not prefume to call it perpetual and analterable. They well knew they had no power to make it fo; that our choice of them had been for no fuch purpofe, and at a time when we could have no fuch purpofe in contemplation. Had an unalterable form of govern- [ 237 3 merit been meditated, perhaps we Ihould have chofen a different fet of people. There was no caufe then for the people to rife in rebellion. But to what dangerous lengths will this argument lead? Did the acquiefcence of the colonies under the various afts of power exercifed by Great- Britain in our infant ft ate, confirm thefe ads, and fo far inveft them with the autho- rity of the people as to render them unal- terable, and our prefent refiftance wrong? On every unauthoritative exercife of power by the legiflature, muft the people rife in rebellion, or their filence be conftrued into a furrender of that power to them?
If fo, how many rebellions fliould we have had already? One certainly for every fef- fion of afTembly. The other ftates in the union have been of opinion, that to render a form of government unalterable by or- dinary ads of afTembly, the people mufl delegate perfons with fpecial powers. They have accordingly chofen fpecial con- ventions to form and fix