THE CHRONICLE. 
end to them. The discontent of 
the people was converted into des- 
pair. Preventive remedies were 
either not thought of in time, or 
were not proposed until it was too 
late to apply them with effect. The 
subversion of the ancient govern- 
ment ensued. ‘The inference from 
this comparison is at once so pow- 
erful and so obvious, that we know 
not by what argument to illustrate 
or enforce it. "We mean to avert 
for ever from our country the cala- 
mities inseparable from such con- 
vulsions. If there be, as it is said, 
in any part of this kingdom, a dis- 
Position to promote confusion, or 
even to arrive at improvement by 
unconstitutional and irregular cour- 
ses, we hold ourselves as strictly 
pledged to resist that disposition, 
wherever it may appear, as to pur- 
sue our objects by unexceptionable 
methods. If, on the contrary, it 
be true that the mass of the people 
are satisfied with the present state 
of things, or indifferent about it; if 
they approve of the representation 
asit stands, the form of election, and 
the duration of the trust; or if, con- 
demning these things, they are de- 
termined, from indolence or de- 
 spair, not to attempt to correct 
them,—then indeed the efforts of 
individuals may be ineffectual, but 
they cannot be injurious to the 
peace of the community. If the 
spirit of the constitution be dead in 
the hearts of the people, no human 
industry can revive it.—To affirm 
that extensive mischief may be done 
bya statement of facts or arguments 
which make no general impression 
on the public mind, is a proposition 
that contradicts itself, and requires 
no other refutation, We trust it 
81 
will be proved by experiment, that 
these inconsistent assertions are 
equally unfounded, and that the 
people of this country are no more 
disposed to submit to abuses with- 
out complaint, than to look for re- 
dress in any proceedings repugnant 
to the laws, or unwarranted by the 
constitution. Between anarchy and 
despotism, speaking for ourselves, 
we have no choice to make; we 
have no preference to give. We 
neither admit the necessity, nor can 
we endure the idea of resorting to 
either of these extremities as a re- 
fuge from the other. The course 
we are determined to pursue, is 
equally distant from both. 
Finally, we assert, that it must 
be blindness not to see, and trea- 
chery not to acknowledge, ~ 
That ‘ * the instruments of pow- 
er are not perhaps so open and 
avowed as they formerly were, and 
therefore are the less liable to jea- 
lous and invidious reflections; but 
they are not the weaker upon that 
account. In short, our national 
debts and taxes have, in their natu- 
ral consequences, thrown such a 
weight of power into the executive 
scale of government, as we cannot 
think was intended by our patriot 
ancestors, who gloriously struggled 
for the abolition of the then formid- 
able parts of the prerogative, and 
by an unaccountable want of fore- 
sight, established this system in 
their stead.”” Our general object 
is to recover and preserve the true 
balance of the constitution. 
These are the principles of our 
Association, and, on our steady 
adherence to them, we look with just 
confidence to the approbation and 
support of the people in the prose- 
* Blackstone, 
* Vor. XXXIV. 
F 
cution 
