ople to guard against
them. We find the happiest consequences to flow from it. The separate
governments know their powers, their objects, and operations. We are
therefore not perpetually tormented with new experiments. For a single
instance of abuse among us there are thousands in other countries. On the
other hand, the people know their rights, and feel happy in the possession
of their freedom, both civil and political. Active industry is the
consequence of their security, and within one year the circumstances of
the state and of individuals have improved to a degree never before known
in this commonwealth. Though our bill of rights does not, perhaps, contain
all the cases in which power might be safely reserved, yet it affords a
protection to the persons and possessions of individuals not known in any
foreign country. In some respects the power of government is a little too
confined. In many other countries we find the people resisting their
governours for exercising their power in an unaccustomed mode. But for
want of a bill of rights the resistance is always, by the principles of
their government, a rebellion which nothing but success can justify. In
our constitution we have aimed at delegating the necessary powers of
government and confining their operation to beneficial purposes. At
present we appear to have come very near the truth. Let us therefore have
wisdom and virtue enough to preserve it inviolate. It is a stale
contrivance, to get the people into a passion, in order to make them
sacrifice their liberty. Repentance always comes, but it comes too late.
Let us not flatter ourselves that we shall always have good men to govern
us. If we endeavour to be like other nations we shall have more bad men
than good ones to exercise extensive powers. That circumstance alone will
corrupt them. While they fancy themselves the viceregents of God, they
will resemble him only in power, but will always depart from his wisdom
and goodness.

AGRIPPA.

Agrippa, XVIII.

The Massachusetts Gazette, (Number 406)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1788.

TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONVENTION.

_Gentlemen_,

In my last address I ascertained, from historical records, the following
principles: that, in the original state of government, the whole power
resides in the whole body of the nation, that when a people appoint
certain persons to govern them, they delegate their whole power; that a
constitution is not in itself a bill of rights; a