Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-11-27

protect their lives, their liberes and their properties
But the question does not turn either on the wisdom
Of the Constitution the policy which gave rise Il
its particular organization. II turns on the acua
meaning Of the Instrument: by which il has appeared
that power the press is clearly excluded; from
the number Of powers delegated to the Federal Go
vernmcnt
3 And in the opinion of the Committee, well may j
be sad the resolution concludes with saying tina
the unconstitutional power exercised the press by
the "Sedition Act ought 'smore than any other, t.
produce universal Alarm because it is leveed agans
that right of freely examining public characters ant
measures, and of free communication among the peo
" pie thereon, which has been justly deemed the
" only efiectna guardian of every other right"
Without scrutinzing infinitely into all the provisions
Of the "Scdition Act it will be sufficient to cite s,
much Of section 3 follows: "And be it further enact
" ed, that if any person shall wri,c print utter pub
" lsli, shall cause or procure to be written printed
" uttered or published, shall knowingly and willing
assist or aid in writing printing uttering publish
Z" ing any false scandalous and malicious writing o.
" writings against the Government of the IT, S, or eli
Their House of the Congress of the L. States, the
" President of the United States v an intent 10 de
" fame the said Gorern,aent either House Of M
/" sad Congress, the President, II bring them OF
" either Of them into contempt disrspue or TO
" cite against them, or either, or any Of them, the ha
" tired Of the good people Of the United States, &c
i" Then such person being Mereof conrcied Lfore
" Court Of The United States, hae:ng Jurisdiction thereof
" shaHbe panishrdby fine not ereeeding t.co Mousaat
Goars ard Gu Imprisonment net erceedng ttco years
On this part of the act the following observation
present themselves
l. The Constitution supposes that The President, The
Congress, and each of its Houses, may not discharge
their trusts either from defect ofyudgmcn,, olhe
causes. Hence, they NIL made responsible to the
constituents, al the returning periods of election ant
the Pres lent, who is sngy entrusted with very great
powers, is, further guard subjected to an inter
mediate i'm parchment.
2 Should it happen, as the Constitution supposes il
may happen, that either of these branches of the Go
yernment may not have duly discharged its trust; ii is
natural and proper that according the cause and de
gree of their faults they should be brought into con
tempt or dsrepue, and incur the hatred Of the people
g. Whether il has, in any case, happened that the
proceedings of either all Of those branches evnce:
such violation of duty to justify contempt dis
epu,e or hatred among the people, can only be deter
mined BY free examination thereof, and free com
munication among the people thereon.
A. Whenever it may have actually happened, thai
proceedings ofths sort chargeable all or either
Of the branches of the Government, il the duty
we'll as the right of intelligent and faithful citizens, tc
discuss and promnlge them freely, as we'll to cOnfo