Dr. Leib's patriotic speech, addressed to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, February 24, 1796 : throwing light on the most important proceedings of the federal government ; touching on the treaty with Great Britain ; and many other subjects, which materially concern every true friend to his country.

  • Leib, Michael, 1761-1822.
Date:
1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Leib's patriotic speech, addressed to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, February 24, 1796 : throwing light on the most important proceedings of the federal government ; touching on the treaty with Great Britain ; and many other subjects, which materially concern every true friend to his country. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    mud; take place before the people are allowed the* opportunity of doing themielves juftice ! The remem- brance of the highell political tranfgreflion may be eifaced in fix years, and the fenfe of injury and in~ juftiee may become obtruded by time, which wilt afford a mantle of inviolability to the unfaithful fer- vant.—If the people cannot be intruded with the right of frequent elections, and the power of a fpee- dy removal of unjuft Legiilators, it furnifhes an ar- gument for the eftablifhment of a feptennial Houie- of Reprefentatives, an hereditary Senate, nay more, for the- divine right of kings- The very nature of a republican government fup- pofes a fympathy between the people and their re-'- prcfentatives.—Now I would afk, what fympathy^ can poffibly fubfift between a Senator elected by a Legiilature for fix years, and the people that he is- laid to reprefent ? As well might we look for a fel- low feeliag in the Hoafe of Commons of Great Bri- tain for the people ; for as their feptennial dura- tion renders them independent of the people, and converts them into the engines of defpotifm, of a fimilar nature will be the character of our Senate, when they become a little more matured by age and circumstances. This permanency of Senate is to give liability to government, and to preferve us from- anarchy. Anarcjvy..! this is . a word imported hot from the Britifh mint, and is of cabaliftical import, and, like the word heretic among the over zealous chriftians of part centuries, furnifhes a pretext for cruelty and oppreflion. But let me afk, what are. even the dangers and horrors of anarchy when com- pared to tyranny I Let experience and the records of age:; anfwer the queftion. What are the com- panions between anarchy and defpotifm afforded by pad ages ? While defpotifm has deluged the world with blood and made a paftime of human mif- ery ; while, it has fyftematized rules for the ©pprtf. (ion ,