The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-08-27

SVTOW0 and contribution OF our
country. When private individuals among
the people tranfgrels the remedy is ealy, the
majority of them never can trafgreis when
therefore the tranquility of the fate is dif-
turbed, we are to look for the cauie OF il in
another quarter and the whole current. of
hiftory as well as the evident nature of the
thing will warrant Us to fulpea that the
failure lies in " thofe who are Vy9Fd with
executive and Legislative powers avoiding
the eonjgr0int of Aaewn sRabI6fd laws, and
taking a liberty of acting according to
their GUN w;A and plfaJurE" as Mr.. Hut
clinton exprehcs himfelf. This being a
condition inconliifent with the iafsty of any
people, and confequ,ntly with any comp
they could poiibly be iupPofed to make
with any perlon invt,qFd with their authorI-
ty, mulf OF neceiity be a condition founded
in fraud or force, or a competition of both,
commonly known by the term ntH'pati'1.
Richard the fecond, Charles the frit, and
lanes the fccond were friking examples of
fuch difpoiitions, and will venture to deny
that the peace of community was ever
dangerously difurbed, Its rulers being entire
ly innocent. The delegates of executive
power are fuppofed to be appointed on pur-
pole TO prsvsnt the e'mmEniy from (nfIring
iniayy.' Every one of them is iolemnly
fworn to execute the truR repoled in him
20 the beit of bis Kill and cunning, i. c. to
the utmof of his power. Is he not there
fore jultly anfwerable for all the s0iII that
come upon the commonwealth even from
his neglect, much more his procurement /!
Can any one believe the, executive officers
of this province entirely bame!els OF the
plunderings, aGaults, batteries and danger
Gus woundings, even of the civil ofncers in
the legal execution OF their iolemn truit,
mott riotous endeavours to turn the Peacea-
be lubje9 out of his dwelling by military
force, and finally, fling down the citizens
in the hreets like pigeons | fay, can any
one believe that Mef $. Bernard and Hutch
infon exerted themleves to the utmoit of
their power to prevent the whole or any
part of theie caamities from falling upon
this miierable counrryi If he can he NUT
very AIghtly have perufed the official publ
cations of either. Have not both theic
gentlemen openly avowed their sverilon to
the f0njfrHinf of the knO5Vn Efa6Gyb.d Ia1OJ
and contribution of this country? Does not
the latter though acknowledging the infrac-
ton, refuie to take Jingle itep to have it
redreiled.
Plezle to attend him in fhort recapitu-
lation of his laft celebrated meiIAge to the
venerable Commons OF this province, de-
fgnsd, as he pretended, to demonlt!ate that
certain refolves and declarations they had
ordered to be entered on their journal were
not we'll founded but on the contrary tend
ed to alter the contribution which unleis
il be done wththe free content of the peo-
pie is a Grim. OF the fit m magnitude.
The fun of th.ic III founded and
treafonahle reiolyes, he ob(erves, may be
compriled in few words. You have de-
clared that the fuppoTt made for the Cover
nor by other powers than the Legislative au-
thority of this province is material infrac-
tion opon the charter yet in an(wer to this
he replies by this charter general court
or aA:nb'yis continued, and among other
powers granted to this aGembly are thofc Of
making laws not repugnsnt to the laws of
England, and impeGng rates and taxes for the
fsrvice OF the crown in the neceiIary defence
and fatb1f of government Can any one
who reads this believe lhe refolve i'll found
ed I Or how much, or rather how little
power of taxing ourlelves would MIR. Hut
clinton fuPPole grG1ted Us. Men born as
free as Mf. Huichinion's matter, mutt for
tooth, even by grant too, have bur partial
and precarious power to grant their Gun mo
les for the defence and fuPport of their own
government I The next article in his FUN
mary is, that the Governor (iupPorted O.
therwie then by the free grants OF the al