than of his Life. They are both in the Hands of the Sovereign
Disposer of all Things._ He would then take another Turn, and again stop
short. "Why might not whole Communities and public Bodies be seized with
_Fits of Insanity_, as well as Individuals?" _My Lord, I have never
considered the Case, and can give no Opinion concerning it._ "Nothing but
this Principle, that they are liable to Insanity, equally at least with
private Persons, can account for the major Part of those Transactions,
which we read in History." I thought little of this odd Conceit of the
Bishop's at that Juncture: But I own I could not avoid thinking of it a
great deal since, and applying it to many Cases.
[3] See, for a Proof of this Fact, First, A Message from the General
Assembly of _Massachusetts Bay_ to GOVERNOR SHIRLEY, 4th of _January_,
1754. Secondly, A Message from the Council and House of Representatives of
ditto to ditto. Thirdly, An Address from the Council of Representatives of
ditto to ditto. Forthly, An Address of the Assembly of _Virginia_ to the
King. Fifthly, A Representation of the Commissioners met at _Albany_. And
Sixthly, Extracts from the Proceedings of the CONGRESS at _Albany_, all in
the Year 1754. And all of them antecedent to the Arrival of the two
Regiments under GENERAL BRADDOCK. I would here recommend the Perusal of
_The Controversy between_ Great Britain _and her Colonies_, printed for
ALMON, to those who wish for a fuller Information on these interesting
Points; particularly from Page 107 to 136.
[4] Were it not for the _British_ Fleets, and for the Fortresses of
_Gibraltar_ and _Port-Mahon_,--and in short for the general Terror of the
British Name, all the piratical States of _Barbary_ would immediately
seize on _American_ Ships, when carrying Fish, or Rice, or any other
_American_ Produce South of Cape _Finistere_, as their lawful Prey. And
yet _America_ doth not pay a single Shilling towards the Support of our
Fleets, or the Maintenance of our Forts and Garrisons in any Part of the
World.
[5] See the Resolutions of the grand Continental Congress, in Opposition
to the reconciliatory Proposal of Parliament for permitting each Province
to tax itself, according to its own Mode. In these Resolutions they
expressly declare, that they will be the sole Judges, not only of the
_Mode_ of raising, but also of the Sum or Quantum to be raised, and of the
Application of it: And that the Parliament of _Great-Britain_ hath no
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