Whereas no
experience has shewn that a gift of perpetual revenue secures a
perpetual return of duty or of kind disposition. On the contrary,
the Parliament itself, wisely attentive to this observation, are in
the established practice of granting their supplies from year to year
only.
Desirous and determined as we are to consider in the most
dispassionate view every seeming advance towards a reconciliation
made by the British Parliament, let our brethren of Britain reflect
what would have been the sacrifice to men of free spirits had even
fair terms been proffered, as these insidious proposals were with
circumstances of insult and defiance. A proposition to give our
money, accompanied with large fleets and armies, seems addressed to
our fears rather than to our freedom. With what patience would
Britons have received articles of treaty from any power on earth when
borne on the point of a bayonet by military plenipotentiaries?
We think the attempt unnecessary to raise upon us by force or
by threats our proportional contributions to the common defence, when
all know, and themselves acknowledge we have fully contributed,
whenever called upon to do so in the character of freemen.
We are of opinion it is not just that the colonies should be
required to oblige themselves to other contributions, while Great
Britain possesses a monopoly of their trade.
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