. . . every member feels it to be his interest, and knows it to be his duty,
to preserve inviolate the constitution on which the public safely depends.
It was this attachment to a constitution, founded on free and benevolent principles,
which inspired the first settlers of this country:
they saw with grief the daring outrages
committed on the free constitution of their native land.
it is undeniably true,
that the greatest and most important right of a British subject is,
that he shall be governed by no laws
but those to which he either in person
or by his representative hath given his consent:
it is interwoven with the constitution;
and whenever this is lost,
the constitution must be destroyed.
I am very much at loss to know by what figure of rhetoric,
the inhabitants of this province can be called FREE SUBJECTS,
when they are obliged to obey implicitly such laws
as are made for them by men three thousand miles off,
whom they know not,
and whom they never have empowered to act for them;
or how they can be said to have PROPERTY when a body of men,
over whom they have not the least control,
and who are not in any way accountable to them,
shall oblige them to deliver up any part, or the whole of their substance,
without even asking their consent:
and yet, whoever pretends that the late acts of the British Parliament
for taxing America ought to be deemed binding upon us,
must admit at once that we are absolute SLAVES,
and have no property of our own;
or else that we may be FREEMEN,
and at the same time under necessity of obeying the arbitrary commands
of those over whom we have no control or influence;
and that we have PROPERTY OF OUR OWN,
which is entirely at the disposal of another.
If they may be taxed without their consent,
even in the smallest trifle, they may also,
without their consent,
be deprived of every thing they possess,
although never so valuable, never so dear.
None but they who set a just value upon the blessings of liberty
are worthy to enjoy her;
The voice of your fathers' blood cries to you from the ground;
MY SONS SCORN TO BE SLAVES!
in vain we met the frowns of tyrants;
in vain, we crossed the boisterous ocean,
found a new world,
and prepared it for the happy residence of LIBERTY;
in vain, we toiled;
in vain, we fought;
we bled in vain,
if you, our offspring,
want valour to repel the assaults of her invaders!
Stain not the glory of your worthy ancestors;
but like them resolve, never to part with your birthright;
be wise in your deliberations,
and determined in your exertions for the preservation of your liberties.
Follow not the dictates of passion,
but enlist yourselves under the sacred banner of reason;
use every method in your power to secure your rights;
at least prevent the curses of posterity from being heaped upon your memories.
If you, with united zeal and fortitude, oppose the torrent of oppression;
if you feel the true fire of patriotism burning in your breasts;
if you, from your souls, despise the most gaudy dress that slavery can wear;
if you perform your part,
you must have the strongest confidence that THE SAME ALMIGHTY BEING
who protected your pious and venerable forefathers,
who enabled them to turn a barren wilderness into a fruitful field,
who so often made bare his arms for their salvation,
will still be mindful of you their offspring.
May THIS ALMIGHTY BEING graciously preside in all our councils.
May he direct us to such measures as he himself shall approve,
and be pleased to bless.
May we ever be a people, favoured of GOD.
May our land be a land of liberty,
the seat of virtue,
the asylum of the oppressed,
a name and a praise in the whole earth,
until the last shock of time shall
bury the empires of the world in one common undistinguished ruin!
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