Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-03-28

4
partial and unjust rules of conduct on the
| different classes composing il: because,
there being no established orders in such
| government, there can be no boundary
lines by Which such unjust and partial re-
| gulations could be limited, it being I'M
| possible to ascertain where the nIiddiing
class would end and tile extremes of soci-
ely begin. In all governments recogniz-
my privileged orders in society, these
boundary lines are distinctly fixed by the
demarkations of sucl, orders, and (of
course) regulations might easily be made
beneficial tO one order and injurious to
another-And it is this marked DISTINCT
on of orders, which mpe!s the govern
meDf TO injustice and favouritism i'm its
administration. Ina monarchy, for ex-
ample, where the power of the govern
ment is placed i'll the hands of d single IN
dividual, even hey ond the extremes of So
| ciety for the monarch places himself
above all society, and disclams al! equal
social intercourse witlftbe highest orders
oil his subicctS-nothing is easier, or more
common, than TO prescribe rule, or TO
adopt measure, for the benefit of the
monarch 70 the injury Of his subjects
The same operatiOnmiSlit he applied 10
his nobility, or his priesthood, i'll contra
deed, the caprice of The monarch is sell
dom found i'll coincidence with the inter
ests of hissubj ects-ile might desire war,
when their interests might cali for peace
lie migitrcquIre revenues for adding
TO his own mower and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
against the interests Of his subjects-lie
might I'm like manneD increase the privi-
leSes OF his nobility, priesthood, at the
expense OF his other subJects-Aleasures
OF these tende,cles often enter deeply in
TO the policy and systems of the monarch
In arlstocracies, where the power is i'll the
hands OF one extreme OF society, (the no
Dility,) the same orders and consequent
demarkaiions in society exist, and (of
course) the same facility in Systematically
advancing the interest of one order of So
clcty at the expense OF another. 1t is of
ten found polite in such governments, 10
depress the rising wealth and prosperity
OF the middlng and lower orders, least
their increasing influence might also i'll
| crease the difficulties of enforcing due
snDordnation. 1t is these unjust and par
ual tendencies III such governments,
which constitute their despotism, and
render force iHdispensably necessary TO
their execution. ltisadmitted, that there
are some differences between these de-
scrplIons of governments and those in
which the power is placed in the hands
OF tlIe opposite eXtreines-the lowest and
poorest classes of society; but they are
all equally despotic they all equally tend
to produce unjust and partial regulations
towards society generally. In democra-
cics, there may not exist privileged or
ders amongst the people, and (of course)
the demarkations may be wanted which
would facilitate the adoption and execute
on of unjust and Partial regulations for
different portions of society. They want,
too, all that systematic policy, which, in
an eminent degree, directs the movements
of monarchies and aristocracies. But,
they are not the less despOtic OIL that ac-
count. They do not act under the influ-
ence of systematic reasoning, but are I'M
PEELED TO their objects BY the excitements
ofpassion and, although they may not
have any boundary lines 10 mark and lin
II the course of injustice towards particu-
larportions Of society, speaking in gene
raj terms,) from which there are numerous
Individual exceptions, they are impeiied
by one universal and uniform motive of
action that is, TO distribute amongstalI
the pro- erty ftlose who possess ii /; or,
III other words, 10 Introduce the agrariau
code, which, upon experiment, has al
ways been found utopian aud preposte-
rous, when attempted by the smallest
communities under tile most favourable
auspices 1t isin consequence OF this
want OF system, and of this unjust ten
dency of their misguided passions, that
governments of this description, although
furious and tumultuous whilst I'm being,
never last long--even over a population
limited in numbers, and over territories
limited IN eytent-and can scarcely ever
exist at all, over a numerous population,
inllabIting an extensive territory. The
common effect of such governments is,
10 produce civil wars aud, after exhaust
ing great portion of the blood and frea-
sure of society, their common fate is, TO
terminate in the despotic power of some
military idol set up by themselves for
their own worship, and who generally
scotrges well his deluded vOtaries for their
own vices and folhes, 10 which he feels
indebted tcrhls ownpre-eminence, as well
as for the sovereign power which enables
him cffectualIy 60 apply the rod of chas-
tIsement rs an evidence of the correct
ness ofthis remark, il is not known that
any such government is al this time in
existence amongst civilized nations. All
impartial and rejecting men are called
upon to examine and determine for them
selves, whether there are nOt The most Sc
rlOus and alarming grounds Of apprchcn-
sion that the American governments, i'm
! PEELED by various causes, are uus.fending
| to this deprecated atastrOphe-f.istcnt 10
| the plausible but false theories, whichare
| perpetually resembling through the whole