Southern telegraph., 1836-08-09
No. ao.--WROle We. lsos

ne cOunTyj seems 10 nave Qecineos unut
there is color for the assertion, that the parts
Of our government and structure Of cur po-
iitical system adhere together, as much
from the habitudes Of the people, as from
its intrinsic power to perpetuate It's exist
ence, and to cause its legitimate authority
to be duly Obeyed and respected.
This notion, groundess as It is, has been
productive of much mischief; its universal
diffusion has robbed the laws Of their pro;
per support, and disposed the people to sur
render up their government to popular tu
mu!ts, and is officers to contumeIy and
reproach. Thus, sinking ourselves in the
estimation Of other countries, and hlmbling
US in our own, under the assumed weakness
and inferiority of our institutions.
Not only on us, will the evils Of our own
errors and misapprehensions fall, but they
will extend alike to all who are embarked
in the cause Of republican governments, and
even to remote regions, who can only sees
though they hope vet to feel. the bright
flame of liberty that is burning through our
territories and republics.
Foreign journals are already begir.....us
to comment upon the popular disturbances
of this country; with an invidious eve, they
watch for the defects of our systems, and
seek in every symptom of popular dsquiot
for arguments TO uphold their own arbitrary
measures of government, and for signs that
shadow forth speedy downfall of republics.
These lamentable consequences are not JUS
tiled by facts, but are the result Of public
error.
The government Of the state of Mississippi
pi is neither unwise in its form, unsound in
its principles, nor defective in a harmonious
cooperation of its parts. lis code &C laws
may compare with the jurisprudence Of even
older members of our great federal union.
Our penal laws denouncing crime are adapt
ed TO our recent existence as a state govern
moni, and to a rapidly populating country
Our state, traversed and bordered for seve-
raj hundred miles by the Mississippi river.
subjects it to the influx Of a various popaIa-
tion-to meet these exigencies, your crimi-
nal laws have-been sharpened with keen
ness and tempered with a severity almost
unparalleled in the penal codes of nations,
not like Draco's, written in blood, but your
statutes are more sanguinary in their inhic-
tons, and necessarily SO perhaps, than are
the criminal laws Of any of our sister repab-
lies.
What crime is not denounced, under ade-
quate penalties? What injury, either in a
civil orvcriminal shape, is not promptly re-
meded ~ the laws, and restitution or pun
ishmenk awarded according to the circum-
stances pf the case2
Mississippi has judiciary system, for
the simplicity Of its plan, and the principle
Of its arrangements as it stands in theory is
unsurpassed by that of any other government,
The distribution of the judicial power
unites all excellence that the experience of
ages, and the sagacity Of man can furnish
for such objects. 1t parcels out the jurIs-
diction among sufficient number Of inferi-
or courts, and places upon the apex one
appellate tribunal to look down upon the
systems revolving beneath it in order to re-
tain them within their legal orbits. Minis
ters of the law, and court apparatus are pro
vided to the usual extent t0pnt tho system
into efficient operation. Our tribunals thus
organised regularly SIT for the adrninistra-
ton of Justice.
What then, it may be asked is the ground
work of all the popular clanOr? 1t IS be-
lievod thar it hOsno real foundation! A few
instances Of signal escape frompunishment,
by great offenders, which grew,not oilto four
system, but arose mainly from the non-ob-
servance of the fornalties Of the jury law
of 1880, have given apparent eauses Of
complaint to our citizens The scanses of
the failure Of certain prosecutions. in time.
past, not being palpable and visible to tie
public eye, they naturally attributed it to
the rottenness OF our institutions although
the laws denounced those very crimes and
had carefully provided every means for tri-
al and punishment, yet the laws were Sc
yerely anInadycrted upon asdefectiYe and
insufficient, and in the midst Of popuIur !
clamor, those who deserve, cscapa the pub
lie reprehensoin
The charge Of insuaieicncy has been re-
bounded, and re-ecliped from.side TO side
Of our state until the tribunals have been IN
danger of becoming what they have been
represented. These reiterated assaults
have tIken'ffom the laws and It's oficerstlie
aid and support Of the people. This cause
uniting with a lax moralloneofthe comnunis
ty, have pcCasioned greater portion Of the
inischiels under which we I,bors
Apart from here and thore errors which
public tnnctionaries may Be expected to
commit, and which may be set down to It's
imperfeetion Of man. 1 believe that this
stale 81 Jistrust ofour laws and government;
have been produced by tho people dienis
selves and their iinrnedlatc peace officers.
IfeFery yiolatof Of theIaw; if every pevpe.
traitor Of acrime was Immediately pursued:
andarested BY the citizals who witness
these things or by the officers Of Justice
who see or hear oEihe outrage crime would
IN a great measure disappear and TIC con-
hdence ofthe community would Be restored,
| yot fhat Il L. fS.,e tf.lf ff.A.s Z.