OCR Text |
Show are here introduced on {objects not Worthy of them, a duty of a few [billings upon {ome forts of paper or parchment, and of a few pence upon a pound of tea. Let us therefore more particularly confider the nature of the claim and preten-lion in qneltion. Suppofe then, one perfon to have in his pocket an hundred pounds, but another to have the right to take it from him, or to put it into his own pocket, or to do with it what he plcafcs; to whom does that money belong? This needs no onl‘wer. Suppol‘e the Turn to be a thoufand or ten thonland pounds? That makes no diii‘erence. Suppofe one perfon to have a right to demand of another not only one certain {nm or what he has about him, but as much as he picnics, and as often? This goes to the all of that other. But fuppofe not one tingle potion only to he fuhjeét to litch demands from one other, but a number of men, a colony, or any other community, to he {0 fuhjeft to the demands of fume orncr fociety. "What then? Why then that will go in lilt'ermnncr to their all. This fcems to be it) evident, that whoever {hall multiply words on the iiihieet will hardly do it for the take ol'being-convinced. lint is this cafe that of the Americans; for it is {aid that the money railed on them is to be employed for their own benefit, in their civil fervice or military defence? Let me at}; then, who are in,their cafe to rice tut-mine, whether any money is at all wanted l{or inch purpol‘es; thetr'who pay it, or they vvho take it? They who take it. W ho are to determine the quantity Wanted? They who take it. Kit/Tho are to determine how ol‘ten it is wanted? They who take it. \Vho are to determine whether it is really laid out in the purg'zol'es‘ pretended? They who take it. Sluppolfie the Americans lhould he of opiniOt , or declare'that the money l‘o raifed is 'Ll‘l-Ctl not for their advantage, but the contrary; is thata bar to the railing? No. Suppofe them to complain that the money pretended to be laid out in their civil ferric-e is given to corrupt their Governor; Governors or judges; . is that a bar to the railing? No. Suppofe them to flgnif‘y that the money alledged to be ufed in their military defence is employed in paying troops to enflave them, and which they had rather bewithout; is that a bar to the retiring? No. V‘fherein then does this differ from will and pleal‘nrc' in the molt abfolute fenfe? This claim affects therefore molt clearly the all of the Americans. '1 WO millions of people, {object to no lefs than twelve diflkrent governments, and inhabit- ing, pofl'Efiing, and being maiters of a country exceedingly larger than that of thofe who make the claim, or in whole name it is made, have on this ground, no property at all, nothing which they can truly calltheir own, nothing but what may at any time he demanded of them, but what they may be deprived of Without and againlt their will and confent. It cannot there fore furely be a queltion Whether or no, this is a matter of fuch a magnitude as to deferve the moll {erious difcuflion. But it might here be Without further Words, left to every man's determination, whether this is on the one hand a reafonable ground, whereon to put into conf'ufion all the parts of the Britilh empire, to throw the mother country and her North Amer ican colonies into the molt deadly feuds and in all appea ranee a civil war with one another, or whether it is not on the other hand a propofition inconfil'tent with the ellential laws of nature, fubverfive of the firli and in- herent rights of humanity, and contrary to the principles Whereon our forefathers defended and unde r the {auction of which they have through To many civil Wars and with the depolition, banilhment one change of fo many Princes, delivered down tons the rights aiid properties, which Englilhmen now enioy. But it is in this difpute very often reprehented; that a total and ablolute dependance on the ilritilh Parliament without any exception whatihever either with regard to taxes or any other, is liberty hid? it is Bri7 till: |