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7418. RESPONSIBILITY, People and.—

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;