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Show [34] [35] ptefly declared, that the King, Lords and‘Coms If any Part of Authority. fit all in an unconfli~ mons ofthe Nation " have, ever had, and of Right tutional Nam-r, intepofe in any Matter, it will ought to have full Power and Authority to make be no wonder if it be bought into Content at ; to the leffening or confhundiug of that Subordination which i~ neceflary to a well r 'tjtlated State. Your Ertcellency's Reprefcntatw ». that laws and Statutes of fufficientForcc and Validit ts and the Colonies‘and People of America, Subof the Crown of Great-Britain, in all Cafes "it-sharever," and in Confcquence hereof another the Bands of Government are weakened, we Revenue Aft was made, the Minds of ttheople were filled with Anxiety, and they were juftly alarmed with Apprehenfions of the total ExtinCs tion of their Liberties. humbly conceive to be without good Grounds ; though we mufl own the heavy Burthens uncono fiitutionally brought upon the People have been and dill are univerfally and very jufily complained of as a Grievance. The Refult of the free Enquiries of many Perfons into the Right of the Parliament to CXe ercife fuch a Power over the Colonies, feems in your Excelleney's Opinion, to he the Cattle. of g, You are pleafed to fay, that " when our Predecefl‘Ors firft toolt Potfeflion of this Plantation or 3 what you are pleafed to call the prefent " dif- Colony, under a Grant and Charter from the turbed State of the Government ;" upon which Crown of England, it was their Senfe, and it was the Senfe of the Kingdom, that they were to remain fubjeét to the Supreme Authority of Par- you " may not any longer confident with your Duty to the King, and your Regard to the Interefi ofthe Province, delay communicating yourb‘en‘ timents." But that the Principles adopted inConfequence hereof, are unconfiittttional, is a Subject of Enquiry. We know of no fueh Dilorders arifing therefrom as are mentioned by yli‘Jt‘ Exa cellency. If Grand Jurors have not on their Oaths found fuch Offences, as your'Excellcncy with the Advice of his Majefl'y's Council have ordered to be profecuted, it is to he prefumed they have followed the Dif'tates of good Confcia cnee. 7775'} are the conflitutionai ludges of thefe Matters; and it is not to he funpofcd, that mailed from corrupt Principles, they hlave {utiirred Ofienders to efcape a Profecution, and thus fupa ported and encouraged them to go on offending. If liament;" whereby we underftand your Excellency to mean 'in the Senfe of the Declaratory Act of Parliament aforementioned, in all Cafes whatever. And indeed it is difficult, ifpoflible, to draw a Line of Dillinétion between the univerfal Authority of Parliament over the Colonies, and no Authority at all. It is'therefore necet'iit- ty for us to enquire how it appears, for your Ex- cellency has not fltown it to us, that when or at the Time that our Predcceflhrs tool; Potielfton of this Plantation or Colony. under a Grant and Charter from the Crown of England, it was i/m'r Sen/Zr. and the Senfe ofthe K/ngrt'm/I, that they were to remain fuhjcé‘r to the Supreme Authority of Patliament. In making this Enquiry7 we fliall, according to your Excelleney's Recommendation, E g treat |