Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-03-09

The following remarks OF Mr.. Kinney,
from the Newark Patriot, were made IN
the Legislature of this state, on mo-
ton to strike out of the bill for salaries
of two Presidents of the Court of Com
mon Pleas. Our readers will recollect
that no appropriation was made, and
that the subject was postponed.
Mr.. Kinney rose in opposition to the
motion. He considered and should treat
it as high handed effort TO obstruct the
operation of a public statute of the state.
Ii was not a mere question OF salary, nor
did gentlemen pretend it, but an open and
avcwed attempt to defeat law of public
import, and indirectly to destroy it. He
submitted ii TO gentlemen whether this
course could be defended or even excused
upon any known or received principle of
politics or morals. Whether statute
constitutionally enacted, and unrepealed,
shall be openly INSTRUCTED, aud, in the
fair import Of the word, violated by the
men who made it and who Of all others
are the most bound to support. execute,
and obey it, was question which must
make its way to every mans head and
heart. 1t was not enough for gentlemen
to say tha, they disliked the law which
the bill before the house was designed 10
execute; the plain answer to such an OBJ
lection is to be found 10 the power of the
legislature to repeal an obnoxious law-if
the law be bad, repeal it, but while it
remains on our statute book, ii requires
the obedience, aud commands the homage
of every man in the state. There was no
sounder or safer political axiom than this
lit lies at the bottom of all our rights,
and forms the first and last, and ouly Sc
curity we can ever have for their safety
and continuance.
He begged the gentlemen to reflect upon
the importance Of the vote they were
about to give; it would live after they
shall have persisted; it would probably
shed its influence upon other questions
and other times; connected as il was with
measure Of vital importance to the ju.
dietary of the state, the fate OF this bill
must take its place in the history Of New
Jersey, and distinctly mark the character
of the times. The object, aud probably
the effect Of the motion might be to de
stroy the recent and important organiza
ton Of the judiciary, and for what To
crafty the narrow prejudices, the petty
passions, and private resentments of the
hourl He invoked gentlemen 10 beware
of such feelings, and to discard them; tt
look beyond the day in which they wer,
acting. and TO remember, that as legisla
tors and citizens they we're bound by thei
allegiance as well as their oaths to obey
and execute the laws under which they
lived. He repeated the principle, tina
between repeating the law and executin:
ii, there was no middle ground, and call
ed upon gentlemen to take their choice o
alternatives. On the question of salary
the merits Of the original law are not per
mitted TO be discussed; and if the presen
motion should be successful, publ
statute is trampled in the dust withou
even an enquiry as to its propriety or i'm
portance. He appealed to every gentle
man opposed TO him to say, if such
course was honourabe or upright, and
it was not at war withfai aud enlightene
legislation.
Two gentlemen, members Of Congress
one from Connecticut and the other froI
Kentucky, were travelling 10 company
when they CHANGED to espy drove
mules, going to marke--Says the Yanke
TO the Kentuckian, ado you know wh'
auimals these are!'' aIndeed do," r.