Edmund Burke: “Religion, morals, laws, prerogatives, privileges, liberties, rights of men, are the pretexts.”

Governments must be abused and deranged indeed, before it can be thought of; and the prospect of the future must be as bad as the experience of the past.

They have little regard to the obvious consequences of their doctrine, though they may see that it leaves positive authority in very few of the positive institutions of this country.

Their trust for the future preservation of the Constitution was not in future revolutions.

Their objects would be enlarged with their elevation; but their disposition, and habits, and mode of accomplishing their designs must remain the same.