University of Virginia Library

6822. POWER, Independent.—

It should be remembered, as an axiom of eternal truth
in politics, that whatever power in any government
is independent, is absolute also; in
theory only, at first, while the spirit of the
people is up, but in practice, as fast as that
relaxes. Independence can be trusted nowhere
but with the people in mass. They
are inherently independent of all but moral
law.—
To Spencer Roane. Washington ed. vii, 134. Ford ed., x, 141.
(P.F.,,
18191819)gt;