p.

26

and actually makes them the slaves of a party. And it is
one of the most extraordinary instances of self-deception,
which is exhibited in human life, that men, professing to be
the warmest friends of a republican government, and of
equal rights, should subject their fellow citizens to this
species of injustice, and triumph in the practice.

The doctrine that the spoils belong to the victors,
originated in savagism. The original state of savages is a
state of war for plunder, and the ancient barbarians of the
north of Europe avowed the object for which they invaded
more civilized nations. "Quum illi se in armis jus ferre,
et omnia fortium virorum esse, ferociter dicerent,"--Livy.
5. 36. The Gauls declared that they bore right on the
point of their swords, and that every thing belongs to the
brave.

Now what is the difference in principle between the Gauls who fought to rob their enemies of their cattle and
their lands, and a political party that contends by all means,
moral and immoral, for victory in the election, to strip their
opposers, and engross all the emoluments of the govern-
ment? And how can men claim to be republicans, who
perpetually struggle to deprive their opposers of the equal
benefits of government, and engross the whole for them-
serves and their adherents? A practice of this kind is a
species of tyranny, which tarnishes the honour of the state,
corrupts the citizens, and agitates the community with end-
less contentions and animosity.

But other principles of a still more alarming tendency
begin to prevail. One is, that there can be no such thing
as vested rights, but that all grants of a legislature may be
revoked by a subsequent legislature at pleasure.