Rulers are appointed for this very end–to be ministers of God for good. The people have a right to expect this from them, and to require it, not as an act of grace, but as their unquestionable due.

Various branches of power, concentring in the community from which they originally derive their authority, are a mutual check to each other in their several departments, and jointly secure the common interest. This may indeed, in some instances, retard the operations of government, but will add dignity to its deliberate counsels and weight to its dictates.

It must be acknowledged, in∣deed, that an Act of Parliament was made in the 6th of K. George I. chap. 5. wherein it is laid down, that the King and Parliament of Great-Britain may make Laws to bind Ireland. But, as it does not appear that the Parliament of Ireland ever acknowledged or gave any formal Assent to the said Act, the same must necessarily be considered as a mere assertion on one part, at the making of which, the persons most materially concerned on the other part were neither HEARD, nor represented! a defect the most notorious that can possibly be attri∣buted to any proceeding, either in the enacting or execution of Laws! and there∣fore it is to very little purpose to cite the said Act as a Precedent for taxing the American Subjects without their Consent; for the privileges which the Parliament of Ireland has maintained and enjoyed, both before and since that time, (clearly distinct and separate from the British Parliament,) afford a better and more authentic precedent on the other side of the question, (viz. in behalf of the peo∣ple’s natural Rights,) than the Act itself does against them

Can any words more strongly express the right of the supreme legislature to tax or dispose of the property of the subject for public purposes, than do these last quoted? And those who would draw from any other more loose or general expressions of Mr. Locke, any argument to exempt the property of any subject from taxes imposed by the supreme legislative for the public service, [86] must impute to him such inconsistencies as Mr. Locke was incapable of, and charge him with con- tradictions w^hich ought to destroy his credit, both as an honest man and a clear reasoner.

But it seems parhament has a right to benefit the colonies, but not to bind them: it may give them bounties, but it must not impose burdens. Its power over the colonies is somewhat Hke that allowed by the deists to the Almighty over his creatures, he may reward them with eternal happiness if he pleases, but he must not punish them on any account. . . .

Whatever grievances they may have to complain of, they must seek redress from the grace of the crown alone; for, should they petition parliament to do them right, they them- selves have authorized the crown to tell parliament, as the secretary of state to James the First did the house of commons, [8] “America is not annexed to the realm, nor within the juris- diction of parhament, you have therefore no right to interfere.”

Man has certainly an exalted soul; and the same principle in human nature, — that aspiring, noble principle founded in benevolence, and cherished by knowledge; I mean the love of power, which has been so often the cause of slavery, — has, whenever freedom has existed, been the cause of freedom. If it is this principle that has always prompted the princes and nobles of the earth, by every species of fraud and violence to shake off all the limitations of their power, it is the same that has always stimulated the common people to aspire at independency, and to endeavor at confining the power of the great within the limits of equity and reason.

All countries have a law of nations, not excepting the Iroquois themselves, though they devour their prisoners; for they send and receive ambassadors, and understand the rights of war and peace. The mischief is, that their law of nations is not founded on true principles.

It is plain then, by the practice of governments themselves, as well as by the law of right reason, that a child is born a subject of no country or government.

Conformable hereunto we find the people of America, who (living out of the reach of the conquering swords, and spreading domination of the two great empires of Peru and Mexico) enjoyed their own natural freedom, though, caeteris paribus, they commonly prefer the heir of their deceased king; yet if they find him any way weak, or uncapable, they pass him by, and set up the stoutest and bravest man for their ruler.

It is not just nor possible for any nation so to enslave itself and to resign its own interest to the will of one lord, as that that lord may destroy it without injury, and yet to have no right to preserve itself.

For the Lawes of Nature (as Justice, Equity, Modesty, Mercy, and (in summe) Doing To Others, As Wee Would Be Done To,) if themselves, without the terrour of some Power, to cause them to be observed, are contrary to our naturall Passions, that carry us to Partiality, Pride, Revenge, and the like.