The New York Journal, And Daily Patriotic Register

One of the principal arguments which the advocates, for a change in government hold out, is, that if after a trial of the new constitution it will not answer, we can mend it; but such fairy tales cannot deceive the people if any understanding, they must only be invented to amuse the weak and foolish among themselves. The fable of the ax-man treacherously supplicating the trees in the forest for a handle to his axe, with which he afterwards destroyed them all, is a sufficient explanation of such a fallacious argument. The freemen of America will remember, that it is very easy to change a free government into an arbitrary, despotic, or military one; but is it very difficult, almost impossible to reverse the matter-very difficult to regain freedom once lost. The struggles now existing between the people of France and their government is a striking proof of this; for, that government has lately laid (in addition to the other enormous existing taxes) a very heavy land tax of 20 per cent. The people complain of it loudly, but what does this avail? their complaints are treated with contempt, as that government has a large standing army at their command, and we find those who dare to complain are banished, or sent to the Bastile. So much for the government of the well born few, and standing armies. Phil. Paper.