theological doctrine
alone, that thrives and nourishes under persecution. The principle of
the aphorism applies equally to all opinions upon all subjects. There is
widely spread through our nature an inclination to suspect that there is
a secret value in that from which others attempt to drive us by force;
and from this, joined to other powerful motives, the persecution of men
for their tenets, whatever they may be, only draws their attachment
closer, and rivets their affections to them. Every effort to make them
abandon the obnoxious doctrine renders them more steadfast to it. The
loppings, which are designed to destroy, serve but as prunings, from
which it shoots with increased vigour, and strikes its root still deeper.
Has it not always been seen, that persecution has bred in men that
stubborn resolution, which present death has not been able to shake; and,
what is more, an eagerness to disseminate amongst others those principles
for which they have themselves been prosecuted and pursued. I therefore,
from my very soul, deprecate every species of persecution on account of
religious and political opinions, not only from its illiberality, but bad
policy; and I am full of hope, that you will by your verdict to day show,
that you have an equal aversion to it.

To recur, gentlemen, to the pamphlet; I submit to you that there is a
general air of sincerity in the language of the writer throughout the
composition, which obliges us to believe, that, however mistaken you may
think him in his opinions, he is honest in his intentions. He says in
another part of the address "Every government must derive its support
from the body of the people; and it follows, as a matter of course, that
the people must have a power to withhold their supplies." Which is very
true: for, where there is a shadow of political liberty, a revenue can
only be raised by taxes to which the people have consented: it being
allowed that where there is taxation without representation tyranny
begins. Now, if the writer really believes that there are corrupt
practices in the Government, who can blame him, for proposing (by
abstinence from those articles which are taxed and yield a revenue so
large that it supports a system of misgovernment) to compel our rulers,
by a diminution of their means of undue influence to a regard to economy
and a just administration? I know, indeed, that this doctrine is
considered offensive; nor am I prepared to say with confi