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Show "3‘4. THE RIGHTS OF BRITAIN know, that Parliament hath been uniformly accut'tomed to extend its {upremacy over all the Colonies. In matters of revenue, in commerce , in civil, in all judicial regulations; and, in fliort, with regard to the general conflitution of their government, the Provinces of North» America, till taught otherwile by a difappoint ed :aflion in this Kingdom, allowed, that the Whole fahrick of their polity might be new modelled and reformed by the {uperintendi nv power of Parliament. ln faét, it has been f?) new modelled and reformed, whenever abufes in the Adminiltration of their government, under‘their civil polity, or tne gener al intent} of the Britith Empire, made it neeelTary for Parliament to interpote its authority. lnlla nces of this interpofition, in both cafes, prrl-nt tliein'elves, in almofl every volu me of the Statutes, from the Rcflorati on down to the preterit reign; yet the Americans falfely inlinu~ are, that it was in the preterit reign the exercife of the authority of Parliament (except only in the regulation of trade) firft commenced. thrlgéarliithrtegiéai (gimp: ofthofe inflances may _]e , rendered obfcure and perplexedby the prejudices of the ignorant, and the arts of defigning men. To gain the ears of $2133:lgcsl,clr3ycaal:'al:fefn.i‘pg thefir ancientjealou- {vil‘e . tn of meafure; t 0 CLprinc 3:03 iples (til):of'l thc‘oryi PFC-(lm, cm: which AND CLAIMS or AMERICA. 35 which, they pretend, prevail in our Councils. But, unfortunately for this part of their plan of deception, it will appear, that mofl ofthe Aéts which bind America in coercive regulatiom, were paged foon after the Revolution; in the reign of the very Prince, who brought about that great event. The WIIIG Miniilers of King William (perceiving that the Colonies, even then, had entertained views or" placing)r themfelves on a ground of independence on Parliament) advii'cd their Sovereign, and their advice now {lands on record, to purr'ue mea- fures, which, in their confequencc, {honld effectually lecure their thorough dependence on the Legiflature of this Kingdom. in confequeme of the advice given by a VVHJG M'imtlry to a King who liad mounted the throne up;.n \ViiiG printinles; and a‘rz upon the fullet'r evidence of the francs and ahufes committed In the Plantations, in viola-n tion of the Aét 01' Navigation; the def (ll tin: 7th and 8th of William lll. " for prevents, '; frauds, and regulating " abufes, in the l‘lanta- tions " was patted. By that Aét, a power was given to the Commiflioners of the Trealury and Cuftoms in England, " to etiablil‘n ports, and " appoint Officers, in the Plantations; and " thofe Officers to have the fame authority f‘ for Vifiting (hips and goods, and entering ." houles |