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

[462] reflection, ‘the originals are more proper for that

Chap. XLIX.} 1773. June.

purpose, than the copies;’ and he refused to communicate other letters, declaring that it had not been the design of them ‘to subvert the constitution of the Government, but, rather to preserve it entire.’¹ Then conscious of guilt, he by the very next packet sent word to his confidential friend in London, to burn such of his letters as might raise a clamor, for, said he, “I have wrote what ought not to be made public.” ²

He had written against every part of the Constitution, the elective character of the Council, the annual choice of the Assembly, the New England organization of the towns; had advised and solicited the total dependence of the judiciary on the Crown, had hinted at making the experiment of declaring Martial Law, and of abrogating English liberty; had advised to the restraint of the commerce of Boston and the exclusion of the Province from the fisheries; had urged the immediate suppression of the Charter of Rhode Island; had for years ‘been begging for measures to maintain the supremacy of Parliament,’ by making the denial of that supremacy a capital felony; and all for the sake of places for his family and a salary and a pension for himself. To corrupt pure and good and free political institutions of a happy country, and infuse into its veins the slow poison of tyranny, is the highest crime against humanity. And how terribly was he punished! For