58 BERMUDA. 



awarded by laws passed in the colonies, even before 

 tiiey had received the Royal assent. On the whole, 

 provided their commercial laws be not repugnant to 

 those of Great Britain, there are no concerns, of a 

 local and provincial nature, to which the authority 

 of the colonial legislature does not extend. 



As the legislative power of Great Britain, there- 

 fore, is supreme only in a relative sense even within 

 the realm where the people themselves participate 

 in its authority, much less can it be said to be 

 supreme, in all cases whatsoever, over the colonies. 

 It has indeed been solemnly declared by Parhament 

 itself, that it has such a power. Nevertheless, it 

 would not be difficult to point out many cases, and to 

 imagine others, wherein the authority of Parliament 

 has been, and may again be constitutionally exerted, 

 in regard to the colonies, without abolishing every 

 restriction on the part of the Governors, and extin- 

 guishing every right on the part of the governed. 



It is beyond all question, that every addition to 

 the wealth and greatness of the colonies contributes 

 at the same time to the augmentation of the mother 

 country's own riches and power. And such, before 

 the unfortunate divisions which occasioned the De- 

 claration of Independence of the United States of 

 America, was the commercial system adopted by 



