fome port in America, the people of Great Britain were conftantly employed, and in conclufion were paid, by the colonies. When this trade was stopped, or when it did not go on in its proper course, it is natural to conceive that all the thoufands who were employed in preparing thefe manufactures, muft have fome way or other been fupported at the expence of the community, as it was impoffible that in a fhort time they could find any new kind of employment to purfue. This was at one stroke striking off from business a multitude of useful members of fociety, and throwing them upon the public for prefent fupply. The goverment could not help feeling the effects of this impolitic proceeding by a decrease of revenue; for they both loft the duty payable upon the goods exported to America, and the import duties payable on goods we received from foreign countries, in return for what were fent them by the colonies; and however small all this may appear to fome, it could not but amount to more than any thing that could poffibly be raised by the unhappy restriction.

It is fomewhat furprizing that the wisdom of both the miniftry and parliament should have at this time fo far forfaken them, as to prefer a law, so abfurd in its Gwn nature, and ruinous in its confequences; which every one by paying the fmalleft attention to the fubject, might have easily discerned to be a dangerous expedient, as well as an irrational project for raising money. It appears to have been a time of political infatuation, and the ministry were bent both upon their own ruin and that of the nation. The prefent reign. has been the most unfortunate, for unhappy measures of government, under a good conftitution and a religious fovereign, of any fince the reign of Charles the firft. The miniftry, as if all the poffeffions of the fubjects in America

America had been totally at their disposal, proceeded a ftep ftill farther to make themselves ridiculous. Be fore they had enjoyed the profits and fruits of this obnoxious bill, they proceeded to another scheme, pregnant with folly, oppreffion, and defpotifm. After having laid new restraints on the traffic of the colo nies, ftopt their fources of procuring specie, and rendered their paper money in a great measure useless, they proceeded to impofe a new tax, unknown and unheard of on the other fide of the Atlantic. A bill was brought into parliament, and paffed both houses, for laying a duty upon ftamps in all the American colonies. This law impofed no less than fifty-three different forts of ftamps and other duties upon the colonies and plantations in America, fome of them extremely exorbitant and heavy, and none of them favourable to the interefts of the colonies except one, which impofes ten pounds per fleet upon the licenfes of attornies, folicitors, and counsellors : This would probably have been a check upon the progrefs of a profeffion, which, when much encouraged, is rather the bane than the benefit of fociety.-But many other articles were highly oppreffive and burdenfome to the fubject.

* ABSTRACT of STAMP DUTIES.

The

(1) All declarations, pleas, replications, rejoinders, demurrers, &c. in courts of law to pay 3d. per fheet. (2) Special bail and appearances in the faid courts 25. per fheet. (3) Petitions, bills, anfwers, claims, pleas, replications, rejoinders, demurrers, &c. in the courts of chancery, Is. 6d. per fheet. (4) Copies of petitions, bills, &c. in the faid courts. 3d. per fheet. (5) Monitions, libels, anfwers, allegations, inventories, or renunciations, in courts exercifing ecclefiaftical jurifdiction, Is. per fheet. (6) Copies of wills, monitions, &c. in the faid courts, 6d. per theet. (7) Donations, prefentations, collations, inftitutions, regifters, entries, teftimonials, certificates of degrees, 21. per fheet. (8) Monitions, libels, claims, anfwers, allegations, informations, letters of requeft, executions, renunciations, inventories in the courts of admiralty, 1s. per fheet. (9) Copies of fuch, &c.

6d. per

thest

The tranfactions in the British parliament were not fo fecretly carried on but they reached America be fore they were ready to be put in execution. After this ftamp bill was read in parliament the first time, before it was read a fecond time, a petition was offered to the Commons by Edward Montague, agent for the province of Virginia, praying to take their unhappy circumftances into confideration; and that their house of burgeffes might be continued in the rights and privileges they had fo long enjoyed; and they might be heard by their council against a bill that might be intended to charge ftamp or any other duties on the colony of Virginia. A petition was also offered to be presented by the governor and company of the EngJith colony of Connecticut, in North America, praying that the colony might be indulged in the exercife of the power of laying all internal taxes on the faid co

lony,

fheet. (ro) Appeals, writs of error and of dower, ad quod damnum, certiorari, ftatute merchant, ftatute ftaple, atteftations, certificates, exemplifications of records or proceedings in any courts, except appeals, &c. from proceedings before a fingle juftice, 10s. per fheet. (11) Writs of covenant or of entry, attachment, &c. in any of the faid courts, 5. per fheet. (12) Judgments, decrees, fentences, dimiffions, records of nifi prius, or poftea in any of the courts, 4s. per fheet. (13) Affidavits, common bail for appearance, interrogatory depofitions, rules, orders, warrants of court, dedimus proteftatem, capias, fubpænas, fummonfès, compulsory citations, commiflions, recog nances, is per fheet. (14) Licences, appointments, admifions of councellors, folicitors, &c to practice in any court. 10l. per fleet, (15) Bills of lading, cockets, clearances, 4d. per fheet. (16) Letters of mart, commiflions for private thips of war, 20s. Per fheet. (17) Grants, appointments, admiflions to public beneficial offices, &c, of 201, per amum value or upwards (army, navy, judges, and juftices of the peace excepted) ros. per fleet. (18) Grants of liberties privileges or franchises, under the feal of any of the colonies, or fign manual of any governor. &c. or any exemplifications thereof, 61. per fheet. (19) Licences for retailing fpirituous liquors 20s. per fheet. (20) Licence for retailing wine only 41. per fheet. (21) Licences for retailing wine, where a licence has been granted for retailing fpirituous liquors, 31 per fheet. (22) Probates of wills, letters of adminiftration or guardianship. &c. on the continent, and the Bermuda and Bahama iflands, 55. per

fheet.

Jony, and that the resolution of that house in the laft feffion of parliament, might not be carried into exe, cution, by a bill for impofing stamp duties on the colonies. William Middleton, Efq. Daniel Hughes, Efq. and Jofeph Nitt, Efq. alfo offered a petition in behalf of themselves, and the reft of the inhabitants, owners' of property, in his Majefty's province of South Carolina, praying that the house would not approve of any bill that might be offered, charging stamp duties in the province of Carolina. A motion was made with refpect to each of these questions, that they fhould be brought in, but upon each of the questions refpectively a negative was put. Upon a divifion it was carried by 245 against 49 that the petitions should not be heard. The bill, after going through all its stages and forms, was at laft paffed, and received the royal fanc

tion.

It

fheet. (23) Probates, letters of administration or guardianship, in other parts of America, 1os, per fheet. (24) Bonds for any fum not exceeding 10l. on the continent and islands of Bermuda and Bahama, 6d. per fheet. (25) Bonds for any fum above 1ol, and not exceeding 20l. within the laid places, Is. per fheet. (26) Bonds for any fun. above 201. and not exceeding 40l. within the fame places is. 6d. per theet. (27) Warrants for furveying or fetting out any lands not exceeding 100 acres, 6d. per fheet. (28) Warrants for furveying and fetting out any land above 100 acres and not exceeding 200, 1s. per fheet (29) Warrants for furveying or fetting out any lands above 200 acres and not exceeding 300, Is. 6d. per sheet. (30) Original grants, or deeds, mefne conveyances, &c. of lands not exceeding 100 acres upon the continents or iflands of Bermuda and Bahama, s. 6d. per sheet. (31) Original grants, &c, of lands above 100 acres and not exceeding 200 in the faid places 2s. per fheet. (32) Original grants, &c. of land above 200 acres, and not exceeding 300 in the faid places, 2s. 6d. per fheet. (33) Original grants, &c. of lands not exceeding 100 acres within all other parts of America, 3s. per fheet. (34) Original grants, &c. of lands above 100 acres, and not exceeding 300 acres, 45. per sheet. (35) Grants, appointments, or admiflions to any public beneficial office, not before charged, above 201. per annum value, er exemplifications thereof (army, navy, and Justices of the peace excepted upon the continent, or Bermuda and Bahama Islands,

It must be acknowledged to the honour of the Bri tish parliament, that this bill did not pass without oppofition; the friends of liberty, and of the conftitution, the fincere lovers of the Brunswick family, oppofed it, in all its ftages, and offered fuch arguments against it as their opponents were not able to answer. The jurifdiction of parliament over the colonies, was combated with arguments, which every fober perfon under no influence except truth, muft confefs in their hearts to be forcible and conclufive. It was argued in behalf of the colonies, that those who firft planted them, were driven from their native country by violent perfecutions, and had left their mother country for conscience fake, at their own rifque and expence; that being both perfecuted and forfaken by her, all ties, except what are common to mankind, were diffolved between them. That as England had ceased to give

them

41. per fheet. (36) Grants or admiffion to fuch offices in any other part of America, 61. per fheet. (37) Indentures, leafes, conveyances, contracts, ftipulatiɔns——————of sale, charter-parties, protests, articles of apprenticeship or covenants, except for the hiring of fervants and other matters before charged, 2s. 6d. per fheet. (38) Warrants for auditing public accounts, beneficial warrants, orders, grants, certifi cates, under the public feal or fign manual of the governors, &c. not before charged (paffports, furrenders of offices, policies of affurance, warrants for the navy or army or grants of offices under 20l. per an num value excepted) 5s. per fheet. (39) Notorial acts, bonds, deeds, letters of attorney, procuration, mortgage, release, or obligatory inftrument (not charged before) 25. 3d. per fheet. (40) Registers, entries or inrollments of grants, deeds &c. (before charged) 3d. per fheet. (41) Registers, entries or inrolments of grants, deeds &c. (not before charged) 2s. perfheet. (42) Duties payable upon cards and dice, viz. on cards is. per pack, dice 10s. per pair. (43) Duties on pamphlets, newspapers, viz. pamphlets, half a sheet or lefs, one half-penny on every printed copy; larger than half a fheet and not exceeding a whole fheet, Id. for every copy; being larger than one fleet and not exceeding 6 in octavo or under, or not exceeding 12 fheets in quarto or 20 fheets in folio, Is. per sheet for one printed copy; for every advertisement in any gazette or other paper 2s. for every almanack, &c. to serve for one year 4d. for every almanack to serve for several years, duties to the fame amount refpectively for each year; on inftrumcuts, proceed

ings,