OCR Text |
Show [20] [21] mittee on the American papers, motion made, and que- the venal and corrupt, for the purpofe of undermining the civil rights of the givers, nor yet be diverted to the fupport of Handing armies, inconliftent with their freedom and fubverfive of their quiet. To propofe therefore, as this ltion propofed, " THAT it is the opinion of this committee, that when the general council and allernbly, orgeneral court of any of his majeily's provinces or colonies in flmm‘zm,'fhall propofe to make provifion accordingto the condition, circumflance, or fituation of fuch provrnce or colony,‘ for contributing their proportion to the common defence (iuch proportion to be raifed under the authority of the general court, or general afiembly of fuch provniee 0r colony, and difpofabie by parliament) and {hall engage to make provifion alfo for the fupport of the crvrllgovernmc‘nt, and the adminiltration of juilice in fuch provnice or colony, it will be proper, if fueh propofal {hall be approved by his majel'ty and the two houfes of parliament, and for fo long as fuch provifion {hall be made accordingly, to forbear in rcfpeet of fuch province or colony, to lay any duty, tax, or alikflinent, except only fuch duties as it may be expedient to continue to levy or impofe for the regulation of commerce; the net produce of the duties loft mentioned to be carried to the account of fueh province or colony relpeetively." refolution does, that the monies given by the colonies {hall be inbjeét to the difpofai of parliament alone, is to propofe that they {hall relinquifli this right of enquiry, and put it in the power of others to render their gifts ruinous, in proportion as they are liberal. THAT this privilege of giving or of with-holding our monies, is an important barrier againfl: the undue exertion of prerogative, which if left altogether without controul, may be exercifed to our great oppreffion; and all hiftory fhews how efficacious is its interceflion for redrefs of griev» ances and re-ef'tablifliment of rights, and how improvident it would be to part with [0 powerful a mediator. We are of opinion that the propofition contained in this rcfolution is unreafonable and infldious; unreafonable, becaufe if we declare we accede to it, we declare without refervation we will purchafe the favour of parliament, not knowing at the fame time at what price they will pleafe to eitimate their favour ; it is infidious, becaufe individual THE Congrefs took the faid refolution into confideration, and are thereupon of opinion, THAT the colonies of America are entitled to the fole and exclufive privilege of giving and granting their own money : that this involves a right of deliberating whether colonies having bid and hidden again, till they find the avidity of the feller too great for all their powers to fatisfy, are then to return into oppofition, divided from their lifter colonies, whom the miniller will have previoully detached by a grant of eafrer t‘rms, or by an artful procrafiination of a definitive anfwer. they will make any gift, for what purpofes it {hall be made, and what {hall be its amount; and that it is a high breach of this privilege for any body of men, extraneous to their conflitutions, to preferibe the purpofes for which money {hall be levied on them, to take to themfelves the authority ofjudging of their conditions, circumflances and lituations, and of determining the amount of the contribution to be levied. ‘ THAT as the colonies poffcfs a right of appropriating THAT the fufpenfion of the exercife of their pretended power of taxation being erzprefsly made commenfurate with the continuance of our gifts, thefe muf'c be perpetual to make that fo. Whereas no experience has {hewn that a gift of perpetual revenue fecures a perpetual return of duty or of kind difpofition. On the contrary, the par1 liament itfelf wifely attentive to this obfervation, are in the efl'abliflied pratotice of granting their fupplies from year to year only. their gifts, fo are they intitled at all times to enquire into their application, to fee that they be not waflcd among ' the Dasmous |