An Humble Address and Earnest Appeal to Those Respectable Personages in Great-Britain and Ireland, Who, by Their Great and Permanent Interest in Landed Property, Their Liberal Education, Elevated Rank, and Enlarged Views, Are the Ablest to Judge, and the Fittest to Decide, Whether a Connection with, Or a Separation from the Continental Colonies of America, Be Most for the National Advantage, and the Lasting Benefit of These KingdomsTucker, Josiah
History
An Humble Address and Earnest Appeal to Those Respectable Personages in Great-Britain and Ireland, Who, by Their Great and Permanent Interest in Landed Property, Their Liberal Education, Elevated Rank, and Enlarged Views, Are the Ablest to Judge, and the Fittest to Decide, Whether a Connection with, Or a Separation from the Continental Colonies of America, Be Most for the National Advantage, and the Lasting Benefit of These Kingdoms
Tucker, Josiah
Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783
3dly. The Advocates for making _North-America_ independent of the
_British_ Parliament must, if consistent with themselves, be for turning
the _British_ Constitution into something very different from what it is
at present, or ever was; for the very Plea these Men use in regard to
_North-America_ is, that Representation and Legislation (a very small Part
of which is the Power of raising Taxes) must always go together; therefore
as nineteen Parts in twenty of the People of _England_, and upwards of
ninety-nine Parts in an Hundred of the People of _Scotland_, are not
qualified to be _Voters_, nor ever were, _be their Property ever so
great_, that is (according to this new-fashioned Doctrine) are not
represented in Parliament; it must inevitably follow, that a vast Majority
of the Inhabitants of _Great-Britain_, as well as _British America_, have
a right to renounce their Allegiance to the present Government as soon as
they please, and to set up for Independence. For in Fact, according to the
dangerous Principles now openly avowed, all this Multitude of Non-Electors
owe no Subjection to that Legislature, and to those Powers, in the Choice
or Continuance of which they were not consulted. They ought not to be
compelled to obey any Laws, which were made without their Consent, or
Privity; and more especially where they have no Representation, they ought
not to be subject to any Taxation.--So that being thus happily set free
from all Coercion of Government, all Restraints of Law, and Burden of
Taxes; and having learnt at last to assert those inherent and unalienable
Rights, which have been so long usurped, they are now restored to a State
of the most perfect Freedom, and may either chuse another Form of
Government, according to their own Fancy; or else live, as they can,
without any Government at all. A blessed Specimen this of _patriotic
Liberty_! A most comprehensive Bill of Rights! sure of overturning, if
carried into Execution, every Government, that either ever was, or ever
can be, proposed to the World.
4thly. The honourable Society of the _Outs_ will go as great Lengths to
throw Things into Confusion as any Set of Men whatever; for as these
Persons have no other End in View than to get into Power, and to share the
Emoluments of the State among themselves and their Dependents, they will
stick at no Measure, however unjust and unconstitutional, to compass this
End: Nay, they will unsay the Things which they themselves had said in
Administration; they will blame those very Measures which they themselves
had planned and recommended; and, in short, they will do any Thing, and
every Thing, to raise the evil Spirit of Discord and Dissention, to bring
themselves in.
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