Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-26

and ii mine, my neighbours. And ii ne can do
this m any shape or to any extent, he may levy
contribution on all who are within the reach OF
his sword, and enforce it at the point of the bayo-
net. IL Government has not provided support for
its armies, shall they live on the People and rnea-
sure their :. hts by the length of their swords:
L; is Ia practice than the evies of ship-,no-
ncy under the race CT the Stunrts There was al
least the consolation there that the warrant came
from the hand eft civil officer Of the Governments
but with us we should find the authority of the
precept in the name Of an Adiutant General The
Stuarts only called III the soldery when the spirit
OF an English freeman resisted the claim; but we
should firmly realize our slavery by finding the
Savonct at our doors. The King of England with
all his army at Houns!ow, and all his navy at
London Bridge, would not dare 70 execute an order
tor impresSment of private property in the city OF
London. 1.-THE Minister should assert such a pre-
roga'lve in the House of Commons, he could not
hold his place an hour; and the sovereign who
should dare TO maintain him in it, would not wear
ms crown day. lthas already been tried in
England. ms doctrine cost the FIRST Stuart his
head-the last his crown--and the indignant spi-
rit .oi England drove him vasabond 20 the Co.
ntinent, TO beg his bread at the Courts of Europe.
The doctrine that unlimited power might be as
suihcd Tor purposes OF public utility, was the max
I'm oil James III. and this monarch went one step in
that path OF tyranny beyond the examples that he
found IL the days of the Roman Republic. The
Consul sometimes coniryed 10 invest himself with
the same power, but he always took the precoution
TO obtain IL under the form OF a Decree of the SCI
Eato. The English despot took it without con-
suiiing hls Parliament at all. 1t was aboutthe lat
Trend oil the days OF the Roman Republic, that the
maxim sprung up; that has been thrown out on this
iioor. heard it once offered before, in another
place, where IT became my professional duty &c
notice it. Silent icgeS inter orn,a Il is worth an
inquiry, III any Government that prctends to free
dom, t. trace this sentiment TO its origin. Ii is
not to be found in the English Common Law, and
WIN never be sanctioned in this country until we
have nothing left that is worth protecting. Itwas
ilrst aYowcd under the ConSUship of Pompey-
then become sole Consul, and virtually Dictator
The time OF this Ccnsulship, in which this conye-
nlent maxim was ilrst started is deserving of some
attention. He was sole Consul ONLY four wears be-
fore he was himself assassinated, and eight wears
before the Iriuuvirdte of Antony, Lepidus and
OctaVius Caesar was established-thc same patriot
&c iriuinyiratc that partitioned the Roman power
among themselves. Octavius Cesar took the West
Antony the East, and Lepidus took italy for their
shares OF the Government. This celebrated CON
splracy against the liberties of Rome was success
July maintained until they quarreIed among them
selves IN the distribution Of the SPOIL and the mos,
ambitious OF them all, defeated his last copaiiot al
tie battle OF Actiim, and established the Augusan
dynasty on the ruins of the Republic. Surely,
Dir, there is nothing in the character of the times
III which this maxim started, that recommends
1t very n ghiy to our imitation here. Its first in
ccpuon Is to be found III the Grafton of Cicero In be.
hali OF Milo; and there were circumstances in
tat celebrated trial. (Which took place in the year OF
Pompeys sole Consulship) that arc worth our notice
TOO, when we are about 10 try the value Of such a
sentiment in free country. Milos trial was moi
had before the Pretor, under the ordinary laws
OF Rome. Pompey created tribunal for the sole
purpose. IL was Of the nature of a Special Com.
mission, and the friends of Clodius, whose favor
Ponpey courted, were gratited with the trial OF
Milo under this new form of Justice in that Com
monwealth. The whole proceeding was a scanda-
lp tri4l IL
Judgment rendered under ca past Iacto ordi-
nance The Hall, too, was filed by the sodiery
which had been stationed around the seats of the
Judges. The Soldcry-which Cicero, in that o.
rahon quaiiins under the power, If not the eve OF
PomPey, PuSiilanimously alluded to by the less Of
ienslVe name OF comitGtuS--Gftendants- he
designated the whole proceeding by the mere cow
aTdiy terms RODi iudicii nora foT1ld the
advocate apoiogized TO the minions of power whom
nc addressed, for his embarrassment in the pre-
sence of the soldery that surrounded them. II
was on that occasion and in such a situation, be.
lore such tribunal, and in times like those that
instead oil denouncing the whole proceeding as =
disgrace upon the Republic, h basely flattered
the ear oil Pompcy with scnn ent that is truly
grateful to the car OF every tyrant-!Si{ent [eges
inter anna. Deservedly as we NAV admire him
as an orator and scholar his cowardicc as an adyo
cate has left an indeible reproach upon his memo
ry. He baseiy truckled to the power of Penney.
when he was perhaps the only man that could have
reused the Roman People from tue lctharnv that
pTecedes de5potiSIn every where. He shrunk from
ms duty, as recreant-and, afraid 10 follow Pom
Pey, OF TO oppose Caesar, he fed from Rome, and
iel victim; at last, to the very Triumvirae that
put his principles into practice; and, when oyerta-
ken by the eniiisaFes Of Antony, who prescribed
him, meanly thrust out his head from his caTri1 ore
and tltuoly bowed his neck to receive the st,0ke
OF his assassin. The execrable despotism that fol
lowed, Is the best commentary that history can fur
nish to illustrate this maxim, by which tyranny
has sustained itself every where; and when tlle
People Of this country shall be prepared to tolerate
II here, they will have become the tit VassaIs of the
first imperial dcspot that will consent to disgrace
his newborn dynasty by condescendia,, to rule O.
yer such set of dcbased and ignoniious slaves
10 be COHtiHted)