1351. COLONIES (The American), Harassed by the Stuarts.—
But not long were
the Colonies permitted, however far they
thought themselves removed from the hand
of oppression, to hold undisturbed the rights
acquired at the hazard of their lives and loss
of their fortunes. A family of princes was
then on the British throne, whose treasonable
crimes against their people brought on
them, afterwards, the exertion of those
sacred and sovereign rights of punishment,
reserved in the hands of the people for cases
of extreme necessity, and judged by the constitution
unsafe to be delegated to any other
judicature. While every day brought forth
some new and unjustifiable exertion of power
over their subjects on that side of the water,
it was not to be expected that those here,
much less able at the time to oppose the designs
of despotism, should be exempted from
injury. Accordingly, this country which had
been acquired by the lives, the labors, and fortunes
of individual adventurers, was by these
Princes, several times, parted [83]
out and distributed
among the favorites and followers
of their fortunes; and, by an assumed right
of the Crown alone, was erected into distinct
and independent governments; a measure
which, it is believed, his Majesty's prudence
and understanding would prevent him from
imitating at this day; as no exercise of such
power of dividing and dismembering a
country has ever occurred in his Majesty's
realm of England, though now of very ancient
standing; nor could it be justified or
acquiesced under there, or in any other part
of his Majesty's empire.—
Rights of British America. Washington ed. i, 127.
Ford ed., i, 431.
(1774)
