Page:Journal of the First Congress of the American Colonies (1765).djvu/37

 colonies, though they acknowledge a due' subordination to that angust body the British parliament, are entitled, in the opinion of your memorialises, to all the inherent rights and liberties of they natives of Great Britain, and have ever since they settlement of the said colonies, exercised those rights and liberties, as far as their loca1'circum» stances would permit(5*

That your memorialises humbly conceive that one»of the most essential rights of these colonists, which they have ever till lately uninterruptedly enjoyed, to be trial by jury.

That your memorialises also humbly conceive another of these essential rights; to be the exemption from all taxes, but such as are imposed on the people' by thesevefai legislature sin these colonies, which rights they have also till of late enjoyed. But your memprialism humbly beg leave to represent to your lordships, -that the act for granting certain stanip duties in the British colonies in America, &c., fills his majesty's American subjects with the deepest concern, as it tends to deprive them of the two fundamental and invaluable rights and liberties above mentioned; and that several other late acts of parliament. which extend the jurisdiction and power of courts of admiralty in the plantations beyond their limits in Great Britain, thereby 'make an unnecessary, unhappy distinction, as to the modes of trial between us and our fellow subjects there, by whom we never have been excelled-in duty and loyalty tovour sovereign,

That from the natural connéction Between Great Britain and America, the perpetual continuance of which your memorialises most ardently desire, they conceive that nothing can conduce more to the interest of both, than the colonists, free enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and: an-a.E`ectina beiiiter course between Great Britain and, them. But your memorialistef not waiving their