Yet for the
few cases, wherein the suspension of the _habeas corpus_ has done real
good, that operation is now become habitual, and the minds of the nation
almost prepared to live under its constant suspension. A declaration,
that the federal government will never restrain the presses from
printing any thing they please, will not take away the liability of the
printers for false facts printed. The declaration, that religious faith
shall be unpunished, does not give impunity to criminal acts, dictated
by religious error. The saying--there shall be no monopolies, lessens
the incitements to ingenuity, which is spurred on by the hope of a
monopoly for a limited time, as of fourteen years; but the benefit of
even limited monopolies is too doubtful, to be opposed to that of their
general suppression. If no check can be found to keep the number of
standing troops within safe bounds, while they are tolerated as far as
necessary, abandon them altogether, discipline well the militia,
and guard the magazines with them. More than magazine guards will be
useless, if few, and dangerous, if many.
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