Manufactures they want and she can spare. We hope, your Honour will join with us, But your memorialists insist, that even were in an endeavour to secure that great Badge the Colonies destitute of the duty and regard, of English Liberty, of being taxed only with they so justly owe to the Fountain from our own consent, to which we conceive, all whence they originated, and by which they his Majesty's Subjects at home and abroad have been supported and protected (as the equally entitled; and also in pointing out to Planters would unkindly insinuate) such the Ministry, the many mischiefs arising vigorous Measures may be pursued, as will from the Act, commonly called, the Sugar effectually remove the most distant apprehen- Act, both to us and to Great Britain. sions of so disobedient and presumptuous a Practice. PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT, 1764. To the King's most excellent Majesty. The humble Petition and Representation of the Representatives of your Majesty's logal Colony of New-York. The General Assembly was adjourned on the 21st. the day after the adoption of the foregoing Memorial, and did not meet again until the 4th of September, following. On the 5th the Committee appointed to correPER ERMIT, most gracious Sovereign, your spond with the Agent of the Colony, at the faithful Representatives for your Majes Court of Great Britain, laid before the House ty's loyal Subjects, the Freemen and Freeseveral letters and other papers received by holders of your Colony of New York, to apthe Committee from the agent during the proach the Throne, with a Submissive Tender Recess; which were read, and referred to the of the most firm and unshaken Allegiance. consideration of a Committee of the whole And as they shall ever esteem it a peculiar House. On the 11th an Address, in which the Mark of the Royal Favour, in behalf of Right of the Colonies was maintained, was themselves and their Constituents, to be inpresented to the Lt. Governor. On the 19th duged in renewing their Demonstration of the Committee reported that it was expedient the mo t inviolable Fidelity to their Prince, to Petition Parliament: Petitions were ac- may they be allowed at a juncture so criticordingly prepared, adopted by the House, cal, to the Rights and Liberties of those whom and signed by the speaker, on the 18th of they represent, with all Humility to show, October. That your Majesty's royal Predecessors, sensible that the Subject, by the Laws of our Extract from an Address of the General As-happy Constitution, carries with him his sembly of New York, to the Lt. Governor, Allegiance to the most distant corners of the Sept. 11, 1764. Earth, and that the Protection of his ConstiBut nothing can add to the pleasure we re-tutional Rights and Privileges, is the true ceive from the Information your Honour Reason of that Allegiance, not only authori gives us, That his Majesty, our most gracious zed the Emigration of their Subjects, but Sovereign, distinguishes and approves our acquiesced in the transfer of those Rights conduct. When his service requires it, we and Privileges, to this distant Part of your shail ever be ready to exert ourselves with Dominions, to be enjoyed by them, on the Loyalty, Fidelity and Zeal, and as we have same Tenure of Subjection by which they always complied in the most dutiful manner held them at Home. with every Requisition made by his Direc- That hence so soon after the first Planting tions; we with all humility hope, that his Ma- of this Colony, as in the Year 1683, a political jesty, who, and whose Ancestors, have long Frame was erected, in the nearest possible been the Guardians of British Liberty, will Resemblance to that of our Mother Country; so protect us in our Rights, as to prevent our of which the constituent Parts were a Gover falling into the abject State of being forever nor and a Council, in the royal Appointment, hereafter incapable of doing what can merit and a Representation of the People by their either his distinction, or approbation. Such own free Election. must be the deplorable State of that wretch- That in these three Branches was lodged ed People, who (being taxed by a power sub-the legislative Authority of the Colony, and ordinate to none, and in a great Measure un-particularly the Power of taxing it's Inhabi acquainted with their circumstances) cantants for the support of Government. And call nothing their own. This we speak within the uninterrupted Enjoyment of this Conthe greatest deference to the wisdom and stitution has your Majesty's Colony of New justice of the British Parliament, in which York continued, from that Period down to we confide. the present Day. Depressed with this Prospect of inevitable That under influence of this happy Imita Ruin by the alarming informations we have tion of the Political Frame of our Mother from Home, neither we nor our constituents Country, we are, by the numerous Emigra can attend to Improvements, conducive tions from your Majesty's Kingdoms of Great either to the Interests of our Mother Country Britain and Ireland, and the Accession of or of this Colony. We shall however renew foreign Protestants. become a Dominion the Act for granting a Bounty on Hemp, filled with subjects, who esteem themselves still hoping that a stop may be put to those happy in the firmest Attachment to your measures, which if carried into execution, royal Person, Family and Government; the will oblige us to think, that nothing but ex-more happy, as under this Allegiance, they treme poverty can preserve us from the most have had the highest Reason, from the supportable bondage, hitherto uninterrupted Enjoyment of their tivil Rights and Liberties as individuals, to mon Cause: Proofs which, with the fullest Consider themselves, in a State of perfect Conviction have reached the Breasts of those Equality with their fellow Subjects in Great who through the most groundless Misrepre Britain, and as a political Body, enjoying sentations are now moved, to destroy the like the Inhabitants of that Country, the ex- Power which furnished them. For we con clusive Right of Taxing themselves; a Right ceive that those frequent parliamentary Prowhich with the most profound submission be visions, to lighten the heavy Taxes, with it spoken whether inherent in the People. or which we voluntarily burthened ourselves, sprung from any other Cause, has received for the national Weal, could have been dicthe royal Sanction; is at the Basis of our tated by nothing less, than the fullest ConColony State, and become venerable by long viction, that in exercising the Power of Usage. Taxing ourselves, your Majesty's Service Your Majesty's faithful Representatives and the Publick Welfare were our invariable for this your Colony of New York, cannot, Objects. therefore, without the strongest Demonstr May we not therefore humbly hope, for tions of Grief, express their sentiments on the your Majesty's royal Approbation of our late Intimation of a Design, to impose Taxes Unwillingness to part with a Right, which on your Majesty's Colonists, by Laws to be the Authority of the Prince, in the Infancy passed in Great Britain. On a subject so of this Colony, thought proper to put into its interesting to us, we have the peculiar Felici- Hands, as the Birth Right of the Subject, a ty of observing, that the royal Pre ogative, Right which we have ever since undisturbedby our tender Regard to which, we shall ly possessed; a Right to which even could it ever be ready to evince our unfeigned Obedi- be forfeited by abuse, we have secured our ence to our prince, is not in the least in- Title by the best Improvement of it. May terested: For we humbly conceive that, we not also, while the liberty of the Subject whether the Aids, which the support of your has ever been the greatest Glory, of the ilMajesty's government require from this Peo- lustrious House of Hanover, with full assuple, be raised by ourselves, or our fellow Sub-rance of acceptance lay at your Majesty's jects, will neither heighten or diminish the Feet, our jealousies upon every Invasion of lustre of the imperial Diadem, but as one or our Rights? We value ourselves in being the other of those Modes of Taxation will either free Subjects of a glorious Prince, who tenprove advancive or destructive of the public derly regards the Liberties of his People, and Weal. who will ever maintain that excellent ConPermit us, therefore most gracious Sov-stitution, which with all others, that the Wisereign, in behalf of ourselves and our Con dom of Man has hitherto contrived, forbiels, stituents, to Supplicate our Prince as the that any Part of a Community shall, as Indicommon Father of all his People, who sees viduals, claim the Right of taxing the whole. with equal Eye, and regards with indiscrimi- And these our jealousies we bring recom nating Tenderness and Concern. the Inte- mended with an Argument, which we trust rests of his Brtish and American Subjects; will ever have the greatest Weight with our who by our happy Constitution, is armed Sovereign. with the Power to negative every unconstitu For besides, that involuntary taxes and im- Many indeed are our Testimonials on this That your Majesty's North American Col- But we flatter ourselves, that this People never grow from this Cause at Home, must has given your Majesty, the most recent gain continual and never ending Accessions Proofs, of their Zeal for the Glory of their in her Colonies. That the Consumption of Sovereign, of their Readiness to bleed at British Manufactures. originally made necesevery Vein in his service, and of that uncom-sary by the nature of our Climate, will conmon Alacrity with which they have in the unually increase with our Numbers, and by late War, so glorious to your Majesty, and this Means, the Trade and Maritime Power your royal Grandfather, even out of their of the Nation, will grow daily more dreaded, Poverty, so liberally contributed to the com- unrivalled and irresistible; and your Majesty and your royal Descendants, become more Failure of the Military Chest, suspended your conspicuously, as your Majesty in Truth is. Majesty's important Operations, for the Conthe most powerful Princes in Europe. quest of Canada, (the most luminous Event, These, we presume are the happy Effects, that ever adorned the Page of English Histo which can flow only from the Increase and ry) your Majesty's Commander in Chief Prosperity of the Colonies; and for which betook himself to the Legislature of this Colo the Mother Country, being long ere now ar-ny, for Relief. And on that momentous Ocrived at the fullest Maturity, can afford no casion, how cheerfully did they load the Colo Room. ny with a sum, immensely beyond the Abili But as Liberty is at the Bottom of all our ties of a poor People to bear, upon no other Enjoyments, as your Majesty's Subjects can security for a Reimbursement, than the Merit neither be happy nor rich, but in the Inde of the Service. pendent Fruition of their Property; can your Next to the Right of taxing ourselves, for Majesty, we ask it with submission, conceive, the support of your Majesty's Government, that a Discrimination of Privileges between we beg leave, humbly, to recommend to the the Mother Country and the Colonies, will gracious Consideration of our Sovereign, the be attended with a Consequence, less fata present ruinous State of our Commerce, It than the Decrease of the latter? While the the Trade of Great Britain is her chief Giory, subject, can under the nearest Protection of if she is to excel her Neighbours in commer the Crown enjoy the largest Portions of cial Arts, we speak from our present woful Liberty, and the greatest accummulations of Experience, the Prosperity of our Trade, is of Privileges that a free People can even wish absolutely necessary for the support of hers. for, the more inhospitable climes of America This Country can, at best, afford a very in more inhospitable for our Vicinity to a Bar-competent supply of immediate Remittances, barian, or irreconcilable Foe, will furnish no for those prodigious Quantities of her ManuTemptations to emigrate. Actuated by the factures. which we daily consume. Our stasame principles, which will prevent all fuple is calculated, pincipally for the West ture Emigrations, great Numbers of our pre India Markets; and their Produce is the best sent Inhabitants wili transplant themselves Return we can possibly make for her Cominto the Mother Country; where they may modities. And as our communication with enjoy their Property with the fullest security the foreign Islands, would, besides a Vent and a perfect Equality with their fellow Sub-for our own Staple, open a wide Door for the jects. Thus will our Colonies decrease, and sale of British Manufactures, the Trade of with them the strength, the Glory, the Lustre Great Britain, would by this means, be imof the British Empire. mensely increased; while on the other Hand, These, permit us, with the deepest Concern your Majesty's Sugar Colonies afford a very for the Honour of our King, and the Prosper inadequate Market for British Wares, and ity of the Nation, to assure your Majesty will the Staple of our Country; and by such a Re be the fatal, yet unavoidable Consequences.striction, our Trade and of course the Trade of a Method of Taxation for the Colonies, sof Great Britain, is reduced to the most inconsistent with the Genius of the British scanty Limits. It is therefore with a ConConstitution, so destructive of that Right of cern, that equally embraces our Mother taxing ourselves, which in common with our Country, as well as our Colony Interests, that fellow Subjects in Great Britain, we have we received the late Act of Parliament, by hitherto uninterruptedly enjoyed; and which which all Commercial Intercourse between it is hoped, we may with the strictest justice these Colonies, and the foreign West India say, have been secured against a Forfeiture Settlements is at an end; The Duties thereby as far as the most invaluable Rights can, by imposed being equal to a Prohibition. And the best Improvement of them be secured. we have too great Reason, from the present May we not ther fore, most gracious Sov Decay of our Commerce to conclude, that this ereign, with a Measure of Confidence hope Measure which can only be serviceable to a that an Evil, so great, so extensive, will by very inconsiderate Part of the British Empire your Majesty's wise and princely Interposi will be attended with Consequences, destruction be prevented? An Evil, which no In-tive to the general Interest, of your Majesty's stance in the whole Tenor of our Conduct, Realm and Dominions. can possibly make necessary; for what Period Our Demands for Linen Manufactures, we ask it with all Humility can be assigned, which till the passing of the late act, we have in which even our Backwardness, much less been permitted freely to supply, by Importaour Refusal, to exercise the Right of Taxation tions from your Majesty's Kingdom of Ireland for the Benefit of ourselves, or the national must remain, in a great Measure, unsatisfied, Weal was manifested? We have been a by the Prohibition laid on our Exportation of People, zealous for the Honour of our Soy-Lumber to that Kingdom. As we humbly ereign, sanguine in the public cause, ready conceive, that no national advantage can to strain every Nerve, upon every Occasion; arise, from this Restriction; we flatter ourwe have supported the whole Weight of Ca-selves with the Hopes, of your Majesty's most nadian Fury, for near a Century; been as gracious and powerful Interposition, in this liberal of our Blood, as our Treasure, and Instance, for our Relief. even ant cipated the Demands of our Sov It is with the deepest Distress, that our ereign, on every Occasion of public Emergen Duty to our Constituents, constrains us to ob cy. So conspicuous indeed, was our willing-serve to our Prince, that this, and many others ness, to exercise this invaluable Right in the of the Acts of I rade, have diverted the pubnational Cause, that at a juncture, when a lie Stream of Justice, from their ancient Course. The Wisdom of our Ancestors shines of raising a Sum for immediate use, we should in nothing more brightly, than in the Institu- have lost the opportunity of testifying our tion of juries, for the Decision of all Contro- Love and Loyalty to our Sovereign, when versies, that concern the Lives. Liberties, and his General made Requisition of the prodigiProperty of the Subject; and if we are em- ous Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thouboldened, with equal Earnestness and Hu- sand Pounds, without which, the important mility, to supplicate your Majesty's royal Operations, of the most eventful Campaign. Favour and Countenance, in this important must at least unavoidably have stagnated, if Point, we have that conspicuous Tenderness not miscarried. These, Sire, were the good for the Rights of the subject, which is one of uses that we made of this political Engine; the most distinguished Graces of your Majes-and we may safely defy the World, to produce ty's illustrious House, to plead our Excuse. an Instance, in which by neglecting, to sink Your Majesty's unexampled Goodness will, our Emissions of Paper Currency, in due therefore, pardon the Bitterness of our Grief, Season, we suffered it either to depreciate, or at the gradual, though not the less dangerous fall into discredit. May the consideration of Diminution, of this antient Badge of English our past faithful Services, and a sincere TenLiberty. For though we could, with the der of our Readiness, on all future Occasions, most becoming alacrity, submit our Lives and have their proper weight with your Majesty; Property, and what we hold dearer than both and produce a Repeal of that Law. which that inestimable Liberty with which our An- has deprived this people of the most effectual cestors have set us free, to your Majesty's Means, to demonstrate their Fidelity and afroyal Clemency, and Princely Discretion; fection to their Prince. yet the unavoidable Delegations of the royal These, may it please your Majesty, are the Authority, which necessarily expose us to the important Points, upon which your faithful rapacious Designs of wicked Men, leave us, Representatives for your loyal Colony of New neither Rest nor Security, while a Custom York, have in behalf of their Constituents, House Officer may wantonly seize. what a and with the most humble submission, prejudge of your Majesty's Court of Vice Admi-sumed to approach the 'I hrone, assuring your ralty may condemn in his Discretion; or at Majesty, that one of the principal Blessings best restore to the honest Proprietor, withou they have to expect, from a continuance of the Possibility of a Restitution for the Injury. their exclusive Right to tax themselves, the Shall we not therefore be allowed, with the Restoration and Extension of their Commost lowly Reverence, and upon the Arms merce, the Execution of Law, in the ancient of the most firm and unshaken Fidelity, to and ordinary Method, and the Continuance tender our humble Petitions to the Throne. of their Bills of Credit, will be, their Capacity that this great, this growing, this mighty Evil to do the most faithful and ready Services, to may be removed from among us? their King and Country, upon every Occa Permit us, most gracious Sovereign, to ob- sion. serve on the want of a paper Currency, as the The Inhabitants of this your Majesty's last, though not the least Evil, to which the loyal Colony of New York, have the highest Colonies are unhappily made Subject, by an sense of the Wisdom, Justice, Integrity and Act of Parliament lately passed for that Pur- Impartiality, of both your Majesty's Houses pose. Our Commerce affords us so small a Re- of Parliament; and are therefore fully conturn of Specie, that without a paper Curren- vinced, that measures so destructive of our cy, supported on the credit of the Colony, our and the public Emolument, must be groundTrade, and the Commutation of Property, ed, on the misrepresentations of those, who, must necessarily fail. The Want of Money by opposing the Interests of the Colonies, will disable us to pay our internal Taxes, and strike at the well being of the Nation in geneeffectually prevent our Exertions in the com-ral. It is extremely difficult, for those highly mon cause; ever on the most interesting, and honoured Houses, at so great a distance, to alarming Occasions. In the use of this Means preserve from Pollution, the Channel of Infor supplying our political Wants, we have telligence. But your Majesty, being reprebeen continually indulged, ever since the sentatively present, by your Governors, and Reign of your Majesty's glorious Predecessor. Councils, who doubtless, will be ready, to King William the Third. And what use we give the truest Intelligence when commandhave made of it, we appeal to past Occurren- ed by their Sovereign, may, by this infallible ces for Proof; your Majesty's poor Subjects Method, discover our truly deplorable Cirin the Colonies, are unable to bear the Weight cumstances; and provide such Redress, for of a heavy, and immediate Tax And no this, and your other loyal and distressed other Expedient can possibly be devised, to North American Colonies, as to your Majesty acquit them in the Discharge of public Duties in your princely Wisdom and Goodness, shall in momentuous and pressing Occasions, than seem meet. an Emission of Paper Money; to be sunk at a That Almighty God, in whose Hand are distant, though certain Period, by Taxes the Hearts of Princes, may direct the Coungradually and annually imposed. Had the sels of our most gracious Sovereign, for the immense Sums this loyal Colony has contribu- Welfare, even of his most distant Subjects; ted, to promote your Majesty's Service, du- that the Imperial Diadem of Great Britain, ring the late War, been immediately impo- may sit long and easy, on his royal Head; sed; besides the absolute Impossibility of that he may be conspicuously blest, among supplyi g them, the whole Colony must have the Princes of the Earth, in his sacred Person, sunk under so intolerable a Burden. Had illustrious Family, and auspicious Govern we then been deprived of this easy Method, ment; that the British Sceptre may never VOL. X. 3 By Order of the General Assembly, To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in depart, from his August House, nor his faith-and thence equally dispense his Favours: ful Subjects, throughout his extensive King- And the conquered, finding their condition doms and Dominions, want Hearts on every gradually mending, will become reconciled Occasion, to testify the most unshaken to his Government, and forget their primitive Fidelity, the most ardent affection, and the Freedom; but a Constitution, in which one most cheerful and unreserved obedience. to a part of his Majesty's Subjects, are forever to Prince of his royal Lineage, while Sun and be taxed by another, which so absolutely Moon endure, are the sincere, the ardent, the challenges that Right, as not to suffer the unremitted Prayers, of your Majesty's most least alteration inthe Laws proposed for that dutiful, most loyal, and most devoted Sub-purpose, is such a System of Government, as jects, the Representatives of your Majesty's was never adopted by any People, hath not its Parallel in the whole compass of History, Colony of New York. nor perhaps ever entered into the Imagination of any Political Writer. It is the inost Junequal Constitution that ever existed; and no human Foresight or Contrivance can prevent its infallible advances to and its final consummation in, the most intolerable Op pression. For all taxes being paid with ReThe General Assembly of the Colony of New uctance, and every man willing to alleviate York, beg Leave with all Humility to shew. the Barden; it is natural to suppose that HAT at a time when measures are propo-whoever has the uncontroulable Right ofimsed for the consideration of the British Par-posing them, will bear no part of them hin liament, tending to the impoverishment of the self, as long as they can possibly be laid on North American Colonies; the great Detri- others. If such therefore be our Constitution ment of Trade, the diminution of the Inte-it must follow, that the whole Burden of the rests both of the Crown and the Nation; the Government, as fast as it can be transferred, insecurity of our property, and the apparent will be thrown on the Subjects in America; Abridgement, if not utter Destruction of our while all the advantages of it remain to those Liberties; to remain unconcerned and silent of Great Britain; And a future House of would ill become the Representative Body of Commons, not possessed of that Love of Justhe People of this Colony, who must unavoid-tice and Liberty, which so eminently distinably share in the public Calamity; and con-guishes the present, wil wanton in our spils. sequently cannot but be alarmed at the im- Reasoning thus from the nature of Mankind pending danger. Your Petitioners therefore in general, and without designing the least beg leave, most humbly to represent to your Reflection on any Particulars, we hmnby Lordships that ever since the glorious Revo- presume, our Freedom will not be thought to lution, in which this Colony displayed the inerit the Censure of a British House of Peers, most distinguished Zeal and Alacrity, we have the constant Guardians of Liberty, and the enjoyed the uninterrupted Privilege, of being invariable irreconcileable Foes to every spetaxed only with our own consent, given by cies of Bondage. ΤΗ our Representatives in General Assembly. Having thus shewn, as we humbly conceive This we have ever considered as the inextin- with the greatest submission to your superior guishable Right of British Subjects, because Wisdom, that a Government so constituted, it is the natural Right of Mankind, and so must necessary degenerate into a Tyranny; inseparable from the very Idea of Property, we beg leave to observe, that the Claim of an as not to be divested even by conquest itself, Exemption from being taxed by the supreme without totally despoiling the Vanquished; Legislative Power, is far from involving in it, and reducing them to a State of absolute Vas- the votion of an Independency, For the salage. Subjected States have indeed been experience of near a Century, has fully evin often compelled to submit to heavy Tributes; ced, that our subjection to Great Britain, and but none were ever depressed to the deplora- her Laws, and our strenuous efforts, upon ble necessity, of paying such Tribute as every pubiic Emergency, have not been the should, to all Futurity, be imposed at the less conspicuous under an Immunity from boundless will of the Conqueror. The Tri- taxes, imposed by a British Parliament. bute was generally fixed; and that duly dis- And should we add, that during that long charged, the residue was enjoyed with unmo-Tract of Time, taking the Colonies collec lested security. Nay even such a State of tively, we have not been surpassed by any Slavery, in which the supreme Power of the of his Majesty's Subjects, either in the usefulconquering State is vested in a single Person, ness and affection to the Mother Country, in wretched as it is, would be infinitely preter-Fidelity and Loyalty to the Crown, or in the able, to what, according to our most alarming Liberality both of our Blood and Treasure, Information, has lately been proposed for the in compliance with every Requisition; the British Colonies; but which, we have the notoriety of the Facts, and the Propriety of highest Reason to hope, from your Lordships rehearsing them on so important an occasion deep Sense of the inestimable Value of Liber would acquit us before your Lordships of ty, and the patriot disposition of your illustri-Vanity and self applause. We have by imous House, can never recommend itself to proving a Country inhabited only by Savages your serious approbation. For where ever and far remote from our native Soil, greatly the supreme Power is lodged in a single Per-extended the Dominions and Trade of Great son, he will naturally consider himself as ha- Britain; and will undoubtediy, if not checked ving an equal Relation to all his Subjects; by a new model of our Constitution, and an |