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Show [ 5 1 [ 4l 1 (ball undertake to dilprove the fuppofed Simi‘ Relarity of Situation, whence the fame Kind of the prefentation is deduced of the Inhabitants of if and, Colonies, and of the BMW) Non-Eleélors; lfucceed, the Notion of a virtual Reprefenmtz'on is a of the Colonies mul't fail, which, in Truth, and mere Cob-web, fpread to catch the unwary, intangle the weak. I would be underflood. I am upon a Qiel‘tion of Propriety, not of Power; and, though lbme may be inclined to think it is to little Purpofe to difcufs the one, when the other is irrefiltible, yet are They different Confiderations -, and, at the fame Time that I invalidate the Claim upon which it is founded, I may very confif‘tently recommend a Submifiion to the Law, whilf't it en- dures. I {hall fay Nothing of the Ufe I intend by the Difcuflion; for, if it Ihould not be perceived by the Sequel, there is no Ufe in it, and, if it lhould appear then, it need not be premifed. Lell‘ees forYears, Copyholders, Proprietors of the Public Funds, Inhabitants of Birmingham, Lam's, HaZ/z'fax, and Mam/94kt", Merchants of the City of London, or Members of the Corporation of the Enfi India Company, are, as fut/y, under no perfonal Incapacity to be Eleélors, for they may acquire the Right of Eleétion, and there are m:ua/ly not only a conliderable Number of Eleétors in each of the Clafl‘es of LeITees for Years, 69°C. but in many of them, if not all, even Members of Parliament. 'I he Interel'ts therefore of the Non- Eletilors, the Electors, and the Reprefentatives, are Further, if the Non-Electors {hould not be taxed by the Britifly Parliament, They would not be taxed at all; and it would be iniquitous, as well as a Solecifm, in the political Syf'tem, that They Ihould partake of all the Benefits refulting from the Impofition, and Application of Taxes, and derive an Immunity from the Circumfiance of not being qualified to vote. Under this Confiitution then, a double or virtual Reprcfentation may be reaibnably {uppoled.--'I‘he Electors, who are infeparably connefted in their Interei'ts with the Non-Electors, may be juftly deemed to be the Repreientatives of the Non-Eleélors, at the lame Time They exerciie their perfonal Privilege in their Right of Election, and the Members chofen, therefore, the Reprelentatives of both. This is the only rational Explanation of the ExpreHion, wiring! R6Wt‘fl‘fllaliwz. None has been advanced by the AiTertors or it, and their Meaning can only be inferred from the Inllances, by which They endeavour to elucidate it, and no other Meaning can be ilated, to which the Infiances apply, It is an cfii‘ntial Principle of the .Englifl: Confiitution, that the Subject {hall not be taxed without his Content, which hath not been intro.duced by any particular Law, but neceITarily re- fults from the Nature of that mixed Government; for, without it, the Order of Democracy could not exil't. Parliaments " were not formerly f0 regular in individually the fame; to fay nothing of the Con- Point of Form as they now are. neélion among Neighbours, Friends, and Relati- ber of Knights for each Shire were not al‘certain- ons. The Security ofthe Non-Ele6t0r5 againft Oped. The firlt Writs now extant for their Choice, preflion, is, that their Oppreflion will fall alfo upon the Eleétors and the Reprefentatives. The one can't be anuI‘Ctl, and the other indemnified. 4- Further, Even the num- ‘ See Trent. Peerage, |
