On the contrary, the government of the concurrent majority, where the organism is perfect, excludes the possibility of oppression, by giving to each interest, or portion, or order,—­where there are established classes,—­the means of protecting itself, by its negative, against all measures calculated to advance the peculiar interests of others at its expense.  Its effect, then, is to cause the different interests, portions, or orders,—­as the case may be, to desist from attempting to adopt any measure calculated to promote the prosperity of one, or more, by sacrificing that of others; and thus to force them to unite in such measures only as would promote the prosperity of all, as the only means to prevent the suspension of the action of the government;—­and, thereby, to avoid anarchy, the greatest of all evils.  It is by means of such authorized and effectual resistance, that oppression is prevented, and the necessity of resorting to force superseded, in governments of the concurrent majority;—­and, hence, compromise, instead of force, becomes their conservative principle.

It would, perhaps, be more strictly correct to trace the conservative principle of constitutional governments to the necessity which compels the different interests, or portions, or orders, to compromise,—­as the only way to promote their respective prosperity, and to avoid anarchy,—­rather than to the compromise itself.  No necessity can be more urgent and imperious, than that of avoiding anarchy.  It is the same as that which makes government indispensable to preserve society; and is not less imperative than that which compels obedience to superior force.  Traced to this source, the voice of a people,—­uttered under the necessity of avoiding the greatest of calamities, through the organs of a government so constructed as to suppress the expression of all partial and selfish interests, and to give a full and faithful utterance to the sense of the whole community, in reference to its common welfare,—­may without impiety, be called the voice of God.  To call any other so, would be impious.

* * * * *

=_Daniel Webster, 1782-1852._= (Manual, pp. 478, 486.)

From the “Reply to Hayne, in the United States Senate.”

=_85._= INESTIMABLE VALUE OF THE FEDERAL UNION.

I cannot, even now, persuade myself to relinquish it, without expressing once more my deep conviction, that, since it respects nothing less than the union of the states, it is of most vital and essential importance to the public happiness.  I profess, sir, in my career hitherto, to have kept steadily in view the prosperity and honor of the whole country, and the preservation of our Federal Union.  It is to that Union we owe our safety at home, and our consideration and dignity abroad.  It is to that Union we are chiefly indebted for whatever makes us most proud of our country.  That Union we reached only by the discipline of our virtues in the severe school of