Under the authority to establish
post-roads, they claim that of cutting down mountains for the
construction of roads, of digging canals, and aided by a little
sophistry on the words 'general welfare,' a right to do, not only the
acts to effect that, which are specifically enumerated and permitted,
but whatsoever they shall think or pretend will be for the general
welfare. And what is our resource for the preservation of the
constitution? Reason and argument? You might as well reason and argue
with the marble columns encircling them. The representatives chosen by
ourselves? They are joined in the combination, some from incorrect views
of government, some from corrupt ones, sufficient, voting together,
to outnumber the sound parts; and with majorities only of one, two, or
three, bold enough to go forward in defiance. Are we then to stand
to our arms, with the hot-headed Georgian? No. That must be the last
resource, not to be thought of until much longer and greater sufferings.
If every infraction of a compact of so many parties is to be resisted at
once, as a dissolution of it, none can ever be formed which would last
one year. We must have patience and longer endurance then with our
brethren while under delusion; give them time for reflection and
experience of consequences; keep ourselves in a situation to profit by
the chapter of accidents; and separate from our companions only when the
sole alternatives left, are the dissolution of our Union with them, or
submission to a government without limitation of powers.
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