| OCR Text |
Show 324. Concerning z‘lrc E1726}: 9/ [Az D.T.] piece (not the production ofa private writer, but the unanimous act ofa large Americancrty) lately printed in New England; is republifhed here. This nation, and the other nations of Europe, may thereby learn, with more certainty, the grounds ofa difletifion, that poflibly may, fooner or later, have confequences interef‘ting to them all. The colonies had, from their firft fettlement, been governed with more cafe, than perhaps can be equalled by any inflance in hittory ofdominions f0 diftant. Their affection and refpeé‘t for this country, while they were treated with kindnefs, produced an almoft implicit obedience to the infiruc‘tions of the Prince, and even to aéts of the BritiIh parliament; though the right of binding them bya legiflature, in which they were unreprefented, was never clearly underflood. That refpeé't and aficeé‘tion produced a partiality in favour of every thing that was Englifh; Whence their preference of Englifh modes and manufaétures; their fubmiflion to ref'traints on the importation of foreign goods, which they had but little defire to Life; and the monopoly we to long enjoyed of their commerce, to the great inriching of our merchants and artificers.--The mifiaken policy of the damp act 51'1": ditturb- ed this happy fituation; but the flame. thereby raifed was foon extinguilhed by its repeal, and the old harmony reltored, with all its concoml- tant advantage to our commerce. The fubfequent act of another adminif'tration, which, not con- } tent 2754? American TEA-DUTY. 325‘ tent with an eftablifhed exclufion of foreign manu- factures, began to make our own merchandize dearer to the confixmers there, by heavy duties; revived it again : and combinations were efitered into throughout the continent, to {top tradin g with Britain till thofe duties {hould be repealed. All were accordingly repealed but one-flu? (2'2ng on ten. This was referved (profelledly f0) as a fianding claim and exercife of the right aflhmed by parliament of laying fuch duties *‘.--The colonies, on this repeal, retracted their agreement, {0 far as related to 'all other goods, except that on which the duty was retained. This was trum- peted here by the minif'rer for the colonies as a triumph; There itwas confidered only as a decent and equitable meafure, {hewing a willingnefs to meet the mother-country in every advance towards a reconciliation; and a dilpofition to a good un- derftanding f0 prevalent, that poflibly they might foon have relaxed in the article of tea alfo. But the fyPtem of commiflioners of cuf'coms, ofiicers Without end, with fleets and armies for collecting and enforcing thofe duties, being continued; and thefe afting with much iriditcretion and rafhnefs, (giving great and unneceffary trouble and ob" [Mr. Burke tells us (in his fpcech in I774) that this pream- hulary tax had lolt us at once the benefit of the weft and of the call; had thrown open folding-doors to contraband; and would be the means of giving the profits of the colony-trade to every na- tion, but ourfelves. He adds in the fame place, ‘ It is indeed a ‘ tax of fophillry, a tax ofpedantry, a tax ot‘dil‘putation, a tax of ‘ war and rebellion, a tax for any thing but benefit to the im‘ pofers, or fatisfaétion to the fubjeft.' E.] firuc‘tion: |
