to reconcile the vanquished to his fortune, to show that they had gained by the change, to convert their momentary suffering into a long benefit, and to draw from the humiliation of his enemies an accession to his own glory.  This has been so constant a practice, that it is to repeat the histories of all politic conquerors in all nations and in all times; and I will not so much distrust your Lordships’ enlightened and discriminating studies and correct memories as to allude to one of them.  I will only show you that the Court of Directors, under whom he served, has adopted that idea,—­that they constantly inculcated it to him, and to all the servants,—­that they run a parallel between their own and the native government, and, supposing it to be very evil, did not hold it up as an example to be followed, but as an abuse to be corrected,—­that they never made it a question, whether India is to be improved by English law and liberty, or English law and liberty vitiated by Indian corruption.

No, my Lords, this arbitrary power is not to be had by conquest.  Nor can any sovereign have it by succession; for no man can succeed to fraud, rapine, and violence.  Neither by compact, covenant, or submission,—­for men cannot covenant themselves out of their rights and their duties,—­nor by any other means, can arbitrary power be conveyed to any man.  Those who give to others such rights perform acts that are void as they are given,—­good indeed and valid only as tending to subject themselves, and those who act with them, to the Divine displeasure; because morally there can be no such power.  Those who give and those who receive arbitrary power are alike criminal; and there is no man but is bound to resist it to the best of his power, wherever it shall show its face to the world.  It is a crime to bear it, when it can be rationally shaken off.  Nothing but absolute impotence can justify men in not resisting it to the utmost of their ability.

Law and arbitrary power are in eternal enmity.  Name me a magistrate, and I will name property; name me power, and I will name protection.  It is a contradiction in terms, it is blasphemy in religion, it is wickedness in politics, to say that any man can have arbitrary power.  In every patent of office the duty is included.  For what else does a magistrate exist?  To suppose for power is an absurdity in idea.  Judges are guided and governed by the eternal laws of justice, to which we are all subject.  We may bite our chains, if we will, but we shall be made to know ourselves, and be taught that man is born to be governed by law; and he that will substitute will in the place of it is an enemy to GOD.