cams_benton_b028_f012_002_016

[upper right corner]
16

16. [centered]

bylaws, they choose their officers, they pass their re-
-solves, & they express their will, by open vote. Now,
if every culprit could be tried by the same body; –
if every title of to property could be submitted to them; –
if every case of difficulty could be referred to them;
& their repeated adjustment of all matters be final –
we should have about as perfect a government, as, peace-
-able a communities, as prosperous a people, as this
poor world admits of. And the nearer we can
come to this, & the more, we can keep the control
of things in the hands of the whole – not of a clique –
people & with & with the mass of the voters – the more correct
will be all our decisions – the more beneficial all
the results of our political action. If we believe
our doctrine – let us not shrink from its consequences.

If the people are fit to govern themselves, let them do
it, in the most direct way possible. Let them man-
-age, & take the responsibility of it. Let them exercise
the power which we acknowledge as theirs as they please; – & let
them resume the power they have delegated to
individuals or committees – courts or legislatures –
at such times – as, in mass, they shall declare
it to be necessary ~ or proper. To this everything tends.
To this shall we all finally come; – & then shall be
surprised that we ever made a bugbear of it. ~

[upper right corner]
16

16. [centered]

bylaws, they choose their officers, they pass their re-
-solves, & they express their will, by open vote. Now,
if every culprit could be tried by the same body; –
if every title of to property could be submitted to them; –
if every case of difficulty could be referred to them;
& their repeated adjustment of all matters be final –
we should have about as perfect a government, as, peace-
-able a communities, as prosperous a people, as this
poor world admits of. And the nearer we can
come to this, & the more, we can keep the control
of things in the hands of the whole – not of a clique –
people & with & with the mass of the voters – the more correct
will be all our decisions – the more beneficial all
the results of our political action. If we believe
our doctrine – let us not shrink from its consequences.

If the people are fit to govern themselves, let them do
it, in the most direct way possible. Let them man-
-age, & take the responsibility of it. Let them exercise
the power which we acknowledge as theirs as they please; – & let
them resume the power they have delegated to
individuals or committees – courts or legislatures –
at such times – as, in mass, they shall declare
it to be necessary ~ or proper. To this everything tends.
To this shall we all finally come; – & then shall be
surprised that we ever made a bugbear of it. ~