1065. CALLENDER (J. T.), Persecution of.—
The violence which was meditated
against you lately has excited a very general
indignation in this part of the country. Our
State, from its first plantation, has been remarkable
for its order and submission to the laws.
But three instances are recollected in its history
of an organized opposition to the laws.
The first was Bacon's rebellion; the second,
our Revolution; the third, the Richmond association,
who, by their committee, have in the
public papers avowed their purpose of taking
out of the hands of the law the function of declaring
who may or may not have free residence
among us. But these gentlemen miscalculate
the temper and force of this country extremely
if they supposed there would have been a want
of either to support the authority of the laws;
and equally mistake their own interests in setting
the example of club-law. Whether their
self-organized election of a committee, and publication
of their manifesto, be such overt acts
as bring them within the pale of the law; the
law, I presume is to decide; and there it is
our duty to leave it.—
To J. T. Callender.
Ford ed., vii, 392.
(M.
Sep. 1799)
