IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) <^ . m ssu CONSIDERATIONS ON THE AMERICAN STAMP ACT, AND ON THE CONDUCT of the MINISTER , \y"ho planned it. f Confilia primuni) deinde z&z, poftea eventus expe&antur, — . ...^ ^ Cic, de Orar. Mpwai*iWa«iWiii^B T*-*» ^„ t N D O N: printed for W. Nicoll, at the Paper Mill, ii^ St. Paul's Church- Yard. MDCCLXVI. z^"^ / -, rt f > r-'\ -f ' L C O N S I D E R A 1 1 N S ON tlTE AMERICAN STAMP ACT, &c. b THE American Stamp Aft is furely an objeft worthy of publick at- tention i its confequences muO: necefTarily extend to us, and greatly affeft the com- merce, wealth, and profperity of thefe kingdoms. For this reafon, we find every man who loves his country judly alarmed on the occafion, and iincerely wiihing to fee ill differences reconciled, and a mutual confidence once more eflablifhed between B Qreat T 'f t 2 ] Great Britain and her Colonies— all but th e faf^ iouy Junta, whofe ignorance vrhcn in power, was the firft caufe of thefe trou- bles, and whofc refentmeut in difgrace dill feeks to embroil their country for the pal- try fatisfa6lion of embarraffing their fuc- cefTors. It may not therefore be amifs to .iniquire into \h^ wifdgn^ mi: expediency of a meafure, planned and purfued fo %Vvarmly by a ma», whofe chaf after as a Minifter, feeras to reft foWy on his, ftill 'in the Finances, and v/ho, from to- idondudl the. affairs of a great and pow- •^efful NaHori. The right of Great Britain i«o tax her Colohies internally, fhall not «.be the fubJQdt of our inquiries : pity it is, '^^iM tver fuch a oueftion ihould have been 'ftarted* The Golonics hitherto have ne- 3- 'ver ti.i-^ [ 3 1 vcr denied. that right, and certainly wouW iiothaw appeared at r^hifl«ime to opix^f^ it, had it bq^tk exerci^d with j^ili^ej^d tnoderation : be tfhs^,^s\^ ^mh ^^^ A^i^H for tlie prefe^tt cpnfine ,Q^felvc§ to fjiojsy the injirftic* Of the Aft, in Iq f^r as itr.ar^ bitrarily ta3t^8 a people for their fl>are of an expence to which they have alrc^dy^ largely and fo voluntarily contributed!,:|m^ its folly in pretending to eafe ourfslves by 'choajcing. up the <:hief channel of oui' trade. •f^."*.-:-r '^'^t •?*♦*, 'T'' r\ o rrp' To .prove our. firft affertion, let us call to mind -the immediate, qaufes of the late war, and mark the^ behaviour of our C,9- lonies during the pro^refs of it. Our chief diffejenees wi^th the French at that time, ^#ated to that part of Nova .^icpj^a 'j B 2 called called Acadia, and to the lands of the Ohio. The fird mentioned country had been fcandaloudy ab^doned by all our Minifters from the treaty of Utrecht, and at lad allowed to drop into the jaws of our rivals, more by a fupine negligence on our parts, than by any refined policy on theirs. The Ohio was a quite new fubjeft of con- teftation, and the better fitted for difpute> that neither fide underflood a yirord about ft. This country had been mentioned flightly by Dr. Cox, Father Hennipin, M. de Salle, and fome others, the mofl early travellers in thefe parts, but never any ex- a6l account had been given. Our Indian traders however had of late become fome- what acquainted with it; and if any pains had been taken by our Miniftry to procure proper intelligence of thefe parts before the \ . , . . ,- \ , • treaty [ 5 1 treaty of Aix-la-Ghappel, there Is no quef^ ^on but fomc arrangement might have been hit upon to have prevented the bloody and expenfive war that foon enfued from fo trifling a caufe. But inftead of this, Dur late pious and able Secretary of State, my Lord S-7-h, (whofe grov^^ing abilities were then firft difplaycd in peace-making) after giving up Conquefts which our Co- lonies had made in fa(5^, and grantmg ho- mages for the delivery of thofe which our- felves had made ?« fyn\ he huddled up the American affairs, in which he was neither inftru£led nor informed^ and re- ferred what he could not explain himfelf to be cleared up by the Treaty of Utrecht, which does not fay a fingle word about the matter. No fooner was this ever- lafting peace fworn to, than Commifla- ries [ 6 ] rics were appointed to try to make it laft a little longer ; that is, in fa£l, by re- newing of old di(putcs, and ftirring up fiew ones, to lay foundation for another war. The Ohio was the rcadieft bone of contention to take up again, as there was no principle of right to appeal toj but ivhile the Commiffaries at Paris were ftraining hard for bad reafons on both fides, the enterprizing fpirit of a French General, and the interefted fpirit of a London Merchant, brought the thing to a •fpeedy decifion on the fpot. This latter -had folicited and obtained a grant of thefe lands for the purpofes of traffick, and had a6lually proceeded to fix a ware- houfc on the banks of the Monongahela, - whofe waters communicate with the Ohio, y^hen M. Duquefnc, the Governor of Canada, '«f ( [ 7 ] Canada, fct out with troops and caniion, according to the genius of liis nation, to build a fort upon the fame river. Not con- tent with eflablifliing himfelf, he infided on the Englifh quitting the place; the match was not equal, the Traders were obliged to give way to the Troops, aild thus the unjuft ambition of the French in one day determined, by the rafio ultima regum, what for three years, wi.h the help of PufFendorf and Orotius, had puzzled our CommifTaries to decide. Thefe violent proceedings of the French imme- diately alarmed all our Colonies; they thought as Engliftimen, and faw the neceflity of early oppofing the powerful and declared rival of their Mother Coun- try. Could they but for a moment have divefted themfelves of the idea of this re- . ; lation. »" I: t 8 1 iatloh, the danger was neithet* diit^ t\dt imminent. The Ohio lay at an immenfe diftance from moft of them, and the lofs of a blockhoufe on that river could no more afFett them, than the taking of Fort St. David'fi on the coafl of Coromandel ; even the Virginians themfclves, who were its nearefl neighbours, were at leafl: three hundred miles removed, with a chain of high and difficult mountains betweeft. Yet thefe faithful Colonifts looked upon the caufe of Great Britain as their own, and their interefls as undivided, and took up the quarrel as more properly be- longing to them, becaufe they then ima- gined, what has iince proved to be a mif- take, that this new French fort lay with- in the limits of their wide and indefinite charter. This particular Colony then made the ^m I 9 ] the ftrongeft reprefentations at home, both of the danger from the French projeds, and the neceflity of repelling their firft encroachments 5 and the return from their kind mother country was, leave given to drive the French from thence if they could 5 that is, they were generoufly al- lowed to fight her battles at their owi> expencej to which, indeed, fhe added a mark of bounty that deferves efpecial nor tice ; fhe fent them half a dozen of pop- guns, and a few barrels of powder, to help on the bufinefs. Thus were both the blood and treafure of the Virginians engaged in the quarrels, of Great Britain, before ever there was a fingle man, or a fmgle (hilling granted for that purpofe at home. G During I 10 ] During the whole war they ahb pur- fued the fame meafures with the moft unabating zeal j befides a {landing regi- ment of one thoufand menj brave and well difciplined, by the confent of all our commanders in chief, they occafionally maintained two thoufand men addition- als, militia in a6lual fervice, and rangers 5 recruits were alfo levied at their charge for the king's tjoops, forts were conftru6led, barracks built, carriages and provifions fur- nifhed, and every aid granted that could for- ward the fuccefs of the general war. The contingent expences of this Colony alone exceeded 50,000 /. per ann» one year with another, and they actually at this day groan under a debt of 150,000/. con- traded in the common caufe. I have not fmgled out Virginia as exerting itfdf with any I " ] any peculiar fpirit on this occafionj the fire indeed firH: catched there, but it foon fpread univerfally through an extent of 800 miles, from New England to the Ca- rolina's, each Colony endeavouring to out- do the other in its efforts j nor was this fpirit ever check'd but by the particular circumftance of a proprietary government in one or two provinces. The four divi- fions of New England alone maintained 20,000 men, and the other Colonies in pro- portion, befides their (hares in all the other attendant expences. Let us confider at fame time the peculiar hardfliips they la- boured under in raifing fupplies for thefe exigencies j they are intirely excluded from the cafieft and leaft felt mode of taxation by a duty upon goods imported, which C 2 renders [ 12 1 I renders every private confumer a willing contributer to the public 5 their importa- tion being almoft wholly from Great Bri^ tain, who does not permit fuch a tax; their home manufa6tures are of too trifling a nature to afford any fum by an excife on their firfl materials, and their luxury is not enough extended to offer an equivalent to the public, by a high duty on its articles; fo that in fadl their only ways and means (a term well underflood, and as well made ufe of in England) lies in a captitation, and arbitrary impofition on lands and its produce. Thefe are refources always grievous in their nature, and doubly fo from the means of exa6llng them, and more efpecially to our Colonies at that time, when great part of their lands were defolated and laid walle by the inroads of 4 a I 13 ! a favage enemy, whofe only end of con- queft was to deftroy. Thoufands of people were then forced to abandon their habita- tions, and become a burthen to that very flate which hitherto they had helped to fupport : befides, they have not the blefled facility of throwing the burthen on their grand-children, like our minifters here; who, with the help of douceurs and Change Alley, can raife more by Scrips and Omni- ums, in one day, than the nation can pay off in a hundred years. Their only expedient then was the pernicious one of emitting Paper Money for their prefent fupply, to be cancelled in a few years by taxes paid into the Treafury j an expedient in itfelf dangerous, and which by its nature in- creafes the inconveniency it means to re- move, becaufe the more paper there is in circu- t '4 ] circulation, the more appearance of mo- ney is there in the country, and confc* quently the more will be demanded, as the price of every commodity which this paper is intended tc purchafe ; fo that every cmiflion of paper created a frefh neceflity of emitting more ; and their expences by this circumftance alone, kept annually augmenting in proportion to the means ufed for fupplying them. This reafoning may not appear clear to thofe who have never reflefted upon thefe matters, but thofe who have will fee its juftnefs at firfl glance. I fiiall therefore avoid a farther difcuflion of this point, and refume our detail of the North American inconveni- encies. At the very time they were thus {train- ing every nerve in the publick fervice at home. [ '5 ] home^ they paid doubly for every neceflary which they had from abroad. The manu- faflures of England, of which they are fo great confumers, came to them loaded with new duties, extraordinary freights, and high infurance, while their European and African trade were greatly diminifhed by the lofs of markets and rilks attending them. ;if-' After all, in reprefenting the zeal of the Americans, we do not mean to infifl that it was at all times moft properly exerted : that it was not, is only a truth that adds one inconveniency more to their lift, with- out detracting in the lead from the merit of their intentions. They have not the happinefs, as in this high-favoured country, to be always ruled by the beft and wifeft among [ i6 J among them ; their troops were often cx- penfively raifed, badly compofed, and worfc conduced : befides, they had contradors, agents, commiflari % and pay-mafters, a fort of vermin we are utter ftrangers to here, who fwallowed up in private what was deftined for pubUck fervice. But on the whole, whoever will confider coolly the lituation, circumftances, numbers, and riches of our Colonies, compared with tbofe of their Mother Country, will not hefitatc to pronounce that they exerted themfelves in the common caufe, out of all proportion, during the late war, at leaft if we take from the fcale of Great Britain forty millions contracted on the fcore of Germany. Such then were the efforts made by our Colonies, which now-a-days feem almoft forgot. {( [ 17 r forgot, although fairly acknowledged at; the time by the Legiflature here, when thty were voted a fum from year to year, not indeed as a proper compenfation for what they had done, but as an encou* ragement fot what they were flill expedled to do. Let us next confider the ftate of our Colonies after the Peace of 1763. From that period it is true, great part of their annual expences ceafed ; but they flill re- mained taxed for the finking of thofe debts which they had contra6led in the war, and they were flill obliged to defend their fron- tiers againfl the hoflile attacks of the un- Aibdued Indians, who did not ceafe to har^* rafs them. Their back fettlers had not yet re- afTumed their deferted pofleffions, and their D . • former Il i':" t '8 ] former induflry and the trade of their ci- ties was newly cramped by injudicious and vexatious regulations. It will hardly be imagined, that a Minifter who dared to place himfelf at the head of the affairs of an intelligent and commercial people, fliould be fo devoid of the very principles of trade, and fo confined in his views of its different combinations, as to give or- ders for lopping off one of its moft flour- ifhing branches, becaufe it flood in the way of a jealous and impotent neigh- bour. Mr. G — G — was however the Minifter that did this ; he appointed cruiz- ers to lay in wait for our North Ameri- cans that carried on an interloping trade with the Spaniards, who take off this way immenfe quantities of Englifh manufaq- tures, and give foljd bullion in return ; an4 r ■ t '9 ) and fhortly after, he formed the unjufl: and impolitick defign of taxing them internal- ly amidfl all their diftrefles. The review *jvc have made of their condu6l at the rife, and during the progrefs of the war, will eafily fet afide the plaufible plea of making them contribute their fhare towards the general expence of what was done for the general benefit. I have fhown that they were not fparing either of blood or tr^a- fure in the common caufe j it now remains to prove the bad policy and inexpediency of the A6i: -, and this, I think, will fully appear from the following fimple confi- /Llerations. The North Americans, connc£led with us by blood, laws, cuftoms, religion, and fubjeded to us entirely as to commerce, D 2 mav IH rU t w ] may be judly efteemed in the light of ten* ants, who labour the lands for the advan« tage of tlie proprietor. ^Vhat articles of their produce we confumc ourfelves, are ufeful to us in the highed degree, and only ferve as materia prima for fomc valuable manufadure ; of thefe are iron, pitch, tar, turpentine, flax-feed, furrs, and Ikins, lumber of all forts, and laftly tobacco, i/vhich, befides being an objefl of manu- fa6lure, gives rife to the moft equitable, cafy, and effedive branch of the publick revenue. But their chief commodities, fuch as fifh, wheat, Indian corn, rice, and the greateft part of their tobacco, are fold abroad, and the accumulated prices of their firft value, freight, and merchant's gain, remitted almoft wholly to England, In- deed the carriage or freight of tobacco and rice. f ten- dvan* cles of :s, are d only ^luable :h, tar, ikins, obacco, manu- uitable, publick les, fuch and the are fold ; of their t's gain, nd. In- acco and rice. I " 1 rice, we have entirely in our own hands j and it is computed that 700 fail of veflcls, manned with 10,000 feamcn, vidualled and fitted out from Great Britain, are em- ployed in the tranfportation of thefe ar- ticles only. Thus it plainly appears, that we do not trade with North America upon ihe advant^e ,of a Mlance only, as with our moil favoured foreign allies, but tlut in fa£l we are mafters of ^mcA their whole income, which is lajd out in the produce and manufactures of this country, and in this market we have no competitors, nor no rival to underfell us j an advantage we en- joy no where elfe, fo that we infuie not only a certain and conftant employment for our indufirious poor at home, but alfo levy imperceptibly a confiderable part of our public revenues on our Colonifts, who are K t 22 ] are thus conilant cuflomers for commodi^ ties which are loaded with duties and ex-; cife on the materials ufed in their cbmpo- iition, or confumed by the artificer who >vorki^ them up. An intelligent miniiler; who confiders this, will feek for no other means of taxing the Americans, than by encouraging among them a more exten^ five confumption of our manufaflures, and this is to be done by promoting the culti vation of their lands, and opening new markets for its produce. Give but their induftry full Itope in this way, and we ihall have no reafon to fear its becoming our rival in the more complicated arts, Agriculture is the moft fimple of all la- bours, and prefents itfelf firft to the mind of man ; and in a country full of unculti- vated forefts, and unoccupied lands, it i^ not [ 23 1 Kot to be fuppofed that the inhabitants will ever turn themfelves efFeftually to any other obje6):, while that remains unillled up; the vain attempts made in fome o£ their mofl populous cities, which have al- ways come to nought, is an infallible Jit-oof of what I fay. Nothing but the fpirit of refentment is able to bear up againft the difcouragements attending a new ma- nufacture, cfpecially when it comes in competition with a long eftablifhed and unreftrained rival, and nothing is fb well calculated to raife up that fpirit in our Coj lonies, as ihc late wanton and unneceffary exertion of power ; I fay unneceffary exer- tion uf power, not only frOin the above maxim, that they are better and more ef- fectually taxed by means of the goods they bny of us ; but as I am likewife fully per^ I fuaded I- 1 t »4 ]? faaded they might have been brought by eafy methods to have taxed themfchcs, tith in their feparate Affembly, in a manner more equal, and better fuited to their cir^ cumftances. It is needtefs to cavil againft particular clauies of an ad:, that on the whole I deeiti, injudicious, unjuft, and arbitrary in the higheft degree. But to do honor to the man who plumes himfelf on the charafler of an able financier, I cannot avoid taking notice of that, which ordains all the duties to be r»aid in filver, at qs, 6d. per oz. The North Americans have no gold or fil- ver mines, and the fpecie that comes in by foreign trade being almoft immediately tranfpOrted to Great Britain, they have been obliged univerfally ta fubftitute papej! : . * . for gfat by s, esfth nanner fir cir*^ rticular I deem, in the to the iara6ler taking [ 25 ] for the medium of circulation; this, how- ever, is never ifluec' without fome fund to realize it in a few years (as we have obferved already) fo that it reprefents either corn, rice, tobacco, or fome real riches of the country ; and on this footing has a folid credit, and free currency, in 1**3 purchale of all forts of property. The Stamp Maf- ters then could never have found any dif- ficulty in converting this paper into fler- ling, at the current exchange j and to re* afs his orders through the tedious forms of a certaia houfe. .1 DktO 6> in I firft idents inifter fterof r 27 ] houfe, while his brother Viziers had only to ifllic their defpotic mandates j and they have already had the happinefs to fee their countries diftrefled, and their colonies driven to a ftate of a£lual rebellion, one year fooner than he with all his induftry has been able to effect. Let us do juftice* however, to his intentions, he carried it through with all podible difpatch -, after having, by ^ fpecious vote, lulled the Co- lows into a fecurity, that their caufe fhould be fairly heard, before judgment given, he threw out their petitions, and hurried on the bill, before the Members had opportu- nity to inform themfelves on uie head. The Colonies were alfo, on this occafion, ferved by their agents, as they ever will be by men who have no other intereft in their welfare than what their falaries give -„ in- E 2 ftead m hi I *'ii iiti 1 [ 28 ]■ (lead of publifhing out of doors what was rejefled within, thefe paflive agents^ if I may ufe the exprcflion, pocketed their cold reprefentations upon their firft refufal at the houfe, and afterwards fat unconcerned fpe6lators of an event that was to bring ruin on their conftituents. Not long after this, our gracious fove- reign, the father of his American, as well as of his Britifh fubjefls, chafed thefe wicked counfellors from his prefence, and placed about him men, who, by their vir- tues in private life, and conftant appear- ance in the caufe of liberty, had already ingratiaAd themfelves with the people ; it is to thefe men the Colonies turn in hopes of redrefs, in hopes of their complaints being born to the foot of the throne, and fairly difcufled in the great aflembly of the nation, in fpite of the mean device of their enemies. was if I cold al at irned bring fove- s well thefe % and ir vir- ppear- ilready pie ; it I hopes (plaints te, and ' of the 3f their nemies. "m I *.■, [ 29 1 enemies, who have already attempted to prejudice their caufe by a precipitate vote^ branding^ the unconfequential tumults of a giddy mob with the odious name of rebel- lion J the iniquity of this defign could only be heightened by the dirtinefs of the me- thod employed to carry it on; if after hav- ing pawned their honor that no advantage fhould be taken of the abfence of the King's Minifters, they fhould not be able to refift what would appear to them a golden op- portunity of triumph, and fhould bring oij the debate, fupported by the perplexed draw- lings of the great Financier, and the boifler- ous vociferations of the difcarded V— eT— r; forming a contrafV, in eloquence, not lefs ludicrous than that of Bramble and Tar- get in the play. Such a motion, I fay, would certainly turn to their confufion, and the meannefs of the attack would ferve fooner to defeat it j perhaps even in another place a 'I [ 30 ] a nobleman, eminent for his parts, as well as for his virtues, unattached to any par- ty, might be fo fired with indignation at the bafenefs of the trick, that he would (land up an able and unexpe6led advocate for the injured Americans. III; I m i I II I ■I 1 I nil I t L i ; Nothing can be more cruel and abfurd, than to pronounce a whole people rebel- lious, becaufe a few unavowed rioters get together and burn a coach. Indeed I won- der our difcarded Courtiers could not think cf a more proper name than rebellion for thefe occurrences; it would have been more fuitable to their genius to have Ailed them a Libel,' and to have proceeded by way of General Warrant againft them. The mob in every country are ready to rife againft a New Tax; andiftlais is rebellion, we have enow in the land we live in, within thefe few years;i (befides the Scotch lebeHioa, 4 which W abfurd, e rcbcl- ters get J I won- ot think iiion £os sen more led them ' way of rhe mob sgainft a we have bin theie rebellion, which t 3' 1 which was pretty ferrous) we have had the rcbclfion of Beer, the rebellion of Cyder, the rebellion at burning the North-Briton, and laft of all, the rebellion of the Wea- vers, frorti which I alfo believe, one of our chief Rulers at the time apprehended more danger to his coach than thher to church or (iate. Bcfides, thefe American tumults can hardly be faid to oppofe an a61: that was not in force at the time they hap- pened, but in fa6t thefe are not the moll dangerous fymptoms of the difeafb; fudh breakings out have been often regarded, by ablle •ftatcfmch, as a favourable crifis, by whidi nature fhrows off the peccant hii- mours in the body politic. The famous regent Orleans, after a new rmpofition dn the townt)f ^Paris, afked his prime agent, the -Abbe du fiois, what the Parifians faid, <• Nothir^," replies the other, " Nothing, *! fays the Duke, that looks bad indefed j*'^ but t 32 ) but fome days after being informed that their ill humour broke out in popular tu- mults, and fatyrical verfes againft both himfelf and his minifter, he " thanked *' God that all was well again.". It is not from thefe riots in America that I apprehend the moft dangerous confe- quence, the calm deliberate refolution of . men of weight and property to leave off the manufactures of Great Britain, (hould this Ad: be inforced. Is infinitely more alarming. This is what our new Mini- ftry (hould chiefly attend to, and endea,- . vour to^ remedy. Their predeceflbrs have happily left them abundance of matter on which to exercife their wifdom and inte- grity ; and this of the Stamp A61 firfl pre- fents itfelf. They have only one alterna- tive, to inforce or repeal, perhaps indeed a ^ mere fufpeniion, by giving time for the tempers led that ular tu- ift both thanked rica that i confe- ation of cave off , fhould ly more N Mini- l endea- brs have tatter on nd inte- 5rft pre- alterna- indeed a for the tempers M I 33 ] tempers of men to cool, which at prefcnt feem overheated on both fides, may throw fome new light on the road of reconcilia- tion. In the mean time I fhall only con- fider the two methods, one or other of which, as I conceive, muft be ultimately purfued. Let us then purfue, in imagi- n?.cion, the confequences of each of thefe iyftems. Firft, let us fuppofe fleets equip- ped, and armies raifed, to reduce thefe re- bellious North Americans. It is not to be expedted that the fpawn of the old Crom- welians will fubmit without a blow 5 they will flill find Scripture to juftify their Co- venant} the fword of the Lord and of Gideon will be once more drawn 5 and all Ifrael will take to their tents to oppofe the Egyptian Talk-Mafters, who would force them to make brick without ftraw j then muft there infue, refiftance, havock,,and defolation : their fine but defencelefs cities F deftroyed, ii .; ill: 1 it ^f r t t 34 1 dcilroyecl, their lands laid wafte, and tfielf wives and children driven to the very ftl- vages for fhclter, from their dill more fa- vage countrymen. Let us fuppofc them fubdued, and prifons, gibbets, impeach- ments, and attainders, employed a«j ufual againft the lofing party. What are the mighty fruits of this boaflcd victory ? The arbitrary right of taxing internally the poor deje£led remains of our once in* duflrious and fiourifliing brethren, and an yearly diminifh revenue oF 30,000 at mod raifed by the Stamp Duty, inflead of 2yOoOyOoo I per ann, laid out in the manu>- fa(5lures of Great Britain, while our Mer- chants at home fail by the lofs of their debts in America, which now Would be paft recovery ; our poor artifans would ftarve for want of employment, our Ihip-- ping lay by tiie walls, and our generous and intrepid feamen go on the highway, or i enter id Atif ^ery fa- lore fa- b them npeach- 2S ufual are the n6\6ry ? itcrnally once in* , and an at moH l«ad <>i e maiiu-i )Ur Mer- of their /ould be IS would our Ihip-' generous ;hway, or en-tcr $ »' ■;i I 35 1 fcntcr into the fervice of a foreign enemy. In fine, the idea of defpotifm, given by the rtiof! juft and acute of all writers on laws and policy, would then be realifed. «« Qnand Ics fauvages de la Louifiane veu- *« lent avoir du fruit ils coupent I'arbre et •* eueiiicnt le fruit." Mont. Let us now view the piflure In an-' other light J let us fuppofe the A6t repealed | the Americans would unqueftionably emit brace with tranfport fuch a condefcenfiort on the part of their Mother Cr^untry, their refentment would foon fubfidc, and their hafty refolutions be forgot $ our merchants would no more tremble for the vaft fums they have funk among them, oui- poor be again employed, our (hips cover the We(^ ' tern Ocean j and, as an equivalent for the paltry fum given up to the Colonies, we ; lliould once more lee peace, plenty, and cordi*; pi: '-r M I I 4i 1. Ill !'8il I!, ■1 ;:,' i 36 3 cordiality reigri through all the Britifli do-i minions. Our prefent adminiftration arc no ways bound in honour to fupport an unjuft meafurCj which was the lole work of their prefent ignorant and factious op- pofersj and no private man, who has a voie in the affair, need be afharned to ac~ knowledge that, upon better intormation, he fees the inexpediency of a law, that of- fering a futile relief to Great Britain, lays a grievous and unequal taxation on her Co- lonies. The queflion of right, while mere - ly fpeculiitive, can never create a difference > the Parliament here may affert it, and the AfTemblies there will not deny it. Indeed, fuppofing this right well afcer- tained, it appears that, in found policy^ while our Colonies continue tofland in the relation to us they do at prefent, it ought feldom or never to be exercifed j I will ven-^ ture tifli do-i tion are •port an ;le work 10 us op- 10 has a ed to ac-^ >imation, that of- ain, lays li her Co- llie mere - lifFerencc » , and the veil iafcer- id policy^ md in the , it ought [ will ven^ tuve i [ 37 ] ture to declare this on the high authority of Montefquieu, already quoted, who fays fomething on this fubje6t Co appofite to my purpofe, that I fhall make no apology for giving the tranflation at length — " In cer- " tain monarchies in Europe, there are *' fome proviiites, which, by the nature of " their privileges i:re in a better condition " than others, with regard to taxes j your " fliallow-pated politicians always fancy " they don't pay enough, becaufe, by the " peculiar happinefs of their government^ f' they are really able to pay more j and « minifters of this ftamp are always fchem- ** ing to take away thefe privileges, which " in fadt produce the very ability to pay at ." all, and which it would be much wifcr tt to let them flill enjoy.". Thefe are the reflections i-rifing to zzi impartial man from the American Stamp Aa, f^\ ir W\< [ |8 ] ■' Act, and this is the cr;ndu6l expef^ed ffoii^ ^MmiAeis, vvhofe glcry it is to be true i"riends to the people, while they are zea- .lous Ibrvants cf the King, In . ailing ia this manner, they will fhcw themfelves nci- tlier Scotch Miniders, nor Englifh Minif- ters, nor American Miniflers, but Minis- ters of the whole Britifli Monarchy, and ■worthy to conducL theaflairs, as well as t9 command the aiTcctions of a frpCj^ . Ji^ppyi and united people. ' ," / * . t ■ - - • - , » I «' « >.. • I f ., ' • -^ •J''* "ft •i' ^ s> i- , . -J f » , - r. I ,> , -P, ::,-;^ >>■ M ■ . ^f 'm [ r ii M /^ >J » J ^ . . .. -. A ">» - true zea- ng m IS nci- VimiC- ^inif- , and as t9 '^ ..?» fi -^ n '.> >» ftr ■ t »f I