George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 6, 10th edition.

[289] its strong hold; and an issue was made up between

Chap XLI.} 1769. July.

the hereditary Senate of the modern Imperial Rome, and the lawyers and farmers to whom the annual election of Massachusetts entrusted legislative power. One or the other must give way.

After grave deliberation in a most unusually numerous House of one hundred and seven, and as it were, in the presence of the human race and ages to come, they made answer:¹ ‘As Representatives, by the royal Charter and the nature of our trust, we are only empowered to grant such aids as are reasonable, of which we are free and independent judges, at liberty to follow the dictates of our own understanding, without regard to the mandates of another.—Your Excellency must, therefore, excuse us in this express declaration, that, as we cannot, consistently with our honor, or interest, and much less with the duty we owe our constituents, so we shall NEVER² make provision for the purposes mentioned in your messages.’

‘To his Majesty,’ rejoined Bernard in his last words, ‘and if he pleases, to his Parliament, must be referred your invasion of the rights of the Imperial Sovereignty. By your own acts you will be judged. Your publications are plain and explicit, and need no comment.’ And he prorogued the General Court to the tenth of January. ‘Their last message,’ he wrote to Hillsborough, ‘exceeds every thing.’ Newport, Rhode Island, witnessed still bolder resistance. A vessel with a cargo of prohibited goods