Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-06

G"inuns established by law, ior 'hc sov.Innen, 1
the navy, provides, that " the officers aid utiyaies
al every ship or vessel, appointed CONC, iu uier-
chant other Vessels shalt diligently and gn,hi.i,
discharge the duties uf ihcr ap;uiu'mtni NOT shall
'heS demand or exact any Compensation for thru
services, "or maireat amy of The officers ui
such merchant or other vessels, piin af making
such repsr"'ion as coHtt OF aImiialy may award
and ot SOLDERING such further punishment ~ Guuri
m'Iiwl Shhli nul"d.'.' This regulation declares
the great uriurr, thai cOnipensa ION Shall mn, Ia.
eS"c'ed by officers Of the navy, for tier services
'reaies 20 eases Of convoy, object being 10 au.
,hOr'se summary redress aud summary punishment
Tor chactons ~ those cases hut the principle con-
cernlns cowiitnSdtiunS applicable to all the seq
wees oi those officers. The laws ut the union deter
mining tue emOlumeuts of officers of The navy e..
cluue All other compensation moi expressly, hut by
necessary consequence. When the rn,ulun,.nIs oI
public officers are stated aud determined 10y law AID
paid ~ manner prescribed by law, the rewards of
those officers Tor all their services, the rewards
mus gwen by their county. All other conipensatons
urect or indirect, are lega not only corrupt hut
also as uansgi essng both the legal amount aud th,
legal manner OF compensation. The laws which
define and linii the emo'nmen,s Of those officers
tually robi all other compensation fut their oli-
ciI services aud any rewards beyond those pi escrb
ed, Illegal.
The United States have in some cases adon,c,
the principle oil stimulating their officers 10 du, and
acuviy, 10y rewards pr"poroned 10 the success OF
official eNcri,ons The shares OF penalties and forr,
Tes gwen to officers OF their revenue and the mar.
lions oi prizes allotted 10 officers and seamcn of the
are legal resua ions aud whatever may he the ser
wees OF any o those officers, all their rewards or,-
macy AMI extraordinary, are given and Limited by
Law.
whether, therefore, regard the corrup;ion of a
pra' ice which should permit officers uf the navy To
empOy the national force for their private pfuG ar
consider the laws establishing and Inning The euo-
uments of those officers, find the sronees ,ensnne
to decide, thar all private compeusaIiohs are illegal
li''' Is, IN substance, contract foi IA br,he 70 a
poni,c omcer u IS unnecessary 10 examin. the ,ur-
piude oi this transactions il comparison with bihs
10 magistrates, or other agents OF The public or i
graduate the guilI If differen, cases of the same
CRIME. All such btibes aud all such CONTRACTS ARC
illegal. lhe moiv of such contracts must ALWAYS
ne corr1pt or II such Case exist without The
quit oi corruption, the direct tendency of all such
transactions 10 corruption renders ii necessary THAI
they should he universally unlawful.
III Us unnecessary 10 cite autiuIuies TO show tha,
legal CONTRACTS enforced by the contts of the
country whose law they Violate or eN.de nh,
principle is fully established ia our law and j.
indeed, fundamental ~ every code. a system ui
Laws destitute ol such principle, wnuld he neon
s'steni with itself ans, The regulations of soc;c.,
would he easily frustrated If men we're AT hbcrtv To
conira,ene lhen' 10y compact, aud 10 claim The LitI
OF contracts, rs suiBccnt .Jr Violating III.
laws Ui lheiI country.
la AL cases oi ihIs nature, whprea coniract uo,
roLibiied III express terms, is impenchrd MS nm #.
i'ct violating the principles and policy uf cxmrss
laws, aH examination OF the policy of the laws and
o. the operation and endcncy of the conttac, he
comes necessary. have thus examined TIN, contr,c,
ana ne pt'hciple, applicable The prcst n, IS,
Is, III ATS circumsiancrs, wuhuuI uecedruiy and
reJnice III ,e Of an, prpcet no ,.,se III ,is
~ regret thar this has occurred. Tie JL,ruce ol
precedent IS not want oil principles and those
whIcn must govern 'is case clear Ind mnduuIi-
ed My duty is, 10 pronounce that the stain m mi,
Transaction rests not on the lows of this country-
Ihis CONTRACT being Illegal, its execution cnunu ne
ccu, ana The suii Is Dismissed, with COSTS