The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-05-28
THURS DAY, May %, 1772

be al Liberty TO con!ult, IKE the fatner OF thiS
people, their true intcr;fi, while he conf
ders himfcf bound TO obey inhrudions fen'
TO him from the other iide of the Atlantic
For although he may know that doing any
particular ae would be beneficial to the
people, and conducive to his Majeity fer
vice, if he is inftruet-d to the contrary,
il mutt not be done. But if he is initrueted
to do an act which he knows will be inju-
rious TO the people, and detrimental to hi:
Msjefy's fetvice,y according to this new
(yfem he muff do it-Evely confederation
OF the ftnefs and rsafonabepels Of the tranf-
act On is thrown Aide and whatever may
be the con(equence to King or people, the
Governor mutt exc cife the power commit
ted to him, not agreeable TO his difcretiou,
and the apparent interef Of the province,
but according to the infru4ions received
from miniiter three thouiand miles diff
tznce-lnRruaions are urged in execute fol
almof every thing of which we complain
BY an infru6tion, our Legislative body are
reftrained from meeting at their ancient
and cRablifhed feat, contrary to their in
fiin0tisn 70 repeatedly declared to the Co.
vernon. BY an infffuaion, our fortrefs
Cattle William, built and for long time
Imported by the province for its defence,
has been delivered to Troops, over whom
che Captain general of the province has
declared he has no controul and who 70
appearance, have taken more care to make
it formidable tothis town, than to foreign
enemy.-Under the influence of an in-
ltruefion, theGovernor has refufed his con-
lent to tax bill, for defraying the neceha-
ry charges of government, becaufe fuch
perfons as the Britifn miDiffer was pleafad
to point out, were not exPrtny exempted
from bearing their due proportion of faid
tax. And what feems TO conpleat our
misfortune is,that an initruetion is pleaded
for refuling a grant for the payment oil
our Agents al the Court of Great Britain.
Thus we are to be cut off, even from COM
p amt, that lait refource of the wretched.
His Excellency is infruaed not to fign
any grant for the payment of an Agent
unlels he is chofen by the three branches
of the leeiA4ture. He cannot content ts
the choice OF any one who is prolcTibed il
his inf uaions. II is aqainh an adminiftra
ton in which LordHilfborcugh and his de.
pendants are principal actors, that we com
plain but no one whom he difapprove!
mutt be allowed to manage our complaints
Ii is difficult to refrain our indignation q
the grols sfront offered TO our underftand
ings in this affAir:A capacity but llttle remote
from idictifm, is fuficisnt to dilcover th'
fatal conlequenccs of this Miniferial Plot
The town have in times paft declared &c
their Representatives. their lenfe of the bur-
then laid upon the commercial interet Of
the community, by the exteniion of tht
powers of the court of admiralty. Aju;if
dietion, in Its very nature, rePugnant &c
our contribution, and contrary to Magn;
Charta, as it inveftssone Judge, appointed
by the crown, with authority to determine
concerns the mott important to the proper.
ty and liberty of the iubje6. land they ex
preiled their fenfe of this grievance, a. har.
pened by the eontrzf which appears in th.
fame fatute, between the mother country
and the colonies. For however it may Be
urged that the curt of admiralty is efablifh.
ed By thecharteE of this province, yet BY
the fame charter the people of this province
are ent4tled to all the liberties, privileges
and imn1unities, of free Britiih fubjeAs. =
And to fee the Brinlh parliament by one
aad the fame Hatute, taking from the colo
mics an important right. namely, TRIALS
By JURlES, and occurring that right %
tlemielyes, in cafes ofthe fame n4ture and
importance, mutt be deeply aft cling 10 Us.
We take this opportunity of renewing our