The court might, with just as much reason, have said that, to preserve the life of the government, congress had the right to issue such money as would authorize all creditors to demand twice the amount of their honest dues from all debtors.
He illustrates the absurdity of the court's reasoning by suggesting Congress could justify extreme measures to preserve itself.
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In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.
They neither ask, nor expect, any mercy, if they should ever fall into the hands of honest men.
They do not tell us that we are the freest and happiest people on earth, inasmuch as each of our male adults is allowed one voice in ten millions in the choice of the men, who are to rob, enslave, and murder us.
They do not attempt to deceive us, or mislead us, or reconcile us to their doings, by any such pretences, impostures, or insults as these.