of a half-obedience.  Let it be carefully remembered also, that violent resistance to Law cannot be justified, when there is no fair prospect of overthrowing the government, and being able to establish a better one.  To justify violent resistance to the laws, it is not enough that the government is unjust and its laws unrighteous; it is necessary also, that there should be no good ground to hope for a cessation of that unrighteousness in some peaceful way, and that there should be a prospect of some good to be gained by the resistance, which good shall be worth more than all the labor, and treasure, and strife, and blood, which the revolution shall cost.  Let it be carefully remembered, too, that violent resistance on any one point is rebellion on every point, for “he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all:”  such resistance is opposition by force to one entire government—­is just a conflict with the powers that be; so that any resisting individual or number of individuals who commence a violent resistance on any one point, have cast off their allegiance to the entire government, and stand in the attitude of open and hostile rebellion.

It may not be an easy thing to settle the right of rebellion—­to determine the question, when a people have a right forcibly to resist the execution of regularly enacted Law.  But we can tell something about it.  There are some things perfectly clear on this point.

1.  To justify rebellion, (or what is the same thing, forcible resistance of the laws,) a government must be so bad, as to fail manifestly of its just end, that is, to promote the happiness of the people.  If it does promote that general happiness, it answers the just end of government—­it is a good government, and ought not to be overthrown.

2.  To justify rebellion, the injustice or failure of a government must be so great, that it cannot be endured,—­so great, that it will manifestly be better on the whole, to run all the risks of a bloody conflict, of civil war, than to endure the execution of the governmental laws.

3.  To justify rebellion, there must be little or no prospect that the government can be peaceably altered, as ours may be, or that the injustice or oppression of the government can be made to cease by any peaceable means.  Violence against government, rebellion, civil war, are no small matters.  They bring horrid evils along with them.  The injury of government must be very great to justify the introduction of such evils; and if the injury can be made to cease, by any peaceable means and within any reasonable time, it would be better to bear the injury for a while, than to involve the nation in confusion and blood, with uncertainty as to the result.—­The last four years’ experience of nations in Europe may read us a lesson.