I
told this house, four years ago, that the people of America would resist
the tax then permitted to remain on them--that they would not oppose
power to power, But would become implacable. Have they not been so from
that time to this very hour? I tell you again, that they will resist
the measures now pursued in a more vigorous way. Committees of
correspondence in the different provinces are in constant communication:
they do not trust in the conveyance of the post-office; they have set up
a constitutional courier, which will quickly grow up to the superseding
of your post-office. As soon as intelligence of these affairs reaches
them, they will judge it necessary to communicate with each other: it
will be found inconvenient and ineffectual to do so by letters. They
must confer; they will hold a conference; and to what these committees,
thus met in congress, will grow up, I will not say. Should recourse be
had to arms, you will hear of other officers than those appointed by
your governor Then, as in the late civil wars of this country, it
will be of little consequence to dispute who were the aggressors." Sir
Richard Sutton spoke in a similar strain; asserting, that though it
was not confessed, the Americans were aiming at total independence,
and would never again submit quietly to English laws and regulations of
trade.
This debate took place on the second reading of the bill. The third
reading occurred on the 2nd of May, when Sir William Meredith insisted
that the parliament of Great Britain had an indisputable right to
lay duties upon the Americans, and to tax them externally.
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