University of Virginia Library

1564. CONGRESS, Partisan.—[continued].

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.—
To W. B. Giles. Washington ed. vii, 427. Ford ed., x, 355.
(M. 1825)