OCR Text |
Show [52] E 53 1 things are of which we complain ? Does not every one know, that the King and Parliament have aifumed the right to tax us without our c'onfent .9 And can any one be fo left to the principles of humanity and common fenfe, as not to view their condutt in this affair as a ve- ry grieVous impofition .9 Reafon and equity require that no one be obliged to pay a tax that he has never eonfented to, either by himielf, or by his reprefentative : But as divine providence has placed us at [0 great a diltance from Great- Britain, that we neither are, nor can be properly reprefented in the Britifli parliament ; it is a plain proof that the Deity defign'd, that we fhould have the p0wers of legiflation and taxation among ourfelves : For can any fuppofe it to be reafonable, that a fet of men that are perfect {trangers to us, Ihould have the uncontroulable right to lay the moft heavy and grievous burdens upou us that they pleafe, purely to gratify their unbounded avarice and luxury? Molt we be obliged to perifh with cold and hunger to maintain them in idlenefs, in all kinds of debauchery and diflipation ? But if they have the right to take our property from us without our cement, we muft be wholly at their mercy for our food and raiment, and we know byfa'd experience, that their tender men eies are cruel. BUT becaufe we were not willing to hibm ir, .fo fuch an unrighteous and crue l (.lt‘t‘IHr: ; Ilillw are model‘tly complain'd and humblv petition-d 101 aiediefs of grievances, lllfll.‘;li.l or hear ing J: ‘ ‘ ‘. ‘ - I ‘I . A 0 L1 If our complaints and granting our requelts, they have gone on to add iniquity to tranfgreflion, by making feveral cruel and unrighteous ads. "Who can forget the cruel aét to block up the harbour of Bolton, whereby thoufands ofinnoeent perfons mult have been inevitably ruin'd had they not been fupported by the continent E Who can forget the aft for vacating our charter, together with many other cruel acts which it is needleis to mention? But not being able to accomplilh their wicked purpofes by meer aéts of parliament. they have proceeded to commence "open hoftilities againit us ; and have endeavonr'd to deftroy us by fire and {word ; our towns they have burnt, our brethen they have flain, our velfels they have taken, and our goods they have fpoiled. And after all this wanton exertion of arbitrary power, is there the man that has any of the feelings ofhumanity left, who is not fired with a noble indignation againft fnch niereilefs tyrants; who have not only brought upon us all the horrors of a Civil war, but have allo added a piece of barbarity unknown to Turks and Mahometan infidels; yea fuch as would be abhor'd and detefted by the favages of the Wildernefs : I mean their cruelly forceing our brethern, whOm they haye taken prilbners, Without any diflinflion ofwlug or tory, to ferve on board their [hips of war, thereby obliging them to take up arms againl‘t their own countrymen, and to fight againlt their brethren, their wives, and their children, and ti) allilt in plundering their own eltates. This my brethren, is done by men who call tibia"e ves |