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Defending the Constitution
declaration of RIGHTS to which the people may appeal for the vindication of their wrongs in the court of justice. They must, therefore, implicitly obey the most arbitrary laws, as the most of them will be pursuant to
the principles and form of the Constitution, and that strongest of all
checks upon the conduct of administration, responsibility to the people, will
not exist in this government. The permanency of the appointments of
Senators and Representatives, and the control the Congress have over
their election, will place them independent of the sentiments and resentment of the people, and the administration having a greater interest in
the government than in the community, there will be no consideration to
restrain them from oppression and tyranny. In the government of this
State, under the old confederation, the members of the legislature are
taken from among the people, and their interests and welfare are so inseparably connected with those of their constituents, that they can derive
no advantage from oppressive laws and taxes; for they would suffer in
common with their fellow-citizens, would participate in the burdens they
impose on the community, as they must return to the common level, after
a short period; and notwithstanding every exertion of influence, every
means of corruption, a necessary rotation excludes them from permanency in the legislature.
This large State is to have but ten members in that Congress which is
to have the liberty, property and dearest concerns of every individual in
this vast country at absolute command, and even these ten persons, who
are to be our only guardians, who are to supersede the legislature of
Pennsylvania, will not be of the choice of the people, nor amenable to
them. From the mode of their election and appointment they will consist
of the lordly and high minded; of men who will have no congenial feelings with the people, but a perfect indifference for, and contempt of
them; they will consist of those harpies of power that prey upon the very
vitals, that riot on the miseries of the community. But we will suppose,
although in all probability it may never be realized in fact, that our deputies in Congress have the welfare of their constituents at heart, and will
exert themselves in their behalf, what security could even this afford?
What relief could they extend to their oppressed constituents? To attain
this, the majority of the deputies of the twelve other States in Congress
must be alike well disposed; must alike forego the sweets of power, and