OCR Text |
Show 354 ACTS RELATING Part IIIV° Sea-.111. Had this meafure, however originated in parliament itfelf, had not the merit of To THE Commas. 3:5 " houfe of commons does not reprefent " the people ‘77s." it been forel'talled by its being announced beforehand in a minifierial letter, it might perhaps have done fomething, though but The fame idea was carefully commu- nicated to the colonies by a {elf-created fociety, which called itfelf "the Society of little, towards conciliating the minds of the colonills. But thus announced it feem- ed rather to proceed from complaifance to the minifler, than from a defire of giving. fatisfafition to the colonies. For precifely f0 much of the obnoxious act was repealed as the fecretary had promifed' lhould be "the Bill of Rights." Sums were colleCted for the fupport of the council and alleniblies, who relifted the execution of the acts of parliament: with thefe fums were tranfmitted letters from a committee of this lbciety, ligned by members of the Britifh parliament j, exhorting their: arc repealed, and no more. Mean time the idea that the parliament was only fubfervient to the minilter; that it was not even a legal parliament, was openly maintained by the maleeontents at home. In a remonfiranee to the throne it was declared, that " reprefentatives of the people " were elTential to the making of laws: " that there is a time when it is morally " demonl'trable that men eeafe to be re- " prefentatives: that time (add the remon- " llrants) is now arrived; the prefent fcmblics to perfevere in their refillance to the laws of that very parliament; which they declared to be no parliament, though the writers fate and voted in it. " Property (lay thefe able {enators and " acute lawyers) is the natural right of "mankind. The connection between '3" See Commons Journals, vol. xxxii. p. 804. o . 1- see Annual RCglfl'CI‘ , vol. x111. p. 224, 225. The names are john Glynn, Richard Oliver, John Trevanian, Robert Bernard, Jofeph l‘rlawbey, junes 'I‘O‘anhizl, and john Sawhridge, " houfe A a 2 " tax- |