Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/128

 104 SKETCHES OF THE

government of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, declaring it treason for the inhabitants of that province to assemble themselves to consider of their grievances, and form associations for their common conduct on the occasion, and requiring the civil magistrates and officers to apprehend all such persons to be tried for their supposed offences, is the most alarming process that ever appeared in a British government; the said general Gage has thereby, assumed and taken upon himself, powers denied by the constitution to our legal sovereign; he not having condescended to disclose by what authority he exercises such extensive and unheard of powers, we are at a loss to determine whether he intends to justify himself as the representative of the king; or as the commander in chief of his majesty's forces in America. If he considers himself as acting in the character of his majesty's representative, we would remind him that the statute 25th Edward III. has expressed and defined all treasonable offences, and that the legislature of Great Britain hath declared that no offence shall be construed to be treason, but such as is pointed out by that statute; and that this was done to take out of the hands of tyrannical kings, and of weak and wicked ministers, that deadly weapon which con- structive treason had furnished them with, and which had drawn the blood of the best and honestest men in the kingdom ; and that the king of Great Britain hatli no right by his proclamation to subject his people to im- prisonment, pains, and penalties.

" That if the said general Gage conceives he is em- powered to act in this manner, as the commander in chief of his majesty's forces in America, this odious and illegal proclamation must be considered as a plam and full declaration that this despotic viceroy will be

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