was refolved not to be wife beyond what was written; I was refolved to use nothing else than the form of found words; to let others abound in their own sense; and carefully to abftain from all expreffions of my own. What the law has faid, I fay. In all things elfe I am filent. I have no organ but for her words. This, if it be not ingenious, I am fure is fafe.

There are indeed words expreffive of grievance in this fecond refolution, which those who are refolved always to be in the right, will deny to contain matter of fact, as applied to the prefent case; although parliament thought them true, with regard to the counties of Chester and Durham. They will deny that the Americans were ever "touched and grieved" with the taxes. If they confider nothing in taxes but their weight as pecuniary impofitions, there might be fome pretence for this denial. But men may be forely touched and deeply grieved in their privileges, as well as in their purfes. Men may lofe little in property by the act which takes away all their freedom. When a man is robbed of a trifle on the highway, it is not the twopence loft that conftitutes the capital outrage. This is not confined to privileges. Even antient indulgences withdrawn, without offence on the part of those who enjoyed fuch favours, operate as grievances. But were the Americans then not touched and grieved by the taxes,

in

in fome measure, merely as taxes? If fo, why were they almoft all, either wholly repealed or exceedingly reduced? Were they not touched and grieved, even by the regulating duties of the fixth of George II? Elfe why were the duties firft reduced to one third in 1764, and afterwards to a third of that third in the year 1766? Were they not touched and grieved by the stamp act? I fhall fay they were, until that tax is revived. Were they not touched and grieved by the duties of 1767, which were likewife repealed, and which, Lord Hillsborough tells you (for the ministry) were laid contrary to the true principle of commerce? Is not the affurance given by that noble perfon to the colonies of a refolution to lay no more taxes on them, an admiffion that taxes would touch and grieve them? Is not the refolution of the noble lord in the blue ribband, now ftanding on your journals, the strongest of all proofs that parliamentary fubfidies really touched and grieved them? Elfe why all thefe changes, modifications, repeals, affurances, and refolutions?

The next propofition is-" That, from the dif "tance of the faid colonies, and from other cir"cumftances, no method hath hitherto been de"vifed for procuring a representation in parlia"ment for the faid colonies." This is an affertion of a fact. I go no further on the paper; though in my private judgment, an useful representation

is impoffible; I am fure it is not defired by them; nor ought it perhaps by us; but I abstain from opinions.

The fourth refolution is " That each of the

"faid colonies hath within itself a body, chofen in part, or in the whole, by the freemen, free"holders, or other free inhabitants thereof, com'monly called the General Affembly, or General "Court, with powers legally to raise, levy, and affefs, according to the feveral ufage of fuch co"lonies, duties and taxes towards defraying all "forts of publick fervices."

This competence in the colony assemblies is certain. It is proved by the whole tenour of their acts of fupply in all the affemblies, in which the conftant ftyle of granting is," an aid to his ma "jefty ;" and acts granting to the crown have rea gularly for near a century paffed the publick offices without difpute. Those who have been pleafed paradoxically to deny this right, holding that none but the British parliament can grant to the crown, are wished to look to what is done, not only in the colonies, but in Ireland, in one uniform unbroken tenour every feffion. Sir, I am furprized, that this doctrine fhould come from fome of the law fervants of the crown. I fay, that if the crown could be refponfible, his majesty-but certainly the ministers, and even thefe law officers themselves, VOL. III. through

H

through whofe hands the acts pass biennially in Ireland, or annually in the colonies, are in an habitual course of committing impeachable offences. What habitual offenders have been all prefidents of the council, all fecretaries of state, all first lords of trade, all attornies and all folicitors general! However, they are fafe; as no one impeaches them; and there is no ground of charge against them, except in their own unfounded theories.

.

The fifth refolution is also a refolution of fact"That the faid general affemblies, general courts, " or other bodies legally qualified as aforefaid, have "at fundry times freely granted several large fub"fidies and publick aids for his majesty's fervice, "according to their abilities, when required there"to by letter from one of his majesty's principal "secretaries of state; and that their right to grant "the fame, and their chearfulness and sufficiency "in the faid grants, have been at fundry times " acknowledged by parliament." To fay nothing of their great expences in the Indian wars; and not to take their exertion in foreign ones, fo high as the fupplies in the year 1695; not to go back to their publick contributions in the year 1710; I fhall begin to travel only where the journals give me light; refolving to deal in nothing but fact, authenticated by parliamentary record; and to build myself wholly on that folid basis.

On

On the fourth of April, 1748,* a committee of this house came to the following refolution:

"That it is the opinion of this committee, That · "it is just and reasonable that the several provinces " and colonies of Maffachufet's Bay, New Hamp"fhire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, be reim"bursed the expences they have been at in taking "and fecuring to the crown of Great Britain, the "ifland of Cape Breton, and its dependencies."

These expences were immenfe for fuch colonies. They were above 200,000l. fterling; money first raised and advanced on their publick credit.

On the 28th of January, 1756,† a meffage from the king came to us, to this effect-" His majefty, "being fenfible of the zeal and vigour with which "his faithful subjects of certain colonies in North "America have exerted themselves in defence of "his majefty's juft rights and poffeffions, recom"mends it to this houfe to take the fame into "their confideration, and to enable his majesty to

give them fuch affiftance as may be a proper re"ward and encouragement."

On the 3d of February, 1756, the house came