feveral colonies into that body but as this has 1 never seriously been proposed, I fhall not here. confider the impracticability of this method, nor the effects of it, if it could be practifed; but only fay, that I have lately feen fo many fpecimens of: the great powers of speech, of which thefe Ame rican gentlemen are poffeffed, that I should be much afraid, that the fudden importation of fo much eloquence at once, would greatly endanger the fafety and government of this country; or in terms more fashionable, though less understood, this our most excellent conftitution. If we can! avail ourselves of thefe taxes on no other condition, I fhall never look upon it as a measure of frugality, being perfectly fatisfied, that in the end, it will: be much cheaper for us to pay their army, than their orators. I CANNOT Omít taking notice of one prudential: reafon, which I have heard frequently urged against this taxation of the Colonies, which is this: that if they are by this means impoverished, they will be unable to purchase our manufactures, and confequently we shall lofe that trade, from which: the principal benefit which we receive from them must arise. But furely, it requires but little fagacity to fee the weakness of this argument; for fhould the Colonies raise taxes for the purposes: of their own government and protection, would the money fo raised be immediately annihilated? What + -What fome pay, would not others receive? Would - not thofe who fo receive it, ftand in need of as many of our manufactures, as those who pay? Was the army there maintained at the expence of the Americans, would the foldiers want fewer coats, hats, shirts, or shoes, than at prefent? Had the judges falaries ascertained to them, would they not have occasion for as coftly periwigs, or robes of as expenfive fcarlet, as marks of their legal abilities, as they now wear in their prefent state of dependency? Or had their governors better incomes fettled on them for observing their instructions, than they can now with difficulty obtain for disobeying them, would they expend less money in their feveral governments, or bring home at their return lefs riches, to lay out in the manufactories of their native country? It has been likewise afferted, that every fhilling which our Colonies can raise either by cultivation or commerce, finally centers in this country; and therefore it is argued, we can acquire nothing by their taxation, fince we can have no more than their All; and whether this comes in by taxes or by trade, the confequence is the fame. But allowing this affertion to be true, which it is not, yet the reasoning upon it is glaringly falfe: for furely it is not the fame, whether the wealth derived from thefe colonies flows immediately into the coffers of the public, or into the pockets of individuals, individuals, from whence it must be fqueezed by various domeftic taxes before it can be rendered of any service to the nation: furely it is by no means the fame, whether this money brought in by taxes enables us to diminish part of that enormous debt contracted by the last expensive war, or whether coming in by trade it enables the merchant, by augmenting his influence together with his wealth, to plunge us into new wars and new debts for his private advantage. FROM what has been here faid, I think that not only the right of the Legislature of Great-Britain. to impofe taxes on her Colonies, not only the expediency, but the abfolute neceffity of exercising that right in the prefent conjuncture, has been fo clearly, though concisely proved, that it is to be hoped, that in this great and important question, all parties and factions, or, in the more polite and fashionable term, all connections, will most cordially unite; that every member of the British Parliament, whether in or out of humour with adminiftration, whether he has been turned out because he has oppofed, or whether he oppofes because he has been turned out, will endeavour to the utmost of his power to fupport this measure, A measure which must not only be approved by every man, who has any property or common sense, but which ought to be required by every English fubject of an English administration. THOUGHTS |