The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-06-02


Ton ave dsrea TO givs bt surisg place ia y0ar next
taper, thar ont Of tie late addr,', and any 0f0e''
ubo NAV bSze bad doubts as fbe lasotElnts fpe-
uey Of Ee nbsIs taken BY fbe colonies, 10 prfseHt to-
introduIsz If tbe EaG-Iadia Csmpany' Iea, My ff ~
sObai dear, jadifi'a', m@e Gse f'7S'"fg |lar'
RE matter bas kesn banded BY Wrsr "a '5s L'saS'
Ga9etev Of AfyI 7rb.
8u APOLOGY for tie late CONDUCT OF AMERIeA'
THERE are thoie who clearly Of opinion, that The
Common. Of Great Britain have no rGhr to give
and grant away the property of the Aiereans.
iuch people confident IN then notcns' tsey mutt
allow that the Americans would be J1ihsd "a ieiune %
make GOOD iueh gifts and TO eoHpty with the fe91itions
And f thew would be fulfilled in rrfng TO eony with
6L s,,;,,ons If nuG allo BE- allowed that there Is line
of conduct which it would be proper for them to Purae'
ana thar they are nor left altogether whol remedy.
They tina. are mott vioens asainit the Americans Tor
their conduit in the affair Of te tea, would DO wen II hey
endeayoued before they Paed Judgment upon i' to obtain
broper ideas of right and rong AMI qualified theeiyes
& di,nyuh What is unlawful from what IS exPedent onyj
srhsrve they may beled condemn, as criminal, mea-
fures that wee udgca only and by The iae eooufng'
ofieluitca writers, may be induced to osheSe aeohs 70
be unialtifaLe ana wong that were only imPohte ana
fooih. 81, j,
think the aar cf he is, in general, father II IN
arrood and that tie contribution OF England, the innca-
saa law Of property, and the inalenabe nights OF hn-
man nature em have been bat little regarded IN TINS
dilpatc, concerning American taxation.
That the cotu;on OF England has been but little re-
srded u appear evident, when II eonaezed what tns
t of thar contribution is with repet to its idea OF taxa
ton Does tie legiastme levy upon the kingdom IN
the iame manner, and with the fame preEenons as the
King oFrance By his ed poies taxes upon his ubeets
certainly not Tie Commons give and grant ior them
elves and their eontuents the Lords anlwer for them
ves and the King by his a:ent and acceptance OF usn
Gifts binds tie parties fulfil the eontraet and gives ts
,he the advocates Tor
American lassr t.xation is neceiiay part Of legiauon
forgetting or rarler inamou.y Eiepieientng the iruh
which is chat our contribution knows OF no arbitrary esl
iatye money bills, Acknowledges any oher oaiGe OF
t. alton bus ec g. Can any man, then, nave nsht
- give away another man property certainly not And
Tie Commons Of Great-Brtain may give and giant away
much they Pleae of their own property but they
have no nghe give and grant away the property Of the
Americans.
s. much touching the constitutional part Of this dipute
which houd have thought too obvious to have required
y dsuion, had there appeared to have been mush
sans taken to conouni the very dnet ideas OF ega
sn and axaon and to Peruade mankind that leeatlcn,
which is sneasl to all government, is nugltoTy without
that power which is incompatible with the very end OF
government ite arbitrary ard unlimited Pozrer Of fa*a
ten for the end Of government is the preievaton OF
property and there be property where there an
arbitrary power Of taxation for what property can any man
have in that which another can, by right, take nom nm
wien he plcaies, again.t his content
And that the fundamental law OF property has been but
Lt attended this dpue, the application OF the lore
going obievaton will efficiently demoniratc for what
ecuy can the Americans be ad to have in their property
if the people Of Great Britain give and grant it away
when they pea!e or rather Can they truly be faid q
Asg>suy properly al, If the people q Great Britain
have under this pretended right Of taxation, power Of
taking from them when they pleae, what they Poiieis'
ard Of ung ant dpohng of it afterwards IN what manner
they think proper
But how are the rights Of human nature violated IN this
fpute To this angcr, chat the law Of Nature being
founded in Ecafon and uce admits OF property tor the
better pesaton of which, and for the uc and enjoyment
Of in peace and quiet, men entered into ioeety III
thereioss any man, or body Of mem claim right to take
away at pl:Aar. from other their property and to
do of as they psa, fuch claim tends to dioutIon
Of oeicty and is fePugnant alo to ts law OF Nature as
i would place mankind In WORE condition than the itate
Of Nature wherein they had liberty to defend their ghr
againlt the injuries of Others.
Unfortunately a(o for theft. flaming advocates for the
hrh prerogays doctrine Of neeefary and unlimited right
Of taxation in the Br Legislature, ana VINO alert that
thc power Of lgaton the Fegulson OF commerce. With
out that Of taxation aio would be nugaro and
futile nu mention the cafes Of Scotland before the union'
and Ieland. Ii the Brth Legaturc NUT necefariy be
eosGed of that power with rciFea 10 America, why was
il not neceary with eec Scotland before the union
and why il NOT, this moments neeeiiay with repee to
Ireland IF the machine of Government cannot move on
without this power oses the poor onpeeu, "'ueo' anu
defenele Aecans, how could it 70 long have moved on
without the fame power over the rebeous Scots, or the
Siicortented and tickle Iifh
could mention ao the Charters of the Americans,
which would be entirely abvertei by this right Of taxation;
bar toe who, in their utmo Puruts crupe not to NO
late the contribution and PoEty of GTeatBrain the fun
danenta law of po5ey, and the rights OF human nature,
will pay, am aiad but very little regard chartered
rights.
But what line Of conduit to be obleyed by that people
Whole liberties and property invaded In aniwer to tins
qveon, ia beg leave Iuboin few ihort extracts from
Loeke Tyranny the sxerciie Of power without right
Wherever the power that put in any hands tor the govern
ncnt Of people, and the prsrvss Of their prop0, is
apsliei to other ends and made uie of to mp0U bar
rs, or blne them to the arbitrary and irregular commands
ofthem that have it, there it Peienty becomes tyranny
whether thoie that thus uie it many. Where