The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-03-25


ter to each of the towns ard dil!ricss in the
province, TO fuhmit the fame TO their conf
deration: That the futjed might be weighed
as its importance required, and the collect
ed wifdom of the whole people as Tar as pof-
ilbe obtained. Al the fame time, net scaling
upon" thole towns and diflIiels F" to adopt
their principles" as his Excellency in one
of his fpeeches affirms; but, only informing
them thar " free communication of fbsir
fentiments to this town, of our common
danger, was earnealy iolicited and would be
gratefully received. We may JULY affirm
that the town had right at that meeting, TO
communicate their fentiments of matters
which 70 nearly concerned the public liberty
and confequen,ly their own prefeva!ion.
They were matters, to hGe the words of
the province law, of " public concern
ment'' to this and every other town, and
even individual in the province Any
attempt therefore to obarua the chan
mel of public intelligence in this way
argues in our opinion, deGgn TO keep
the people in ignorance Of their danger,
that they may be the more eaGly and
fpeedily enilaved. 1t is notorious to all the
world, that the Liberties of this continent and
Especially of this province, have been Gfs.
mafic0iy and fuccefsfully invaded from -aep
to fep: Is it not then, to FAY the leaf, juffi-
liable in any town, as being part Of the
great wbOls, when the laif effort of tyranny
is about to be made, TO fpread the earlieif
notice of il far and wide, and hold up she
iniqRitoES Jyfsm in full view. 1t is great
fatIsfaetion to US, that 70 many of the ref
peefabe towns in the province, and we may
add, gentlemen of figure in other colonies,
have expreiied, and continue TO exprefs
themielves much pleafed with the meafure
And we encourage ourlelves, that from the
n0nifF dj/eoOsry of an union of fentiments
in this province, which has been one happy
fruit of il, there will be the united
efforts of tbt sObak in all conRitutional
and proper methods to prevent the entire
ruin of our liberties.
" His Excellency is pleafed to fay in one of
His fpeeches, that the town have denied
An the mott express terms, the supremacy of
parliament. II is fortunate for the town,
that they made choice of the very mode of
exprelIion which the prefent Houie OF Re-
pssisn.a,iUss 10 shsiv wildom made uie of, in
Rating the matter of controversy between the
Governor and them. And after what they
have advanced upon the iubjea,it appears to
us impofible to be fhcwn that the parliament
of Great Britain can exercife {" the power of
legilasion for the colonilts in all cafes what
ever" confidently with the rights which
belong to the coloniRs, as men, as chriRi-
ans, and as iubjeas or without deRroying
the foundation of their own contribution. If
the aher,;on, that the parliament hath no
right to exercile power in cafes where it IS
plain they have no right, hath direef ten
dency to ALLEVIATE the affections of the people
from their lovereign, becaufe he is con-
fluent part of that parliament,which feems
to be his Excellency's manner Of reafoning;
it follows as we conceive, that there muR
never be complaint of any adumption of
power in the parliament, or petition for the
repeal Of any law made, repugnant to the
contribution, LEFT il lhould tend to ALLEVIATE
the Affections of the people from their loye-
reign. But we have better opinion of our
fellow lubjeas than to concede to fuch con-
cluions: We are alurcd they can clearly
fee, that miRake in principle may confif
with integrity Of heart and for our parts, we
fhall ever be inclined to attribute the grie-
vances of various kinds which bis Majefy's
American labjeefs have 70 long fufered. to
the weakness or wickedneis of bis mini&ers
and fervants, and not to any di(poiition in
bimto injure them. And we YET periuade
outfelves, that could the petitions of his
much aggrieved fubjeas be tranfmitted to his
Majeay, through the hands of an honeR,
| ;nnoaFtial rniuiller WE fhouId NOT fail of