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 ¬terity — that when they had accomplished a structure sufficient to maintain social order, much more to govern a great and enlightened people, it was more convenient to repair it when time had defaced it, and to improve it if origi- nally defective, than to tumble it down in a moment to its foundations — that society was not a gang of miscreants, plundering and mur- dering one another, reviling all the institutions ordained to lead us into the paths of bappiness and virtue, but a pyramid of human beings, rising in majestic order and harmonious in all its parts — that it was fit religion should conse- crate such a structure — that her ministers should therefore be held in high respect, and should not be supported on the alms of those whom it was their duty to correct — that government also should preserve an attitude of dignity and wis- dom, composed of high magistrates, invested with corresponding authorities and supported by revenues to secure obedience and indepen- dence — that a people, above all, for whose hap- piness this mighty system was fashioned and ¬sup- ¬