Wesley Corpus

And what a natural tendency has all that follows to instil the same both into the English and the Americans ! On these passages also, I shall beg leave to subjoin a few short observations: “A country that is subject to the legislature of another country, in which it has no voice, and over which it has no control, is in slavery.” This is palpably false. Take one instance out of many: Pennsylvania was subject (till now) to the legislature of England, in which it had no voice, and over which it had no control; yet it never was in slavery; it never wanted either civil or religious liberty; nay, perhaps it was more free in both respects than any other country in the universe. “In a country thus subjugated to another,” (a very improper, as well as invidious word,) “there is little or nothing to check rapacity.” If you mean the rapacity of the English Government, the insinuation is cruelly false; it never existed; no such rapacity was ever exercised. “And the most flagrant injustice and cruelty may be practised without remorse or pity.” (Page 20.) This is purely calculated to inflame; for no such injustice or cruelty was ever practised, nor was ever likely to be, either in this or any other province of America. That which follows is a curious sentiment indeed; I know not that ever I met with it before: “The government of one country over another” (suppose of England over North-America, or over the West Indian islands) “cannot be supported but by a military force. This is a state of oppression no country could submit to, an hour, without an armed force to compel them.” (Page 23.) Was ever anything more palpably false ! The English Govern ment, both in the islands and North-America, is the government of one country over another; but it has needed no armed force to support it for above these hundred years: And this Government which you would persuade them is oppressive, all the colonies did not only submit to, but rejoice in, without any armed force to compel them. They knew, and felt, they were not oppressed; but enjoyed all the liberty, civil and religious, which they could desire. 38.