State and Federal Bills of Credit, Etc. [pp. 455-485]

1853.1 Bills of Credit. 4~5
plied. But it is an argument more frequently fancied than felt;
more frequently in~ented and sought, than legitimately urged, and
is made by usurpation continually. That argument cannot be applied to justify either the General or State Governments, for passing
an illegal or unconstitutional enactment. Whenever it shall be so
urged, recogmzed, acknowledged, and submitted to by the people,
then we may reasonably despair of their liberties, as essentially lost
in the surrender of their virtues. If there be exigencies of a serious
nature, at any time to arise in the progress of our affairs, there are
honest remedies and resorts. We have only to approach the necessity in the proper attitude, and with the proper resolution to do
rigbt. The wise framers of our laws and Government have not
been insensible to this possible necessity in the society which they
secured, and the polity which they established for its future safety.
They have declared through and by the Constitution itself, that
whenever tlie necessity for change arrives, let it change your Govern`nent, your laws, by the constitutional methods, not by fraud or vio
lence. Enactments such as that before us, are dishonest attempts to
delude a people, are sneaking subversions of the law, by means of
the law, are the usual processes by which demagogues and demagogueism drive a people to despair, and finally to revolution.
Phiiade4;hia. J. T.