The advocate., 1895-07-31


dred years.
"This Constitution" said the orator, sis said to
have beautiful features. When come to examine
these features sir they appear to me horribly fright
| full! Among other deformities it has an awful
squirting; it squints toward monarchy! And does
not this raise indignation in the heart of every true
American? Your President may easily become King;
your Senate is so imperfecty constructed that your
dearest rights may be sacrificed by what may be a
small minority; very small minority may con-
tinue fore0er anchangeab2e this government, al
though horribly defective. If your American chief
be man of ambition and abilities, how easy it is
for him to render himself absolutel His immense
patronage places in his hands the means of corrupt
ing the Congress- the navy and the army and of dis
tributing throughout the country band of retainers
in the form of judges, revenue officers and tax
gstherers, and will render him irresistible in any
scheme Of ambition he may mediate against the
liberties of his country. The army is in his hands,
and if he be man of address, it will be attached to
him; and it will be the subject of long meditation
with him to seize the first auspicous moment to &C.
complish his design; and sir, will the American
spirit, solely, relieve you when this happensP l
would rather, infinitely, and l am sure most of
this convention are of the opinion, havea King
Lords and Commons than government so replete
with such insuppOrtable evils. If we make King,
we may prescribe the rules by which ne shall rule
his people, and interpOse such checks as shall pre-
vent him from infringing them; but the President
in the field, at the head of his army can prescribe
the terms on which he shall reign MASTER so far that
it will puzzle any American ever to get his neck
from under the CALLING yoke. Can he not, at the
head of his army, beat down every opposition
Away with your President; the army will salute
him monarch! Your militia will leave you and as
sist in making him King, and fight against You and
what have you to oppose to this forceP What will
then become of you and your rightsP Will not ab-
solute despOtism ensueP
"You read of riot act in country which is
called one of the freest in the world, where few
neighbors cannot assemble without the risk of being
shot by hired soldiery-the engines of despotsm.
\ We mag see SlJcb an act iD AmegjcG! A standing
army we shall have, also, to execute the execrable
commands of tyranny.
"The honorable gentleman who presides told us
that to prevent abuses in our government we will
assemble in convention, recall delegated powers,
and punish our servants for abusing the trust re-
posed in them Oh, sir, we should have fine times,
indeed if to punish tyrants it were only necessary
to assemble the people, Your arms, wherewith you
could defend yourselves, gone! and you have no
llonger an sristocratica no longer democratical
spirit. Did you ever read of any revolution in any
nation brought about by the punishment of those in
4 power, inflicted by those who had power at all?
How are you to punish them? Will you order them
to be punishedP Who shall obey these ordersP
Will your mace bearer be a match for a disciplined
regimentP In what situation are we to beP The
clause before you gives power of direct taxation,
unbOunded and unlimited; exclusive power of legis
tion, in all cases whatsoever, for ten miles square,
and over all places purchased for the erection of
forts, magazines, arsenas, dock yards, etc. What
Q resistance could be msdeP The attempt would be
1 madness. You will find all the strength of this
country in the hands of your enemies; those garri
SONS will naturally be the strongest places in the
country Your militia is given to Congress, also, in