Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/274

264 TO MR. DUBOURG,

CONCERNING THE DISSENSIONS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

SEE with pleafure that we think pretty much alike on the ſubjects of Engliſh America. We of the colonies have never inſiſted that we ought to be exempt from contributing to the common expences neceſſary to ſupport the proſperity of the empire. We only aſſert, that having parliaments of our own, and not having repreſentatives in that of Great Britain, our parliaments are the only judges of what we can and what we ought to contribute in this caſe; and that the Engliſh parliament has no right to take our money without our conſent. In fact the Britiſh empire is not a ſingle ſtate; it comprehends many; and though the parliament of Great-Britain has arrogated to itſelf the power of taxing the colonies, it has no more right to do ſo, than it has to tax Hanover. We have the ſame king, but not the ſame legiſlatures.

The diſpute between the two countries has already loſt England many millions ſterling, which it has loſt in its commerce, and America has in this reſpect been a proportionable gainer. This commerce conſiſted principally of ſuperfluities; objects of luxury and faſhion, which we can well do without; and the reſolution we have formed of importing no more till our grievances are redreſſed, has enabled many of our infant manufactures to take root; and it will not be eaſy to