George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 7, 4th edition.

[236] no statute for this purpose was made before the set-

Chap. XXI.} 1775. Feb.

tlement of the colonies, and the declaratory act of was made without our consent by a parliament which had no authority beyond the four seas.

The subordination of Ireland is founded on conquest and consent. But America never was conquered by Britain. She never consented to be a state, dependent upon the British parliament. What religious, moral, or political obligations, then, are we under, to submit to parliament as supreme? None at all. If Great Britain will resort to force, all Europe will pronounce her a tyrant, and America never will submit to her, be the danger of disobedience as great as it will.

If Great Britain has protected the colonies, all the profits of our trade centred in her lap. If she has been a nursing mother to us, we have, as nursed children commonly do, been very fond of her, and rewarded her all along tenfold for all her care.

We New England men do not derive our laws from parliament, nor from common law, but from the law of nature and the compact made with the king in our charters. If our charters could be forfeited, and were actually forfeited, the only consequence would be, that the king would have no power over us at all. The connection would be broken between the crown and the natives of this country. The charter of London in an arbitrary reign was decreed forfeited; the charter of Massachusetts was declared forfeited also. But no American charter will ever be decreed forfeited again; or if any should, the decree will be regarded no more than a vote of the lower house of the Robinhood