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Show ‘ ‘2 F compared together, this of a Stamp-Duty ap- I-wmmumm" ~ tut-"running u pears to be one of the belt and molt unexcep'tiv onable, which the \Vit of Man can devile; I ~ alinuch as it approaches to a voluntary Tax much nearer than any other. In fact, it neither'opprelTes the Poor, nor impoverilhes the RlClli it multiplies Officers or Collectors the leal't OI any: it caufes n0 forceable Entries into People's Houfes: Nor is there any Need of ufing Violence in collecting it: And in lhort, it doth not endanger Liberty, nor render Property lels fecure than they would otherwife have been, in any Rel-perft whatever. Nay, {0 far from it, that m the Courfe of its Operation, it often detefts For- gery and Impofiure, and by that Means becornfS the Guardian ofSimplicity, l-lonel'ty, and Falf" dealing. LASTLY, as to the intended flpp/z'mtimz 0f ., ' 1aX5---the from 1t' (""51re Sums arilmg this ‘ V .016 ) _ . . been more prudent in the Parliament to have permitted that particular Province to have railed its 0th Taxes for it"; own Ufa": But this Tax was dellined for the Good and Protection of the whole American Empire borh in the lflands, and on the Continent. And therefore the very Nature of the Cafe rendered it exceedingly prOper for the fupreme Legiflature to take upon itfelf the Cognizance of the Matter, according to the former Example of a Pelt-Tax in the Reign of Queen ANN. [See 9th onANN, Cap. 10.] It was right {0 to do, both in order to regulate and direft the whole for the public Good, and alfo to apportion out, What each Colony ought to contribute thereunto : Which Partition thefe disjointed Governments, with their difcordant lnterel'rs, would never have lettletl among them-.felves. lN lhort, and to finn up all, it is generally allowed on all Sides, by Amrrimm as well as others, that had the PrOVincial Governments theinfelves agreed together to have laid on fuch a Stamp Duty, as the Britiflz Legiflature did lay on, it would not, it could not, have been deemed excellive and immoderare as to the ‘leflm‘flm, 01" Sum to be railed,--~-nor unjult, partial; 01‘ 0P" prellive 3»;va "‘. had that been the Cale, it certainly would have luau .I rz'm, the Money was not to be appropriated for the private Ufe ofany particular Province:---For n not of Gr'mr-Brilain :--And in regard even to flme- mm: the Colonies; but alfo fubmitted to feveral Augmentations of it for" the Defence and Proteétion of A'mariaz. AND zdly, as to the .Modc of raifing this Tax: Were all polhble Modes to be examined, and {01er to be applied for the Ufe of flmm'm, and y a much greater Proportion of the fame Tax than 3x \5 thofe Clamours, f0 indufl‘rioufly propagated by the Americans abroad, and the Mock-Patriots at home, that the Parliament had laid Taxes on the Colonies, in which the Inhabitants of Great-Britain bore no Part: For the latter not only bore PLEAS AND ARGUMENTS. 3" via PLEAS AND ARGUMENTS. 4 30 |
