OCR Text |
Show 5‘8 Part I. ACTS RELATING taxes paid for the fupport of civil goverrk ment? Are not thefe too the property of the civil magiflratc ? y x The quefiion then is not who is to give away our property} no man, no éody of But who .is to apportion and dif'tribute the feveral parcels of the common Rock. For when the legillature "men is to do it. vefis the property of {0 many acres of land; or the property of whatever thing or good you pleafe in me, it is always with the implied refervation of {0 much Se&. III. TO THE Commas. 59 " mzdgnmt." And the term is in them allowable enough. For the commons are invefied with the whole property of the kingdom, in truf't that they {hall apportion and dif'rribute to the f'upreme executive magifirate, that which is neceffary to the fupport of his department of the government; and that they flnll cooperate in fecuring to each man his ihare of the remaining parcel; which 'fhare alone is his property, and ‘ to be difpofed of as he pleaies. They give of the produce thereof as the legiflature and grant to the magil'trate, that which than has, ,or at any future period/bal/keep is necefTary to the exigencies of the magi- back for the fervice of the community in firate; and in the/217m fizz e [/2ch give (17211 gram‘ the refidue, to every man his (hare. On this falfe notion, "that the pay- general. Taxes then cannot, in a proper fenfe, be called a gffi‘, much lefs ajiree gift. For in the firiét and proper fenle nothing is given, if by given is meant ceding that which is our men, that which we have a right to withold. The commons indeed, in impofing aids and taxes make me of the terms " gz'uc "- and " ment of taxes is the giving up a part of " our property," is ingrafted another idea, no lefs falfe, " that taxes cannot in a free " {tare be granted but by the caIsz‘ of " the giver." ‘ This |