It Is When A People Forget God,

When The American Spirit Was In Its Youth, The Language Of America Was Different: Liberty, Sir, Was The Primary Object.

What Right Do They Have To Say "we The People" Rather Than We The States?

I Have The Highest Veneration Of Those Gentleman, -- But, Sir, Give Me Leave To Demand, What Right Had They To Say, We, The People? My Political Curiosity, Exclusive Of My Anxious Solicitude For The Public Welfare, Leads Me To Ask Who Authorized Them To Speak The Language Of, We, The People, Instead Of We, The States? States Are The Characteristics, And The Soul Of The Confederation. If The States Be Not The Agents Of This Compact, It Must Be One Of Great Consolidated National Government Of The People Of All The States.

Are We At Last Brought To Such Humiliating And Debasing Degradation That We Cannot Be Trusted With Arms For Our Defense? Where Is The Difference Between Having Our Arms In Possession And Under Our Direction, And Having Them Under The Management Of Congress? If Our Defense Be The Real Object Of Having Those Arms, In Whose Hands Can They Be Trusted With More Propriety, Or Equal Safety To Us, As In Our Own Hands?

Whether This Will Prove A Blessing Or A Curse, Will Depend Upon The Use Our People Will Make Of The Blessings Which A Gracious God Hath Bestowed On Us. If They Are Wise, They Will Be Great And Happy. If They Are Of A Contrary Character, They Will Be Miserable. Righteousness Alone Can Exalt Them As A Nation. Reader! Whoever Thou Art, Remember This: And In Thy Sphere Practice Virtue Thyself, An Encourage It In Others.