"
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 that you took on
yourselves 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 state
without wounding the prejudices of the people. Neither is it true that the body
so qualified, and having that competence, had neglected the duty.
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 enjoyment, or hope;
satisfaction in your subjects, or discontent?
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,
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 [Footnote: 59] made in the seventh year
of the reign of his present Majesty, entitled, An Act for granting certain
duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America; for allowing a
drawback of the duties of customs upon the exportation from this Kingdom of
coffee and cocoa-nuts of the produce of the said Colonies or Plantations; for
discontinuing the drawbacks payable on china earthenware exported to America;
and for more effectually preventing the clandestine running of goods in the said
Colonies and Plantations.
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