Transcriber's Notes:

Obsolete spellings of words (e.g. impolitick, antient, assylum, can'st, etc.) have been retained; ct ligatures are represented as ct, and long s as modern round s.

Typesetting errors have been corrected and marked like this. The original text appears when hovering the cursor over the marked text.

Catchwords have been deleted. (Catchwords were used on each page of very old books to indicate the first word of the following page.)

THE
JUSTICE and NECESSITY
OF
TAXING
THE
AMERICAN COLONIES,
Demonstrated.

TOGETHER WITH A
VINDICATION
OF THE
Authority of Parliament.

LONDON:

Printed for J. Almon, opposite Burlington-House in Piccadilly, 1766.

A
VINDICATION
OF THE
Authority of Parliament, &c.

Of all the objects, which have since the revolution, engaged the attention of the legislature, the proper method of adjusting our present quarrels with the Americans is undoubtedly the most important. For as the riches and power of Britain depend chiefly on trade, and that trade on her colonies; it is evident that her very existence as the first of commercial nations, turns upon this hinge.

It cannot therefore be impertinent in any one modestly to offer his sentiments on this topick; that by the confrontation of different opinions we may strike out truth, as we do fire by the collision of flints; and that, as much light as possible may be afforded to our legislators to guide them through so dark and intricate a labyrinth.

This is the more necessary, as there can be found no similar case in all the records of history to serve as a precedent, or clew, to direct their steps; and all they can do is to grope their way by their own industry, and to employ their reason, as the only compass which can steer their course aright to this land unknown.

Without any farther preamble, therefore, I shall proceed to discuss this point, and to state the case fairly between the two contending parties, that those, who having like myself, no particular interest concerned, have consequently little prepossession for either side, may be enabled to form an adequate idea of the subject.

While the colonies were under any apprehensions from the encroachments of the French and Indians, they submitted to the British legislature without reluctance; because they were sensible of their inability to defend themselves, and of the necessity of taking shelter under the wings of their mother. But no sooner were the French kites and Indian vultures scared away, than they began to strut and to claim an independent property to the dunghil. Their fear and their natural affection forsook them at one and the same time. They now boast that they owe their present happy state to no power on earth but themselves; that they worked out their own salvation by their own right arm: forgetting that, had we not conquered at Louisbourg, at Quebec, and many other places; had we not constantly protected and defended them, the French and Indians would have long ago