Historical voices

Where then is the constitution either that gives or restrains power?

Though the parts may embarrass each other, the whole has no bounds; and the only right it acknowledges out of itself, is the right of petitioning.

From the time of William a species of government arose, issuing out of this coalition bill of rights; and more so, since the corruption introduced at the Hanover succession by the agency of Walpole; that can be described by no other name…

This being the case, the bill of rights is more properly a bill of wrongs, and of insult.

You shall have so much, and I will have the rest; and with respect to the nation, it said, for your share, You shall have the right of petitioning.

What is it, but a bargain, which the parts of the government made with each other to divide powers, profits, and privileges?

In all those instances we see nothing of a constitution, but only of restrictions on assumed power.

It did not create and give powers to government in a manner a constitution does; but was, as far as it went, of the nature of a re-conquest, and not a constitution; for could the nation have totally expelled the usurpation, as France has…

This being admitted, it will then appear, that the exertion of the nation, at different periods, to abate that tyranny, and render it less intolerable, has been credited for a constitution.

If we begin with William of Normandy, we find that the government of England was originally a tyranny, founded on an invasion and conquest of the country.

The final controlling power, therefore, and the original constituting power, are one and the same power.

The laws which are enacted by governments, control men only as individuals, but the nation, through its constitution, controls the whole government, and has a natural ability to do so.

When it is in a constitution, it has the nation for its support, and the natural and the political controlling powers are together.

They could not but perceive, that there must necessarily be a controlling power existing somewhere, and they placed this power in the discretion of the persons exercising the government, instead of placing it in a constitution formed by…

It is only to the constituting power that this right belongs.

Those officers, by whatever name they are called, have no authority to add to, alter, or abridge the original articles.

Every society and association that is established, first agreed upon a number of original articles, digested into form, which are its constitution.

All the constitutions of America are declared to be established on the authority of the people.

A constitution is the property of a nation, and not of those who exercise the government.

In all those matters the right of judging and acting are in those who pay, and not in those who receive.

It is not for the benefit of those who exercise the powers of government that constitutions, and the governments issuing from them, are established.

Government has no right to make itself a party in any debate respecting the principles or modes of forming, or of changing, constitutions.

It is always the interest of a far greater number of people in a nation to have things right, than to let them remain wrong; and when public matters are open to debate, and the public judgment free, it will not decide wrong, unless it…

For this purpose they did not, like a cabal of courtiers, send for a Dutch Stadtholder, or a German Elector; but they referred the whole matter to the sense and interest of the country.