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Show [46] [47] You are too reafonable to expect, that by taxes (in ad dition to this) we {hould contribute to your expence ; to believe after diverting the fountain, that the itreams can flow with unabated force. " IT has been faid, that we refufe to fubmit to the reftriétions on our commerce, From whence is this inference drawn? Not from our words, we having repeatedly declared the contrary; and we again profefs our fubmiflion to the feveral acts of trade and navigation pafied before the year 1763, Uniting neverthelefs in the equity and jui'tice of parliament, that fuch of them as, upon cool and impartial confideration, fhallrappear to have impofed unneceffary or grievous reitriétions, Will, at fome happier period, be repealed or altered. And we cheerfully confent to the operation of fuch aéts of the Britifl] parliament as {hall be reftrained to the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpofe of fecuring the commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country, and the commercial benefits of its refpeé‘rive members; excluding every idea of taxation internahor external, for raifmg a revenue on the fubjec'fts in America without their confent. " IT is alleged that we contribute nothing to the common defence. To this we anfwer, that the advantages which Great-Britain receives from the monopoly of our trade, far exceed our proportion of the expence necefiary for that purpofe. But fhould thefe advantages be madequate thereto, let the reftriétions on our trade be removed, and we will cheerfully contribute fuch proportion when eonf'titutionally required. " IT is a fundamental principle of the Britifh confli-z tution, that every man fhould have at leait a reprefentative {hare in the formation of thofe laws, by which he is bound. Were it otherwife, the regulation of our in- ternal police by a Britifh parliament, who are and ever will be unacquainted with our local circumfiances, xr-irft be always inconvenient, and frequently opprcflive, working our wrong, without yielding any poffible advantage to you. " A PLAN of accommodation (as it has been abfuidly called) has been propofed by your miniflers to our re-= fpetftive aifemblies. Were this propofal free from every other objection, but that which arifes from the time of the the offer, it would not be unexceptionable. Can men deliberate with the bayonet at their breaft? Can they treat with freedom, while their towns are facked ; when dail inf‘tances of injuf'tice and oppreffion difturb the flower operations of reafon E " IF thi propofal is really fuch as you would offer and we accept, why was it delayed tillathe nation was put to ufelefs expence, and we were reduced to our prefent melancholy fituation ? If it holds forth nothing, why was it propofed ? Unlefs indeed to deceive you into a belief, that we were unwilling to liften to any terms of accom modation ? But what is fubmitted to our confiderat ion ? We contend for the difpofal of our property. We are told that our demand is unreafonable, that our aflEniblies may indeed collefl our money, but that they mutt at the fame time offer, not what your exigencies or ours ma require, but fo much as {hall be deemed fufficient t'o fa- tisfy the deftfes of a minifter and enable him to provi de for favourites and dependents. A recurrence to your own treafury will convince you how little of the money al- ready extorted from us has been applied to the relief of your burthens. To fuppofe that we would thus grafp the lhadow and give up the fubfiahee, is adding infult to injuries, " WE have neverthelefs again prefented an humble and dutiful petition to our fovereign ; and to remove every imputation of obf'rinacy, have requef'ted his majefiy to direct fome mode, by which the united applications of his faithful colonifts may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation. We are willing to treat on fuch terms as can alone render an accommodation lafting, and we flatter ourfclves that our pacific endeavours will be attended with a removal of miniflerial troops, and a repeal of thofe laws of the operation of which we complain, on the one part, and a difbanding of our army, and a diffolution of our commercial aflociations, on the other. " YET conclude not from this that we propofe to furrender our property into the hands of your miniftry, or veft your parliament with a power which may terminate in our deftrué'tion. The great bulwarks of our coni'm tution we have defired to maintain by every temperate, by every peaceable means; but your minifl'ers (equal foes >5: ,fifififi‘aw'é a 4 to |
