Religious establishments

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Often appears with: tyranny and despotism · the nature and attributes of God · stuart reign analogy · george iii · empire and the rule of provinces · chatham quote on america

Usually: argument (1) · crisis of belief (1) · the fall of the great (1) · indignation (1)

Quotable

“I rejoice that America has resisted; two millions of people reduced to servitude, would be fit instruments to make slaves of the rest.” John Adams, Novanglus, and Massachusettensis · observation

Novanglus, and Massachusettensis primary

John Adams · 19th century
Section second enacts, all governors shall take a solemn oath to do their utmost, that every clause shall be punctually obeyed. See the statute at large. > Section fifth, which I will quote verbatim. "And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in case, after the clearing of any ship or vessel, by the person or persons which are or shall be appointed by his majesty for managing the customs or any their deputies, and discharging the watchmen and tidesmen from attendance thereupon, there shall be found on board such ship or vessel, any goods, wares or merchandizes, which have been concealed from the knowledge of the said person or persons, which are or shall be so appointed to manage the customs, and for which the custom, subsidy and other duties due upon the importation thereof have not been paid; then the master, purser, or other person taking charge of said ship or vessel, shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds: and it shall be lawful, to or for any person or persons authorized by _writ of assistance under the seal of his majesty's court of exchequer_, to take a constable, headborough, or other public officer, inhabiting near unto the place, and in the day time to enter, and go into any house, shop, cellar, warehouse or room, or other place; and in case of resistance, to break open doors, chests, trunks, and other package, there to seize, and from thence to bring any kind of goods or merchandize whatsoever prohibited and uncustomed, and to put and secure the same, in his majesty's storehouse in the port, next to the place where such seizure shall be made." (4/14)

Adams broadens the analogy, claiming the crown’s construction could justify sweeping legal and religious authority in America, then compares George III’s start to another Stuart reign and quotes Chatham’s view of resisting America with slaves.

of a son to a father, and that without the least affectation; while he baffled and confounded all his authorities, and confuted all his arguments and reduced him to silence. Indeed, upon the principle of construction, inference, analogy, or corollary, by which they extended these acts to America, they might have extended the jurisdiction of the court of king's bench, and court of common pleas, and all the sanguinary…