North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-07-31
AR EFT v.

~
The citizens Of Rochester, much to their
credit, are taking measures 10 procure the
release of Mr.. Mackenzie from a RepubIi.
can dungeon. They petition Van Buren,
IN the following words:
TO The President ofMe United STATES.
SiR.-We the subscribers. inhabitants of
Rochester and its vicinity, in the State Of
new 1oFk, present ourselves before the
Chiel Magistrate Of the Nation. with the
freedom and respect Of Republican Citizens
20 ask favor. Ii is, that William
macAenzie may be discharged from the
me and Imprisonment imposed upon him,
last month, by tie Circuit Court of the
United States held at Canandaigua. and
restored 10 the open air Of Heayer--tbe
loYlnl embraces Of his famIy-and n free
intercourse with his feow-men. We
make this application without the solicjta-
tion, or even knowledge, of Mr.. Macken-
1ie and we make it in the full belief. thai
no pubic detriment can possibly arise from
its being granted.
We are friends Of liberty and of inst
laws Tor its security. And we Weld IA
none, m our regard for the faithful admin
is'faton OF such laws, by the proper Judi.
cial tribunals. But we are deeply i'm
pressed with the idea, that it is indispensa-
Die 10 Tree government, that the laws
should be SO interpreted, in all cases. rs to
upho,d the great rights of individuals con-
iefred upon them BY higher authority than
shst OF man. We admit, that emergencies
occasionally arise, in the domestic affairs
OF states, and between Nations, impera-
u'eiy requiring the high interpostion of
government, and which are of nature tn !,
render It extremely difficult thus 20 frame d
and interpret the laws. In such emerpen- q
c'es, the interests of freedom would he in a
imminent jeopardy, were no discretion .
somewhere lodged, for their preservation 0
ny~our constitution place is consecrated u
10 such discretion And we look 10 Won b
Or. as tilng that place. II
The transactions into which !, beo., n
ne duty OF the Circuit Court 10 eponire o
we're much perplexed, and very multifa. +
ioas' Respectable men in Upper Canada IT
'au long been disconnected with The gov e
ol that Colony, aud sought nea. "
eaoiy 10 reform it.-Their ATTEMPTS led &C
my 10 stretches OF power rendering 70. 4,
orm more difficult, and at the same limo o.
loFe necessary. The consequences vere ~
might have been expected, a great ex y
Itement oil ierocious & vindictive passions In
The part of oppression, and the mos,
liense resolution OF resistance on the M. r,
The oppressed. These passions and re- n
buttons began the work Of devastation A,
20 oioodshed, which soon drove NJ y,
lacHenAe to our shores. About the time mn
nus arrival, men, women, and children M,
&c fragments OF families broken IN ana n,
'anng oil the marks Of misery upon them no
Scept The Will 10 submit 10 their o,n,as -:
fs-were driven, by the same csuses 5ron, AZ
! NE settled parts Of Canada inc on, ~
laeeni territories, and our whole nortb. r. :
D frontier was lighted up by sndde, 40,
axe o. generous sympathy. An observe. -,
N OF present scenes. all recollec,;ons ~ -,
81 scenes, served only TO quicken ana ~ ~
ID these sympalhies. Mr. Narlan,:. - =
IS welcomed with unlimited en,hps;asae , 20
one OF The leading representative, ~ er , ~,
liberty, and he was encouraged n ~ So;
i thai what he witnessed in feeling ana -,
at he heard uttered Of principle and ny,- Sd
e, with The means spontaneonslv a. -.
nulallng endet his eve, would 500, 49,, -
u h'm back 70 triumph to his former re- = -
snce, aud assist al least, in making he ~
h'fy one o! the most honored dweIlino srI
'es OF human rights upon earth. II tsm,