Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-06-23

biin from his ancestors, and which his parliamens
| were visibly encroaching on, there is no reason
why ne may not be esteemed a very virtuous
prince and entirely worthy Of trust from his peo-
| pie. Note &C. G. Sc.
"That the letter Of the law as much as the most
flaming court sermon, inculcatcs passive obedi-
ence, is apparcnt and though the spirit Of limit
ed government seems 10 require, in extraordinary
cases, some mitigation OF so rigorous doctrine,
IL must be confessed, that thS preceding genius Of
the English Constitution had rendered mistake in
this particular very natural and cxcusable. 81.
CHI. 1. "lt is seldom, that the people gain any
thing by revolutions in government c. So "Tiic
Commons established Principle, which is ncble
IN itself and seems specious, but is belied by all
history and experience, that the people are the
. origin Of all Just poicer," C. 80. "Government
is Instituted in order TO restrain the fury and the
injustice OF the people; and being always founded
on opinion, not force, it is dangerous TO weaken,
by these speculations, the reverence which the
multitude owe to authority, and TO instruct them
before hand that the case can ever happen when
they may be freed from, their duty of allie isuce
or, should ii be found impossible TO restrain the Ii
cense Of human disquisitions, il must be acknowl-
edged that the doctrine OF obedience ought alone
to be incuIcated, and that the exceptions, which
are rare, ought seldom or never TO be mentioned
in popular reasonings and discourses." c. 80. ga
midst the passions and prejudices of that period,
that he [Cromweill should prefer the parliamen,a-
ry to the legal cause, will not appear extraordinary,
since, at present. some men OF sense s. knowl-
regard TO the justice of the quarrel, may be re
garded doubtful and uncertain" C. 6l sub fine.
In a debate, in the House of Commons, March
Pr, 1924, Sir James Mcintosh quotes Burke as
having said in some Speech 81 believe shall all
come to think, at last, with Mr.. Hume, that
an absolute monarchy is not so bad thing as we
supposed Globe, March "a, 1924"
In offering the preceding extracts, which Mr..
Jefferson has grouped together for the sake OF max
ing the authors political tenets more fragrant and
q 10 4 "a mas
marks
The principle here exhibited by Hume, taken
in connexion with his unquestioned partially for
the house of Stuart, have excited vehement oppo-
s,ion TO his history of that Inflated among the
friends OF civil liberty in this country well as
England, notwithstanding the admiration they
could not but feel for the beauties OF his style and
his just and profound views of men and things.
Nay, these very charms of his diction and philoso-
ply served but TO heighten the hostility TO his his.
tory, from the influence they would naturally ex-
ert in recommending acts Of tyranny s. arbitrary
principles OF government to his readers. who are
thus made to swallow poison and to believe il as
Wholesome as il is palatable. They have there
fore long wished to a well written history OF
this important era in English annals, which would
counteract Hume's political principles by refuting
his constitutional doctrines, and proving him mis-
taken in his facts. 1t was by this feeling that Mr.
Fox was induced to undertake the history which
he never lived TO fnish-that Goodwin and Sir
James Mcintosh have also, rs we are told, been
long engaged in similar undertakings-and that
Brodie, in the work he has lately published, has
laboured so diligently to shew the W ant of au,hen-
ITCHY in Humes statements.
MIR. Jefferson, who sensitive 20 every
thing that seemed to have the least bearing on the
cause OF human freedom, partook largely Of the
same feeling. He even once entertained doubts
about letting Hume's History hold a place i'm the
University library; and he never failed, when an
occasion presented itself, 10 his youthful ac-
quaintance OF its dangerous heresies, and 10 re-
commend, as its antidote, the work of Brodie by
whom he used to say Hume had been 'pulreris cd'
This opposition 10 Hume has acquired force in
England from circumstance which has no appli-
cation with us. In that country precedent has great
weight IN determining the principles of an ancient s.
unwrltten Constitution as well as i'm the admins
tration OF justice. Both the Wings and Tories,
therefore, endeavour to support their severa, views
OF the English Constitution, by past examples; and
history acquires with them AN additional interes.
from its bearing the political struggles Of the
day. A natural consequence Of this interest is
that it often Influences men in the Interpretation
OF such historical facts doubtful or obscure
and even in their estimation of the historians
themselves.
But the is Otherwise in this country,
where the fundamental principles Of government
are not founded on precedent and usage, but Oh
the Interests OF the people, indicated by their
will, and where il is held that every generation
has the right, as well as the power, 10 make its
own laws, whether primordial or municipal We
may, therefore, and ought 10 take the same cool
and dispassonate views of these disputes about the
ancient Constitution of England az of those he
tween the Patrician & Piebeian orders OF the Ro-
man Republic; and we may admit the weight of
argument to be on either side, without concedng
any thing uniavourable to popular rights.
Besides, we are not only exempt from the bias
arising from the supposed force of precedent but
our political principles are incuicated in so many
thousand ways-thcy have been taught us from
our earliest iniancy-and we are so accustomed to
see them In daily and benehcent operation, that
with most oil our citizens, Hume political ieueis
however specousy recomme nded rnnst he alto
gether innoxous; and although we do not wonder
that Mr.. Jefferson should have continued fo feel
approximations that were well founded in his early
lie, IN the same way az fond mother who has
been alarmed for the safety OF her infant offspring,
IL ever afterwards alive to The dread of the same
danger, yet we must think that his fears are un-
founded, and that our youth may safely read
Humes History, and profit by his profound sagaci.
ty, IN tracing events from their 6rst causes 10
their remote effects; his accurate determinations
between semblance and truth; his thorough pene-
ration into the motives Of human conduct and the
inimitable case and beauty of his STYLE, without
any danger OF being contaminated by his princi-
pies of government, which, with the saferna,Js
that have been mentioned, they would hold TO be
detesable, if they did not perceive them to be abb
surd. "
From the ". Y Morning Coviey.1
WALKING CANE.--ODe OF the handsome st
hickory walking canes we remember TO have
seen for some time past, has been sent 10 the Pre-
sident by Isaac Anderson, fisherman, of Wash.
ipgton Market. Isaac got possession Of massive
piece Of the old CheueduE de Fyizs, sunk al West
Point, by the wings in '76, which came up, we
suppose, among the fishing poles in the river The
wood being perfectly sound, ne bad cane turned
aud silver mounted, and sent it with the following
letter to the PRESIDENT
NV YoRK, 18th May, 1920.