AP Sources:
1607-1776
John Smith,
Motives for Colonizing Virginia (1616)
Who can desire more content, that hath small meanes; or but only his merit to
advance his fortunes, then to tread and plant that ground he hath purchased by
the hazard of his life? If he have but the taste of virtue and magnanimity,
what to such a minde can bee more pleaseant, then planting and building a
foundation for his Posteritie, gotte from the rude earth, by Gods blessing and
his owne industry without prejudice to any? If hee have any graine of faith or
zeale in Religion, what can hee doe lesse hurtfull to any: or more agreeable to
God, then to seeke to convert those poore Salvages to know Christ, and
humanitie, whose labours with discretion will triple requite thy charge and
paines? What so truly suites with honour and honestie, as the discovering
things unknowne? erecting Townes, peopling Countries, informing the ignorant,
reforming things unjust, teaching virtue; and gaine to our native
mothercountrie; a kingdom to attend her: finde imployment for those that are
idle, because they know not what to doe: so farre from wronging any, as to
cause posterity to remember thee; and remembering thee, ever honour that
remembrance with praise?
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William Bradford,
The History of Plymouth Plantation (1620)
Sept 6,
1620 These troubles being blowne over, and now all being
compacte togeather in one shipe, they put to sea againe with a prosperus winde,
which continued diverce days togeather, which was some incouragemente unto
them; yet according to the usuall maner many were afflicted with sea-sickness.
And I may not omite hear a spetiall worke of Gods providence. Ther was a proud
and very profane yonge man, one of the sea-men, of a lustie, able body, which
made him the more haughty; he would allway be contemning the poore people in
their sickness, and cursing them dayly with greevous execrations, and did not
let to tell them, that he hoped to help to caste halfe of them over board
before they came to their jurneys end, and to make mery with what they had; and
if they were by any gently reproved, he would curse and swear most bitterly.
But it plased God before they came halfe seas over, to smite this yong man with
a greevous disease, of which he dyed in a desperate maner, and so was him selfe
the first that was throwne overbord. Thus his curses light on his owne head;
and it was an astonishmente to all his fellows, for they noted it to be the
just hand of God upon them.
November, 1620.
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyall subjects
of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great
Britaine, Franc, and Ireland King, defender of the faith, etc., having
undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and
honour of our king and countrie, a voyage to plant the first colonie in the
Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutaly in the
presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves togeather
into a civill body politick, for our better ordering and preservation and
furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute,
and frame such just and equall lawes, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and
offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete and convenient for
the generall good of the Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and
obedience. In witness wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd
the 11 of November, in the year of the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King
James, of England, France, and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the
fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom. 1620.
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Roger Williams,
Explaining his banishment from Massachusetts (1652)
To every
courteous reader,
While I plead the cause of Truth and Innocence against the bloody Doctrine of
Persecution for cause of Conscience, I judge it not unfit to give alarme to my
selfe, and all men to prepare to be persecuted or hunted for cause of
conscience.
Whether thou standest charged with 10 or but 2 Talents, if thou huntest any for
cause of conscience, how canst thou say thou followest the Lambe of God who so
abhorred that practice?
If Paul, if Jesus Christ were present here at London, and the question were
proposed what Religion would they approve of: The Papists, Prelatists, Presbyterians,
Independents, etc., would each say, Of mine, of mine.
But put the second question, if one of the several sorts should by major vote
attaine the Sword of steel: what weapons doth Christ Jesus authorize them to
fight with in His cause? Doe not all men hate the presecutor, and every
conscience true or false complaine of cruelty, tyranny?
Who can now but expect that after so many scores of years preaching and
professing of more Truth, and amongst so many great contentions amongst the
very best of Protestants, a fierie furnace should be heat, and who sees not now
the fires kindling?
I confesse I have little hopes till those flames are over, that this Discourse
against the Doctrine of Persecution for cause of conscience should passe
currant (I say not amongst the Wolves and Lions, but even amongst the Sheep of
Christ themselves) yet liberavi animam meam, I have not hid within my breast my
souls belief: And although sleeping on the bed either of the pleasures or profits
of sinne thou thinkest they conscience bound to smite at hime that dares to
waken thee? Yet in the middest of all these civill and spirituall Wars (I hope
we shall agree in these particulars.)
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Virginia’s
Slave Statutes (17th century)
Act XII (1662)
Negro Womens
children to serve according to the condition of the mother.
WHEREAS some doubts have arisen whether children got by any Englishman upon a
negro woman should be slave or ffree, Be it therefore enacted and declared by
this present grand assembly, that all children borne in this country shalbe
held bond or free only according to the condition of the mother, And that if
any christian shall commit ffornication with a negro man or woman, hee or shee
soe offending shall pay double the ffines imposed by the former act….
ACT X (1680)
An act for
preventing Negroes insurrections
WHEREAS the frequent meeting of considerable numbers of negroe slaves under
pretense of feasts and burialls is judged of dangerous consequences; for
prevention whereof for the future, Bee it enacted by the kings most excellent
majestie by and with the consent of the generall assembly, and it is hereby
enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and after the publication of this
law, it shall not be lawfull for any negroe or other slave to carry or arme
himselfe with any club, staffe, gunn, sword or any other weapon of defence or
offence, nor to goe or depart from his masters ground without a certificate
from his master, mistris or overseer, and such permission not to be
granted but upon perticuler and necessary occasions; and every negroe or slave
soe offending not having a certificate as aforesaid shalbe sent to the next
constable, who is hereby enjoined and required to give the said negroe twenty
lashes on his bare back well layd on, and soe sent home to his said master,
mistris, or overseer. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid that
if any negroe or other slave shall presume to lift up his hand in opposition
against any christian, shall for every such offence, upon due proofe made
thereof by the oath of the party before a magistrate, have and receive thrity
lashes on his bare back well laid on….
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Cotton Mather,
Discussing the 1692 Salem Witch Trials (1692)
“The Trial
of Bridget Bishop, Alias, Oliver at the Court of Oyer and Terminer at
Salem”
She was indicted
for Bewitching of several persons in the Neighbourhood, the Indictment being
drawn up, according to the Form in such Cases usual. And pleading, Not Guilty,
there were brought in several persons, who had long undergone many kinds of
Miseries, which were preternaturally Inflicted, and generally ascribed unto an
horrible Witchcraft. There was little Occasion to prove the Witchcraft; it
being Evident and Notorious to all Beholders. Now to fix the Witchcraft on the
Prisoner at the Bar, the first thing used, was, the Testimony of the Bewitched;
whereof, several Testify’d that the Shape of the prisoner did oftentimes
very grievously pinch them, ckoak them, Bite them, & Afflict them; urging
them to write their Names in a Book, which the said spectre called, Ours. One
of them did further Testify, that it was the Shape of this Prisoner, with
another, which one Day took her from her wheel, and carrying her to the River
side, threatened there to Drown her, if she did not Sign to the book mentioned:
which yet she refused. Others of them did also testify, that the said shape did
in her Threats brag to them that she had been the Death of sundry persons, then
by her Named; that she had Ridden a man, then likewise Named. Another
Testify’d, the Apparition of Ghosts unto the Spectre of Bishop, crying
out, You murdered us! About the truth whereof, there was in the matter of Fact,
but too much Suspicion.
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John Adams,
Addressed to the inhabitants of the colony of Massachusetts Bay (1775)
A writer, under the signature of Massachusetts, has addressed you, in a series
of papers, on the great national subject of the present quarrel between the
British administration and the Colonies. As I have not in my possession more
than one of his Essays, and that is in the Gazette of December 26, I will take
the liberty, in the spirit of candor and decency, to bespeak your attention
upon the same subject….
Is it better to apply, as this writer and his friends do, to the basest
passions in the human breast—to their fear, their vanity, their avarice,
ambition, and every kind of corruption? I appeal to all experience, and to
universal history, if it has ever been in the power of popular leaders,
uninvested with other authority than what is conferred by the popular suffrage,
to persuade a large people, for any length of time together, to think
themselves wronged, injured, and oppressed, unless they really were and felt it
to be so….
These are what are called revolution principles. They are the principles of
Aristotle and Plato, of Livy and Cicero, and Sydney, Harrington and Locke. The
principles of nature and eternal reason. The principles on which the whole
government over us, now stands. It is therefore astonishing, if any thing can
be so, that writers, who call themselves friends of government, should in this
age and country, be so inconsistent with themselves, so indiscreet, so
immodest, as to insinuate a doubt concerning them.
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Thomas Paine,
Common Sense (1975)
I know it is difficult to get over local and long standing prejudices, yet if
we will suffer ourselves to examine the component parts of the English
Constitution, we shall find them to be the base remains of two ancient
tyrannies, compounded with some new Republican materials.
First: The remains of monarchical tyranny in the person of the King.
Second: The remains of aristocratical tyranny in the persons of the Peers.
Third: The new Republican materials, in the persons of the Commons, on whose
virtue depends the freedom of England….
That the Crown is the overbearing part in the English constitution needs not be
mentioned, and that it derives its whole consequence merely from being the
giver of places and pensions is self-evident; wherefore, tho’ we have
been wise enough to shut and lock a door against absolute Monarchy, we at the
same time have been foolish enough to put the Crown in possession of the key.
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Lord Lyttelton,
On the Authority of Parliament (Feb., 1766)
In treating this
question, I must tire your lordships with repeating many self-evident truths,
but when persons of eminent knowledge and abilities dispute this point, I even
doubt of my own reason.
I shall therefore take the liberty of laying before your lordships a few
general maxims, not of party, but such as no statesman, no lawyer, has ever
denied.
The first foundation of civil government is, that a civil society was formed by
men entering into society on what may properly be called an original compact,
and entrusting government with a power over their persons, liberties, and
estates, for the safety of the whole. In what form or manner this power is to
be exercised depends on the laws and constitutions of different countries.
There cannot be two rights existing in government at the same time, which would
destroy each other; a right in government to make laws, and a right in the
people, or any part, to oppose or disobey such laws. Another great principle of
society is, that in all states, democratical, aristocratical, or monarchical,
or in mixed states, as Great Britain, the government must rest somewhere, and
that must be fixed, or otherwise there is an end of all government.
“Imperium in imperio….”
The only question before your lordships is, whether the American colonies are
part of the dominions of the crown of Great Britain? If not, the parliament has
no jurisdiction, if they are, as many statutes have declared them to be, they
must be proper objects of our Legislature: and by declaring them exempt from
statute or law, you declare them no longer subjects of Great Britain, and make
them small independent communities not entitled to your protection.