Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-09-04

ana Tor maintaining within their respective
limits, the authorities tights and liberties APP
pertaining 90 them :"
Aye ar no ?---hnd when the Intelligencer
has directly answered these questions, il will
then be- decided whether we are the .N;ic
AAghts, or the Editors of that paper are the
Jdci-SiidcyS.
A few words more upon the article before
ms. They would have us believe, that ii the
general government abuses its power; il anv
degree, they like the faithful centincls Oh the.
wa'ch-tower would he the first to cry out.
Tell this 10 Apolh. I'VE wait tin the Intel
iigenccr sounds the tocsin, I'VE are afraid we
may sleep on Till the day of judgment. jude
ing by the past, what are we 20 expect for the
future
Now we are, b. no means, surprised that
the National lntelligencer continues to 'stand
up for the integrity ofthe government" and To
" contend for" what il is pleased TO call the
Just authority of the supreme court, as defined
by the constitution and the laws"
This perseverance, was TO he looked for from
andt'onoI paper, reposing like the Intelligcn-
Ger, under the shade of the nai;oRGt govern
ment, and ready at all times, to claim for if,
powers whereby lis magniiicence and strength
are to he increased. That paper has nyaria-
bly,, manifested the same pertinaci0us zeal OH
every question which has arisen, involving the
powers Of that government This conduct in
its editors may be vena il may be in accord
ance with the dictates OF their understandings.
Ut surely is not hostile TO their interests as il
establishes their pretensons to nationality,
and gives additional credence to their paper Il,
the organ of the government. But the Intel
llSencer, lin speaking of the editor of Cincin-
matt paper, has furnished am excuse which il
may perhaps wish to claim for itsell-and we,
chcerfaily, yield TO Messrs. Gales & Seaton
the full benefit of their own suggestion. =" 1t
is the infirmity of man TO be blind To his hesct-
ting fault, whatever it be, long after the eyes
OF ms fellow men are open TO il, and to persist
In it long alter even himself has seen the error
OF 1t. The pride Of opinion is one of the most
powerful of the sprngs of human action. Men
continue 20 do wrong from stubbornness of
heart, because they have before done wrong
and insisted ON its being right"
Before we proceed farther, may we not offer
our grateful Acknowledgements to the Intelligent
Ger for lis kindness in conceding that we are
right an one point We marvel the more AT
this concession, because the point alluded TO,
does somewhat circumscrbe the power of the
supreme court. We had not even hoped for
SO liattering compliment from a Journal
which is devoted to the po,cey, spiendor and
gtoiy of the NATIONAL government. ii is fiat
tering TO orr pride as men: it is soothing 10
our feelings as politicians. Who knows but
that this precious confession is'' "a symptom"
that the intclIigencer is returning to the repub-
lican fold, from which it has been allured hv
the false glare of that brilliant scheme of enc
great pGrGmounf' national government, 10
which congressional as well as judicial usurpa-
ton is so rapidly tending?
We rejoice also 10 find that our sariy OF
minds returning. The lntelligebcerconfGsses
that So i'm our abstract views ofthe bowers OF the
federal Judiciary, it would seem, ii we now
understand the Enquirer, there is no material
difference between us" Ii, after this, it be- ask
ed, why does the lnteiigenccr of the eth ut.
makes such parade about the " new lights"
and - fashionable doctrines ofthe day . which
are iraught with consequences fatal TO the re-
public, and blasting To ihehcpesof the friends
of freedom throughout the worId' The
answer Is. >" the pride of opinion is one of
the most powerful of the springs of human
action. Men continue to do wrong from
stubGornness of heart, because they have be-
fore done wrong and insisted on IFS being
right" Give them but the slightest covering
for their errors, give them but the interest
qiibble upon which to hinge an explanation,
and all is put to rights, without the least APP
pearance of inconsistency, or without the
slig htrst confessions of fault.
No friend ofthe Union would wish to i'm
pair the just authority the supreme court,
as defined By the constitution. But all who re-
gard the liberties of this nation and the sove-
reignty ofthe states, should protest against the
extension of that authority beyond the limits
thus preScJibedtO A. Power is tempting and
the love Off is inseparabe from human ma
turc. Whether the court grasPS il. or acquires
1T by the more subtle means of construction
and implication, it is equally dangerous TO the
Just equipoise of our institutions, and tends
alike 10 the gulph of consolidation. We are
gratifed that the public attention has been
awakened on this subject Rouse the people
to sense of their interests and their rights.
Rouse them from the sleep of confidence and
security, and all is safe. They will not be
slow i'll applying the corrective.
Attempts are, however, made to alarm the
people. We see in the Intelligencer no expo
sitions of its views in relation to the powers
of the federal judiciary. Scarcely one argu-
ment in opposition to the .NeiO Lights which
are said to be put forth on this subject. We
find but one continued standing up for the
integrity of the government, and the Just au-
thority of the court, as delined by the constitu-
ton and the laws'-withOut any euumeFa-
ton of the objects to which that authority cx-
tends, or ofthe grounds upon which it is fair
ly inferred, where it is not expressly given
Among the many denias ofthe "new tangled
doctrines ofthe Enquirer, we scarce see an at
tempt to expose their fallacy,S1 to hold forth the
genuine doctrines oftie constitution. The eye
meets with scarcely any thing but expressions
of" a deep anxiety that the iG,ejiR authority of
tue highest tribunal for adiudsing federal
questions) be sustained throughout" But we
meet with enough to alarm the crcdulous & the
mthinlIng. We are told that " hercsics pre-
vail'' and that evidence is already Threatened"
We are told of the dark professions" Of the
stnfes to :. resist the lnMs Of ihe u. Sinins.n