The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-09-12

dlo uS1ItlibP NlSWSsUotu CQudltf id'a' h"'
the form of government is ihif;ed, and viii
very foon be totally fubverted That in
ftuGtions can in no lenfe of the word be call.
ed law, yea, that they initiate with law ::
hat fllilory informs us how iuch CON,
tempt of the law was always treated by pco-
PIE, and fufficien,ly warn deiigning men, tc
beware how they run counter TO anclen; cui
tom, and tue wines of whole people.
lhefe things, M countrymen, are matters
Of high Importance, ard | am afraid a:e not
efficiently attended to. Surely if lhefe IS
any thing in the dilfin6fioa between liberty
and bondage, if freedom, righ', ofder and hsr-
mony are not merely majeftic chimrras, bat
important realities, you ought to be on your
guard. Il is my opinion that the hamp act,
and the act impoling duties on paper, g'afs,
&c. and which made 6hch an eclat on the
theatre of America. were not of greater, II
20 great, consequence as the meafures which
have lately taken place here. They only
ehablilhed revenue in America, which it is
true was illegal, and juhifed the neafures
then purified. Why were they 70 Danger
Gus T. becaulc they deRroyed this funda-
mental binhright of an Eugiiihman Il AKA
ton only by his own content, Thefe acts,
however, did not Hlike at the form, the
vitaIs and the being of this government ;
they were only leveIed at one of its eflential
properties. This affair OF inftruetions ihifs
our very model of government. What Is
the epefatioa The nnniltef is IN faG tie
governor of the province, Being we know
nothing of. The good and who!eiome laws
by which we were formerly governed, are
anDihilated. The representative part Of CO.
vernment have loft all freedom of acting.
They are obliged by the miaIiter, to what =
to 90 into meaiures the contribution ab-
hors, in fhort, into whatever Gets he chuies.
What is the conlequence of a refuial I he
nominal rjSn in the chair is 0,derfd to refuie
bis afent to every thing they do. To fave
him harmless, he is gratifed with a falarv
from home, by which means the check Of
the contribution is wholly taken off Can
any one now FAY, lha, the contribution is not
impaired. If thefe infTuet,ons are ney fuf-
fered, they become precedent, and # con-
tinued, our poferi,y will be as absolutely GO
verned by monarchial unlimited power, as
the flares Of Spain or Turkey. Lord Coke,
tells US, sDbrn any anaenf hlV or euJFem q par
Eamenf is broke, and the crown poileiled of a
precedent, how difficult thing it is to rehore
the lubjeG again 10 his former f,tedsm and
Jdjfty. I'd Loft. p. s2o." 1t is almoa incre-
dible TO foref.e when any maxim or funda-
mental law ofthe realm is altered, what dan
qeyoHs incoHVenientsJ follow" 4th Inf. p. Al.
Thele are the lentiments of this great man,
and ! win they may be impreiied on the
minds of all my counnymen.
Ii is very curious to obierve the links of the
chain that feems to be forging for our de-
aruetion. Everything is worked on fure
fold BATS. The miniaer well knew that
ihefe inftru6ions could never be carried into
execution, whillt the representative body re-
NAMED free. Their check was Efficient
barrier to this. What does he dol He runs
into The anfnI mcalurc, which was the fubjee
of two or three of the former numbers,
namely Ghifins the balance. He knew very
well, that this people were too jealous of
their rights, to fee them dearoyed at one open
bold ftroke. He alto knew, that this hlent
attack being founded in abfraa principles,
would not terrify, but would be as fure ablOw
to the freedom of the people. The Cover
nor is therefore now well guarded againR any
attempt 70 Gake his lccui;ty. Having thus