The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-05-21
AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE.
PHILADELPHIA, May 7.

PHILADELPHIA, way IL
10y Captain Burchmore, from the Gre
ID nades, We learn, that wris for the cleo
ton of members of an ahembly for that IL
land, were lately iHued by his Excel'ency
Governor lie, borne, which have been fire.
nuouAy oppofed by the patriotic, merchants,
freeholders, and other inhabitants, who
complained loudly of the former and preient
illegal proceedings of the Governor and
Council; and preferted apetitionto his Ex-
cellency couchcd in the hfongeh terms, iet-
ting forth, that accordingt the laws Of Eng
land, no Roman Catholic can be admitted
as a member of their aiiembly; lntreating
that his Excellency would be pleafed to re-
cal the prefent writs, and iliue others for
converting an anembly according to the law
Of Great Britain and that colony That a
pro.ef was ALTO entered by twenty one free
holders, aganff all the tranfs etions of the
anembly, that ihould meet in coniequence
of the fad writs declaring that fuoh aiiem-
bly, would not be lawful representation of
the inhabitants, and confequently, would be
without power to make laws, or DO any O.
Their act, matter or thing, to bind them.
Notwithstanding which petition and protefi
we further learn, that On the 9th of March
the General sAembly of Grenada met, and
the members prefent were lworn before the
Governor in council. ~.
The PROTEST is as follows, viz.
I" WHEREAS bis Excellency William
Leyborne Leyborne, Efq; hath been peafed
to iilue writs, whereby the freeholders of
this town, and of the ieveral parilhes of this
Ifland, and of the lland of Carrioucou, are
directed to be fummoned and convened in
order to choofe perfons to repreient them
in the afembly, qualified according to pro-
csmation bearing date the thirty-6rif day of
December, one thoufand feven hundred and
fixty eight, and ifued by The then commsn-
der in chief in this IAand And whereas the
faid proclamation is, in our apprehension, to-
tally illegal becaufe, thereby, an act or
ordinance of this lnand merely temporary,
and which hath long fhce ceafed,is, in part,
continued and given force and effect TO, BY
the lole authority of bis MajeRy's repIefen
stative in this Hand, at the fame time that
the other part thereof is utterly rejected and
dipenfcd with becaule Roman Catholics,
disqualified by The laws of England, which
were expreny extended to this colony by bis
msjsAy's mof gracious proclamation Of the
feventh CT October, one thoufand feven hum
dren and fixty. three, and disqualified by the
contribution efablilhed here at the. COM
mencement of the civil government, in viz
tue of hiA Majefy's commiiLon alto under
the great zeal Of Great Britain TO his late
Governor Robert Melvill, Efq; in faith and
confidence of which the settlement of this
colony was carried on, and are thereby made
eligible in the sHembly sand becauie fun
dry other regulations, new, extraordinary
and unconstitutional are therein and thereby
made: And whereas the faid writs are total
ly different from thofe by virtue whereof
the alemblies of representatives were oTigi-
naIly convened and held, and are alto found
ed on, and as expreAy refer to the laid ile-
pal proclamation of the thirty hrf of De-
cember, one thoufand feven hundred and
Gxty. eight: And whereaswe do apprehend,
that according TO the laws of England, the
charter of this colony, and found reafon, bis
MsjeHy's Governor cannot, by this lofe su-
ihorlty, alter the ehablilhed form of any the
Leaf hgDihcant writ, much leIs of thofe 70
high and important in their nature and effects
as are the wits in coplsquence of which the
legislature is convoked (: And whereas the
powers and authorities veRed in and inuufled
to the legislature are 70 many, 70 great, and
10 extenfye. that every circumhance with |