"But, sir, the people themselves have it in their power effectually
to resist usurpation, without being driven to an appeal of arms.
An act of usurpation is not obligatory; it is not law; and any man
may be justified in his resistance. Let him be considered as a criminal
by the general government, yet only his fellow-citizens can convict him;
they are his jury, and if they pronounce him innocent, not all the powers
of Congress can hurt him; and innocent they certainly will pronounce him,
if the supposed law he resisted was an act of usurpation."
-- Theophilus Parsons, in the Massachusetts Convention
-- on the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
-- [Jonathan Elliot, ed., "The Debates of the Several State Conventions
-- on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution",
-- (New York, Burt Franklin: 1888), 2:94 ]
