[May 13.] The chancellor of the exchequer moved for leave to bring in bills for granting a duty upon paper, glass, painters colours, &c. in the British American colonies; for settling salaries on the governors, judges, &c. in North-America; and for taking off the duty on teas exported to America, and granting a duty of three-pence a pound on the importation in America. Two bills were at length framed, the one for granting duties in the British colonies in America, on paper, glass, painters colours, tea, &c. the other for taking off the duty of a shilling a pound on all black and singlo tea, and for granting a drawback on teas exported to Ireland and America. The first received the royal assent June the twenty-ninth; the last July the second. The preamble to the first act expresses, that the duties are laid “for the better support of government, and the administration of the colonies.” The colonists deemed it unnecessary, unjust, and dangerous to their most important rights. There is a clause in it enabling the crown, by sign manual to establish _a general civil list_ throughout every province in _North-America_, to any indefinite extent, with any salaries, pensions, or appointments, to any unlimited amount, even to the produce of the last farthing of the American revenue. The point was now carried, which had been the object of every minister since the reign of Charles II. viz. _the establishment of a civil list in America, independent of the assemblies_. Mr. _Richard Jackson_ spoke in the house of commons against that part of the bill, and was supported only by Mr. _Huske_, and no other member. He was convinced, that though the judges ought to be independent both of crown and people, yet mischiefs might arise from the independency of governors on the people, much greater than could arise from their dependence; and that it was not fit that such persons as governors usually are, should be independent of the people, and dependent upon the crown for their governments. The act provides, that after all such ministerial warrants under the sign manual, as are _thought proper and necessary_, shall be satisfied, the residue of the revenue shall be at the disposal of the parliament. But who can suppose that such warrants will ever be satisfied till ministers have provided for all their friends and favorites? May it not be said upon the plan of this act, “the mockery of an American revenue proves at last to be the crumbs that fall from the minister’s table—the residue, indeed, of a royal warrant, countersigned by the first lord of the treasury.”[94]