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Show [ 40 1 l 4! J Council, and expeéted that Obedience and Pro« from their Objection to'a Taxation, to which their teétiori would be confidered as recrprocal Duties. Confidering Themfelves, and being confidered in this Light, They entered into a Compact with the Crown, the Balis of which was, That their Privileges as Englifh Szzhjettr, [lieu/d he efleflzm/{y [tamed to Themfe/ver, and tmnfmitted to their Poflerity. And as for this Purpofe, precife Declarations and Provifions formed upon the Principles, and according to the Spirit of the Eizg/i/h Cotz/lz'tution were necelfary; CHARTERS were accordingly framed and conferred by the Crown, and accepted by the Settlers, by which all the Doubts and Inconveniences which might have arifen from the Application of general Principles to a new Sub- jeé‘t, were prevented. By thefe Charters, founded upon the unalieno able Rights of the Subjeét, and upon the mol't facred Compact, the Colonies claim a Right of Exemption from Taxes not impofed with their C072- jent.--They claim it upon the Principles of the Conltitution, as once Eizglg'fh, and now Britifl) Subjeéts, upon Principles on which their Compact with the Crown was originally founded. The Origin of other Governments is covered by the Veil of Antiquity, and is differently traced by the Fancies of different Men; but, of the C010nies, the Evidence of it is as clear and uneq uivo- cal as of any other Faé‘t. By thefe declaratory Charters the Inhabitants of not impofed by their own Confent, and to infer from the Colonies claim an Exemption from all Taxes Confent is not, nor can be given, that They are fitting up a Rth 271 the Crown to (ti/penfe with flat; bf Per/lenient, and to deprive the Britilh Suhjefir in America 0f the Benefits of the common Law, is fo ex- tremely abfurd, that I {hould be at a Lofs to account for the Appearance of f0 {trange an Argument, were I not apprized of the unworthy Arts employed by the Enemies of the Colonies to ex- cite itrong Prejudices againlt Them in the Minds of their Brethren at Home, and what grofs Incongruities prejudiced Men are wont to adopt. Though Iam perfuaded that this Reafoning hath already been fufliciently refuted, and that no feniible and difpaffionare Man can perceive any Force in it, yet I cannot help remarking, that it is grounded upon a Principle, which, if it were pof- {ible for the Examiner to el'tablifh it, would en- title him to the Applaufe of the Inhabitants in Great Britain, as little as to the Thanks of the Colonies. ' From what Source do the Peers of England de- rive their Dignity, and the Share They have in the Brit/fl Legf/iature? Are there no Places in Eng/amt that derive their Power of chuling Members of Parliament from rOyal Charters? Will this \Nriter argue, that the Crown may, by Prerogative, tax the Inhabitants of Great-Britain, becaufe the Peers of England, and fome Repre- fentatives of the .PCOplC‘, exercife a legillative Authority under royal Patents and Charters? It muf't be admitted that all the Members of the Houfe of Commons are freely chofen by the People, and are not afterwards fubjeét to any Influence of the Crown or the Miniflry : And are not (Jr the |