene, we are
compelled to ask ourselves, can thess men
be republicans Are they friends Of Iiher-
~ Are they /riends IF order A slighe
feeling of desmond ncy mingles isel
with these reBectons--Can our free govern
| ment Withstand these assaults If, as Mon
tesqni"n tells, and S common sense assur~s
US, " Virtue IS the basis Of Repubiic. ~
I Can our constitution Withstand the sho,ts
thus rudely inflicted by the rage and evces-
ses OF party? But this despcndency yanieh-
es, when we cast our ewes upon the heonLe
and when we see the great mass ct Them
! tree from corruption, unaffected bv the am -
| bition which sways the federal le1ders--- r.
WOO only require to nee what is riyht 10 DE- -
termtne, them to do it,
NJ the bar Of the people, therefore. we
| Charge these federal actors rs bein, q,,ltv
IN the fret instance, Of faudZand in
me last, ct an outrdgcou9 violation Of the
true and best-receiveA principles of reDre-
sentation.
Hh4t fs The FIR P-The presidino JUDGES
Of the county Of Allegheny took upon them
selves TO qHash The Uofe8 Of the peop,e in
one OF the districts, on account Of an aneio
ed informally in the qualification of one Of
ths Judges. although a majority Of the ludces
present were legally qualified to preserve
tue pnrity otelection --and, as q cOusequen, :