The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-09-12
SEPTEMBER Issa
The Richmond Eaqurer-the principles 81
.Nessrs. .fdims and CracJotd, 81.
!

constitution ana ALLEGED dsNFaleh ~ ~
own. nave becu brought forward ny ms
,I,efsaries as evidence OF his uasutabdlty
10 be our mkt president The first chargr
we a,e willing 10 admit N subordinate
drsr.r-ihe Iatto W. wholly depy. What
evidence oil tn. fact has been adduced =
Nonrl Wherr, aud ia what manner, has
b. manifested disrcilsh for the noble and
e,efnal principles upon which the e"nsliia+
ton nf the United States IS founded p
/, Echo answers. a.rhttd ?" lis oppo-
nents--thnsr who have brought forward
this charge, and who have been nn1va'ling
" challenged for pionf--~lsh the people oi
America h heilcTt hcmi on their b1fe as
sertian heated partizaus as they are, with
out the least tltlle of evidence Bot They
will fhd themselves, conifadlcied by the
whole history of Mr.. Adams life, most
~ feriou.lg mistaken. W. shall consume
@urithrr our time nor room IN exploding a
charge whose abeutdity IS too apparent to
need exposure,
The other charge, to vii. his reverence
for the constitution Of England, IS equally
unfoundcd, in Ire fIttni To which Mr. AS
enemies have carried il. II Is true that he
does look upon tint monument Of the col
lrctise wisdom of ages, with a favorable
eye, and who, that f.JnIces at the progress
of free Institutions, and the triumph oiIlhe-
raj principles. does not ? But TINT he pre-.
tcrs King, Lords and Commons with
all the paraphernaa of regal pbmp, 10 the
plain simplicity OF our democratic system,
Il charge totally unworthy of serious mo-
tee No man--not even the most lnvete-
rate enemy of Mr.. Adams viii say this
though there are many who will imply II (;
resting the safety and uon-delectuu of the
falsehood of their implication on the rea.
dness of the people generally IL talk" Tor
granted assertions on abstract principles,
without examination. The enquiry, then, IS,
j. he jusiifnblc in his Gdnifdtl0n Of The con
siilufion Of Great Bri'tin II shall be the
object of the succeeding remarks 10 prove
III Il he IS.
The charter of Running Mead, general.
ly known by the title Of Magma oharia,
which was signed by King Juha, was the
hrst great approach mad towards liberty
Of persons and conscience By the English
pcoslr. Tie series ar bondmen, IN aiding
the irons to wrcst this instrument from
The King, stipulated for their own interests,
which had, Ia all prior struggles, been en-
iirrly overlooked, and that of the mobiles
alone regarded. F." The rlgor of the leudai
laws ras greatly mitigateJ il favor of the
Lords -c0nditinna were also stipulated IN
favor of The numerous body Of the people
who had united to obtain il. Ii was insll-
tuted by the charter, that the same services
which were RENTED in favor of the barons,
should be reniItedln favor of the yassals."
BY the goth article, it WIS enacted, lhat
a. no subject should be eXilrd GRIN any irdy
;nolestcd, either in has person o. eDrcis, 9th.
srteise than By Judgment Of has peers, and
according TO l,e laos % the land An az.
tlcle 80 important says Dr. lolme, pi. II,
Of his treatise ON the English constitution
d" that il may hc aHd 10 comprehend The
whole end and design Of political soeie.
ties aud from tint moment, the English
people ,eould hare been free, II there
Were not an immense Inference btiireta the
making flares aat the obsercjlr Of them"
This charter was confirmed by Henry the
Sd, and the people even sncd the addition
ofnep privileges, lnthcre reign oltae English
JuSttnian, Edward the isl, the House ol
Commons. q" the great hulwark of English
liberty" had ts origin and from that
time, gradual Improvements took place in
The condition Of the people until the reyou-
ton Of 1888, when the Prince of Orange
was called 10 the throne. This is drnom-
mated the laird grand era in the constitution
ofEngland. In the language Of De l.oimc,
Magma Charta had marked out the limits
within which the royal authority Ought to
he conGnrd: = few 0utWorks wsr, raised
in the reign of Edward the 1t but iiyas
IT the rev aluilon that the ciicumvdilatiou
was completed - " Ii WAS At tins era that
The true principles Of ciril society We're cs-
tabshed."
We have .hewn the o,'rio Of the English
constitution. and the principles upon which
It is founded. II originated in the necessity
every day maniiestcd, in The operations of
tyronnical form ri government, for an
amelioration Of the condition OF tue prnp.e,
and an infringement Of the power of their
rulers and it wns founded upon the prlu-
clplrs of this mutual necessity Let Us now
eHlalre into the powers retaipei by the
Ming, and the operation of IA s. powers on
the people.
In England, the King ID, !. The source
al all Judicial power :. Tie can pardon
Offences : s. He IA the fountain Of honor,
. a. the distributor of ti1as aud diguites :
he creates the prices ot the realm, and
dlsposes Of the diiler, mt otiiresin theeourts
law ard elsewhere: d. lie is the super
intendent of commerce, regulates weights
AND measures, COINS money, AND gives
irrency to foreign COIN 5. Hr is, in right
"f his crown, generailismo Of all the land
and sea forces Of the realm-leyies troops,
equips fleets, builds tortresses, and fills al
TIE posts in them O. lie is, with regard To
frreign nations, the representative aud de
pository Of all the collective majesty of the
nation he sends and receive ambassadors.
he contracts alliances, and has the preroga-
tive Of declaring war and making peace on
rghatayar titi1nc b,