Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
History
Essays on the Constitution of the United States: Published during its Discussion by the People, 1787-1788
Constitutional history -- United States -- Sources; United States. Constitution
Vox Populi requests the inhabitants of Massachusetts “to pay that
attention to the federal constitution which the importance of its nature
demands;” and informs them, that they “have hazarded their lives and
fortunes (by the way, a wonderful piece of news) to establish a government
founded on the principles of genuine civil liberty,” &c. I join with him
in his request. And am confident if that attention which is requisite is
paid to the proposed plan of federal government, that it will meet with
the hearty approbation of every well wisher to the freedom and happiness
of his country. It is true, that the inhabitants of America have hazarded
their lives and fortunes to establish a free and efficient government; but
will Vox Populi, that moon-light prophet, pretend to say that such a
government is at present established? Vox Populi goes on to inform us,
that, by adopting the new plan of government, we shall make inroads on the
constitution of this State, which he seems to think will be sacrilegious.
His narrow and contracted ideas, his weak, absurd, and contemptible
arguments, discover him to be possessed of a mind clouded with the gloom
of ignorance, and thick with the grossest absurdity. Strange it is, that
that babbler should suppose it unjustifiable for the people to alter or
amend, or even entirely abolish, what they themselves have established.
But says Vox Populi, perhaps the new plan will not have the same number to
approbate it, that the constitution of this State had. Perhaps Vox Populi
will be hung for high treason. There is, in my opinion, as much
probability in the latter perhaps, as in the former. Pray, Mr. Vox Populi,
if I may be so bold, what reason have you to judge that there will not be
so many for adopting the constitution proposed by the convention, as there
were for adopting the constitution of this State some years ago? Do you
suppose the inhabitants of Massachusetts have depreciated in their
understanding? or do you suppose that the sublimity of your jargon has
blinded them with respect to their best interests? If you suppose the
former, I think you have not been much conversant with them of late, or
that your intellects are something defective. If you suppose the latter,
in my opinion, you are no better than a downright Fool.
Vox Populi sets out to touch the consciences of men in office, in
representing the solemnity of an oath. It seems almost impossible that any
one should be so stupidly blinded to every dictate of reason and common
sense, as to start such things as have been mentioned by Vox Populi, to
deter men from using their influence to effect the adoption of the new
plan of government.
Can that shallow-pated scribbler suppose that an oath taken by rulers to
stand by a form of government, adopted by the people, can be of any force
or consideration if the people choose to change that form of government
for another more agreeable to their wishes?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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