Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/192

178 all their rights to the will of one man, does it follow, that the aſſembly of Virginia, have the ſame authority? What clauſe in our conſtitution has ſubſtituted that of Rome, by way of reſiduary proviſion, for all caſes not otherwiſe provided for? Or if they may ſtep ad libitum into any other form of government for precedents to rule us by, for what oppreſſion may not a precedent be found in this world of the bellum omnium in omnia?—Searching for the foundations of this propoſition, I can find none which may pretend a color of right or reaſon, but the defect before developed, that there being no barrier between the legiſlature, 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 perilous, 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 government 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 ſurrender thoſe rights.