John Winthrop's Speech to the General Court seems almost insignificant at first glance. The governor appears merely to be celebrating his victory in court by preaching a small speech about politics. Yet it is also the earliest document we have in American Heritage: A Reader that does not mention the King of England by name, aside from the sentence-long Salem Covenant. Indeed, the ideas in the Speech to the General Court pose a singular threat to Britain's rule in the colonies because of their adherence to the declaration principles of rule of law, civil liberty, and the consent of the governed.
Rule of law is the principle that both the rulers and the people of a state are subject to the same rules. No one is above the law. This is first expressed
Rule of law is the principle that both the rulers and the people of a state are subject to the same rules. No one is above the law. This is first expressed