Wesley Corpus

This is a specimen of this writer's arguments. - Let us just touch upon his quotations: “All the inhabitants of England,” says the fanciful Montesquieu, as one terms him, “have a right of voting at the election of a representative, except such as are so mean, as to be deemed to have no will of their own l’’ Nay, if all have a right to vote that have a will of their own, certainly this right belongs to every man, woman, and child in England. One quotation more : “Judge Blackstone says, “In a free state, every man who is supposed to be a free agent ought to be in some measure his own governor. Therefore, one branch, at least, of the legislative power should reside in the whole body of the people.” But who are the whole body of the people? According to him, every free agent. Then the argument proves too much. For are not women free agents? Yea, and poor as well as rich men. According to this argument, there is no free state under the sun. The book which this writer says I so strongly recommend, I never yet saw with my eyes. And the words which he says I spoke, never came out of my lips. But I really believe, he was told so. I now speak according to the light I have. But if any one will give me more light, I will be thankful. BRETHREN AND CountRY MEN, 1. THE grand question which is now debated, (and with warmth enough on both sides) is this, Has the English Parliament a right to tax the American colonies? In order to determine this, let us consider the nature of our colonies. An English colony is, a number of persons to whom the King grants a charter, permitting them to settle in some far country as a corporation, enjoying such powers as the charter grants, to be administered in such a manner as the charter prescribes. As a corporation they make laws for themselves; but as a corporation subsisting by a grant from higher authority, to the control of that authority they still continue subject. Considering this, nothing can be more plain, than that the supreme power in England has a legal right of laying any tax upon them for any end beneficial to the whole empire. 2.