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country and under every form of government, are found the un-
flinching advocates of rational and regulated liberty, a liberty
founded in principles fixed and eternal, and which is only safe
under the shield and cover of a law changeless and inviolable by
the government, equally supreme and binding upon the rulers and
upon the people. The imperial maxim, "'voluntas principis habet
vigorem legis" he rejected utterly. He loathed despotism in all
its forms, and wherever lodged, whether in the hands of one, the
many, or the few. Born in a monarchy, he would have died as
Hamden died, in the assertion of legal limitations upon the prero-
gative. Born in a republic, he clung to the constitutional re-
striotions upon the rapacious passions of faction. He regarded
the courtier cringing at the footstool of a throne, and the dema-
gogue lauding the absolute power of a mob, as equally the foes of
freedom, and the just objects of patriot execration. He under-
stood the term people as comprehending every interest and every
individual and looked upon that system alone as free, which pro-
tected each against the arbitrary power even of the whole. He
regarded government as something framed for the defence of the
weak against the strong, of the few against the many and con-
sidered human'rights as only safe, where fixed laws and not the
fluctuating caprices of men and parties were supreme. Strength
and numbers are absolute in a state of savage nature, they need
no laws nor magistracy for their support. The rights of the
weak and the few, can only be secured by the incorporation of
the eternal principles of liberty and justice in a constitution im-
passable to power and immutable by party. The splendid popu-
larity of a favorite chief, blinded not his reason, the roar of tri-
umphant faction deafened not his conscience, the proscribing ge-
nius of a power which punished with inexorable severity, or re-
warded with unbounded profusion, appalled not his moral cour-
age, nor shook for one moment his native integrity. Young,
poor, talented and aspiring, still he followed where his principles
led him and battled long on the side of a feeble and almost over-
whelmed minority of his countrymen. To the cau se which he
espoused, through all its fortunes he adhered with unbroken faith
and consistency and lived just long enough to witness its final
and complete success.
  Mr. Menefee passed from the legislature of Kentucky into the