of his
right, only because he will not violate his conscience, and add his
voice to those of sycophants, dependents, and prostitutes, the slaves of
power, the drudges of a court, and the hirelings of a faction, is the
highest degree of injustice and cruelty. Let us rather, sir, sweep away,
with an impress, the drones of large fortunes, the tyrants of villages,
and the oppressors of the poor; let us oblige those to serve their
country by force, whose fortunes have had no other effect than to make
them insolent and worthless; but let such who, by contributing to
commerce, make every day some addition to the publick wealth, be left in
the full enjoyment of the rights which they deserve: let those, by whose
labour the expenses of the war are furnished, be excused from
contributing to it by personal service.

It is necessary, sir, to have our laws established by the
representatives of the people; it is necessary that those
representatives should be freely elected; and, therefore, every law that
obstructs the liberty of voters, is contrary to the fundamental laws of
our constitution; and what multitudes may, by this law, be either
hindered from giving their votes, or be terrified into such a choice as
by no means corresponds with their judgments or inclinations, it is easy
to foresee.

I am, indeed, of opinion, sir, that this clause cannot be adapted to our
constitution, nor modified, by any expedient, into a law, which will not
lay insupportable hardships upon the nation, and make way for absolute
power. But as it is necessary that a constant supply of seamen should be
provided, I think it not improper to observe, that there is one
expedient yet remaining, by which, though it will not much assist us in
our present exigence, the fleets of this nation may hereafter be
constantly supported.

We have, at present, great numbers of charity schools established in
this nation, where the children of the poor receive an education
disproportioned to their birth. This has often no other consequences
than to make them unfit for their stations, by placing them, in their
own opinion, above the drudgery of daily labour; a notion which is too
much indulged, as idleness, cooperating with vanity, can hardly fail to
gain the ascendant, and which sometimes prompts them to support
themselves by practices not only useless, but pernicious to society.
This evil, sir, cannot be better obviated than by allotting a reasonable
proportion out of ever