part19-第14章

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（*）　nineteen　twentieths　of　this　association；　and；　by　the　law　of　the

majority；　may　command　the　twentieth　part；　which；　composed　of　all　the

high　authorities　of　the　United　States；　civil　and　military；　may　be

outvoted　and　wielded　by　the　nineteen　parts　with　uncontrollable　power；

both　as　to　purpose　and　process。　　Can　thisformidable　array　be　reviewed

without　dismay？　　It　will　besaid；　that　in　this　association　will　be　all

the　confidential　officers　of　the　government；　the　choice　of　the　people

themselves。　　No　man　on　earth　has　more　implicit　confidence　than　myself

in　the　integrity　and　discretion　of　this　chosen　band　of　servants。　　But

is　confidence　or　discretion；　or　is　_strict　limit_；　the　principle　of

our　constitution？　　It　will　comprehend；　indeed；　all　the　functionaries

of　the　government；　but　seceded　from　their　constitutional　stations　as

guardians　of　the　nation；　and　acting　not　by　the　laws　of　their　station；

but　by　those　of　a　voluntary　society；　having　no　limit　to　their

purposes　but　the　same　will　which　constitutes　their　existence。　　It

will　be　the　authorities　of　the　people　and　all　influential　characters

from　among　them；　arrayed　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other；　the　people

themselves　deserted　by　their　leaders。　　It　is　a　fearful　array。　　It

will　be　said；　that　these　are　imaginary　fears。　　I　know　they　are　so　at

present。　　I　know　it　is　as　impossible　for　these　agents　of　our　choice

and　unbounded　confidence；　to　harbor　machinations　against　the　adored

principles　of　our　constitution；　as　for　gravity　to　change　its

direction；　and　gravid　bodies　to　mount　upwards。　　The　fears　are　indeed

imaginary：　but　the　example　is　_real_。　　Under　its　authority；　as　a

precedent；　future　associations　will　arise　with　objects　at　which　we

should　shudder　at　this　time。　　The　society　of　Jacobins；　in　another

country；　was　instituted　on　principles　and　views　as　virtuous　as　ever

kindled　the　hearts　of　patriots。　　It　was　the　pure　patriotism　of　their

purposes　which　extended　their　association　to　the　limits　of　the

nation；　and　rendered　their　power　within　it　boundless；　and　it　was　this

power　which　degenerated　their　principles　and　practices　to　such

enormities；　as　never　before　could　have　been　imagined。　　Yet　these　were

men；　and　we　and　our　descendants　will　be　no　more。　　The　present　is　a

case　where；　if　ever；　we　are　to　guard　against　ourselves；　not　against

ourselves　as　we　are；　but　as　we　may　be；　for　who　can　now　imagine　what

we　may　become　under　circumstances　not　now　imaginable？　　The　object　too

of　this　institution；　seems　to　require　so　hazardous　an　example　as

little　as　any　which　could　be　proposed。　　The　government　is；　at　this

time；　going　on　with　the　process　of　civilising　the　Indians；　on　a　plan

probably　as　promising　as　any　one　of　us　is　able　to　devise；　and　with

resources　more　competent　than　we　could　expect　to　command　by　voluntary

taxation。　　Is　it　that　the　new　characters　called　into　association　with

those　of　the　government；　are　wiser　than　these？　　Is　it　that　a　plan

originated　by　a　meeting　of　private　individuals；　is　better　than　that

prepared　by　the　concentrated　wisdom　of　the　nation；　of　men　not

self…chosen；　but　clothed　with　the　full　confidence　of　the　people？　　Is

it　that　there　is　no　danger　that　a　new　authority；　marching；

independently；　along　side　of　the　government；　in　the　same　line　and　to

the　same　object；　may　not　produce　collision；　may　not　thwart　and

obstruct　the　operations　of　the　government；　or　wrest　the　object

entirely　from　their　hands？　　Might　we　not　as　well　appoint　a　committee

for　each　department　of　the　government；　to　counsel　and　direct　its　head

separately；　as　volunteer　ourselves　to　counsel　and　direct　the　whole；

in　mass？　　And　might　we　not　do　it　as　well　for　their　foreign；　their

fiscal；　and　their　military；　as　for　their　Indian　affairs？　　And　how

many　societies；　auxiliary　to　the　government；　may　we　expect　to　see

spring　up；　in　imitation　of　this；　offering　to　associate　themselves　in

this　and　that　of　its　functions？　　In　a　word；　why　not　take　the

government　out　of　its　constitutional　hands；　associate　them　indeed

with　us；　to　preserve　a　semblance　that　the　acts　are　theirs；　but

insuring　them　to　be　our　own　by　allowing　them　a　minor　vote　only？




　　　　　　　　（*）　The　clergy　of　the　United　States　may　probably　be　estimated

at　eight　thousand。　　The　residue　of　this　society　at　four　hundred；　but

if　the　former　number　be　halved；　the　reasoning　will　be　the　same。




　　　　　　　　These　considerations　have　impressed　my　mind　with　a　force　so

irresistible；　that　（in　duty　bound　to　answer　your　polite　letter；

without　which　I　should　not　have　obtruded　an　opinion；）　I　have　not　been

able　to　withhold　the　expression　of　them。　　Not　knowing　the　individuals

who　have　proposed　this　plan；　I　cannot　be　conceived　as　entertaining

personal　disrespect　for　them。　　On　the　contrary；　I　see　in　the　printed

list　persons　for　whom　I　cherish　sentiments　of　sincere　friendship；　and

others；　for　whose　opinions　and　purity　of　purpose　I　have　the　highest

respect。　　Yet　thinking　as　I　do；　that　this　association　is　unnecessary；

that　the　government　is　proceeding　to　the　same　object　under　control　of

the　law；　that　they　are　competent　to　it　in　wisdom；　in　means；　and

inclination；　that　this　association；　this　wheel　within　a　wheel；　is

more　likely　to　produce　collision　than　aid；　and　that　it　is；　in　its

magnitude；　of　dangerous　example；　I　am　bound　to　say；　that；　as　a

dutiful　citizen；　I　cannot　in　conscience　become　a　member　of　this

society；　possessing　as　it　does　my　entire　confidence　in　the　integrity

of　its　views。　　I　feel　with　awe　the　weight　of　opinion　to　which　I　may

be　opposed；　and　that；　for　myself；　I　have　need　to　ask　the　indulgence

of　a　belief；　that　the　opinion　I　have　given　is　the　best　result　I　can

deduce　from　my　own　reason　and　experience；　and　that　it　is　sincerely

conscientious。　　Repeating　therefore；　my　just　acknowledgments　for　the

honor　proposed　to　me；　I　beg　leave　to　add　the　assurances　to　the

society　and　yourself　of　my　highest　confidence　and　consideration。