103. On the 3rd of February, 1756, the House came to a suitable resolution, expressed in words nearly the same. as those of the message, but with the further addition that the money then voted was an encouragement to the Colonies to exert themselves with vigour. It will not be 5 necessary to go through all the testimonies which your own records have given to the truth of my resolutions, I will only refer you to the places in the Journals :— Vol. xxvii.-16th and 19th May, 1757. Vol. xxviii.-June 1st, 1758; April 26th and 30th, 10 1759; March 26th and 31st, and April 28th, 1760; Jan. 9th and 20th, 1761. Vol. xxix.-Jan. 22nd and 26th, 1762; March 14th and 17th, 1763. 104. Sir, here is the repeated acknowledgment of Par- 15 liament that the Colonies not only gave, but gave to satiety. This nation has formerly acknowledged two things-first, that the Colonies had gone beyond their abilities, Parliament having thought it necessary to reimburse them; secondly, that they had acted legally 20 and laudably in their grants of money, and their maintenance of "troops, since the the compensation is expressly given as reward and encouragement. Reward is not bestowed for acts that are unlawful; and encouragement is not held out to things that deserve reprehension. My 25 resolution therefore does nothing more than collect into one proposition what is scattered through your Journals. I give you nothing but your own; and you cannot refuse in the gross what you have so often acknowledged in detail. The admission of this, which will be so 30 honourable to them and to you, will indeed be mortal to mortal to all the miserable stories by which the passions of the misguided people have been engaged in an unhappy sys tem. The people heard, indeed, from the beginning of these disputes, one thing continually in their ears, that reason and justice demanded that the Americans, who paid no taxes, should be compelled to contribute. 5 How did that fact of their paying nothing stand, when the taxing system began? When Mr. Grenville began to form his system of American revenue, he stated in this House that the Colonies were then in debt two million six hundred thousand pounds sterling money, and was of 10 opinion they would discharge that debt in four years. On this state, those untaxed people were actually subject to the payment of taxes to the amount of six hundred and fifty thousand a year. In fact, however, Mr. Grenville was mistaken. The funds given for sinking the both the Colonies and he expected. The calculation was too sanguine; the reduction was not completed till some years after, and at different times in different Colonies. However, the taxes after the war continued too great to bear any 20 addition with prudence or propriety; and when the burthens imposed in consequence of former requisitions were discharged, our tone became too high to resort again to requisition. No Colony, since that time, ever has had any requisition whatsoever made to it. 15 debt did not prove quite so amen 25 105. We see the sense of the Crown, and the sense of Parliament, on the productive nature of a revenue by grant. Now search the same Journals for the produce of the revenue by imposition. Where is it?—let us know the volume and the page. What is the gross, 30 what is the net produce? To what service is it applied ? How have you appropriated its surplus? What, can none of the many skilful index-makers that we are now employing find any trace of it? Well, let them and that rest together. But are the Journals, which say 35 nothing of the revenue, as silent on the discontent ? Oh no! a child may find it. burthen and blot of every page. It is the melancholy 106. I think then I am, from those Journals, justified in the sixth and last resolution, which is That it hath been found by experience that the manner 5 of granting the said supplies and aids by the said. General Assemblies hath been more agreeable to the said Colonies, and more beneficial and conducive to the public service, than the mode of giving and granting aids in Parliament, to be raised and paid in the 10 said Colonies. 107. This makes the whole of the fundamental part of the plan. The conclusion is irresistible. You cannot say that you were driven by any necessity to an exercise of the utmost rights of legislature. You cannot assert 15 that you took on selves the task of imposing Colony taxes from the Want of another legal body, that is competent to the purpose of supplying the exigencies of the " surgent demand. State without wounding the prejudices of the people. Neither is it true that the body so qualified, and having 20 that competence, had neglected the duty. 108. The question now, on all this accumulated matter, is whether you will choose to abide by a profitable experience, or a mischievous theory; whether you choose to build on imagination, or fact; whether you prefer 25 enjoyment, or hope; satisfaction in your subjects, or discontent ? 109. If these propositions are accepted, everything which has been made to enforce a contrary system must, I take it for granted, fall along with it. On that ground, 30 I have drawn the following resolution, which, when it comes to be moved, will naturally be divided in a proper manner : That it may be proper to repeal an act, made in the seventh year of the reign of his present Majesty, inti- 35 entitle 110. I wish, Sir, to repeal the Boston Port Bill, because-independently of the dangerous precedent of sus85 pending the rights of the subject during the King's pleasure-it was passed, as I larity, and on more part apprehend, with less regu principles, than it ought. The corporation of Boston was not heard before it was condemned. Other towns, full as guilty as she was, have not had their ports blocked up. Even the Restraining guilt, even when you were punishing, induced me, who 5 mean not to chastise, but to reconcile, to be satisfied 111. Ideas of prudence and accommodation to circum- 112. The act for bringing persons accused of commit- 113. The act of Henry the Eighth, for the trial of 35 |