Page:Inquiry into the Principles and Policy of the Government of the United States.djvu/286

276 people of England were taught to believe, that they had nothing to fear except froiu the pope and the pretender, by the ministers who mortgaged them irredeemably to op- pression.

Imaginary Gods and empty titles, are in the United States equally to be dreaded, and are equally able to erect the aristocracies of superstition or feudality. A pecuniai-y interest, quartered on nations by law, is here the eiigine of power and oppi'ession. Unnecessary office, sinecure income, stockjobbing by the lawmaker, a legislative patronage of separate interests or factions, and a concentrated power to tax, to incorporate, to borrow and to receive, make up the convolutions of a serpent, which is silently and insidiously entwining liberty ; and to divert our attention from the ope- ration, we are terrified by the dead skeletons of the two an- tient aristocratieal mamoths.

Superstition has received its death blow from know- ledge ; a landed aristocracy, from commerce, alienation and the division of inheritances. Against the dead, liberty is safe; from the living aristocracy of paper and patronage iilone, she can receive a deadly wound.

A man, being informed that three assassins had deter- jaiiicd upon his death, but that two of them had suffered the punishment due to other crimes, solemnly anathematizes the dead bodies, and takes into his bosom the living mur- derer, liiberly is the man; superstition and title her dead enemies; and the system of paper and patronage her living foe.

But we are blinded by names. Ilierareliy concealed its malignity, by usurping the name of religion. The new system of oppression conceals itself, by calling patronage, necessary office; a funding system, faith and credit; and a banking system, an encouragement of commerce. Mankind have discovered the difference between religion and hierarchy; they must also discover that between useful and pernicious offices, between genuine and spurious faith and credit, and between commerce and monopoly, before they can maintain moderate and free governments.