ect and to
cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections
with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, where
is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the
sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the
instruments of investigation in courts of justice? and let us
with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be
maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the
influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure,
reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national
morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. 'Tis
substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary
spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with
more or less force to every species of free government. Who that
is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon
attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?

22. Promote, then, as an object of primary importance,
institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In
proportion as the structure of a government gives force to
public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be
enlightened. As a very important source of strength and
security, cherish public credit: one method of preserving it is
to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of
expense by cultivating peace; and remembering, also, that timely
disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much
greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the
accumulations of debt, not only by shunning occasions of
expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge
the debts which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not
ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we
ourselves ought to bear. The execution of these maxims belongs
to your representatives, but it is necessary that public opinion
should co-operate. To facilitate to them the performance of
their duty, it is essential that you should practically bear in
mind, that towards the payment of debts there must be revenue;
to have revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be
devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant;
and the intrinsic embarrassment inseparable from the selection
of the proper object (which is always a choice of difficulti