He believes in tow articles,- two instruments, shall i say? - the golden rule and the declaration of independence; and he used the expression in conversation here concerning them, "better that a whole generation of men, women, and children should pass away by violent death than one word of either should be violated in this country." there is a unionist.- there is a strict constructionist of you. he believes in the union of the united states, and he concevies that the only obstruction to the union is slavery, and for that reason as a patriot he words for it's abolition. which statement best demonstrates how emerson uses this excerpt in his defense of john brown?