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Show [91] [9°] Thirdly, it does not give fatisfaétiorr to the complaint of the Colonies. They complain, that they are taxed without their content; you anfwer, that you will fix the {urn at which they {hall be taxed. That is, you give them the very grievance for the remedy. You tell them in- .11."qu '* and their conflituents on each variation of the cale, when the parties come to contend together, and to difpute on their relative proportions, will be a matter of delay, perplexity, and confufion, that never can have an end. If all the Colonies do not appear at the outcry, deed, that you will leave the mode to themlelves. what is the condition of thofe aflemblies, who I really beg pardon: it gives me pain to mention it; but you mull be fenfible that you will not perform this part of the compaé‘t. For, fuppofe the Colonies were to lay the duties which lurnifhed their Contingent, upon the importation of your manufaétures; you know you would never fuller fuch a tax to be laid. You know too, that you would not {rider many other modes of taxation. So that, when you come to explain offer, by themfelves or their agents, to tax them{elves up to your ideas of their proportion? The refractory Colonies, who refute all compofition, will remain taxed only to your old iinpofitions; which, however grievous in principle, are trifiin as to production. The obedient Colonies in this feheme are heavily taxed; the refractory remain unburthened. What will you do? Will you lay new and heavier taxes by Parliament on the difobedient? Pray confider in what way you can do it? You are perfeéltly convinced that in the way of taxing, you can do nothing but at the ports. Now fuppofe it is Virginia that refutes to appear at your auétion, while Maryland and yourielf, it will be found, that you will neither leave to themfelves the quantum nor the mode; nor indeed any thing. The whole is delulion from one end to the other, Fourthly, this method of ranfom by auction, unlefs it be uizz'veifally accepted, will plunge you into great and inextricable difficulties. In what year of our Lord are the proportions of payments to be fettled? To fay nothing of the impoffibility that Colony agents flaould have general powers of taxing the Colonies at their difcretion ; confider, I implore you, that the communication by fpecial meflages, and orders between thefe agents and North Carolina bid handfomely for their ranfom, and are taxed to your quota? How will you put thefe Colonies on a par? Will you tax the tobacco of Virginia? If you do, you give its deathWound to your Englifh revenue at home, and to one of the very greateft articles of your own foreign trade. If you tax the import of that rebellious Colony, what do you tax but your own manufactures, or the goods of tome other ‘ ' obedient, |