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Show [30] feé‘t lcgiflatures, were formed under charters from the crown, and an harmonious intercourfe was efl'abl'ifhed be- tween the colonies and the kingdom from which they derived their origin. The mutual benefits of this union became in a fhort time f0 extraordinary, as to excite ai'tonifhment. It is univerfally confelfed, that the amazmg increafc of the wealth, fti'ength, and navigation of the realm, arofe from this fource, and the miniiter, who to wifely and fuecefsfully directed the meafures or (greatBritain in the late war, publicly declared, that thele co- lonies enabled her to triumph over her enemies. Towards the conclulion of that war, it pleafed our fovereign to make a change in his counfels. From that fatal mo- ment, the affairs of the Britifh empire began todall into confufion, and gradually Hiding from the fummit of glo- I‘ious profperity, to which they had been advanced by the virtues and abilities of one man, are at length Clif~ lllllllllll‘ traéted by the convulfions, that now fhake it to its deepefl‘ foundations. The new minif'try finding the brave foes of Britain, though frequently defeated, yet .f'till contending, H took up the unfortunate idea of granting them a halty peace, and of then fubduiug her faithful friends. " THESE devoted colonies were judged to be in fuch a flate, as to prefent vic‘iories without bloodfhed, and all the eafy emoluments of ftatuteable plunder, The uninterrupted tenor of their peaceable and refpeéttulbehawour from the beginning of colonization, their dutiful, zea- lous, and ufeful fervices during the war, though fo re- cently and amply acknowleged in the moft honourable manner by his majeity, by the late king, and by parlia- ment, could not fave them from the meditated innovations. Parliament was influenced to adopt the pernicious projeét, and affuminq a new power over them, have in the courfe of eleven veins given fuch decifive fpecimens of the fpirit and confeduencds attending this power, as to leave no doubt concerning the effects of acquiefcence under it. They have undertaken to give and grant our money without our confent, though wethave ever exei'cifed an ex- (‘lufive right to difpofe of our own property ; flatutes have been pailed for extending the jurifditftion of courts of admiralty and vice~admiralty beyond their ancient liiFits 3 'or for depriving us of the accnf'tomed and inef' timable prim vilege of trial by jury in cafes aiorec‘tiiig both life and property ; for fufpending the legiflature of one of the colonies ; for interdié'ting all commerce to the capital of another; and for altering fundamentally the form of government eltablilhed by charter, and fecur ed by adts of its own legillature folemnly confirmed by the crown, for ex- empting the "murderers" of colonif'rs from legal trial, and in effect, from punifhment; for erecting in a neighbouring province, acquired by the joint arms of Great -Britain and Amer ica, a defpotifm dangerous to our very exilt ence; and for quartering foldiers upon the colonifts in time of profound peace. It has alfo been refolved in parliament , that colonill's charged with committing certa in offences, {hall be tranfported to England to be tried. " BUT why fhould we enumerate our injuries in detail? By one fiatute it is declared, that parliament can " of right make laws to bind us in all [(1 inc what/newer." What is to defend us againft f0 enormous, fo unlimited 21 power? Not a fingle man of tlIofe who affume it, is chofe n by us; or is fubjcé't to our controul or influence; but on the contrary, they are all of them exempt from the opera tion of fuch laws, and an American revenue, if not diverted from the oftenfible purpofes for which it is raifed, would actually lighten their own burdens in proportion, as the increafe ours. We faw the mifery to which fuch def- potifm would reduce us. We for ten years incef iantly and ineffectually befieged the throne as fupplicants; we reafoned, we remonftr‘ated with parliament in the molt mild and decent language. " ADMINISTRATION, fenfible that we fhould regar d thefe oppreflive meafures as freemen ought to do, fent over fleets and armies to enforce them. The indignatio n of the Americans was roufed, it is true ; but it was the in- dignation of a virtuous, loyal, and affeétionate people. A Congrefs of delegates from the United Colonies was af- fembled at Philadelphia, on the fifth day of lalt September. We refolved again to offer an humble and dutiful petition to the king, and alfo addreffed our fellow fubjec 'ts of Great-Britain. We have purfued every temperate, every relpeétful meafure; we have even proceeded to break off our commercial intercourfe with our fellow fubje cts, as the Ii in i ; .ml in |