The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-08-20
From the NOR III BRITON.
Ey,yaa fran the FREEHOLDER's Politi-
cal CATECHlSM.
T he
| Continued jrom No. 73J

~. N1OO Halt Pe'"aP' o
of FIVE hundred, and the menu
Der perhaps one Of FIVE hundred more /; then
your fnare of the guilt is but fmall {
A. AS he, who afifs at murder, IS
vuilry of murder, 70 he, who acts the low
Ell part in the enAaying his Country IS gull
~ Of a much greater crime than murder
0. Is enlaving ones country greater
crime than murder |!
A. Yes inafmuch as the murder OF
human nature is a greater crime than the
murder of human creature: or as nc "no
debaleth and rendereth mlfcrab'e the race
of mankind, is more wicked than ne VINO
cutteth Of; an individual.
Q. Why is ennaVing mankind muir
dering human nature
A. Becaule mankind in the fate oil Ia
very and freedom is a different fort OF crea-
ture fox proof of this have read what
the Greeks were of old, and what they arc
now, in fate of llvery.
O. What is become Of the heroes, phi
Iolophers, orators, and free citizens OF
Greece ?
A. They are now AAves to the Gfeat
o. What is become of the Scipio's and
Cato's of Rome
A. They ling now on the Engfh fage.
O. Docs not the tranquility, occaiion-
ed by abloIute monarchy, make the cOun-
try thrive !
A. Peace and plenty are not the genu-
inc fruits of ablolute monarchy: tor aoio-
lutte monarches are more fubje6 to convu!-
fions than fIes governments, and iiavery
turneth the fruitful plains into deiart
whereas liberty, like the dew from heaven,
frufiHeth the barren mountains. This |
have learned from travellers, who have vi
fitted countries in both conditions there
fore, as faid before, fhould reckon my
felf guilty of the greateR crime human ma
ture is cspble of, if ! were any ways ac-
ceGary to the enAaving my country. Tho
! have but one vote, many units make
number; and if every elector fhould rea-
fon after the fame manner, that ne has but
one. what muii become OF the whole A
law of great conlequencc, and the election
of the member VINO voteth for that law,
may be both carried by one vote. Great
and important fervices for the liberties of
their country, have been done BY ordinary
r,.n. I have read that the intttution
of the Tribunes of Rome, or the whole
power of the Commons, was owing TO
word fpoke in feaion, by common man.
O. Is il not lawful 10 take bride from
a per(on otherwile worthy to ferve his
country
A. No more than for judge TO take a
brib. for righteous f:ntcnce nor is it a.
nv more lawful TO corrupt, than to commit
evil that good may come of it. Corrupt
on converts a good action into wlckednsE
Bribery of all forts is contrary to the law Of
God il is a heinous fin, often punifhed
with the fevereft judgments it involves in
il the fin of perjury, as the law ftands now !;
and is behdes the greatef folly and madneis.
0. How is it contrary to the law of
God
A. The law of God faith expressly,
Tbou 6sh not wrea judgment 7bon 6ah
not TAKE gif. If it is a fin in judge,t is
much more in lawgiver, or an els6tor,
hecaufe the miichiefs occafioned by the
n It, reach only to individuals, that OF the
lalf may affect the whole nation, and even
the generations to come. The Pfalmiit
defcribing the wicked, faith, bis rigbi hand
If fuR of britH. The prophet defcribing
the righteous, tells us, be lnkttb bis hands
fran bsldiug 6,iBe. Samuel jui.fying his
innocence, appeals to the people OF
,ub0k bqna5 bGvt TAKEN bride Then as
to divine vengeance, holy ] OBJ tells US, That
CD LbaN dsJgrey the tabernacle Of bribery.
Actan's avarice, who had appropriated to
his own ufe the golden wedge, and the