Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-07-17

cs, aris,ocraey, democracy ever has or eyer Will
become the champion OF liberty. a Sovereignty over
property, usurpcd by legislatures, like that over
religion, must be exploded, shall cease TO be
Tree IL Is the moral pivot which the prosperity of
the republic must turn and whether our representa-
uycs sovereigns or ser, ants, compriscs the ho.
scope OF lis revolution.
HAWAI- says, . NJ government sets up for n ii,lye
oil the abuse, II will soon set up for Judge OF the
use oi things, and then there is end of all true
notions OF liberty and property lit can require me
TO employ my property, accoriin. 10 its fancy
ii II can niict punisn,ents or my disobedience INV
negligence, OF my folly, under pretence of public
:, 'ihN, am no longer absolute master of my own ;
am only an ADMINISTRATOR who is be directed by
the Viii OF another He who burns his corn or
throws his money away is such n fool as is sell
dom met with, and therefore ought not TO be res
trained by prol,btlyc laws, which would be bad i'm
themselves, Us being attack upon the universal
and sacred notion of property. In every well rcsu-
lated constitution the business of the r,aestr,,e
mus nc confined to what concerns the public safety
inward tranquility, the conduct of the arn,y and
the observance OF the laws. Whenever authority is
stretched beyond this mark, we may venture 10 ne
hrm that the people are exposed to depreciation If
we take survey OF all ayes and all nations that
great and fine ide; of public utility viii he rrscpted
TO our imagination, under the symbolical figure of a
Hercules, knocking down with his club one part of
the people, amidst the shouts and ;icclanations of
the other part, who know not that they are quickly
:. TO tall under the same Strokes
ms Is pcriectpicture of the conspiracy between
sovereignty andpublic utilitv These ideas combined
be-
gotten banking, protecting duties and pensions, each
shouting public utility, and answered bv their own
ciamat'ons, whilst knocking down public prosperity
What n poor iuad is left for the expenses and I'M
provemen OF agriculture after all our exports are nb
sorbcd by taxes and these money suckcrsl Gan
pubic prosperity receive a more severe blows
II IS the bad principle ITSELF and not its name.
winch we ought TO keep in view Not the name
hins, but the sovereignty attached to the name.
constitutes the bad principle. If kings were elective
vei IL the principle OF sovereignty was attached TO the
once, despotism must be the consequence and
therefore, elective kings possessing sovereign poycr
nave never secured the liberty of nation III our Pre-
suent possessed a sovereign power over propertv his
DC Y elective feat The inn .;c w of
inc DAD principle. As woul corrupt an elective prcs
Gent, SO II VIII corrupt elective legislatures An all
soiu'e power over property, usurp all other pow
cts, ana legislator es accordingly exercise iujc;al
powers under its auspices. Neither one man nor any
1ody Oh men, however instituted can be invested wit,
uespouc power over national property without de-
suoying airee government. This truth dictated our
resurrection OF legislative and executive powers though
both are electve.-Ousht these To be superseded ~
substituting the indefinite rights of sovereicnty 70,
an uhcontrovertible maxim
whether you ascribe this long letter 10 \ sense or
c'iy to the garrniity of age, 10 zeal for the pru
epies ana propositions Of the United Agricultural
societies OF Virginia, you will also discern that II i an
apology Tor not taking active part in yonr
measures inconsistent with the capacity of nv tmc
oil NE. and yet humble protest against be;ng b,,
ed before am dead ""''
! am respectfully, sir, your most obedicnt sorv,p,
JOHN TAYLOR