Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-11-16

minds. The rigour displayed by the Judges in
their earlier decisions, proves that the mldnesd
Oh thcir late decisions is the effect of the most
impartial justice. Could the Judges, without
dishonoring themselves, have decided other
than they did, in the affair, for example, of the
eL"o'id!enme' Why did not the ministers pre-
vent inns cause, in which they played a part,
from being brought into the Court, Incouceiy-
aoie want OF foresight; foriti not TO be supposed
mat any Illusion existed as to disgracefu mat
ters' or as TO the conscience OF the Judges. II
Is sa'a That the Jurisprudence of the Courts
would supply means of GLIDING the suspension
ana The suppression of aJournal Thus, it was
not the suppression of crimes which was desired.
u was The suspension. the suppression of the
Journals, that is to say, the suppression of the
liberty of the periodical press
ihe secret rs out. This is what was seen in
me law, aud in this manner the ministers under
stand Constitutional government We knew
before what you would think of il; we have
read your pamphlet. Justice is the bread of
inc people; and they hunger for it particularly
In France. Political corporations had long dis
appeared in this country, and their place had
oeen supplied by judicial corporations coeyaI
win them and almost preceding them. Our So
yeregn Courts are attached by the ties of civil
ilzation-by the wants of socety-by the tr,di-
tons and the wisdom of ages-by the study of
.ne CODES OF antiquity-are attached, saw, to
- Si''uiS VI TIC WoTlu. lie nation. SeDcibly
awe TO the virtues of the Judges, was accus
toned to love them like order itself and IN re-
sPect them like the living law. The Harleys.
hamoisnohs, Moies, and Segniers, vet prevail
III our rccoilections; we always see Them nro
leClors, like the throne; and incorruptible like
rehgion; severe, like liberty, and full of intepri
~, like honour; and of all these thew were Tho
supporters, the defenders, and The organs. And
men OF day dare to attack the successors of
these immortal o;Sfro
tie chances of fortune, who would to-morroy
return to their nothinguess, if the royal favour
were TO be withdrawn; these men condemn
!uoges VINO are lnnoveable, who move honora
Oily III a career closed against ambition. and de-
voted TO the most painful tolls. You 1.-THE minis
ters) regard yourselves as aifronted when tho
chambers do not adopt your laws-you are ir-
ritated when the tribunals decide according to
their own wisdom. Youwill have nothing then
IN the state but your own will, but yourseI, as,
out your own persons. But if YOU succeed ia
weakening among the people the confidence
'ney ought to have in their udges,-if YOU de.
cEire, as IN point of fact you do that the de-
cisions OF theStribunals are dangerous in ono
point VIII 1t not result that they may be DANCE
rous IN others Say, what then will become of
'ne society IN which you have sowu such sus
Pcioh: nat Will become of YOUR AUTHORITY
OF your ministerial power Every day these
tribunals decide Concerning the lives and for
tunes Oh the chiIens, and you expose the people
every DAY TO suspect that property NAV be un-
Justly appropriated, and that an innocent persor
hT,S 'STi-asa on the scafloid! Imprudent men,
/" no 10 not see the confusion you create in the
minds of ,nen, by such acts And what is vo,,r
moral WORTH to condemn by the stroke az tho
pen, whole benches ofjudges; to substitute vour
Ministerial ignorance for the science of inaris-
trates who have received from the author of all
justice the balance TO weigh, and the sword to
PUNISH why IS there so much irritation against
the 4,istaTque3 Is it because the proprietors are
three opposition deputies-Messrs BourIan-
nae, Sanlot Baguenault, and Lemoine Dee
mares! The ministry is richer tlisn this; has if
not In ITS favor all tie journals, publicly pur-
chased, at greater less sum- ACCORDING tn
the rise or TALL OF consciences. But are minis
tiers allowed TO be ignorant of the laws thew arc
commanded to execute? If they had studied
little more closely those Which are to punish the
crimes OF the press, they would have seen that
the censorship was only placed eventually for
case SO rare, FOR case SO important, that, in all
ordinary cases, the exercise of this censorsbin
renders impractlcable some articles of these
same laws, so far was il from the thought of the
legislature to make this censorship the common
regulation, and tue customary law Bv. the
terms oil the l TN article of the law of HJarc,,
70, io2Z, have right to reply to every thing
SAID against me in public journal; but If The
censor has permitted me to be attacked and ho
WIN not permit the insertion of INV defence: If
mere is any thing in my reply which merits his
red-ink erasurc, there is then
an an, article OF the law which cannot be executed
what ought TO do' Shall | prosecute the ro
sponsibe Editor He will send me TO the Con
sor, and the Censor to the Government. can
not oring minister to trial but by a decree of
the council OF State. 1t results, then. that 7
am caiuinniated without any power of provino,
that 1t IS calumDy. The oath is violated ami
cannot have recourse to the tribunals ~ Inch
are themselves paralyzed by the exercise of :,
power IN n judicial matter, which il extra lepal
The censorship is, of itself, destructive of all
constitutional government. But, besides the
principles OF the act, there is tue form: and the
form IS something among civilized peopJc thouo,h
it is known we do not think il of great imroT,
ancc.
HOW quickly was 1T done; there was no firno
10 appoint a commission; and as some trufb
might IN ~ hours, have been published. 10 the
hanger OF the monarchy, it was necessary to send
all the Journals taken in the E,ct of Ebert,
TO the police. What an evil. had
,hey been allowed to write single word on tho
aw establishing the Censorship. They were
-hefeiore nysteriously curtailcd at the hotel of
nc Ponce-by an lndivisible hand, perhaps that
d ratet nc citdD1bre. An unknown INITIATED
At night, the thought of the master he had SER
"a IN The morning; and this for the greater sec,-
rity Of the ministers.
w { snail Tor ever be ignorant how This holy
'"ice Oh spies was composed; who we're APP
loih!eu 10 decide on the orthodoxy of Constitt1
ionai doctrines. But were things done legally
N TINS point The first article of the civil code
'ayS Inc laws shall be executed in each part
d inc Kingdom, from the moment when the pro |
huigatloD OF them can be known. The pro- !
IL. L.. II L..