Constitution of Massachusetts: Address Delivered Before the Massachusetts Lyceum, January 26, 18321832 - Constitutional history - 12 pages |
Common terms and phrases
19th of July Act of Parliament adjust advice appointed approbation body politic Boston British empire called Charter of 1691 Charter of William chosen civil government Colony Committee Commonwealth constitution of government Constitution of Massachusetts Continental Congress continued by adjournment Council Counsellors Court Cushing Danvers discharge the members empowered ernment Essex Result evil executive exercise fathers favor form of gov form of government forty frame of gov freeholders gentlemen Governor Gage honor House hundred and twenty inequality interest Ipswich James Warren judge June justice legislation Legislature Lieutenant Governor majority Massachusetts Bay meeting Memorial ment mother country necessary number of representatives obedience Orne Parliament for altering Partridge passed permitted to send present prorogue or dissolve Provincial Congress qualified to elect recom republic resolution resolve returns send one representative session statute thousand three hundred tion towns and districts vote itself perpetual weight in representation whole William and Mary wisdom
Popular passages
Page 2 - Gage has, by the late transactions and many other means, utterly disqualified himself from serving this colony as governor, or in any other capacity ; and that, therefore, no obedience is in future due to him ; but that, on the contrary, he ought to be considered and guarded against as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to the country.
Page 3 - Gage hath actually levied war, and is carrying on hostilities against his Majesty's peaceable and loyal subjects of that Colony ; that, in order to conform as near as may be to the spirit and substance of the charter, it be recommended to the Provincial Convention to write letters to the inhabitants of the several places, which are entitled to representation in Assembly, requesting them to choose such representatives, and that the Assembly when chosen do elect Counsellors ; and that such assembly...
Page 3 - ... to write letters to the inhabitants of the several places which are entitled to representation in assembly, requesting them to choose such representatives; and that the assembly, when chosen...
Page 3 - Resolved, That no Obedience being due to the Act of Parliament, for altering the Charter of the Colony...
Page 6 - ... and the want of a just weight in representation is an evil nearly akin to being totally destitute of it. An inequality of representation has been justly esteemed the cause, which has, in a great degree, sapped the foundation of the once admired, but now tottering fabric of the British empire ; and we fear that if a different mode of representation from the present is not adopted in this colony, our Constitution will not continue to the late period of time which the glowing heart of every true...
Page 7 - Resolved, That it be, and hereby is recommended to the several towns and places in this state, empowered by the laws thereof, to send members to the general assembly, that, at their next election of a member or members to represent them, they make choice of men, in whose integrity and...
Page 9 - It is liable to be avaricious, and to exempt itself from the burdens it lays upon it's constituents. It is subject to ambition, and after a series of years, will be prompted to vote itself perpetual. The long parliament in England voted itself perpetual, and thereby, for a time, destroyed the political liberty of the subject. Holland was governed by one representative assembly annually elected. They afterwards voted themselves from annual to septennial; then for life; and finally exerted the power...
Page 9 - ... and impartially distributed, that the representatives should have the same views and interests with the people at large. They should think, feel, and act like them, and, in fine, should be an exact miniature of their constituents. They should be (if we ma^ use the expression) the whole body politic, with all its property, rights and privileges, reduced to a smaller scale, every part being diminished in just proportion.
Page 3 - Majesty's 246 247 peaceable and loyal subjects of that Colony, that, in order to conform as near as may be to the spirit and substance of the charter, it be recommended to the provincial Convention to write letters to the inhabitants of the...
Page 9 - ... of it. If the scale to which the body politic is to be reduced, is but a little smaller than the original, or, in other words, if a small number of freemen should be reduced to one, that is, send one representative, the number of representatives would be too large for the public good. The expences of government would be enormous. The body would be too unwieldy to deliberate with candor and coolness. The variety of opinions and oppositions would irritate the passions. Parties would be formed and...