Page:Rights of men.pdf/43

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struction over our heads. But to return to the misrepresentation.

[1] Blackstone, to whom Mr. Burke pays great deference, seems to agree with Dr. Price, that the succession of the King of Great Britain depends on the choice of the people, or that

  1. 'The doctrine of hereditary right does by no means imply an indefeasible right to the throne No man will, I think, assert this, that has considered our laws, constitution, and history, without prejudice, and with any degree of attention It is unquestionably in the breast of the supreme legislative authority of this kingdom, the King and both Houses of Parliament, to defeat this hereditary right, and, by particular entails, limitations, and provisions, to exclude the immediate heir, and vest the inheritance in any one else This is strictly consonant to our laws and constitution, as may be gathered from the expression so frequently used in our statute books, of "the King's Majesty, his heirs, and successors." In which we may observe that, as the word "heirs" necessarily implies an inheritance, or hereditary right, generally subsisting in "the royal person," so the word successors, distinctly taken, must imply that this inheritance may sometimes be broken through, or, that

'there