The will of a prince whom they had long respected, and the favor they naturally transferred to his descendant, made them often advance him to the royal dignity; but the crown of his ancestor he cnsidered as the gift of the people, and neither expected nor claimed it as a right." Ditto, p. 151 3.
Spooner discusses the relationship between respect for a prince and the people's role in legitimizing royal authority.
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A man has a natural right to enforce his own rights and redress his own wrongs.
It is also sheer impudence, on their part, to assume that their commands are at all necessary to teach other men what is, and what is not, justice.
They were even allowed to grant pardon to criminals, and to correct by their clemency the rigors of justice.
Proud from victory, and with their swords in their hands, would they surrender their liberties to a private man?