Wesley Corpus

Did you ever desire them? But you say again, “No power on earth has a right to grant our property without our consent.” (Page 22.) Then you have no Sovereign; for every Sovereign under heaven has a right to tax his subjects; that is, “to grant their property, with or without their consent.” Our Sove reign” has a right to tax me, and all other Englishmen, whether we have votes for Parliament-men or no. Vainly, therefore, do you complain of “unconstitutional exactions, violated rights, and mutilated charters.” (Page 24.) Nothing is exacted but according to the original constitution both of England and her colonies. Your rights are no more violated than mine, when we are both taxed by the supreme power; and your charters are no more mutilated by this, than is the charter of the city of London. Vainly do you complain of being “made slaves.” Am I or two millions of Englishmen made slaves because we are taxed without our own consent? You may still “rejoice in the common rights of freemen.” I rejoice in all the rights of my ancestors. And every right which I enjoy is common to Englishmen and Americans. But shall we “surrender any part of the privileges which we enjoy by the express terms of our colonization;” that is, of our charter? By no means; and none requires it of you. None desires to withhold anything that is granted by the * That is, in connexion with the Lords and Commons. express terms of your charters. But remember! one of your first charters, that of Massachusetts-Bay, says, in express terms, you are exempt from paying taxes to the King for seven years; plainly implying, that after those seven years you are to pay them like other subjects. And remember your last charter, that of Pennsylvania, says, in express terms, you. are liable to taxation; yea, it objects against being taxed by the King, unless in connexion with the Lords and Commons. But “a people will resume,” you say, “the power which they never surrendered, except”--No need of any exception. They never surrendered it at all; they could not surrender it; for they never had it. I pray, did the people, unless you mean the Norman army, give William the Conqueror his power? And to which of his successors did the people of England (six or seven millions) give the sovereign power?