then taxable objects.

"Nor was the time less favorable to the _equity_ of such a taxation. I
don't mean to dispute the reasonableness of America contributing to the
charges of Great Britain, _when she is able_; nor, I believe, would the
Americans themselves have disputed it at a _proper time and season_. But
it should be considered, that the American governments themselves have,
in the prosecution of the late war, contracted very large debts, which
it will take some years to pay off, and in the mean time occasion very
_burdensome taxes for that purpose_ only. For instance, this government,
which is as much beforehand as any, raises every year 37,500_l._
sterling for sinking their debt, and must continue it for four years
longer at least before it will be clear."

These are the words of Governor Bernard's letter to a member of the old
ministry, and which he has since printed.

Mr. Grenville could not have made this proposition to the agents for
another reason. He was of opinion, which he has declared in this House
an hundred times, that the colonies could not legally grant any revenue
to the crown, and that infinite mischiefs would be the consequence of
such a power. When Mr. Grenville had passed the first revenue act, and
in the same session had made this House come to a resolution for laying
a stamp-duty on America, between that time and the passing the Stamp Act
into a law he told a considerable and most respectable merchant, a
member of this House, whom I am truly sorry I do not now see in his
place, when he represented against this proceeding, that, if the
stamp-duty was disliked, he was willing to exchange it for any other
equally productive,--but that, if he objected to the Americans being
taxed by Parliament, he might save himself the trouble of the
discussion, as he was determined on the measure. This is the fact, and,
if you please, I will mention a very unquestionable authority for it.

Thus, Sir, I have disposed of this falsehood. But falsehood has a
perennial spring. It is said that no conjecture could be made of the
dislike of the colonies to the principle. This is as untrue as the
other. After the resolution of the House, and before the passing of the
Stamp Act, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and New York did send
remonstrances objecting to this mode of Parliamentary taxation. What was
the consequence? They were suppressed, they were put under the table,
notwithstanding an order of Council to the co