OCR Text |
Show 130 POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL S AGAIN, as to the wrong-timing, or the U", fiafonoolemgfit of this Tax :---Ifby this you mean to fay, that it was laid on, at a Time, when you were poorer, and lefs able to bear it, than you were before -,---that isfolfi‘ alfo. For you never were richer, and you never were more able to contribute your ({uota towards the general be pences, than at the Juncture of laying on this Tax. U B J E C T S. 131 at that Time hardly a Poflibility of purchafing any but Englifli, when our Fleets were abfolute Matters of the Sea) your Advocates and Authors trumpeted aloud the prodigious Profits of this Nort/z-flmeriomz Trade ;---not COUilth‘l‘lno‘ or rather not willing that we fhould confide? that while a few Individuals were getting Thou: lands, the Public were {pending Millions, To prove this, let it be oblerveti, that ONCE more :---If by the Epithet m7foofomole, jufi before this Event, you had not only been draining the Mother Country by the immenfe Sums drawn from us to pay our Fleets and Armies, when acting in Defence of flmerico; --~and that your Jobbers and Contractors had not only been fucking our Blood and Vitals by you would be underflood to mean, that there their extortionate Demands ~,-n-but you had alfo been enriched by the Spoils, and by the Traffic of the numerous Colonies of France and Spain. For you were continually airing the double Part either of Trade, or War, of Smuggling, was no need oftaxing you at all at that Juncture; bemufe the Mother Country wosfli/l or able to carry the additional Load, w/zz'c/z you Izod oroug/zt upon lzer, asflie Izod Men to bear all 2126 my}: If this be your Meaning, I mufl: tell you once for all, that you are egregioufly mif'taken. For we can bear no more: We cannot fupport ourfelves under heavier Taxations, even were we ever f0 willing; we have {trained every Nerve already, and have no Refources left for new Impofitions. Therefore let what will come of the prefent Af- or Privateering, according to the Prolpeét of greater Gain. And while we at Home were exerting our utmolt to put a fpeedy End to the fiill the Expences of flmem‘a mull be borne by ‘War by an honourable l'eace,-~-y0u 0n the con- the American: in fome Form, or under fome De- trary were endeavouring to prolong it as much» as pomble; and were fupplying our Enemies with all Manner of Provilions, and all Sorts of nomination or other. BUT after all; perhaps you meant none of thefe Things; perhaps you meant to infinuate (though it was Prudence in you not to {peak OUt) that the late Aél: was ill-rontrz'wd and illtzmed; becaufe it was made at a Juné‘ture, when neither I a warlike Stores for that Purpofe. Nay, bccaufe a Part of thefe ill-gotten Riches was laid out in 1572in 1 Manufactures (there being,r at fairs, let the Stamp Duty be repealed, or not |