Wesley Corpus

Just then came in the ships from London, laden with the same com modity, which, by the removal of the former tax, they were now enabled to sell cheaper than him. What could he now do pro patria 2 as Mr. Evans says; in plain English, not to lose by his cargo? All Europe knows what was done: “Some persons in disguise,” Dr. Price tells us, “buried the English tea in the sea.” It was not so commonly known who employed them, or paid them for their labour: To be sure, good Mr. Hancock knew no more of it than the child unborn | 9. Now, I desire to know of any reasonable man, what could the English Government do? No officer could seize the smuggled goods; or, if he did, no jury would condemn the smuggler. There was therefore no possibility that the King should have his right, without taking some such step as was taken. There was not any alternative, but either to give up the customs altogether, (as the evil was increasing more and more,) or to try the offenders here; so that still they had as much liberty as their notorious offences allowed. With what justice, then, can this be urged as a violation of their liberty “O!” cries the man in yon stone doublet, “Bondage 1 slavery ! Help, Englishmen? I am deprived of my liberty!” Certainly you are; but first you deprived the man of his purse. “What I Do you compare Mr. H. to a felon?” I do, in this respect: I compare every smuggler to a felon; a private smuggler to a sneaking felon, a pick-pocket; a noon-day smuggler, to a bold felon, a robber on the highway. And if a person of this undeniable character is made President of a Congress, I leave every man of sense to determine what is to be expected from them. 10. To return: As the colonies are free, with regard to their persons, so they are with regard to their goods. It is no objection that they pay out of them a tax, to which they did not previously consent.