The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1829-07-18
Vol. /!

DlIy, no patrician or privileged claSSes,merN ana
talent alone command peculiar respect and bestow SUI
penor influence. And in no country on the face of
the earth is the noble sentiment that honor is due to
intellect alone and be, with proprety, paid to
nothing else, sensbly felt and generally acted
upon than here
| That-our form of government is decidedly the best
known, and, in all probability, the best practicable
cannot be disputed, nor | think for moment
doubted. Man here and almost here only, occupies
that place in the scale of creation for which nature
designed him. BY her law all men free and equal
and, accordance with it, no authority pos
sessed by any rulers except what was delegated to
them by the people. Monarchs, therefore, have al
ways obtained and held their unlimited power, either
in consequence of the deprayy, corruption and igno
rance of the people, or by usurpation With us theH
the doctrine of the divine right of kings, is entire
ly obsolete-we Admit no form of government to be
lawful and consistent with and nature but such
is regulated and controlled by constitution, which
can only be g delineated by the mighty hand OF The
people, establishing certain first principles and funds
mental truths containing their permanent viii and
being the supreme law of the and.''
A distinguished French author SAYS, the Judicial
power is sure criterion by which TO judge of the good
ness of government" How pure and perfect then,
does ours appear when contpased with that of other
nations Conscious of his rights and of the security
he enjoys, by the liberal and wholesome laws of his
| country has an American citizen done wrong He
knows the character of his Judges and the limits Of his
punishment lis he innocent he feels that power
earth crush him. For the contrast to this has
tily sketched picture turn your eyes, for moment to
any of the despotc governments of the old world to
Spain or Portugal, for example land there behold the
subject possessing security and therefore but lit
tie enoyment-nrowlihg amid the darkness of perpet-
ual terrorthe rack, the dungeon the scaod inces-
sanity floating before his terrified fancy and shrinking
from his fellow man, with dstrust and suspicion, be-
ne fears to be accused knowing as he does that
accusation is equivalent to guilt
| Our laws, as already said, uniform and equal
enacted for the of the few and the oppression
of the many but still they defectve,-they
too vouminous. complex and incomprehensble. And
our common law being that of the nation whose hea-
Wy chains once bound us, is often napplicable to
peculiar situation, and allows, therefore, of too much
latitude of construction. And if system of iuris-
prudence had but the fault ought not to be abol
ished, because is not aationaI 1t has long appear
ed to me that in this respect we have shown
subseryience to and dependence Great Britain
Why have we not framed code of civil and criminal
laws, which, like glorious constitution, might serve
as model of excellence, and to prove to the world
that had achieved mental well as political
independence Have we not the talents, knowledge
and virtue to effect this object required as is by our
national character Assuredly we have, and we may
confidently hope that many more years roll away
will be accomplished.
Another subject, and one of even more importance,
requires on this occasion, at least, passing notice.
alude to the heaviest crime with which, as nation,
we can be reproached-African Slavery Ito say no.