Page:Examiner, Journal of Political Economy, v2n20.djvu/1

THE EXAMINER, AND JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY. DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OP THE CAUSE OF STATE RIGHTS AND FREE TRADE. The Powers not Delegated to the United Slates, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the Slates, are reserved tp the States respectively, or to the People. Amendment* to tJu Constitution, Art, X. WrtUom of Indus tiy, as sacred as freedom of speech or of the press. . Jefferson. Vol. II.] Wednesday, April 29, 1835. [No. 20. A LETTER From George Nicholas of Kentucky, to his friend in Virginia, justifying the conduct of the citizens of Kentucky, as to some of the late measures of the General Government and correcting certain false statements, which have been made in the different States, of the views and actions of the people of Kentucky* Lexinotov, Not. 10th, My Dear Sir.- • *••••• haying shown me that part of your letter to him, which respects our politics, and myself, I hare prevailed on him to lend me the letter, that I might have it in my power to answer it. I am induced to do this, as well from a desire to remove the unjust impressions and representations which have been received by, and made to, our fellow citizens, of our views and designs; as from a wish, that by making our real sentiments public, an opportunity may be afforded, of detecting the er- rors on which they are founded, if they, really are erroneous. Before I enter on the subject, let me request your calm and deliberate consideration, of what I shall advance. Opinions and reasoning which are in op- position to what we think right ourselves, are often condemned and rejected too hastily; but this is not the way to remove error; full and dispassionate in- vestigation is the only means of arriving at truth, and the real patriot can have no other object in his political enquiries. The warmth of my own passions, the improper influence which I am conscioue, that they too often have over my judgment, and the peculiar tendency which I feel that they possess to lead the mind astray, in its attempts to form a just opinion as to our present political questions; all conspire to make me urge this request on my friend, whose good opi- nion 1 wish to preserve, whose unintentional errors I wish to see corrected, and whose well known pa- triotism I wish to rouse, before that period shall ar- rive, whan a conviction of the most important truths will come too late; and when the remembrance that it was not felt earlier, will be attended with* the most heart-felt sorrow and concern. If after having de- voted the prime of your life to the establishment of the liberty of your country; if after having shed your blood in its defence; if after seeing yourself surrounded with children and grand children, for whose sakes you have voluntarily submitted to all the ills necessarily attendant on revolutions and wars; what would be your feelings in the decline of life, if" you should see that liberty destroyed? 1 know you so well as to be satisfied, that nothing could add to the bitterness of such a situation, but the recollec- ' tion, that you had by an improper and unlimited confidence, even undesignedly contributed to it. Pause then, my friend, and thick deliberately and dispassionately, and do not let any improper conduct in a foreign nation, to which your attention is art* fully turned on one side, blind you to the imminent danger which hangs over the liberties of your country, on the other. At the time you are calling out arm,arm, against the foreign foe, who you say threatens the independence of our country, do not shut your eyes to domestic violations of our constitution, and our liberties. What will it avail us," if we can preserve our independence as a nation; nay, if we can even raise our country to the highest pitch of national glory, provided we at the same time lose our own li- berties? If France is at this time subjected at home, to the military despotism which is said to reign there, will the conquest achieved by her arms, and the glory which surrounds her, compensate the peo- ple of that country in the smallest degree, for their lost liberties? Can the power and consequence of tyrants, ever alleviate the miseries of their slaves? If they cannot, we ought to consider it as a truth of the most important nature — that independence abroad is of no real value, unless it is accompanied with liberty at home. The preamble to our constitution declares, that the securing this liberty, was the great and primary consideration which induced the people of America to form that constitution! " We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general wel- fare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this con- stitution for the United States of America." My feelings have forced from me these observa- tions. I will now answer your letter. You say, «« we entertain none of your fears, our liberties we think are not in danger.' 1 It is not at all surprising when wa form such different opinions of our political situation, that our conduct also should be so materially different; but as the conduct of either, can be right onlv as far as the opinion by which it is actuated shall prove to be just, we ought carefully to ascertain which of those opinions is founded on propriety. No country can be free, un- less it has a constitutfon, limiting in a sufficient de- gree, the powers- of those who are appointed to ad- minister the government; and also guarding those jawWers from abuse, as fur as such a guard can he