Sunday December 09, 2012
And what is our resource for the preservation of the Constitution [against a tyrannical Federal Government]? Reason and argument? You might as well reason and argue with the marble columns encircling them. The representatives chosen by ourselves? They are joined in the combination, some from incorrect views of government, some from corrupt ones, sufficient voting together to outnumber the sound parts; and with majorities only of one, two, or three, bold enough to go forward in defiance. Are we then to stand to our arms, with the hot-headed Georgian? No. That must be the last resource, not to be thought of until much longer and greater sufferings. — <p>Thomas Jefferson in a confidential letter <em>Consolidation!</em> to WILLIAM B. GILES. MONTICELLO, December 26, 1825 in regards to “the rapid strides with which the federal branch of our government is advancing towards the usurpation of all the rights reserved to the States,…”</p> <p>Citation: <a href="http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=JefLett.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=282&division=div1" title="Jefferson Letter" target="_blank">University of Virginia Library</a></p>