strain'd Declaration, or
Proclamation and Pro-
mulgation, in the Name of King, Lords and
Commons, of the Sense the latter had, of their
original, inherent, indefeazible natural
Rights; [dagger reference mark indicates that there is a note
below]
as also those of free Citizens equally perdura-
ble with the other. That great Author, that
great Jurist, and even that Court Writer Mr.
Justice Blackstone holds, that this Recognition
was justly obtain'd of King John
Sword in
Hand: And peradventure it must be one
Day Sword in Hand again rescued and preserv'd
from total Destruction and Oblivion.
III. The Rights of the Colonists as Subjects.
A Commonwealth or State is a Body politick
or civil Society of Men, united together to pro-
mote their mutual Safety, and Porsperity, by
Means of their Union. [double dagger reference mark indicates that
there is a note below]
The absolute Rights of Englishmen, and all
Freemen in or out of Civil Society, are princi-
pally, personal Security, personal Liberty and
private Property.
All Persons born in the British American
Colonies, are, by the Laws of GOD and Nature,
and by the common Law of
England, exclusive
of all Charters from the Crown, well entitled,
[dagger reference mark:] Lord Coke's Inst. Blackstone's
Commentaries, V.1.pa. 122.
the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement.
[double dagger reference mark:]See Locke and Vatel.