The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-05-30
THUR SDAY, May 80, 1771.

Hume's hit. y. q. 2. al. 1hus we fe
what is the policy Of tyan,s in every o,he
nation, and what is of the principa
meaiures they run into, tolupport themieves
And il nuR be TO; we cal that deipotit
government, where law is dependent on Ihc
will Of one man, and where there is no Ger.
tain rule of action. And will anv one fay
this is not the cafe as ehrSfually in pallia-
menis of his nature, as where there are none
at all If they have no power in themielveS
to reliP : If their interea, and the motives
they a6s t. nj, tempt them invariably to give
what an ambitious ruler def es, is not GO
velnmcnr as dependent on his pleafure, as il
he had no parliament, : Yea, II is more TO-.
Supported by fuCh band of meIceusIies, he
itands fecufe, and fuch Houle of Commons
is more dangerous than fwarms Of wretchrs
habited in red OF blue. Perlons Of this iiamp
there ever will be in houie. here always
arr friends to gOvsrmmtnf, but enemies to the
contribution, tor government and contribution
eIentially differ fomeumes, and as fine
writer obierves, I" they may fink into the
MATS Of the people in good reign, fed genus
immort0Ie manef.
The one part of the legislature is fole.
bis private and public intereR are COME
a&eptly one and the fame. He is confident
the fore in bis meatures and his politics.
Ebk Commons are many their inte,sas
therefore are separated. Hence iays the fame
author, 1" a King cannot be tempted to give
up the interelts of his crown, becaufe he can
DOT give up his pubic intcreii. without giving
up his private intereR. Whereas the mem.
bers of fuch aiIembies may promote their
private intereit, by facrifcing to it that OF the
public A houic Of representatives was
defigned TO be the fecurity Of the rights of the
people. They were iuRtuted as the only
check on arbitrary power, and TO prefesve
that weight in the contribution free people
lhoud always have. When lbefe motives
are loft, it is PLAN the whole BATS is tapped;
and the mitchell is, the rights of the people
are ruined IN 70 fecret, iilent way, thar they
are not lnipicious ofthe change. The forms
remain, and therefore the people are deceived,
although this power Of the ruler over the
Houfe brings us into the fame fate, which
that Houfe was calculated to free us from.
Thus aided and abetted, the Prince can eaGly
fupport bis meafures, and rivet the chains of
0avery on nation for ever.
Let this people then look to thefe innova-
tions. The contribution of this province is
the work of much labour, expence and blood.
Like he Jews of old in rebuilding the fecond
temple, our fathers were obliged TO found
this fate with the hammer and the ak, as it
were in one hand, and defend the young in
ititation with their fwords in the other. Il
is cruel, it is affecting, that this contribution
thus reared, and thus defended, fhould at
length fall, and be crulhed in its own ruins.
We feem at prefent to be in danger of this
There is mode of attack as we have heard
mole fatal than the defigns of Philip, or the
yell and b4rbarities Of the favage. But though
brought low, let US not be discouraged. Let
il be our maxim, as il always is a maxim
with free determined people, nj dt)p0a4
DIM de rtpHbGeG. The natural booy j, IS
true, after few mole convufions and ex
tremities mutt meet its fate and calmly v'ei
come death. But the body polite may fur
vive thefe hocks. Let it be our ambition
thus to preferve this infant fate, that while
the empires OF BeIus and of Gurus are only
monuments Of ruin, we may ALL live, and
the endeavours of the pEeient age Be the BATS
of future empire.