frêm: acordingly, when a motion was made, fat. II. for a fubfidy (or tax) of a new ; the Commons answered, That they - would have conference with thofe of their fe< veral countries and places, who had put them • in trust, before they treated of any fuch < matter.' THEIR late petition, is to prevent the paffing of a tax or new device, partial in its calculation; deftructive of a very valuable and large body of the people; injurious to trade in general; oppreffive in the act and method of executing; and contrary to the GREAT CHARTER of English liberties. And therefore, they have a right by the law and custom of P- -t, though fuch an attempt of the ministry be called a moneybill for the King's aid, to inftruct their members, entrusted with their liberties and property, how to conduct themselves in regard to that new device. A DEVICE, which, fhould it be carried into execution, would expofe every man of the nation to the hateful tax of excife, and to the vexatious and arbitrary proceedings of those, who are hired by them, to whom excife is paid; except they, who fwim in luxury, are contented to pay ten pounds for their unlimited poffeffion of above four thousand ounces of filver bullion. A device calculated to lay the weight of the burden upon the middle ftate of the nation. A device, which, as it will deter the bulk of the fubjects from purchafing a commodity, that would would expofe them to fo great a loss in their property, and to fo many hazards and vexations in their perfons from a combination of informers and excifemen, must put an end to a trade, which ever merited the favour of former times, is of confiderable advantage to the revenue, and of great credit to the nation. A device, whofe effects will not center in the extirpation of the filversmiths, but affect every branch of trade, whofe balance, as with Spain, cannot be made up without bullion. And a device, which cannot be put in execution without introducing a general excife: a word always odious to the people of England! of the severity and vexations of whofe laws and officers the people are weary of complaining; and whofe extention can never be too vigorously opposed, let the pretences for laying it on, be ever fo plaufible. Because its proceedings are contrary to that right, which we claim by magna charta to be tried by JURIES. IN all countries excifes of every kind are looked on as badges of flavery; and the collecting of any duties under its laws has in all ages and in all countries been found the most grievous and the most oppreffive method of raifing money. The firft effay of this hateful tax was made in a time of anarchy and confufion, to feed the flame of rebellion; and I could with it had not been fo early copied by King Charles's penfionary parliament after the restoration. However its difagreeableness to a free people, who who are always ready to aid a prince, who relies on the affections of his fubjects, prevented the growth of this branch to any confiderable grievance for feveral reigns: and even King William was so fentible of the danger, to which he was likely to be exposed, by a prevailing report, that the nation, by his advice and confent, was to be faddled with Dutch excifes, that he wisely by a public declaration disavowed any fuch intention. But we have seen times when they have been multiplied almost without number upon a drowsy people, who could not open their eyes to discover their evil tendency, till awakened with the bold attempt to rivet their chains with a general excife; and were delivered from their danger, by the vigilance, activity, and intereft of this metropolis. NOR is the conftitution of our government, and the liberty of the subject, less concerned in the iffue of the prefent motion for an excife upon plate: it threatens a more general oppreffion, as it lays not only the fhopkeepers and dealers open to the caprice of informers, and the vifits of excifemen, and to the private decifions of commiffioners; but every other person in the kingdom, who does not pay ten pounds per annum for the ufe of his own plate. If this cheme fucceeds, the conftitution may be endangered, by granting to the crown too great An extent of power; and our liberty, which is eady retrenched very much by the present excife, excife, and over-awed by a standing army, may expire. LIBERTY is too valuable to be sported with, or wantonly given up. There can be no neceffities of the ftate fo great as to be held in competition therewith. Money may be abfolutely neceffary to fave the ftate from the arms of an enemy: yet even that greatest of all neceffities, is not to be preferred to the lofs of liberty. Let the exigencies of the ftate be supplied out of the property; but let not the method of affeffing it be a yoke more grievous than an enemy's word. It is not the being governed by a wife and good King, that makes the subjects a free people. The Romans were as great flaves under the few good emperors, as under the moft cruel of their tyrants. All governors may not make the fame wicked ufe of power: but the people must always be flaves, after they have empowered their rulers to opprefs them. This influenced our ancestors to be as jealous of their liberties, under the wifest and most gracious fovereigns, as under the worst of our kings: and they were never impeached of difloyalty or difaffection for ufing all peaceable methods, to preserve and secure them. It is certain, that in the prefent crifis, and according to the prefent expenfive armament, money must be had: who denies it? but muft. the fubject with his money give up his liberty. alfo? which every one does, fo far as he tacitly consents to any act, contrary to his established rights. rights. Is not every man's houfe his caftle? a facred repofitory of his family and property? how grievous then would it be to have it laid open to a paltry excifeman? against whofe fchemes and foibles, invested with the power of a deputation, the most blameless conduct can yield no fecurity. Innocency is no protection from informers: and excife officers, who are generally profeffed advocates for arbitrary power, or picked out of the lowest class of men, either for abilities, fortune, or morals, can invent twenty ways to teize and vex the moft innocent man upon earth. I DOUBT not therefore to fee this laudable example of the city of London feconded by the wifeft and moft confiderable corporations in thefe kingdoms; and, as the device is NEW, which is propofed for their confent, to whom the people have entrusted their property; a conference with their conftituents before they are drawn by marts to treat of such matters, will be the beft recommendation to their future favours, and of that integrity and wifdom, for which the reprefentatives of the people ought to be diftinguished. How odious must be the memory of a man, who built up his family upon the ruins of that liberty he was chofen to defend? who for a place or a penfion, betrayed the national truft, and not only plundered, but placed his conftituents under the power of the worft of wretches. How deteftable ought fuch a proceeding be deemed, 1 |