Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/134

make our compariſon with England and the Engliſh conſtitution. Our people are undoubtedly ſovereign—all the landed and other property is in the hands of the citizens—not only their repreſentatives, but their ſenators and governors, arc annually choſen—there are no hereditary titles, honours, offices, or diſtinctions—the legiſlative, executive, and judicial powers are carefully ſeparated from each other—the powers of the one, the few, and the many, are nicely balanced in their legiſlatures—trials by jury are preſerved in all their glory, and there is no ſtanding army—the habeas corpus is in full force—the preſs is the moſt free in the world—and where all theſe circumſtances take place, it is unneceſſary to add, that the laws alone can govern.

LETTER