Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-17


Lottery for the Washington MonulDent.) These
are the enlightened provisions of bill introduced
into the enlightened Legislature OF Virginia, whose
laws equally celebrated for their penal mdness
and for their equal operation--whos. uniform poll
cy has becn discourage the infamous trade OF in
formers, and whose Constitution guarantees the free
dom OF speech and of the Press. Whence did
Niessrs. Garland and Briggs derive their knowledge
OF Unconstitutional Law? From Scroggs and Jefferies,
or from Wythc, Pendleton and Roaue? Or have
they undertaken to legislate for Virginia, without
looking into her Bill of Rights and Constitution?
Have they forgotten, did they never know, that
the liberty of the press and of speech, "was privi
lcsc incstmable TO the people, and formidable to ty
rants only aud that even in England, the friends
of exclusive privileges and the enemies of public Ii
berty, mad succeeded in their attempts shacke the
Press, by previous legislative enactments, but
by the corruption of Jures and the niction of out
rageous damages: We assert that SD fragrant an
tempt to restrain the legitimate liberty of the Press,
a. of the People, has never been made in any section
of the U. S. and for one, should the bill have passed
into law, IN that shape, would have publish
ell every Lottery Scheme in the United States gratis,
test its constitutonality and the disposition of
the people OF Virginia, lonely to receive Yoke on
their uccks. la a feeling of Christian charity, we
are disposed ascribe the exorbitant features of
this bill, the limited range of the legal and consti-
tuonl information of its projectors and supporters
We are disposed to exert this charitable temper
more particularly in favor OF the member from Ma
olson, because understand he Shelter acquaint-
cd with Hippocratcs and Galen, than with Black
stone or Jefferson, and that he is better Judge of
the mod,ss operadi OF sathartics, than of Consti-
tutious and Laws.
The singular provisions of this hill, which we have
in part enumerated above, have it is true, been
plunged from its face, and it stands invested
with the ordinary, but must think, Intellectual
features of a comlnon penal bill. In common with
most people, we think that the intentions of this bill
praiseworthy, and that was there any probabi-
lily OF its cfectng suppression of the practice of
specializing i'll Lotteries, to which Virginans so
prone, and in which they have been much encour-
aged, by the splendid success which has attended
some Adventures III State; 1t would be saiuta-
nv in it's operation But is possible to suppress
tie ,.,gchase of Lottery tickets Is the dispose
ton to adventure in this way, strong crafty
itself in spite of law, well prudence? And if
this be true it better to have no law than one
which can and will be evaded with mpunity?
VICE PRESIDENCY OF THE U. STATES.
Besides the n,rgnania,ous offer Of the friends
Of Mr.. Crawford at Washington, to confer the
Weep reSidcncy Oh Mr. Adams, provided he
ami his friends would cooperate in the choice of
ticior1ner to the Presidency, the following gentle
men have been nominated in different sections
of the country TO this high Office, viz: Albert
sallat;n Ito which, ifhe will have it, we say "a
mca y Richard Rush, Minister Plenipotentia-
nv to Lonlon, Langion Cheves, late President
OF the u. States Bank in Philadelphia, Jere-
iniah Morrow, Governor of Ohio, Nathaniel
Macon, Senator from the State of N. Carolina,
and last, ai,d least, Gen. Erastus Root, Lit Go
vcruor of the State of New York.
We cannot publish tue communication of &C a
citizen of Amherst" 1t is entirely out of ou,.
ii.ts, and as we would respectfully suggest to the
author, tit subject for rernonstrance to the Lee
gisiatl,re. To the great majority ofour readers,
ii mast be Il matter of Indifference, whether
. Justice be speedily administered in Amherst or
not unless from some general cause, equally af-
fectin!- the whole Commonwealth; and we feel
bound to govern ourselves by this consideration.
THIS remark we hope, will relieve us from the
,di,agrccable duty of rejecting many coInmuni-
Cations, on subjects purely local, and which the
good sense OF tiic authors ought TO tell them, are
devoid Of interest to al persons but themselves,
AID their ne xt door nclghbors.
1t is believed that the $4,000 prize in the
'Gulutico Canal Lottery, which drew in this CT
~ Yesterday, has gone to AleXandria-and half
OF The 300, to Lynchburg.
FOR THE WIG.
In proposing amendment to the amendment of
-irrcd bv Mr. Cals,on the bill for extending the
Charter of the Farmers Bank of Virginia, Mr.. Ma
1t with view to defeat the bill-He remarked that
he would be guilty of the insincerity of profess
ing friendship the bill, when in truth, he was hos
,1!lc to its proyisions.That he then believed the
tension of the Charter impoltc and UNJUST and pro-
posed his amendment that, in the event of its pas