P.\.PEHS OF )Im \HI!:.,\.U BuoNAPARTE Lnun
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itccJ powers, is nothing more than one of force, in which the strong . [mutilated] construes the constitution according to his own interests and compels the weak at the point of the bayonet to submit. Hence, the truth that there can be no freedom to any one except those who are able to maintain it by . . . [mutilated] If the majority of a community should ever arrive to that degree of justice and moral sublimity as to do unto others in all things, as they would ha,·e others do unto them, then the weak would find protection in the truth, justice and humanity of the strong; and then there would be no necessity of any written document to restrain the rapacity of the strong, for their own sense of right would restrain them, but what virtue can there possibly be [in any writ l ten obligation on the part of the strong not to i~vadc the weak, whilst those who make it have the power and de- termination to construe it to their own satisfaction regardless of the opinions and wishes of others? Your rights . [illegible] and faith of the strong is pledged to respect them; thus you hold your_ liberty not by the sword, but by the faith of man; a security which has utterly failed in our experiment. If the lion and the lamb should a8sociate themselves and agree to live together in harmony and on equality the lion binding himself most solemnly in a written compact never to invade the life, rights or safety of the lamb, it is evident that the safety of the latter must depend upon the good faith and honor of the former; a very insecure protection of his life when the lion should become ferocious with hunger.- If any principle could be discovered by which the lion could be made to adhere to his plighted fait}:i then the lamb would be secure in his rights; but how can the lion be restrained except by force and where is that force to come from? This is a true picture of a Constitutional Govennt, in which the weak and the strong are associated together, and in which the former has to depend for safety upon the faith vol- untarily plighted of the strong; a security about equal to that of the lamb united with the lion.- No. 105. ON FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. LAj\1AR [Columbus? Georgia, about 1830] It is a common remark that nfonarchy is the natural Government for man. This observation has grown out of the fact that all nations thrown into anarchy & coufusion have invariably, in emerging from that condition, settled 1lown into :Monarchy, and have found under principles, that peace and quiet which they failed to attain under other and more liberal forms of Govts. Hence Monarchy is said to be the Govt. designed by God and best adapted to the character of man. This is true in part; it is best adapted to the government of the wicked portion of the human race; arnl it ris] probable that Dc-it~, designed it specially for this class of mankind. Guilt will nlwnys bring upon itself, meritc1l punislm1e11t; and where a people by their li<'('lltiom:ne::-s, fnllen into nnarehY & bloodshed it seems to be 011P ot' the laws of Divine .Pro,·ifle11cc." that they shnll undergo the :-:ad prohation of Hcgal tyranny. A wiekcd people cnn have 110 quiet or sec·urity cxrcpt under the strong arm of Despotism; hence )[onnrchy is the naturnl ~ovt. for them; hut whilst it is best su[ilted to them, it is of 1111 other govermts
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