Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-28


lie necessities yet all will agree, think, that the as
settOn Of them should be limited to- and by those ne.
cessites. OF the many recent unnecessary infringe
ments Of private rights which the times have given
rise to- consider the act question to be the greatest
and therefore, most deserving to have public attention
drawn to it, that the people may see where we are
drifting, and Judge whether the tendency Is one which
demands to be corrected or not With the rights and
interests of the parties whom It strips Of their property
80 far as affected by this law, have no connection
whatever but with those Of the community more
particularly exposed 10 the operation of 1t my own 10
some extent bound up To understand II in s bearings
on those rights and nterestsby breaking up the busl
ness Of unOAsndiDg Ctzsns-by deprvlng them Of the
fair benefits of their capital and enterprise and turn
ing them adrift TO seek new empoyments, suddenly,
without notcs or Warning-by the necessary losses
they must suffer from such proceeding which are Of
nature not susceptible of compensation-by the
nfaction Of contrscts-by the danger and injury to
which the surrounding people exposed from power
to be exerted at pleasure any and every descrp
ton Of their prOperty-sayss teams, wagons wood, to
whatever extent the State agent may deem necessary to
bis operations and without many Of the guards and
restrictions for the protection of individuals, which
have been thrown around the exercise OF the general
laws of impressment both OF the State and Confederate
Governments) and which great and obvious to
have led to the opposition and protest Of the whole rep
resentation save one of the southwestern portion Of
the State against this subjecton Of their constituents
10 unjust aud, practically, sectional legisation-by
the unhec9ming aud dangerous, If not posi-
lively dsreputsble position in which il places the
S.ate of contractor with the Confederate Govern
ment- all these, and many other important aspects of
the subject required and Oceasoned far wider discus
SIGN than the few topics TO which limited myself
But great as conceive these objections TO be to the
law in question, the wrong done by this law to the
rights of both individuals and Of the community mainly
affected by t. aggravated by lie having been passd by
force Of the previous question: cutting OF all opportu'
mites Of amenment) yet hold thembut light in CON-
parson with the wrong done by it every alike
by the wound il LAicts on the principle, TO Be
dsrsgarded ezespt by overriding public necessity OF
the if,viola6ty of private propery-and that
af security in the possession and enjoyment under the
protecting syis OF public justice OF what belongs to
him-Whioh are at once the pillars Of a nations's
strength, the criterion Of its civilization, and the
pledge Of It's liberties; and which can be struck down
permanently, only by carrying with them all that is
valuable in the edifcs of the public power.
Il was to this view, therefore, that my remarks to
the House were mainly confined and 10 the expression
of the opinion entertain Of the character and conduct
much abused, and much misunderstood of men whom
know, and which shall be never withheld from de-
serving persons, when think them unustly assailed.
The war we are carrying on is but for the preserva
ton of the rghs Of the Southern psop-of the people
Of Vfr0inia The powers confded 70 our Governments
Confederate and S:ate ample for the purpose with.
out their warrlEg those very rights of individuals
which they are commissioned to protect The Law Of
an overriding necessity, among them oompensates for
ali omissons-and s fully conceded. But IL should be
rsa not pretended necessity The latter ia too often
made 10 serve as pFetext for inVasions Of the just
ats aud liberties of the Citizen which Wantonly dis
regarded but substitutes domestic tyranny for foreign
violence. / say tyranny-that is the unjust use of
force 1t ia soeCsm to say that such Of power
that tyranny-is necessary to the protection Of lib
erty. The peoples safety is held but by the con-
slant Watchfulness of power Their antagonsm makes
no the Worlds History. Ii is the nature of power to
encroach-of the possession off to corrupt Let none
fear there is dsoyaty in seeing that il is kept within
the limits prescribed to it. Loyalty In its true and
highest sense TO the rights of the people-of the
citizen Il due TO Government for the protection of
these. Il is due from Government for the same object
Il is as truly displayed in arrsgnng Government when
Il violates those rghts In maintaining it when Ii is
defending them. The people of Virginia. distinguished
always in the past alike for moderation in claiming as
for 6rmness In maintaining, their rights will know, now
AZ heretofore TO preserve just and equal mind and
far equally from capous oavilling lactious opposi-
ton and from blind obedience slRvishs ubmssion-
keaI THAR ewes ever fixed the lode-star by which
thew sa-as the great end of ell their aims and efforts
on the rights liberties and interests Of her citiz ans
Ito which Government itself Is employed but as
means to be held always subordinate, and always subser
Went WTADHAM Robertson.
ITo he Concluded To Euorpois