Volume I Part 28 (1/2)

Q.--Have not you heard of the resolutions of this House, and of the House of Lords, a.s.serting the right of Parliament relating to America, including a power to tax the people there?

A.--Yes; I have heard of such resolutions.

Q.--What will be the opinion of the Americans on those resolutions?

A.--They will think them unconst.i.tutional and unjust.

Q.--Was it an opinion in America before 1763, that the Parliament had no right to levy taxes and duties there?

A.--I never heard any objection to the right of levying duties to regulate commerce; but a right to levy internal taxes was never supposed to be in Parliament, as we are not represented there.

Q.--You say the colonies have always submitted to external taxes, and object to the right of Parliament only in levying internal taxes; now, can you show that there is any kind of difference between the two taxes to the colony on which they may be laid?

A.--I think the difference is very great. An external tax is a duty levied on commodities imported; that duty is added to the first cost, and other charges on the commodity, and when it is offered for sale, makes a part of the price. If the people do not like it at that price, they refuse it; they are not obliged to pay it. But an internal tax is forced from the people without their consent, if not levied by their own representatives. The Stamp Act says we shall have no commerce, make no exchange of property with each other, neither purchase, nor grant, nor recover debts; we shall neither marry nor make our wills unless we pay such and such sums, and thus it is intended to extort our money from us, or ruin us by the consequences of refusing to pay it.

Q.--But supposing the internal tax or duty to be levied on the necessaries of life imported into your colony, will not that be the same thing in its effects as an internal tax?

A.--I do not know a single article imported into the northern colonies, but what they can either do without or make themselves.

Q.--Don't you think cloth from England absolutely necessary to them?

A.--No, by no means absolutely necessary; with industry and good management, they may very well supply themselves with all they want.

Q.--Considering the resolution of Parliament as to the right, do you think, if the Stamp Act is repealed, that the North Americans will be satisfied?

A.--I believe they will.

Q.--Why do you think so?

A.--I think the resolutions of right will give them very little concern, if they are never attempted to be carried into practice.

The colonies will probably consider themselves in the same situation in that respect with Ireland; they know you claim the same right with regard to Ireland, but you never exercise it. And they may believe you never will exercise it in the colonies, any more than in Ireland, unless on some very extraordinary occasion.

Q.--But who are to be the judges of that extraordinary occasion? Is not the Parliament?

A.--Though the Parliament may judge of the occasion, the people will think it can never exercise such right till representatives from the colonies are admitted into Parliament, and that, whenever the occasion arises, representatives will be ordered.

Q.--Did the Americans ever dispute the controlling power of Parliament to regulate the commerce?

A.--No.

Q.--Can anything less than a military force carry the Stamp Act into execution??

A.--I do not see how a military force can be applied to that purpose.

Q.--Why may it not?

A.--Suppose a military force sent into America, they will find n.o.body in arms; what are they then to do? They cannot force a man to take stamps, who refuses to do without them. They will not find a rebellion; they may indeed make one.

Q.--If the Act is not repealed, what do you think will be the consequences?