SAT Reading - Khan Diagnostic Quiz level 3 - reading 3

Passage 1

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect

every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing

will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up
that force, you are inevitably ruined. I am answered by
₅ gentlemen, that, though I might speak of terrors, yet the fact

was, that we were surrounded by none of the dangers I

apprehended. I conceive this new government to be one of

those dangers: it has produced those horrors which distress

many of our best citizens. We are come hither to preserve the
₁₀ poor commonwealth of Virginia, if it can be possibly done:

something must be done to preserve your liberty and mine.

The Confederation, this same despised government, merits,

in my opinion, the highest encomium: it carried us through a

long and dangerous war; it rendered us victorious in that
₁₅ bloody conflict with a powerful nation; it has secured us a

territory greater than any European monarch possesses: and

shall a government which has been thus strong and vigorous,

be accused of imbecility, and abandoned for want of energy?

Consider what you are about to do before you part with the
₂₀ government. Take longer time in reckoning things;

revolutions like this have happened in almost every country

in Europe; similar examples are to be found in ancient

Greece and ancient Rome - instances of the people losing

their liberty by their own carelessness and the ambition of a
₂₅ few. We are cautioned by the honorable gentleman, who

presides, against faction and turbulence. I acknowledge that

licentiousness* is dangerous, and that it ought to be provided

against: I acknowledge, also, the new form of government

may effectually prevent it: yet there is another thing it will as
₃₀ effectually do - it will oppress and ruin the people.

Passage 2

Before I proceed to make some additions to the reasons

which have been adduced by my honorable friend over the

way, I must take the liberty to make some observations on

what was said by another gentleman, (Mr. Henry). He told us
₃₅ that this Constitution ought to be rejected because it

endangered the public liberty, in his opinion, in many

instances. Give me leave to make one answer to that

observation:Let the dangers which this system is supposed to

be replete with be clearly pointed out: if any dangerous and
₄₀ unnecessary powers be given to the general legislature, let

them be plainly demonstrated; and let us not rest satisfied

with general assertions of danger, without examination. If

powers be necessary, apparent danger is not a sufficient

reason against conceding them. He has suggested that
₄₅ licentiousness has seldom produced the loss of liberty; but

that the tyranny of rulers has almost always effected it. Since

the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more

instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by

gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by
₅₀ violent and sudden usurpations; but, on a candid examination

of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse

of power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the

minority, have produced factions and commotions, which, in

republics, have, more frequently than any other cause,
₅₅ produced despotism. If we go over the whole history of

ancient and modern republics, we shall find their destruction

to have generally resulted from those causes. If we consider

the peculiar situation of the United States, and what are the

sources of that diversity of sentiment which pervades its
₆₀ inhabitants, we shall find great danger to fear that the same

causes may terminate here in the same fatal effects which

they produced in those republics. This danger ought to be

wisely guarded against. Perhaps, in the progress of this

discussion, it will appear that the only possible remedy for
₆₅ those evils, and means of preserving and protecting the

principles of republicanism, will be found in that very system

which is now exclaimed against as the parent of oppression.