Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/304

 280 SKETCHES OF THE

mary object And again: " This constitution is said to have beautiful features; but when I come to exariine these features, sir, they appear to me homdly fright- ful! among other deformities, it has an aitful squinting; it squints tmvaids monarchy! And does not this raise indignation in the heart of every true American? Your president may easily become king; your senate is so imperfectly constructed, that your dearest rights may be sacrificed by what may be a small minority; and a veiy small minority may continue, for ever, unchange- able, this government, although horridly defective; where are your checks in this government? Your sti'ong holds will be in the hands of your enemies; it is on a supposition that your American governors shall be honest, that all the good qualities of this government are founded; but its defective and imperfect construc- tion, puts it in their power to perpetrate the worst of mischiefs, should they be bad men; and, sir, would not all the world, from the eastern to the western hemi- sphere, blame our distracted folly in resting our rights upon the contingency of our nders being good or bad? Show me that age and country, where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty? I say, that the loss of that dearest pri- vilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, eveiy such mad attempt. If your American chief be a man of ambition and abilities, how easy is it for him to len- der himself absolute! TJie army is in his hands; and, if lie be a man of address, it will be attached to him; arut it loill be live sid)ject of long meditation idth him to seize tJie first auspicious moment to accomplish his de- sign; and, sh\ will the Ametican spint, solely, relieve you ivJmi this happens? I would rather infinitely, and

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