The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-08-18
VIOLIN. y n THURsDAY, Aucusr 18, -. (Nu

clared Us underitood by lGzv. ne FORM OF
the agreement of this multitude Of individuals,
wherein their particular wills. are joined toge-
Their in order 70 produce that one uniform will
which is under&ocd to be law, is commonly
called the civil contribution, ofthe States. In
the Hand Of Great Britain, there have for ma
ny ages been ranks of men very different from
each other in point offortune, education, &c.
which however iettled down into the general
diyifon OF Lords and Commons. The Lords
having commonly great ihare of property and
many perions iubjea 70 their command and
direction, whether as vaaals, tenants, &c. and
alto being perfons of leiiurc and opportunity
to acduaint themlelves with the relations, rights
and intereits of men In iociety and further
being but moderately numerous, and capable
of lulfaining the expence of attending to the
conventions needful for that purPoie, have
chofen 10 retain the privilege o! declaring their
fenie Of any mcaiure propoied TO regulate the
conduct of lociety, and have from time imme-
mortal, had iuch weight in the fate that their
joint oppoGtion to any fuch propelled meaiure
was fuAicient TO prevent It's paiiing into law.
In this body rcGdes the ariitocracy of Great
Britain, wherein the hyperion wiidom, power
and independency Of the fate was for many
ages gioriou1y confpicuons. The commons,
Jays the fame great lawyer,t conhit OF all !uch
men of any property in the kingdom, as have
not feats in the HouIe of Lords ; every one OF
which hasa voice in parliament, either Perion-
ally, or by his representatives. For jutly,
obieryes he, In a free tate, every man, who
is hppoied free agent, ought to be, IN Tome
meaiure, his own governor and therefore
branch at leaG of the Legislative power ihould
reiide in the whole body Of the people And
here is s.c democracy or legal power Of the
people Of Grcat-Britain.
The happy Agra-ian conaituticn q New
England, having prevented any iuch diitinefion
as Lords and Commons, the cullyators being
in general the Lords of the foil, the whole
power Of the ftatei beiides what is ihpulated
to rehde in the Governor, rhuf reGde An the
feemen Of the province. 49,.
This, gentlemen, you will find fully war
ranted by our chzrer, which entities the gran
tees TO all the liberties and immunities ct free
and natural Iubieefs Of the crown of Great
Britain to All inGenn, contributions and Prr-
pofes whadoever. IF you FAY the late act OF
parliament has annulled this clauie of the
charter, / acknowledge Lord North intended
IL fhould but if every individual freeman
ought to be 70 much his own governor, as that
the Gnallea regulations of his conduct ihall not
pais into law without his content, furely
law that overthtows the whole civil conltitu-
ton Of his country cannot on this principle be
.fuppoled to pals into Law capable Of binding
him. The mott ignorant among You mutt
know that this is an abfurdity of 70 glaring
nature, and 70 fatal in its consequences, that q
fubmiaion to il at once gives up all thar weight
which the wiidom, the valour, the properly,
the prebity Of the fubjed in poaeGion Of ms
coniimtional negative power has to iecure him
againR any innovation impoied on him by the
crown. And what Jays the great author, be-
fore quoted, of the Gate Of people where the
equiPoiie of their legislative power, or ioye-
reignty is Ioa /" IF the fuPreme power were
lodged In any one of the three branches iePa-
rately, we mutt then be exPofed to all the IN
conveniencies of abiolute monarchy, ariaocra,
cv. or democracy and 70 want two Of the
three principal ingredients of good Pohty,
either virtue, wiidom. or power. II Il were
lodged in any two branches for inltance in
the King and Houie of Lords, our laws might
be providently made. and well executed, but
might not always have the good of the people
in view."t Now, gentlemen, pleaie bar to
follow our author TO the bottom OF the page
quoted, and he tells you, T" for if ever it ihould
happen that the independence Of any one Of
the three ihould be LOFT, or thar itfhould be-
come fubfervient to the views Of the ether two,
there would ioon be an end Of our contribution.
The Legislature would be changed from tina:
which was originally fet up by the general
ror[snt srd fundamental al Of foclety 20