The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

PHILADELPHIA, August 2.

Extract of a Letter from a Member of Parliament in England, to a Friend in America, June 7.

"As to the STAMP-ACT. I opposed it, as I declared it my Intention to do all internal Taxes : not because the People of America were unrepresented in Parliament, and therefore not constitutionally taxable : I well know that much the greater Part of the Inhabitants of Great-Britain have no Votes in the Election of Members, and that a great part even of the Land in this Country, gives no Share in the Choice of the Legislature, yet all are taxable, and must be so necessarily ; for the whole of our Statute Law would fall to the ground, if the Consent of all bound by the Laws contained in it was necessary to the making a Law.

But I have argued, that the Parliament may choose whether they will tax America or not; that they have a Right constitutionally, to tax Ireland, yet do not exercise that Right ; that I should think our Liberties endangered by their doing so; that I have the same Objections, and some stronger, against their taxing America; that it is not necessary there are other Ways of raising all the Money there, requisite for public Service ; that such Ways have not yet failed, but the Colonies have in general shewed the utmost Alacrity, to contribute to the Common Cause ; that if two or three have not done their Duty, it is hard all should suffer for the fault of two or three ; that I think therefore there are the stronger Reasons why, admitting that the Parliament is the universal unlimited Legislature of the British Dominions, as it undoubtedly is, it should yet voluntarily set Bounds to the Exercise of its Power ; and that if the Majority of Parliament think they ought not to set these Bounds; then they should give a share of the Election of the Legislature to the American Colonies : that they have done so formerly to much less considerable Parts of the British Dominions.; that without doing so I shall think the Liberties of America in Danger, and the Liberties of Great-Britain too ; that the former cannot be injured, without Danger to the latter ; I do not say the Liberty of America will be lost, merely in having no Share in the Election of Members, but I mean it will want the Means it now has, and that every other Part of the British Dominions has, to defend itself against the Oppressions of the officers of the Crown, in case Assemblies should be rendered useless, or little necessary, which however, I thank God, they are not yet."