Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/313

 the power, and would not probably want the inclination, to effect it.

4. That the pay of the members, was by the constitu- tion to be fixed by themselves, without limitation or restraint. " They may therefore,"" said Mr. Henry, ^' indulge themselves in the fullest extent. They will make their compensation as high as they please. I sup- pose, if they be good men, their own delicacy will lead them to be satisfied with moderate salaries. But there is no security for this, should they be otherwise inclined."^

These objections, and many others which it were tedious to enumerate, were pressed upon the house day after day, with all the powers of reasoning and of elo- quence : and where argument and declamation were found unavaihng, the force of ridicule was freely resorted to. Thus, in relation to the objection of consolidation, Mr. Madison had said, " There are a number of opinions as to the nature of the government; but the principal ques- tion is, whether it be a federal or consolidated govern- ment. In order to judge properly of the question before us, we must consider it minutely in its principal parts. I conceive myself, that it is of a mixed nature: — it is, in a manner, unprecedented: we cannot find one ex- press example in the experience of the world: — it stands by itself. In some respects, it is a government of a federal nature; in others, it is of a consolidated nature."" He then proceeds to point out and discrimi- nate its federal from its national features. Mr. Corbin, on the same side, expressed himself satisfied with Mr. Madison"s definition of the instrument; but begged leave to call it by another name, viz. " a representative federal government, as contradistinguished from a con- federacy.""

Mr. Henry, in replying to these gentlemen, says — -

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