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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    fion and degradation of man, anarchy has had a ipeedy period to its convulfions, and a funfliinc af- ter its clouds. Anarchy, like ftrong paflions, is but ihort lived j but defpotifm, like the malice of an un- heated mind, knows no limits to its appetites. In a word, anarchy is like the eruption of a volcano, which is tranjient. and confined in its ravages ;— defpotifm is like the earthquake in Calabria, that did not ceafe till it carried mifery and ruin to the otmoft bounds of nations. It may be truly faid, was the remark of the ce- lebrated Dr. Price, if licentioufnefs has deftroyed its thoufands, defpotiim has deftroyed its millions. The former, having little power, and no fyftem to fup- port it, neceflarily finds its own remedy ; and a peo- ple foon get out of the tumult and anarchy attend- ing it. .But a defpotifm, we;*ing a form of govern- ment, and being armed with its force, is; an evil not to be conquered without dreadful druggies. It goes on from age to age, debafing the human faculties, and preying on the rights and blefiing* of fociety. It deferves to be added, that in a State difturbed by Jif entioufnefs, ther* is„an animation which is favour- able to the human mind, and puts it upon exerting its powers ; but in a ftate habituated to defpotifm, all is ftill and torpid. A dark and favage tyranny ftifles every effort of genius, and the mind lofes all its fpirit and dignity. But let us examine whether this faid monfter, an- archy, will arife from rendering reprefentatives more refponfible, and more dependent upon the peo- ple.—Are the people of this country fuch friends to diforder, that the energy of an ariftocratic govern- ment is neceffary to keep them in due fubordina- tion ? What were the reftraints of law during the interregnum of the declaration of independence, and the eftablifhment of the refpective State combina- tions ? At this period, cyery thing was afloat ; but the .