The following is one of the Petitions to the Selectmen
of this Town, requesting a Meeting of the Free-
holders and Inhabitants for their Consideration on a
Report which if true, threatens the Extinction of all
Ideas of Liberty and Property in
America.
Boston, October 14th, 1772.
GENTLEMEN,
WE take the liberty of addressing you at this time;
to desire you would assoon as may be, call a
Meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of this
Town, to enquire into the truth of a report which has
been prevalent of late ; and if it shall be found true, to
deliberate, consult and determine what measure are
proper to be taken by the Town on so very alarming an
occasion.
The report is, that stipends are affixed by order of
the Crown, to the Offices of the Justices of the Superior
Court of Judicature of this province. By this Establish-
ment, they are made wholly dependent on the Crown,
while the people have not the least check upon them.
Such a judiciary constitution, the people of
Great-Bri-
tain will not suffer ; nor is it in our opinion to be
tol-
lerated by any free people. such a dependenc [e] on
the
Crown, more especially while the Judges hold their
places during its pleasure, there is reason to expect, will
pervert the Judgment of Men, who might otherwise
be
unbiass'd ; and poison the streams of
Justice.
In all matters depending between the undue preroga-
tive of the Crown and the liberties of the people, what
are we to look for, but a strict conformity of the Judges,
not to the justice of the cause but the inclination of a
Mi-
nister. In every case, the man that shall honestly
op-
pose the measures of a corrupt administration, must ex-
pect to feel the resentment of such an administration in
the decision of the judges.
It is impossible for us at present to enumerate the
Evils which must be the Consequence of such an Ap-
pointment.
This Town has long been struggling to prevent the
Miseries which its wisdom has foreseen. If this Esta-
blishment takes place, we shall then see the Completion
of the Ruin of our Liberties : Our Monies extorted
from us by Violence, and appropriated for the Support
of an Executive without the least Dependance upon the
People.
We wish the present Judges would show an Example
of publick Virtue, in refusing to accept of such
Stipends.
We conceive that it is incumbent on this People, to
take a Matter so deeply interesting to them into the
closest Attention; to speak their Minds with Freedom,
and to come to such Conclusion as the Importance of
it demands.
We therefore request that you would call a Meeting
for the Purposes aforementioned, and are with due
Respect, Gentlemen, your Friends and Fellow Citizens.