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Show 126 [A: B.T.] Letter: to G. Shirley on Taxa tion. I 27 laid upon it lefien its price to the planter or ' fells for A L B A N Y P A P 1: R s continm'd. but in thofe governments the people choofe the lefs than it would in foreign markeis governor, and yet allow him no negative. That theBr/tifli w/anim bordering on the French ditrcrence is a tax paid to Brifnin. th1t ' are properly frontiers of the Britifly empire ; and the frontiers of an empire are properly defended at the joint expence of the body of the people in fuch empire 5-it would now be thought hard by aft of parliament to oblige the Cinque ports or fea coalts of Britain, to maintain the whole navy, chants: the whole price is a tax paid to Britain 5. By our greatly encreafing the demand arid confumption of Britith manufaétures, their price is ponfiderably raifed of late years; the advantag e becaufe they are more immediately defended by it, not allowing them at the fame time a vote in choofing members of the parliament ; and, as the frontiers of America bear the expence of their own defence, it feems hard to allow them no (bare in voting the money, judging of the neceflity and fum, 0r advifing the meafures. That befides the taxes neceflary for the defence of the frontiers, the-colonies pay yearly great fums to the mother-country unnoticed :--for 1. Taxes paid in Britain by the landholder or artificer, muf'c enter into and increafe the price of the produce of land and manufactures made of it; and great part IS clear profit to Britain, and enables its peointle better to pay. great taxes,- and much of it bein paid by us, is Clear tax to Britain. g 6. In fluort, as we are not fuffered to reaul ate our trade, and ref'train the importation and :onf um - tron of Britifh fuperfluities (as Britain can the cogfumption offoreign fuperfluities)our whole wealt h centers finally amongft the merchants and inhab i- tants ofBriz‘tzin ; and if we make them richer and enable them better to pay theirt axes, it is nearly ' the fame as being taxed ourfelves and equally beneficial to the crown. , Thefe kind .of fecondary taxes, however, we d}p not'complain of, though we have no [bare in of this is paid by confumers in the colonies, who t e laying or dilpofing of them: thereby pay a confiderable part of the Britifh mediate heavy taxes, in the laying, appropriation and ditpohtion of which, we have no part, and whlch perhaps we may know to be as unnecefiary taxes. 2. We are ref'trained in our trade with foreign nations; and where we could be fupplied with any manufacture cheaper from them, but muft buy But to pay im- as grievous,- muft teem hard meafu re to Eng/flmrn; *' who cannot conceive that, by hazarding their lives and fortunesnn fnbduing and fettling new coun- tries, €MCIldlng the dominion, and increafing the 3. We are obliged to carry a great part of our commerce of the mother-nation, they have for- produce directly to Britain ; and where the duties laid feited the fame dearer from Britain, the difference of price is a clear tax to Britain. C 4.. Some manufactures we could make but are forbidden, and Inuit take them of Briti fh mer- |