The advocate., 1895-07-24


sections, George Nicholson, Federalist rose imme-
distely, and the great debate began The people
had not come to hear Mr.. Nicholson, however; they
ware eager for the appearance of the giants, and
when, as Mr.. Nicholson sat down, Patrick Henry
rose, buzz OF delight through the throng in the
gallery. In moment, however, the utmost silence
prevailed, and, with look of lawful solemnity,"
the great orator of the Revolution now summoned to
do battle again for mensced liberty thus with dis
tinct measured but emphatic enunciation addressed
the convention:
"MR. CHAIRMAN:-The public mind, as well as
my oWn is extremely uneasy at the proposed change
of government. Give me leave to form one of the
number of those who wish to be thoroughly &C.
quainted with the reasons of this perous and un-
easy situation and why we are brought hither to
decide on this great national question. l consider
myself as the servant of the people of this common
Weslth-as sentinel over their rights, liberty and
happiness. l represent their feelings when l say
that they are exceedingly uneasy, being brought
from that state of full security which they enjoyed
to the present dellLSi0e appearance Of things. A
year ago the minds Of our citizens were at perfect
repose. Before the meeting of the late Federal con-
Vention at Philadelphia, general peace and uni
Verssl tranquility prevailed in this country; but
since that period, they are exceedingly uneasy and
disquieted. When wished for an appointment to
this convention, my mind was extremely agitated
for the situation Of public affairs l conceive the
republic to be in extreme danger.
eff our situation be thus uneasy, whence has
arisen this fearful jeopardy? 1t arises from this
fatal system-it arises from proposal to change
our governments proposal that goes to the utter
humiliation of the most solemn engagements of the
Ststes-s proposal of establishing nine States into
confederacy to the eventual exclusion of four States
1t goes to the snnihiaton of those solemn treaties
we have formed with foreign nations.
"This proposal of altering our Federal government
is Of most alarming nature. Make the best Of this
new goVernment-say it is composed by anything
but inspiratlon-you ought to be extremely cautious
Watchful, jealous of your liberty for instead of
curing your rights you may lose them forever If
wrong step be now made, the republic may be lost
forever. If this new government should not come
up to the expectation of the people, and they should
be disappointed, their liberty will be lost, and ty
rsnny must and will arise. 1 repeat it again, and
1 beg gentlemen to consider that wrong step made
now will plunge us into misery, and our republic
will be lost. 1t will be necessary for this convention
to have faithful historical detail of the facts that
preceded the session Of the Federal conger,to1, and
the reasons that actuated its members in proposing
strate the dangers that awaited u.s. If they were of
such awful magnitude as to warrant proposal so
Extremely perilous as this, must assert that this
convention has an absolute right to thorough dis
coVery of every circumstance relative to this great
event. And here would make this inquiry of those
worthy characters who composed part of the late
Federal convention. l am sure they were fully i'm
pressed with the necessity of forming great consol
idated government instead of confederation. That
this is a consolidated government is demonstrsbly
clear; and the danger Of such government is, to
my mind, very striking. have the highest Venera-
tion for those gentlemen, but sir give me leave to
demand what right they had to say, we, the peo-
ple9 My political curiosity, exclusive of my anxious
Solicitude for the public welfare leads me to ask:
Who authorized them to speak the language of We