Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin · Benjamin Franklin
"REVEREND SIR,
"The remarks you have added on the late proceedings against America are very just and judicious; and I cannot see any impropriety in your making them, though a minister of the gospel. This kingdom is a good deal indebted for its liberties to the public spirit of its ancient clergy, who joined with the barons in obtaining Magna Charta, and joined heartily in forming the curses of excommunication against the infringers of it. There is no doubt but the claim of Parliament, of authority to make laws _binding on the colonies in all cases whatsoever_, includes an authority to change our religious constitution, and establish popery or Mohammedanism, if they please, in its stead; but, as you intimate, _power_ does not infer _right_; and as the _right_ is nothing and the _power_ (by our increase) continually diminishing, the one will soon be as insignificant as the _other_. You seem only to have made a small mistake in supposing they modestly avoided to declare they had a right, the words of the act being, 'that they have, and of _right_ ought to have, full power,' &c.
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