The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1772-12-31

fiVs gentlemen, svbo sf1sn ne fbf bar1
ss@d REBELLi0Nia mir p<abn ana
rDritisxa
SIR and GENTLEMEN,
sga7De4ssgasaagN peruiing the works OF
- that LEANED and excellent
49, k4 pstsiot Algefnon Sidney,
N Of glorious and immortal
I 8 n memosyI / was much
JoVgly0n6 plealed with his difcourfe
upon rebellions in the defdition of which
b1mbly conceive there is wide difference
in tentimeHt between him ard your honour.
However - ] may not be altogether COM
potent judge in this MISTER, I beg leave to
ptefeat you. Col. Sldney's opinion, which
% leifrey ourfeIf and your counuythen may
compare with yDnf Own, I hope 10 advan-.
tsge.. ! am yours,
. s. CLERICU S.
9bt general rsvelf sfa ndEsn tanssf6s sailsd
M @ ysbskisn.
! " AS impoeurs isIdom make lies to pafs
Ia the world. wiihous putting ialle names
upoa things, fnch 40 our author enSeavour TO
pefhiads the people they oughs not to defend
their liberties, by giving tbs maine Of rebel.
lion to the mot jsa and lienobsaUIe aEsiuns
Fhst have been performed Fof the briervA-
fidk \ them ; and 70 sggsseate the matter,
fEhsbbt ID telIas that sebellioss - like the I'm
anE SAlcherafk But thofc who feek after
'srush,. win ssfiIy find, tbMtkese can be no
fuch thing In the world IS the rebellion of a
nssiOn againR It's own nsagiasates, andtis,
rebelion b MOI always evil That this NAV
appear, Il viii not be amils 10 confide, rte
word, as well as the thing undsilso6d BY !,
- il is uled in an evil fenie. 10
I" The wosd 10 taken from the la,if, n.
bsliars. which flgni6cs no more than TO re.
new war. When town or province had
been fabdssd by the Romans, and Brought
Hnder their domihioBy ifthey violated their
faiih afier the lstslement Of peace, end In
saded their matters vino had fparcd them.
they WIRE iaid 10 REBEL Batit had been
Iisote abiusd 90 apply chat word TO The peo-
pie that sufe up sgainll fhe decemviri. kings
or other magiRfasss, than to the Psrhians
or any OfthOfs nations who had no depen.
dence uponIthsm, for alltbe eifeumRances
that [hould make . rcbcikon, were want
'ing, shs-@eed- Implying -fuperioyity
in them aganf thohiSis il, As Hell
- the breach Of an effsbIi1Ied peace.
Bus thUsgh' every private man fldqIs taken.
be fubjeA to the connmands Of he naoi(.
trases the whole body Of the people IL no,
foj for he 10 By and for the people, and the
pcopic isneither by nor fcr him. The o.
bedience due to him from private men i
grounded upon; and meafdred BY the gene
raj law; and THAT law regarding the vel.
fare Of the people, cannon fet up The intereit
OF one or few men agsinR the public.
Fhe whole body therefore of nation can
NOT be tied to any othsr obedience than
is confident with the common good. zc-
cording 70 their own judgment: And hay-
ing never been fubdued OF brough, to terms
of peace with their magiGfates, they cannot
be iaid torevolt or rebel agaiuff them, TO
whom they owe no more than feems good
TO themielves, and who are nothing Of or
BY ihemfelves, more than other men.
(" Again, the thing Ggni6ed BY rebelliOn
Is not always evil I; for though every fub.
dued nation muR acknowledge fsperiori,y
IN thoie who have fubdued then, and re-.
bsllion does imply a breach efthe peace. yet
that fuPeriOFity is not Infinite; the peace may
be broken upon jua grounds, and il NAV Sc
neishef crime nor infamy to do is. The
Pavernafes had been more than once fub-
dsed 0y the Roma 's, and had as often re-