r79*' *"' '^^ Constitution, 229 



writings o/Ter them to the public, under the specious 

 idea of leading to a reform of national governments, 

 our enemies have endeavoured to confound u* with 

 them. But as justly might they try to depreciate 

 those who, with a pure heart and sound understand- 

 ing, venerate the holy religion we profefs, because 

 some wild fanatics have perverted that religion tci 

 the worst of purposes, as to endeavour by this means 

 to vilify us. We have already publicly declared 

 ourselves inimical to that kind of reform ; and no- 

 thing but sinister views could induce any one to put 

 us in the same clafs with these persons. So far are 

 we from wifliing to encourage the pepulace to endea- 

 vour to force a reform by violence, that we dare not 

 venture of ourselves, even after mature study on out 

 part, to propose remedies for what appears to be evi- 

 dently wrong. Before we do this, we wifli to 

 have the united judgement of all the sensible part of 

 the nation, that we may thus guard against adopting 

 alterations which may ultimately prove hurtful, in- 

 stead of being beneficial. In the course of our deep 

 investigations on this subject, we have so frequently 

 seen this happen to others, that it would have beett 

 inconsistent with our principles not to take the be* , 

 refit of every afsistance in our power before we ven- 

 tured to adopt any measure detinitively. We can 

 indeed of ourselves, easily perceive abuses ; but how 

 to correct these abuses effectually, without giving 

 rise to others that may perhaps be worse, requires 

 «n attention to so many particulars, at once, that nci 

 individual can ever hope to do it perfectly ; but whiehy. 

 by many temperate discafsions, may be- gradually de* 



