| OCR Text |
Show [35] [ 3+ ] the Crown.---They have not only granted. Majefty, being highly fenfible of the zeal and vigour with which his faithful fubjeéts equal to their abilities, but, during all the in North-America had exerted themfelves, laft war, they granted far beyond their in defence of his Majefty's juf't rights and abilities, and beyond their proportion with pofieflions, recommended it to the houfe to take the fame into confideration, and this country, you yourfelves being judges, to the amount of many hundred thoufand pounds, and this they did freely and rean dily, only on a fort of promife from the fecretary of fiate, that it fhould be recom- mended to parliament to make them compenfation. It was accordingly recom~ mended to parliament, in the mofl: ho- nourable manner, for them. America has been greatly mifreprefented and abufed here, in papers, and pamphlets, and fpeeches, as ungrateful, and unreafonable, and unjuf't, in having put this nation to immenfe expence for their defence, and refufing to bear any part of that expence. The Colonies raifed, paid, and clothed, near 25000 men during the laf‘r war, a number equal to thofe fent from Britain, and far beyond their proportion ; they went deeply into debt in doing this, and all their taxes and eltates are mortgaged, for many years to come, for difcharging that debt. Government here was at that time very fenfible of this. The Colonies were recommended to parliament. Ever enable him to give them a proper compenfation. You will find thofe ineffages on your own journals every year of the war to the very laft, and you did accord- ingly give 200,000 Pounds annually to the Crown, to be diftributed in fuch compenfation to the Colonies. This is the Itrongeft of all proofs that the Colonies, far from being unwilling to bear a {hare of the burthen, did exceed their propor- tion; for if they had done lefs, or had only equalled their proportion, there would have been no room or reafon for eompenfation.--- Indeed the fums reim- burfed them, were by no means adequate to the expence they incurred beyond their proportion; but they never murmured at that, they efleemed their Sovereign's ap- probation of their zeal and fidelity, and the approbation of this houfe, far beyond any other kind of compenfation; therefore there was no oceafion for this aét, to force money from a willing people; they had not refufed giving money for the pur- year the king fent doWn to the houfe a pofes of the act 5 no requifition had been written mcflage to this purpofe, That his ' Majef'ty, F 2 made, |
