Page:A Declaration of the People's Natural Right to a Share in the Legislature (1775) (IA declarationofpeo00shar).djvu/163

 "trust" them hereafter," &c. And again, in p. 192, "But we all know" (says he) " with what great consultation, deliberation, and knowledge of things, and the circumstances of them, the Kings and Parliaments of England have still ordered their affairs, &c. And we may," (says he,) “as all our ancestors have done, trust to their wisdom, justice, and judgement, as a sufficient hedge and security for us," But, surely, no People, who have the use of reason or common-sense, would be induced by such an argument to submit themselves implicitly to a Parliament, in which they have no Share of Power or Representation; though, indeed, it may be alledged, in behalf of this writer and his argument, that Parliaments, before his time, were, ingeneral, less corrupt than they have been Since, if we except the Parliaments of Richard II. and Queen Mary; but, in these latter times, we all know with