Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-09-30
RIoHNr oND, SEPT. so.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.

fdymonds Elements OF Political Economy, o!
the tert book Of the neto political shcool.
The practical government of &c this Urion'--far
ahead of the fundamental laws of this u
nion.''
The author having asserted the right Of the pub
nc, to every piece oil property in the nation; and
The right OF the government to take it at pleasure
from the private owner for the public good; pro-
ceeds'o give the sanctions OF this sovereign go
right, in the following words:
Page 203, Pol 2d.--s' Individual RICH, TO pro-
perty is never absolute, but ALWAYS relative ana
conditional there is such thing as perfect abso-
lutte right, but in those things which are the gift
OF nature; such as life, liberty, strength, talents,
personal beauty, &c. Tie right 10 property is
merely conventional, conditional; subject to
such regulation as may be made respecting it, with
a view to the general interests Of the whole ma
ton"
L9gain, pages 20i, c05.-" II individual right
70 property absolute. government ould have
no right to take individuals property from
linn Tor any purpose whatever. The Public has
no right 10 deprive man of his life, his liberty,
his talents, his strength, his personal beauty any
other gilt OF nature, merely for the public good;
and that for the plainest reason in the world, be-
cause he does not derive any sf these from The
public. They the gifts of his Creator; ard he
alone has right to deprive him of them. n o man,
or body of men has right to take them from him,
unless they have been forfeited by some crime.
Upon the same principle that God has a iisht to
deprive OF health sad life, government has
might TO deprive him OF his properly. The former
Is the bounty of God, and held subject his will:
the latter is the bounty OF tie government, and
held subject to its will. But for the social COM
pact could have exclusive right to any
spot of this earth. The right ofproperty is there
fore, conventional right; and the public grants no
TUE 70 property IN derogation OF the public wea''
Ii cannot escape Observation, that the author
here uses the words, - naion,' 60 public" and
gov ernment," convertible terms. His first
position is, tina, 81 a nation is unity" and pos
sesses all rights, interests, and possessions. Then,
the public has right 10 all private property:--
aud now, the " government has the same rights
At one time, {" government was only the head of
the nation. 1t is now both head and tail. Ii is
also body and mbs.~~It is in essence, the nation
personiied.-The terms 50 na,ion,' and govern
ment. have been heretofore defined. The term
public" may now be defined the whole people of
nation, without including its territory. The wri-
ter would like to know, even upon the hypothesis,
that the nation possesses all rights. Sc. and the c-
tizen no rights; how the go, came by the
whole oftbe nations rights? since the gov ernment
is only constituent part of nation, s. very small
constituent part thereof. Not even the head of The
nation. The people are its head IL is only an
integral part In its proper sphere. If any rights
have been conferred upon the government, partic-
ulary upen the government of this Union, by
ton OF the u. S. or in other words; the federal
compact OF the people of the u. S. associated In
the several states. The preamble declaring, that
this constitution formed g for the United
States Of AMERICA The constitution. therefore
must be looked TO, for all rights belonging TO the
general government. II is remarkable, that in all
e sources OF power, resored to by the author. for
''e organization and investure of his NATIONAL,
government +" one and IndivisibIe;'' he has mn,
once mentioned the Constitution of the III s Z, III
whole work, as the legitimate source of its deriv,
'oh' IL The nation" Possesses al! rights, inter-
ests and possessions; ard the public,' everv
piece OF property in the nation; surely the "po.
VTnment being only very small mar, of eber
cahhot become invested with the whole rights in
'e'es.s' and possessions of both without son,a
transfer from them; and where is the evidence of
'''is transfer! There is none, except the funda-
,.e. 'aws-the social compacts--the state con-
sututions, and the federal constitution so far nc !,
partakes OF the social character Accn,J;ns -
. 70 'he fundamental laws of the American peopIe.
'he government OF 90 this Union'' derives an H.
po"ers rom the people, previously associated. IN
oei the common social coinpacts of the sey.,,t
states; but according to the author, the Amercsr
peoPie derive all their rights to property from the
bounty oil the government OF sc this Union ,, H.
MN =, IN MS own words: Upon the same nr;nrinI.
mat God has right to deprive man Of beal,h "a
i'c' gov eminent has right to deprive him of nj.
P'opeity. Ihe forlner Is the bounty of God ana
heid SUBJECT to his will The latter is The hn,.,-
o. ,he government, and held subject 10 its Wills
reho",ci'izens, what think you of this elemen,a,v
p eP ~ would not be worth thought. Il
confined TO the fanatical author. RI, -, n, -
you OF IT. when appreciated ard adopt ed b, = whaIs
political sect! What think YOU of i, ,yhoa ~,
sect has become fashionable and nredon;n.,''s
" nat th'nk you OF 1t, IN connection with he nra.
.ca measures OF the present adnib istratior, WI.
MINK you oil II, when the present atrnin;s,,a,;o,
,tl " 'ie writer 10 have bottomed itself upon
,i'; SECT ana upon Its doctrines, for support2 In
,;"s @ 70 " NOT worth your attentive considera-
''on' ana practical counteraction, A. /, e.,
seehs, tlat the government Of this IJn;o,. ,, =
ooun'eousy granting out all property to tho ;n,r,
oudi cltizens, to be held subject to iis viii 49,.
'o' pe wen 10 enquire, whence did the eoveYnn,.n,
d tnis Union" get all this property, WI
was all inns property before there existed either ,b
'oseinn'en' Oh ms Union,'' or any other gov
' '""' ever mu exist! Man existed before
governments. God made man; and man ,na,Ia
'efhmenis What, then, became of proner, F.
ore governments were made? 1t surely beIo,ses
0 man. IL was the gift of his Col 40 %
ms creation Tic was then in his native mo, -
Is governmental state. If the eover,r,.n, 20
'n's Onion' therefore, or any other eova,n,nao.
ossess rights oil property any other rights H.,
- ue'Neu rom man, IN some form or o,ber
Oelng the original owner, in his native cb.s...v
ON his creation. II there were not 30 s,''a, sS's
'nai property then, there is now ,bero per
a." 'no-here were as much gold, silver an5
n.' ihe'alhc ores The trees and fruits o5 a.
:, '' o1as'S OF 'he forests, fowls of the air sr1
W oil The water. To whom, did all ,bese o a1
'"SS oeIohs' before the formation OF eovernnsn,S
aey' 10 man IN his native original cbarsc,s,
,,', -; my were mel CUTS OF God, TO man, at and
- ,, '"uon' t1ere, the author, either never
wing thought of these obvious fact. -. never never
istaken the proper application nj a. '"6