Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-11


blish the doctrine of Beccaria. But this
examination is not necessary We have
evidence before our eyes. The
attempt made, by the people of France,
TO establish free government, excited the
fear and indignation of the aristocracy Of
Europe. Their united efforts have at
length, not only put down the republic,
and tile tremendous empire which arose
from It's ruins, but Frustrated France IL
self; and terminated in an alliance, which,
its holy name, poriends
nought but evil To the Independence Of
nations or the liberty OF man. On The
Continent, the people are trodden under
fnot: in Great Britain, they have been
rewarded for all their sacrifices and sui
terings, for all their blood and treasure.
by the subsection Of their personal free
dom to the discretion OF The ministry
The spirit OF Hanpden does not sleep;
II is dead
Now when the Goils, yanda,s, Alane,
Huns, and oiher barbarous nations, sub
yeried the Roman empire, (Which, be il
remembered, gradually declined from the
moment at which all power was taken
from the people, they were ireemcn..
They enjoyed, says the his,orian.t Il de-
gree OF freedom scarcely compatible with
4 state OF socla! union, or with the slbor
dlnatlon az cessary To maintain it, What
the condition of their descendants is now
has been already s;.s.ed. What has it
been, III fact. tornearty thousand years2
1t will be assumed therefore, as AN un-
doubted truth, that there is in all. human
socieiicssan effort continually tending 10
exalt one part of the people, aud 10 de-
press the other. Tie spirit whi,l, prodr-
ccs this effort the spirit thus hostile To
public liberty; thus continually engaged
with a zeal sometimes reiared, bui mere, sns.
pended; zeal which carries on lis opera
tons, IN The open day, if the peca!e sleep.
or siumber, or are distressed Dut IN i.
lence and darkness, by stealth. ana bv
slraiagem, If their vigilance be roused:
TINS spirit, addressing Itself 10 every inte-
resi- that can bias, to every feeling that can
instead the human heart, il is not nv in
tention TO aRatyze now. My object here.
Is merely 10 slate, not TO prove what is
evident, that one ofihe measures resortcd
10, for the purpose of drawing and prrpet-
uaiing broad line Of discrimination he
tween one part ofihe community and Tie
residue, has been The adoption Of titles of
honor and distinction and a very slight
examination will shew us, that there is
scarcely an appellation, however false, or
foolish, or even blasphemous, which hui
man vanity and pride have not assumed.
10 prove this, II will not be necessary
TO travel into Asia. All the epiti,ets that
prlde could dictate, or interest, or fiattery.
or fear could conceive, have been appro-
prlated by those whose frown." in the
language of oriental metaphor, ais the
earthquake that shakes the mountains.
and their smile the dawn OF the yer,,al
day." Let us pass by then the empe-
rors OF. the earth, The masters ofthe world.
the monarciis OF ierty nations, the kings
OF kings, the children of the sun, the bro
theirs OF the moon, the rose-trees of de-
hgh', and the nutmegs of consolation;
let us pass by these epilhets, and a thou
sand others equally extravagant, present
ed by slavery or vice or folly, atthc shrine
ofhuman pride-pride " hicI, may be rem
dered by indulgence so fastidious, as to
scorn the homage which it is death TO
Withhold. In Europe, we shall find album.
daht materials Tor our purpose, and we
can ihen BRING the practical result home
to ourselves yes, to ourselves to as Ike
peopfe. For let ii be remarked, and re-
Mcmbered loo, that The fault is in orr
selves. The general and state constitu-
tons have done thrirpar they hayeee-
nounced and prescribed every thing like
nobility and rank yrtwe the republican
people oi America, still preserve, ard pre-
serve with care, the sireds, patches, rags
and remnants of iiiuiar distinction.
III is proper 10 remark, that there can
he no objection, on the part of any repuh-
licaH, however jealous, TO titles which in
dlcate an Office. The objection is not 10
titles, oilictai, but 10 empty titlesof honor
and distinction, and TO epitheis originat-
ing IN fiatiery OF falsehood. How manv
N hat ,t,a!l IA.
There can be no objection, therefore.
TO the title of patriarch, assumed by The
head OF the Greek church in Constantine
pie bu, y hen he calls himself his &" low
Illness" II is impossible TO avoid viewing il
as a name OF cunning and hypocrisy. If
the successors OF Paul and Macedonius
have been taught lesson of hulnility,
they have learnt it not from the cross.
but the crescent.
This appelaiion, however, is less ex.
| ceptonable than that assumed by tbe
Roman pontlii, formerly bishop of Rome,
| now father or pope of the catholic church.
He is called his holiness The epithet no.
| Iy Is applied III piOus meditation and i'm
! prayer, by christians, TO the Supreme Be-
| ing and yet the pride and insoIence of
man, have not SCRUBBED to ascribe the
name and attribute of holiness to the fraiI
mortar OF dust and ashes, who occupies a
| throne polluted by ten thousand crimes.
| II were called on 10 name the most in
famous of mankind. would as soon seek
h'm IN the palace ofthe Vatican, as in The
imperial residence of the Caesars. The
| pencil which has transmitted to the pre-
sent generation The portraits of Tiberius,
Nero, CaliguIa, and ViicIlius, might, with
out changing It's colors except for those
OF deeper and darker hue, be employ ed
! AlnVanher the 9Th -