Transcriber's Notes:
Obsolete spellings of words (e.g. impolitick, antient, assylum,can'st, etc.) have been retained; ct ligatures are represented asct, and long s as modern round s.
Typesetting errors have been corrected and markedlike this.The original text appears when hovering the cursor overthe marked text.
Catchwords have been deleted. (Catchwords were used on each pageof very old books to indicate the first word of the following page.)
THE
JUSTICE and NECESSITY
OF
TAXING
THE
COLONIES.
[Price One Shilling.]
TOGETHER WITH A
VINDICATION
OF THE
Authority of Parliament.
LONDON:
Printed for J. Almon, opposite Burlington-House inPiccadilly, 1766.
A
VINDICATION
OF THE
Authority of Parliament, &c.
Of all the objects, which havesince the revolution, engaged theattention of the legislature, the propermethod of adjusting our present quarrelswith the Americans is undoubtedlythe most important. For as the richesand power of Britain depend chieflyon trade, and that trade on her colonies;it is evident that her very existenceas the first of commercial nations,turns upon this hinge.
It cannot therefore be impertinent inany one modestly to offer his sentimentson this topick; that by the confrontationof different opinions we may strike out truth, as we do fire by the collisionof flints; and that, as much lightas possible may be afforded to our legislatorsto guide them through so darkand intricate a labyrinth.
This is the more necessary, as therecan be found no similar case in all therecords of history to serve as a precedent,or clew, to direct their steps; andall they can do is to grope their wayby their own industry, and to employtheir reason, as the only compass whichcan steer their course aright to this landunknown.
Without any farther preamble, therefore,I shall proceed to discuss thispoint, and to state the case fairly betweenthe two contending parties, thatthose, w