Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-08-06

language that 1t is bard lot any man 10 feach ING
distinguished elevation ia which you have aiaheui
without having made his LIS familiar with II. Your
bigk tslenls sf may lave exempted you nom the
necessity Of this prostitution OF yourself 10 fhleai
preindce. Bur # youfa has been tie common loi
political asfanis IS anls one OF ie ihanY poo's
that nigh be offered, that even among ourselves
our Justly baasied freedom IS not quue SO Fefieet III
practice as In theory The authority oi opinion IS
rood thing but when II extends 10 The control OF
opinion ITSELF IL petpetfates n SORT OF spieide' p"'
,uu are too familiar with the jniPfudenee Of our pa
rent country mol know. that with civil INSTITUTIONS
fa less plausible than our own, with Constitution
strikiuply deficient in that theoretical symmetry
which charaetetilos ours, aud with many great ana
essential faults IN their system personal hDerty Is
not less secure the people oil England ilan 10 us
that the laws which protect against violence anu ca
lumny are much more ngidy enforced, aud mat
property Is surrounded by safeguards. established by
law aud fortified by opinion, OF an eileacy lar supe-
fior To any thing Of the Kind enjoyed by US II mas
been proudly sad. "thai the house OF an English
man is his Castle" However humble, however con
fncd however mean, the boyel that he plehses TO
call his home. is still his Castle. II may be open 10
all the elements; the rains oil heaven may drench us
lowly hearth. and every blast inay sweep ireely
through IT, but TuE kiNo CANNOT ENrfn IT THE
KING DARE sor ENrER ir. How far Your own man
sion Is thus secure from the unwelcome intrusion Of
your dusty footed Sovereign, is best known to your
sell. licre again your commanding taleHs may
have afforded you exemption from TIE common
lot. They nay have enabled you to insist on ING
free enjoyment OF all your rights on the regulation
Of yuur domestic economy, aud on the choices OF
/ ,ourcompan1, without any Loss Of popularity II so,
Sir, this is but one more OF the blessings heaven 5
bounty has bestowed upoa you, which may well
be the subject Of envy 10 those less happily en-
dowcd.
Bur. whether more or less OF liberty be found, un
der tho seemingly unfrlendly forms oi the Engnsh
Government, there is certainty enough 10 mahc 1t an
interesting speculation, tn enquire, "how II got
there" In lis original form there certainly was
nothing Of II. OF all the wars that have stained lhai
land with blood, not one was fought on 51aali OF
Liberty. They were all the sriies Of Ambition
tending with Ambition. The tiiumphs OF Freedom
have all been pacific. Her charters bave never been
sealed with blood. Her Tnle-deeds are all in the
language of coGtcssion, free aud unconstiained
What was there in the atmosphere OF that Island
lhat power should there assume character so pa
cable SO easy 10 be cnueated so gentle aud com
plyngl Such was not the temper OF her stern Edwards
and Gercef llenrys. Their concessions were indeed
enforced, but they were not unpurchased. In every
instance they may be traced 10 the want OF money
aud appear 10 have been rendered necessary by the
acknowledged right Of the people TO withhold supplies
/ The existence of this night in the absence OF
every other, is curious but nnque,lloned iact 1t
Is the more Interesting, because, on inquiry we trace
its origin that very fiction of law, which made the
King the sole absolute proprietor Of the tauds of the
Kingdom. THIS, then, became the fund from
The price AT once aud the CONDITION OF his service.
In this way the clam of the sub 10 the unfcsiialn
ed enjoyment of his land, became cniwned WITH the
yery idea oil his allcgauc aud, rs the best trained
meiCcuaries will muiuy tor want OF pay 81 the stern
est teudd ehettain dared not dispute the tne OF his
lcudaioiy to his land, disturb him ia tie enjoy
mcnt Of it fruits Those IN that early day, consti-
iutcd the whole wealth Of the realm and Illus 1t
that property, which elsewhere has fallen unre-
+ sstlng prey TO power, was rendered sacfad by tho
very maXns on winch power was based. The ccrc-
mouiM which acknowledged the authority Of the
chief ratified the title OF his ieudatory. koeelmg
at the feet Of his lord he spuked with the very
amounting which CO sccmledhls superior.
Is it not edif ing, sir, 10 observe in tbs how var
ant are theory and practice, and how causes, deep
seated in the nature of things Will work their appro
platc results IN spite Of human constitutions, how
ever stern and unbcnding, This single ugh, APP
patcully SO helpless, SO Inviting to lapacity, and so
utterly At It's mercy acquired sanctlly by time
which 1t impaired to all property, and, when com
mcrce aud manufactures brought increase OF wealth,
wealth paid the ransom Of all other iehts and pur
chased complete acknowledgements from awesq
power Reverse the case. sir, and the history of
the bloody but Impoteut struggles FOR freedom IN
all other countries, gives the result.
There is principle OF the Constitution OF Eng
land, which has been moCc studied by American
Statesmen than that of which have spoken. None
has been bette, understood. To none were we more
indebted Tor the just apprehension OF our colonial
rights, and for the sympathy of the ab'est of the
English Wings II was ON these principles that
The Fathers Of our Liberties, and founders oil our IN
situations took their stand against arbitrary power.
They found them registered IN ancient records,
+ aud preserved in modern forms. They saw that while
the statutes OF the British patliment purpuit to be
enacted by the King Lords and Commons y. the
Realm, the tax bills, rs they are called declare that
The LotdS and Commons do gre and Grant to the
t King a certain revenue. They AT once inferred
from this, that if the k'0g bad right To take what