putting themselves into gear with the republican minority, is exactly
like Roger Sherman's proposition to add Connecticut to Rhode Island.
The idea of forming seven eastern States is moreover clearly to form the
basis of a separation of the Union. Is it possible that real republicans
can be gulled by such a bait? And for what? What do they wish, that they
have not? Federal measures? That is impossible. Republican measures?
Have they them not? Can any one deny, that in all important questions
of principle, republicanism prevails? But do they want that their
individual will shall govern the majority? They may purchase the
gratification of this unjust wish, for a little time, at a great price;
but the federalists must not have the passions of other men, if, after
getting thus into the seat of power, they suffer themselves to be
governed by their minority. This minority may say, that whenever they
relapse into their own principles, they will quit them, and draw the
seat from under them. They may quit them, indeed, but, in the mean time,
all the venal will have become associated with them, and will give them
a majority sufficient to keep them in place, and to enable them to eject
the heterogeneous friends by whose aid they get again into power. I
cannot believe any portion of real republicans will enter into this
trap; and if they do, I do not believe they can carry with them the mass
of their States, advancing so steadily as we see them, to an union of
principle with their brethren. It will be found in this, as in all
other similar cases, that crooked schemes will end by overwhelming their
authors and coadjutors in disgrace, and that he alone who walks strict
and upright, and who in matters of opinion will be contented that others
should be as free as himself, and acquiesce when his opinion is fairly
overruled, will attain his object in the end. And that this may be
the conduct of us all, I offer my sincere prayers, as well as for your
health and happiness.