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from the people; lher<~ is nothing more clear than that they have the right p(:accalJly lo assemble togdher in person or by their clclcgales, lo lake into consid,~ralion the Stale of the co1111lry, and lo devise the hes! possible means, to Secure their quiet & Happiness. - If we arc to be denied that right, under the present consolidated govcrr11ncnl, our assertion is proven, thal il is only another name for n1ilitary Ocf-.potism. Bul there arc Some who profess lo believe Lhal all can be cffcctc·<l, without a consultation. Thal the acls of Ayunlamicnlos, political Chiefs, & Small commillccs, arc well calculated lo produce Lhe desired end. Tlw voice of Lhc people, is Said lo I}(" Llw voice of God, but it is far from om nipolcnt, it is almost inaudible, yea even conlr.mptiblc lwhcln expressed by Small public [gatherings! suddenly assembled together wit[h 110 l lime for cir.liberation, by Ayunlamicn[tosl, who being elccle<l merely for municipal pur- poses, Should nol allempt lo forestall popular opinion, or by Special commillces raised by Ayuntamicntos, for Special purposes, wilhoul regard lo public Sentiment. But when Lhe whole people arc assembled, together in general consullalion, by Lhcir represenlalivcs elected fresh from among themselves, with Specific instructions, it is Lhcn their voice is heard in all ils majesty, it is then Lhal we command the confidence and respect of our friends & SLTike the enimies of liberty with Terror. We hold thal it is anlircpublican lo oppose a consultation; that it is denying the Sovereignly of the people, that ii is prostrating, the firsl principles of liberty & democrncy; that il is an efforl to control the majority by the minority, and in Short to establish the doctrine that the people are incapable of Self government. The great father of Democracy, (Thomas Jefferson) has said "thal the people may Sometimes err in judgment, but they are always right in Scnlimcnl." To this position we give our most cordial approbation. The people may be misled or miSf.,'llidcd by the cunnin~ or the artful, they may be led astry by prejudices or by bul give them [sufficie l nl time for reflccliun, ( Id the I whole Subject he fully canvass[cd I and di:-cus::;cd, and in ninety nine cases out of an hundrd their final dcci~iun will be corrcd. Fellow f:ili:lcns, we arc all anxious lo allain lh<' Sanw «r<'al r- end, the only difference, is as to the besl mode of dfcdi11~ ii. ~o
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