59 
chap, if.] WEST INDIES. 
James I.” The noble judge would have stated this 
case more fairly, had he said, that Edward I. at the 
request of the inhabitants , confirmed to them the 
enjoyment of their ancient laws; but, that “ its 
constitution was put on an English footing by a 
charter of king James.” These are the very 
words of Blackstone. 
The case next quoted by the learned judge was 
that of New York, which was conquered from the 
Dutch in 1664 , and like Wales, remained in posses¬ 
sion of most of its former inhabitants. “ King 
Charles II. (observes the noble judge) changed the 
form of their constitution and political govern¬ 
ment ; by granting it to the duke of York , to hold 
of his crown under all the regulations contained in 
the letters patent." —So far is true; but what fol¬ 
lowed? This duke of York (afterwards James II.) 
was a man, whose principles of government were in 
the highest degree repugnant and inimical to those 
of the English constitution. Accordingly, he at¬ 
tempted at first, to introduce into the newly acqui¬ 
red country, a system little consonant to British 
freedom; but he was disappointed and defeated. 
He was compelled, much against his inclination, to 
allow the people to choose deputies to represent 
them in the legislature; and these deputies actual¬ 
ly voted, “ that all the ordinances which had been 
made by the governor and council before the peo¬ 
ple were admitted to a share in the legislature, 
were invalid, because they were passed in a manner 
Repugnant to the constitution of England . 
