The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-03-26
THURS DAY, MARCH IS, 1772.

aaasifl fufpea grsEndi.j5y lst the fafpiciou
/, :. ssaR o., Iay own head AID the fa1(t
gHsness even in this ylewof things may be
unhappy. Mankind tremcondua in ca
pital iajfanets always judge Of behaviour in
matters of efs moment. The esufsmp. Due
to the tSrmer is frequently transferred TO
the latter, am grlsved therefore when |
fee fet of men lgpst7Ed to be without
principle and who are looked on, by the
man of letters with c'ztsmpt, by the pious,
with bsr,or, and by the bulk of the citi-
zens with exscratiOn. | would have you,
my countrymen, by all means inj2rE6,
command your representatives, that they
fufer not blood 70 long to polute the land
tOitbsat an enquiry. BY no means Ter this
be omitted. Il would be virtual JaRtf-
cation of the aa itfef And not only the IN
terefs of fociety nouV require (uch pro-
cedure, but the interefs of peRriy, on
whom fuch a precedent permitted, may
have an unhappy influence. Oh! my
countrymen, cannot pats by this matter
as flight thing; it lays near my -seart.
The laws of God, of nature and iociety
all unite with me in enforcing my requeh.
And in this determination may you be al
fitted by him, who is the on y fource of
wi(dom who will never fee the laws he
has infituted, broken with impanity, andwho
has once declared, The Voics of thy brOiber'S
bleed CRIETH 10 NE from The ground.
now mention what may perhaps
amazE Nome people. | cannot help it.
It is efficient for me il | think it my du-
stYA6Slzy il before my countrymen, and if
can jayfify and dtfInd my conduct. You
may remember a paper that has made no
little noife, Ggned MUC1Us SCRvoLA.
He has advanced Tome bald truths. But al
though the creatures of administration have
threatened and the archers have lhot at
him, his bow has yer remained in
frength." He has had the happinels of
finding his notions. jnfiEsd By his country
men, and the fame Grand Jury who be-
haved 10 fpirited in Rchardlons cafe, have
in fad attefted to the truth of them. For
my own part | am convinced of nothing
more than of the reality of wnat he aherts.
This opinion was not catched bafiI, but
founded on 0rgHwsnfJ, which arguments |
laid before the public In two of my num-
bers : and furely this is an important
point. Either what Mucius fays is fyus or
fa9'; ifthe latter, Why is he not punihedl
The conduct of the Grand Jury, and the
gsnsr0I opinion of the people, will make
any man lElps5 that it is not taIf; at leaf
he will be doubtful. Admitting it in this
light, admitting it to be only doubtful, it is
a doubt of SO HIGH A NATURE that
IL ought by all means to be foIved. The
sxjFsnes of the community demands this ::
But If IL ihould happen to be true how does
the argument acquire force. How can
an houie approach governor, when they
know in their fouls he is not Legal one
How can they permit the buinefs of the
ProviRce to come forth under the lanefion
OF man who has no authority for fuch
ianetion Your interefs, your all de-
mands of you my countrymen, that you
folemnly require thofe whom you fhaIl
commhion, to make a point Of this mafttr
order them to examine whether the opini-
on now circulating is true or f0E. II the,
hnd the latter, the rights of the governor
demand their public attehation to his cha
raeter; it they find the former the rights
q the community require an explanation.
Let them aet like men. Let them openly
lay 10. Let them not by fubmitting to
ruler whom in their fouls they 6ijaUssU,
betray littleneE; OF behaviour. Let them
exert themfeives, AID let mankind know
that they have too much fpirit to be made
f''ff If; that they will frsggk hard
for the contribution they are 6'uHd to pre-
ferve, and will if poihb.e hand it down to
lasef ages.