g two millions
and upwards of free inhabitants, have not had the liberty and privilege
of electing and sending any knights and burgesses, or others, to
represent them in the high court of Parliament."

"That the said colonies and plantations have been made liable to, and
bounden by, several subsidies, payments, rates, and taxes, given and
granted by Parliament, though the said colonies and plantations have not
their knights and burgesses in the said high court of Parliament, of
their own election, to represent the condition of their country; _by
lack whereof they have been oftentimes touched and grieved by subsidies,
given, granted, and amended to, in the said, court, in a manner
prejudicial to the common wealth, quietness, rest, and peace of the
subjects inhabiting within the same_."

"That, from the distance of the said colonies, and from other
circumstances, no method hath hitherto been devised for procuring a
representation in Parliament for the said colonies."

"That each of the said colonies hath within itself a body, chosen, in
part or in the whole, by the freemen, freeholders, or other free
inhabitants thereof, commonly called the General Assembly, or General
Court, with powers legally to raise, levy, and assess, according to the
several usages of such colonies, duties and taxes towards defraying all
sorts of public services."[30]

"That the said general assemblies, general courts, or other bodies
legally qualified as aforesaid, have at sundry times freely granted
several large subsidies and public aids for his Majesty's service,
according to their abilities, when required thereto by letter from one
of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State; and that their right to
grant the same, and their cheerfulness and sufficiency in the said
grants, have been at sundry times acknowledged by Parliament."

"That it hath been found by experience, that the manner of granting the
said supplies and aids by the said general assemblies hath been more
agreeable to the inhabitants of the said colonies, and more beneficial
and conducive to the public service, than the mode of giving and
granting aids and subsidies in Parliament, to be raised and paid in the
said colonies."

"That it may be proper to repeal an act, made in the seventh year of the
reign of his present Majesty, intituled, 'An act for granting certain
duties in the British colonies and plantations in America; for allowing
a drawback of the duties of customs,