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404]
This, too, he supported, as the only means of main-
taining their dependence; for
America felt that she could better do without
England than
England without
America; and he reminded the house, that inflexibility lost to the Court of Vienna the dominion of the
Low Countries.
1
Thus he reasoned in a strain of eloquence, which
Pitt called divine.
2 ‘I cannot sit silent,’ replied
Northington, the. Lord Chancellor, speaking ‘very shortly;’ ‘I cannot sit silent,’ upon doctrines being laid down so new, so unmaintainable, and so unconstitutional.
In every state there must be a supreme dominion; every government can arbitrarily impose laws on all its subjects, by which all are bound; and resistance to laws that are even contrary to the benefit and safety of the whole, is at the risk of life and fortune.
I seek for the constitution of this kingdom no higher up than the Revolution, as this country never had one before;3 and in the reign of King William an act passed, avowing the power of this legislature over the colonies.
The king cannot suspend the Stamp Act; he is sworn by his coronation oath to do the contrary.
But if you should concur as to the expediency of repeal, you will have twelve millions of your subjects of Great Britain and Ireland at your doors, not making speeches, but using club law.
My Lords, what have these favorite Americans done?
They have sent deputies to a meeting of their states, at New-York, by which
(and, as he spoke, he appealed personally to
Mansfield and
Camden), ‘I ’
