set up what forms of governments they pleased, consistent with their patent and charter, by which they had engaged their future allegiance to the king of England.* Whether these principles were, or were not in conformity to the principles of the English laws or monarchy, they were certainly founded on the law of nature; and were therefore of an earlier origin, and of a more sacred authority than any English law ever could be, which considers birth not only as a local, but as a perpetual and unalienable cause of civil subjection.

IN opposition to every sentiment of this kind, the English kings believed that every child born in their dominions, or derived from any of their subjects, belonged to them; and that his very birth implied an obligation to constant, perpetual and unalienable allegiance. In conformity to their principles, they soon discovered that they meant to regard or disannul their patents as they pleased; to alter or set aside their charters; to frame, destroy, or alter the colonial governments as they chose; and with the concurrence of their parliaments, "to bind them in all cases whatsoever." It is not possible to form any idea of the most absolute, despotic, tyrannical power, that can carry its claims beyond this.

THE colonies, though holding very. different political principles, were not in a state to contend with their sovereigns. Surrounded with enemies and involved in wars, both the English and French colonies looked to their kings for assistance; and while the one met with this kind of help, it became necessary for the other

Hatchinson's Hist. Massachusetts, Vol. 1, p.231.

YOL. I.

K 3

to seek the same kind of assistance. A depen dence on and subjection to the European powers and monarchs of course took place, which excluded every idea, and every desire of independence; and the colonies viewed their relation and connection with the European governments from which they descended, as a matter of necessity, safety, and the highest honor. The British kings and ministers believed that the science of government contained such profound and sacred mysteries, that the people could neither understand nor manage them: the people in the colonies were in such a state of political impotency and submission, that they were in fact looking to the European kings and ministers, frequently unacquainted with any part of the business, to manage and direct their governments. This dependence of the colonies on the European kings was attended with many, and with great disadvantages. It embarrassed and perplexed their own governments, encouraged the ambitious and intriguing to be perpetually complaining and meddling, restrained their trade and commerce, prevented the most necessary and useful manufactures, subjected them to injurious restraints, confined their business and pursuits within narrow limits; and was calculated to keep their minds in a state of perpetual infancy, inactivity and weakness. And it was not their own desires and inclinations, but the folly and oppressive policy of the British ministe and king, that taught them to study, their rigore and to understand the danger of submission their European masters.

Such as the colonial system of war. Hay

ing both an American and an European origin, it was not to be expected but that from the one or the other of these sources, it would be almost perpetual; and while it continued the evils that were connected with its moral, literary, physical, agricultural and political effects, could not be avoided. In Europe, when their monarchs were engaged in such contests, which ever party gained an increase of territory, all the sovereigns obtained an increase of wealth, of power, of dependents, of influence and authority. It was evidently their advantage to have war as frequent and constant, as the finances and circumstances of their kingdoms would admit. In the colonies all was the reverse. The system of war served here to inflame and imbitter the minds of men, to keep them unacquainted with the arts and sciences, to retard the population, and prevent the settlement of the country; and to keep the colonies in a hurtful and disgraceful dependence on and subjection to European kings and nations. And it was not till they rejected this degrading submission and dependence, that they arose to their proper rank and station among the nations and powers of the world.

No. I.

An Account of the Variation of the Magnetic Needle, in the Eaftern States. CHAP. 1. p. 22.

IN laying out lands in America, the direction of the lines, is generally taken by the Magnetic Needle. The inftruments which have been generally used, are the Plain Table, or the Circumferentor, divided into degrees, and fitted with a Magnetic Needie of three or four inches radius. Had the greateft poffible care been taken by able mathematicians, it would not have been poffible for them, with fuch inftruments, to have avoided many errors and mistakes. But in fcarcely any inftance has the variation of the needle been known, or at all attended to. Many, and almoft endlefs controverfies and lawfuits, have arifen from this cause. In many inftances no data could be found, by which it was poffible to come to a just decifion; the variation of the Magnetic Needle, at the times when the contefted lines were run, being unknown. On fuch accounts, the knowledge of the Magnetic variations in the inland parts of America, is become a matter of great importance to the people; their intereft and property in many cafes, being much affected by it.

From the year 1302, the directive power of the Magnet has been employed with great fuccefs, in the affairs of navigation. But the first account that we have of any observed variation in its direction, was by Columbus, in the year 1492, in his first voyage to America. Until that time, philo fophers uniformly believed that the pole of the Magnet, exactly coincided with the pole of the earth; and they had no idea of any fuch thing, as a variation. Amidst the uncommon fcenes of difficulty which oppofed the views, and exercifed the genius of the discoverer of America, when he had advanced two hundred leagues weft of the Canary Islands, his compa's be gan to fail him; and it was found not to point to the pole of the earth, or exactly north, but one degree to the weft of that point. From that time the variation began to be observed, and became more and more known. For the last century and a half, mathematicians have made it a regular part of their bufinefs to obferve it, in different parts of the earth; with the annual alterations that are conftantly taking place.

In the year 1723, a very accurate abferver, G. Graham, of London, dif covered that the magnetic needle had a diurnal, as well as an annual variation. And it is now well known to philofophers, that from about eight o'clock in the morning, the Magnetic Needle verges to the weft, until a bout two o'clock in the afternoon. When it has attained its greateft weftward variation, gradually returns to the east, until about eight or nine o'clock in the evening; when it becomes ftationary, until the next morning. Tables expreffive of this diurnal variation are become common; and are to be found in the tranfactions of all philofophical focieties. Thus in the most regular flate of the Magnetic Needle, it is constantly subject to two variations; an annual and a diurnal one.

The effect of thefe variations are at all times fuch, that the Magnetic Needle can never give to the furveyor who follows its directions, a firaight or an accurate line. And it ought not to be used at all, where the business requires great accuracy and precision. It is however fcarcely practicable in America, to fubftitute any thing better in the room of it: Moft of the lines which have been already run by furveyors, were run by the Needle; this