Wesley Corpus

It is no objection that they pay out of them a tax, to which they did not previously consent. I am free; I use my money as I please, although I pay taxes out of it, which were fixed by law before I was born, and, consequently, without my consent; and indeed those taxes are so moderate, that neither they nor I have reason to complain. “But if the Parliament tax you moderately now, it is Possible they may, hereafter, tax you immoderately.” It is possible, but not probable; they never have done it yet: When they do, then complain. We are not talking of what may be, but what is; and it cannot be denied, they are free (which is the present question) in all the three particulars which Judge Blackstone includes in civil liberty. 11. But liberty will not content either them or you. You now openly plead for independency, and aver that the colonies ought to be independent on England, to assert their own supremacy, (1.) Because they are half as many as the Fnglish. (2.) Because in a century they will be twice as many. The argument runs thus: If the Americans are half as many as the English, then they have a right to be independ ent. But they are half as many; therefore, they have a right to be independent. I deny the consequence in the first proposition: Number does not prove a right to independency. I deny the second proposition too: They are not half as many; even though you swell the number of the Americans as much as you diminish the number of the English. I have been surprised lately, to observe many taking so much pains to extenuate the numbers of the inhabitants of England. For what end is this done? Is it to make us more respectable to our neighbours? or merely to weaken the hands of the King and ministry? I say the King and the ministry; for I lay no stress on their pompous professions of love and loyalty to the King: Just such professions did their predecessors make to King Charles, till they brought him to the block. 12. “But are they not half as many? Do not the confederated provinces contain three millions of souls?” I believe not. I believe they contain about two millions.