Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-05-20


peopie To change their government. Mr.. Burke, in
speaking OF the French revolutions. aft, med il,a
" il The majority Of AIRY other p-"pi" The pe",r al
Eng land for instance. wish maxi. the change,
they have the rgh, just The >,n,- undoubtedly
,a' *, nons ot all" The iocrin. of air. Pane was
d,if..rrm. lie said that {" the rm,i oil all t,ccai
associaions is the preservation al ihr rights ui
which rights are liberty, properly, aud security that
the nation IL the suurre OF all sovetrgniy derived
from It," That when II nation changes its habits
If thinking il is longer he governed before.
He spoke the language al eur declaration oi indie
pentence, aud OF our bills of rights. Mr.. Adams
took up the pen the side oi Burke, the advocate
Tor established abuses, and argued that, for the
British government To call seniion would he
Migrant breach at trust, and the alicatiom OF the
authority lawfully committed To them. They might,
he said, dissolve themselves F; hut calling convent
ton, by act OF parliament, appeared Ia him TO usve
AN al'sur'liiy. II Is NOT, says MIR. Adams :. u
" mechanical hurror against the name of King, or
" of arisiocracy, nor ~ physical aniipathy To the
"a sound Of AN exirivngant title, the sight Of
" innocent rihland, that can authorize "a people
" lay violent ,antIs upon the constitution which pro-
4" tecis their rights and guards then liberties"
IL - singular circumstance, that the enemy OF
form wb"sr Arguments were most relied ~ Eng
Land, ~ l7y2 IN opposition la " - rights OF man,
was native American ci,izen-Nlr. Adams. When
the prosecution against MIR. Paine for writing the
Rights at Man came To Ice tried, the attorney gen
eral relied the arguments of MIR. Adams To prove
thar, 10 write against hereditary government, the
crown and parliament, WAS a libel. The principles
Of liberty must indeed he scornrd and ahhorred lbs
that American citizen, who, in Contest for human
rights on the utler side of the Atlantic should aI e
iie side ui the enemies of reform, agains: an ot
pressed people, tell them that they have delegated
all their collective power and insult them by sariag
that their tyrannicaI government =" protects their
phs, antl guards their line, ties"
" is worthy ot particular remark, Mt what Time
these essays were writcn-iu june, 1891, when all
The friends of liber'v had high hopes at the happy
termination OF The French revolution. Some excess
cs, IL IL tue, had heen committed hut IL was not
until January, 1895 ,a, the King WAS put To death,
Al such time, To w lite against changes Of govern
n,cnt favourable the rights Of the peone, proposed
Ia he effected by nveuons, offence against
liberty, that the friends Of free government ought
not To pardon.
AS Mr.. Adams complains that one OF his exp,es-
Sous has been distorted and misrepresented in the
newspapers, will copy H. Mr. jefferson having
written, with ic;eience 10 The Rights of Man, thus
have mn doubt cur citizens will rally second
" time round the standard Of sense"-Mr.
Adams, speaking ofhi ant, other expressions SAYS
They seem, like the .lrabian prophet, call upon
" all true hei'evers in The fsinm of democracy, tn
draw then swords, nd in the fervor OF their evo-
" ton TO compel Ill their couuirymen TO cry oui
" there is hui one Goddess of Liberty, and Common
" Sense is her prophet" This skirm;sh Of the
wit Of Mr.. Adams.
Mr. Adams says his oninion of Paine and his writ
"gs was not then lin l79i) very exalted His opin-
ION then was very different, only iron, that of MIR
Jefferson, hut irom other distinguished men Of that
day, AS welt as from the opinion Of the Congress of
the u STATES expressed after the close oiih
IL.
pied the name of Mr.. Paine with that of Mr.. Jef.
ierson, aud said " both those gentlemen are entitled
" 10 the gra'nde OF their co""lrymen.'' Mr.. Burke
pamphlet which prepared the minds Of The peori,
" for independence. Lord E,skine said, in 1892
can only say thar Mr. Pame may he right dironeh
. ont, but that ali. Burke cannot. Mr.. Paine has
. been UNIFORM IN his opinions hut Mr. Burke
I" IN: not Yet 1t seems MIR. Adams opinion oil
Mr.. P2inc was not very exalted: although he unites
Ia" wal, hir Jefferson, and Lord Erskine prefer,
| him To Mr. Bnke."
cannot excuse Mr.. Adams i'm his letter
70 The constituents of Mr. Smyth for blend
ing the political writings and the transcendani
ser'ic oflhis great man Ia his country, las ac-
knowledged by the whole country and by It's
patriotic congress,) with his subsequent anti
religious writings. These must he. admitted
To have been improper. Bat MIR. Adams, by
kind of coup dc main, f." in order TO max,
an uniavurable impression on the American
public III regard Ia Mir. Paine and defend hi.
own" Publlcola, las ifdeience were possible,
t.odeavours to mipsle all the writings of Nj
Paine together, and thereby cast AN odum or
the good as well as the bad parts ofhis com.
positions. This is not the dictate of true and
genuine principle. 1t il not the feeling Of ge.
nerous minds and hearts. The rights of man
and the sovereignty of the people, as maintain
ed ny Mr.. PANE and as also by the American,
Declaration of Independence with each other
there IS AN inscparabIe similarity, though the
opposite Is maintained by Mr.. Adams are des-
tined, hope, To- withstand the wreck of time
This act never did and never vii, accord with
the sentiments Of the American people,
There IS no sophism, People Of America how
ever subtle IT may he, though it has been at
tempted by the subtle pen of Mr.. Adams
nirnseli, that can separate the principles of
Primes Rights of Man and those maintained
ia tsf.I., finn, A T. 4
They both maintain the inaenable right of
man to alter or abolish institutions which are
burthensome 10 him and incompatible with
his happiness.
The cd point against Afr. Adams, is the di-
lemma into which he has fallen with regard
10 the powers OF congress in making all need
ln rules and regulations for IFS territories. -
The Cd clause of the 18th article, Sd section of
The constitution, says: The congress of the
United States shall nave power to make ali
needful rules and regulations RESPECTING the
territory and other property of the United
otates and nothing IN this constitution shall
De So construed as to prejudice any claims of
I IN onited States, or of any particular state"
Under this grant Of power, MIR. Adams denies
that congress could constitutionaIly have pass
ed the law erecting government with suf;-
clent powers 10 govern Louisiana under the
direction of the president. {fshis is not grant
10 congress for the exercise Of all needful rules
ana regulations respecting the territories of
me United States as the congress might think,
ask what words Mr. Adams would have in.
serted IN the constitution stronger and intimat-
ing the extent of the powers granted. Ger
fanny none Others more appropriate could he,
10 give I" congress discretionary power TO
make needful rules and regulations" The
regulation IN question is as follows:
IN" Oe further enacted, That until The expiration
:" 'ne present session OF congress, unless provision
,o' Tue temporary COVE, of tho said territories
ne sooner made by congress, al the military civi
AMI Judicial powers exercised by the orers of the