if it be an adequate Compensation had fully coincided with my Ideas of
Justice & Policy.

Nothing was mentiond in his Letter to me, of the Nature or the
Proceedings of County Conventions, & therefore I made no Observation
upon them. I hope it will not be in the Power of any designing Men, by
imposing upon credulous tho' well meaning Persons long to keep this
Country, who may be happy if they will, long in a State of Discord &
Animosity. We may see, from the present State of Great Britain, how
rapidly such a Spirit will drive a Nation to destruction. It is prudent
for the People to keep a watchful Eye over the Conduct of all those who
are entrusted with Publick Affairs. Such Attention is the Peoples great
Security.1 But there is Decency & Respect due to Constitutional
Authority, and those Men, who under any Pretence or by any Means
whatever, would lessen the Weight of Government lawfully exercised,
must be Enemies to our happy Revolution & the Common Liberty. County
Conventions & popular Committees servd an excellent Purpose when they
were first in Practice. No one therefore needs to regret the Share he
may then have had in them. But I candidly own it is my Opinion, with
Deferrence to the Opinions of other Men, that as we now have
constitutional & regular Governments and all our Men in Authority
depend upon the annual & free Elections of the People, we are safe
without them. To say the least, they are become useless. Bodies of Men,
under any Denomination whatever, who convene themselves for the Purpose
of deliberating upon & adopting Measures which are cognizable by
Legislatures only will, if continued, bring Legislatures to Contempt &
Dissolution. If the publick Affairs are illy conducted, if dishonest or
incapable Men have crept unawares into Government, it is happy for us,
that under our American Constitutions the Remedy is at hand, & in the
Power of the great Body of the People. Due Circumspection & Wisdom at