OCR Text |
Show ... fl, ,. m, - _g-:,ea-~wmn+'3i_~gt:n"‘fican." -fii‘" '1‘:‘*‘""‘"Y" "W , xiv THE DESIGN. THE Hard words may ferve to thew a man's fpleen, but they ferve little to fortify his opinion- Virulent and abufive language * may carry offa fit of pallion, but will neither perfuade nor convince. The only method of determining fairly on. the conduct ofthe late parliament in this important bufincfs, will be to enquire " " " " " freeman is, that he hath a full and abfolutc property in his goods and citate, and that no tax, tallage, loan, benevolence, or other like charge, ought to be com- manded or levied by the king, or any rj 112': minflerx, without common admit by at? offar/iamem." See Journals of the Houfe of Commons,, Vol. I. p. 878. The. reader fees, that this refolution is levelle d againlt the unconfiitutional power alfumed by the crown. It was never intended to define the power of parliam ent. To mutilate or mifapply citations of fueh authority, in :1 queftion of fuch magnitude, is at once inipolitie and untair. 3* The author of the Appeal above cited, talks (p. 37). " of the idem?! who are conduéting our prefent mea" titres." Of Lord North's fnufling up the incenfc of adulation " in the very finccrity of his vanity and " folly." One feels pain at meeting with thefe illi- beral phrafes in a book, which does not otherwife want merit. The writers on the minifterial fide have kept pace with their antagonifls in this application of abufive terms, &c. The phrafes of " rebels, " " babes of " grace," are by many of them dealt out with a very liberal hand. The author of " Taxati on no Tyranny," in his " terrific " ftyle, talks of " airy burlts of malevo_ " lence 5" and advifes us " to repel their arguments " with fcorn rather than refute them by difputation." ».~,,_H.‘ ---4 ...V.‘ DESIGN. 1. A; to [/10 point chig/Jt. r.‘ As to the crown alone, what is the power with which the confiitution invefts that brand; of the legiflature over countries con- quered, or otherwife acquired .9 2. As to the whole body of the lcgiflature, whether its operations can be reftrained by any acts of the aforenamed branch of it. 3. Again as to the whole body of the lc~ giflature, whether on the particular point of taxation there be any other principle in the confiitution to refirain its operations 5" II. 1?: to #26 point affaff. I. ‘Nhat were the privileges originally granted by the crown to the colonies? 2. \Vhatpower preceding parliaments excrcifed over them. ‘Vhen thcfe queftions are fairly difcufled, and not before, we may venture to give our opinions. III. O); the merits of the proceeding: (ff the [a]? parliament. I. "Whether they were confiltent with the fpirit of the confiitution. 2. \Vhether they were confident with the dictates of found policy. To enter on the two laft fubjeéts of enquiry before the other points are fully fettled, would at leaft be prepofierous, It would be to begin where we ought to end. I. x]: If |