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Show [4°] ] lonies themielves. It was therefore in fome meafure with their confent; and having a title directly purporting only a commercial regulation, and being in truth nothing more, the words were patted by, at a time when no jealoufy was entertained, and things were little fCrutinized Even Governor Bernard, in his fecond printed Letter, dated in [763, gives it as his Opinion, that " it was an act ofprobi/zitiofl, not of revenue." This is certainly true; that no aé‘t aVowedly for the purpofe of revenue, and with the ordinary title and recital taken together, is found in the l'tatute hook until the year I have mentioned; that is the year 1764. All before this period flood on com- mercial regulation and reflraint. The fcheme of a Colony revenue by Britifh authority ap- peared therefore to the Americans in the light of a great innovation; the words of Governor Bernard's ninth Letter, written in NOV. I765, Rate this idea very firongly; " it muff," fays Sir, they who are friends to the fchemes of American revenue fay, that the commercial reflraint is full as hard 21 law for America to live under. 1 think f0 too. lthink it, ifun compenfated, to be a condition of as rigorous fervitude as men can be fubjeél: to. But America bore it from the fundamental aét of navigation until 1764.--VVhyP Becaufe men do bear the inevitable conftitution of their original nature with all its infirmities. The aft of navigation attended the Colonies from thei r infancy, grew with their growth, and firen gth- cned with their Hrength. They were confirmed in obedience to it, even more by ufag e than by law. They fcarcely had remembered a time when they were not fubjeét to fuch re-« firaint. Befrdes, they were indemnified for it by a pecuniary compenfation. Their monoPo lift happened to be one of the richeft men in the world. By his immenfe capital (primarily he, 6‘ have been fuppofed, fuel) on innovation " as a par/12117167215273) taxation, would caufe a " great alarm, and meet with much oppo/z'tz'on " in molt parts of America; it was quite new they were enabled to proceed with their fillieries, their agriculture, their {hip-building (and " to the people, and had no @6515 bounds fet t‘ to it," After {lating the weaknefs of govern:ment there, he fays, " was this a time to in~ manner as got far the Hart of the [low languid ~pperations of unallif'ted nature. This capital " troducefo great a novelty as a parliamentary " inland taxation in America P" Whatever the right might have been, this mode of uling it was abfolutely new in policy and practice. Sir, employed, not for their benefit, but his own), their trade too within the limits), in inch a was a hot-bed to them. Nothing in the hif- tory of mankind is like their progrefs. For my part, I never calt an eye on, their flourilhing commerce, and their cultivated and com- modious life, but they feem to me rather antlent |