134 



and wretchedness; tumults which could not be allayed 

 under the most trying circumstances, but by the om- 

 nipotent hand of a single despot. — Their constitution 

 therefore allowed a temporary tyrant to be erected, 

 under the name of a dictator ; and that temporary ty- 

 rant, after a few examples, became perpetual. They 

 misapplied this precedent to a people, mild in their dis- 

 positions, patient under their trial, united for the public 

 liberty, and afl^ectionate to their leaders. But if from 

 the constitution of the Roman government there re- 

 sulted to their senate a power of submitting all their 

 rights to the will of one man, does it follow, that the 

 assembly of Virginia has the same authority ? What 

 clause in our constitution has substituted that of Rome, 

 by way of residuary provision, for all cases not other- 

 wise provided for? Or if they may step ad libitum'mto 

 any other form of governnient for precedents to rule ua 

 by, for what oppression may not a precedent be found 

 in this world of tlie bellnm omnium inovinia'^ — Search- 

 ing for the foundations of this proposition, I can find 

 none which may pretend a colour of right or reason, 

 but the defect before developed, that there being no 

 barrier between the legislative, executive, and judiciary 

 departments, the legislature may seize the whole: that 

 having seized it, and possessing a right to fix their own 

 quorum, they may reduce that quorum to one, whom 

 they may call a chairman, speaker, dictator, or by any 

 other name they please. Our situation is indeed peril- 

 ous, and I hope my countrymen will be sensible of it, 

 and will apply, at a proper season the proper remedy; 

 which is a convention to fix the constitution, to amend 

 its defects, to bind up the several branches of govern- 

 ment by certain laws, which when they transgress their 

 acts shall become nullities : to render unnecessary an 

 appeal to the people, or in other words a rebellion, on 

 every infraction of their rights, on the peril that their 

 acquiescence shall be construed into an intention to sur- 

 render those riffbty. 



