6849. POWERS, Self-constituted.—
I
shall not undertake to draw the line of demarcation
between private associations of
laudable views and unimposing numbers, and
those whose magnitude may rivalize and
jeopardize the march of regular government.
Yet such a line does exist. I have seen the
days,—they were those which preceded the
Revolution,—when even this last and perilous
engine became necessary; but they were days
which no man would wish to see a second
time. That was the case where the regular
authorities of the government had combined
against the rights of the people, and no
means of correction remained to them but to
organize a collateral power, which, with
their support, might rescue and secure their
violated rights. But such is not the case
with our government. We need hazard no
collateral power, which, by a change of its
original views, and assumption of others we
know not how virtuous or how mischievous,
would be ready organized and in force sufficient
to shake the established foundations
of society, and endanger its peace and the
principles on which it is based. Is not the
machine [393]
now proposed of this gigantic
stature?—
To Jedediah Morse. Washington ed. vii, 234.
Ford ed., x, 204.
(M.
1822)
