Edmund Burke: “These are, indeed, well formed to perplex and torment the intellect, but not half so well calculated to inflame the…”

They have little regard to the obvious consequences of their doctrine, though they may see that it leaves positive authority in very few of the positive institutions of this country.

But the king of Great Britain obeys no other person; all other persons are individually, and collectively too, under him, and owe to him a legal obedience.

If kings who did not owe their crown to the choice of their people had no title to make laws, what will become of the statute De tallagio non concedendo? of the Petition of Right? of the act of Habeas Corpus?

This is the spirit of our Constitution, not only in its settled course, but in all its revolutions.