The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-24
ON THE JUDICIARY.

We suspend for this week our consilera.
ton. on the repeal of our Naturalization Law,
| for the purpose of making few remarks up
on this important branch of our Government.
AT all times, an independent Judiciary has
been considered Of the highest importance in
Government, but in these especially, and in
this District it is particularly required The
times in which we live are novel and tumul
tuous; and in the fragrant violations Of the
law and the keen pursuit after weaIth-in
the eXtravagancies, which almost everywhere
abound, and the relaxation of mprals--we
may find quite enough TO excite the most
gloomy apprehensions for the future. Pecu-
lations upon the Government have become
$50 frequent as TO cause US not to be surprised
at them, and the adtoitness with which the
peculator may have escaped the punishment
| of the law, is rather matter for commenIa-
ton than censure. Party spirit RACES amongst
us with violence unparalleled in the his,o-
ry Of our country, and office is pursued with
the voracious appetite Of the gaunt and hun
CRY wolf Prescription has been yelled from
the press Of many an editor, who, Hessian-
| like, would fight under any colors; and the
root hog or die was applied to the man
who for an honest difference Of opinion. and
not on any other acconnt--not for the want
Of in,egrty--not Of suitable qualifications to
discharge the trust which had been reposed
| in him-was driven from the Office which he
held, and thus deprived -this was so in some
cases--of his present only means of support
Such has been the state Of things amongs, u ;
but this is not all--would to God it were
this. We have seen the laws fall before the
| fury Of mob, and This mob triumph with
| impunity. In the East, to appease the rage
of demons, we have seen the domicile Of IN
offending females burnt to the ground, at the
very foot Of that Bunker II which, less
than sixty years ago, shook with the cannon
of the soIdiery, battling for the rights Of man;
and these fends went unpublished. In the
West, we have seen mob bursting open the
doors Of prison, and dragging from thence
a man accused Of crime, and in the midst of
a populoas and polished city, burning him to
death; and in our own city also--the Metro
polls Of our Union--a city remarkable in gen.
eral for its obedience to the law, and respect
for its lunctionaries-we have witnessed the
presence of mob, and marked how panic
and devastation attended the monsters march.
Such, in part, is the character Of the times
in which we live; and while they loudly de-
mand an independent Judiciary, it is espe
cially III our District that roe require it. Ne
stand i'll peculiar situation. In the midst
Of ftecmcn, ace are slaves. Around us may
be heard the cheering sound Of liberty: among
us the maser's order, and the cIank Of chains.
In the sight Of the capitol Of our Union, and
the star spangled.bamner which valves over
its walls, 'cc are slaves. The confession is
humiliatng, butt is true. We are regarded,
we are treated as slaves. Unreprescnted in
our National Legislature, our wants are un-
known aud our grievances are unredrcssed.
Deprived Of the right Of sufrage-,he badge
Of freeman-lhc b sis Of C-government-
the corrector Of abuse-and the scourge Of
the venal AMI corru;,t-.we are, according to
the modern construction Of the words, tex
elusive Legislation" slaves. Thus are zee
under the sway of a legislature wiihout.limis