Part 2

The first Thing to be considered in the Dispute between Mr. BURKE and me, is, which of Our Schemes _is the easiest to be executed, and the most practicable_? He proposes that all Concessions should be made on our Parts in Favour of the Colonies; but that none, or next to none, should be made by them in Favour of _Great Britain_. Now this Proposal can never terminate the Dispute between us and them, but on one or other of the following Suppositions.

First, that the Parliament and People of _Great-Britain_ are now convinced, that they have acted injuriously, illegally, and unconstitutionally in pretending to make any Laws, whether good or bad, to bind the _Americans_: Because they (the _Americans_) have their own Legislatures, which are totally independent of ours: And therefore we take Shame to ourselves by revoking these pretended, usurping Laws. For in short, the first Step in Politics, as well as in Morals, towards sincere Repentance, is _Restitution_. Or, secondly, though we should not give up the Point of _Right_, of making Laws, and cry _peccavimus_,--yet we take for granted, that no improper Use will be made of the great and manifold Concessions, contained in Mr. BURKE's Scheme; because we have to deal with a People, who, (we know by long Experience) may be trusted with every Thing, as being the _Quintessence of Honour and Honesty_, both in public and private Life, and particularly the _fair unsullied Monuments of national Gratitude_.

Or if this likewise should prove to be a Pill too large, and too nauseous for _Englishmen_ to swallow;--then, thirdly, we are to suppose, in order to end all Controversy, that the Trade with these _North-Americans_ is so essential to our Interests, as a commercial Nation, that we must keep them in good Humour at any Rate, and at any Expence;--least they should deprive us of their Custom, to the utter Ruin of our Manufactures, Shipping, Navigation, &c. &c. &c.

Or lastly, we must suppose, that old _England_ is in Fact grown so exceedingly weak and impotent, and _America_ so very strong and powerful, that it is in vain to resist any Encroachments, which the Colonies may make on the Mother-Country:--For in such Circumstances, it is more prudent to submit to the present Evils, great as they are, than to provoke our Conquerors to inflict still greater.

I say, one or other of these four Suppositions must necessarily be made, before Mr. BURKE's Plan can terminate in real Peace, and restore that Harmony, of which he makes such continual Boastings. Let him therefore, at his own Leisure, take his Choice of either of the four, or even adopt them all, if he pleases, and make the most of them.

In the mean while, deign, my Lords and Gentlemen, to cast your Eyes on my Plan (_childish_ as it is represented by him to be) of a _total Separation_. And first of all, is it practicable in itself? And could it be executed with Ease, if heartily set about?--Suppose therefore, that you were to recall your Fleets and Armies, and publish to the _Americans_ the following Manifesto, couched under the Form of an Act of Parliament.

"Whereas many of the _British_ Provinces, Colonies, and Plantations in _North-America_, after having made, from Time to Time, various Attempts to throw off, or subvert the legislative Authority and Jurisdiction of _Great-Britain_, have at length proceeded to the greatest and most daring Outrages for accomplishing the same, by entering into illegal Combinations and traiterous Conspiracies, and even by breaking out into open and undisguised Rebellion: And whereas the Inhabitants in general of the said Provinces, Colonies, and Plantations shew not the least Signs of Sorrow and Contrition for their past Offences, nor any Desire to implore the Clemency of the Parent-State, which hath in all Instances cherished, supported, and protected them at an immense Expence both of Blood, and Treasure; but on the contrary, continue to encrease their hostile Preparations for opposing, by Violence and Force of Arms, the Execution of the Laws made by the supreme Legislature of Parliament for the due Governance, and constitutional Dependence of such subordinate States and Provinces;

"Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons of _Great-Britain_ in Parliament assembled;--that every such Province, Colony, and Plantation which either now is, or at the ___ Day of _____ next ensuing shall be found to be in Arms and Rebellion against the Laws and Authority of the supreme Legislature of _Great-Britain_, shall, from and after the Time above mentioned, be totally cut off, severed, and separated from the British Empire; and that all its Inhabitants shall be declared, and are hereby declared to have lost and forfeited all Privileges and Advantages, Benefits and Protection both by Sea and Land, belonging, or supposed to belong to the Subjects of _Great-Britain_; and that they shall be deemed, taken, and reputed, in all Courts of Law, and in all Respects whatever, to be as much Aliens and Foreigners, and subject to the same Incapacities, as if they had been Aliens born.

"Provided nevertheless, and to the Intent, that as far as the Nature of the Case will admit, the _Innocent_ may not be involved in the Punishment intended only for the _Guilty_; be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawful for his Majesty, and for his Heirs and Successors, at any Time, to grant a Pardon to a whole State, Province, or Colony, now in Rebellion, under the Great Seal of the Realm; or to one or more Inhabitant or Inhabitants thereof under the Seal Manual, and to _restore_ such Colony, or such Person or Persons to their former Rights and Privileges, as _British_ Subjects, when it shall appear to his Majesty in Council, that such a Province, or Colony, or such a Petitioner or Petitioners is, are, or shall be deserving of his Royal Clemency and Favour."

Suppose, I say, such a Manifesto, or one to this Effect, and couched under the Form of an Act of Parliament, to be proclaimed to the World concerning the Rebellion now existing in _America_: And then I ask, what possible Difficulty could attend the Execution of it? Or who would even attempt to prevent it? The only People or Nation, who would wish to obstruct the Execution of such a Law, are the _Americans_ themselves; for they have no Manner of Objection against participating in all Kinds of _Benefits_ to be derived from an _Union_ with us; tho' they raise such terrible Outcries against sharing in any of our _Burthens_: And yet their Efforts and Opposition would all be in vain; because, tho' you should even allow, that they are able to maintain their Independence in _America_, that Circumstance would not render them the Conquerors of _Great-Britain_, much less of the rest of the World; who must of Course remain independent of them.

Therefore, so far at least my System must have the Preference to Mr. BURKE's.

2dly. The next Question is, _Which System, can be carried into Execution with the least Expence?_ And surely as we have hitherto been engaged in nothing but Profusion and Extravagance, it is now high Time to adopt, if we can, some useful Scheme of Frugality and OEconomy in regard to _America_.

Now, my Lords and Gentlemen, here again permit me to ask, What Expences can possibly attend the Execution of my Scheme?--The Thing itself is no sooner said, than done. And all the Charges attending it are summed up in the triffling Articles of Pen, Ink, Paper, and Printing. Whereas Mr. BURKE's System, even according to his own Account, will entail upon you Expences always encreasing, nay, next to infinite. You must, for Example, win over the Heads and Leaders of the new _American_ Parliaments by means of "Great Honours and great Emoluments," [A pretty Periphrasis this to describe the Art of _Bribing_!] in order to cooperate with the Plans of the _British_ Parliament, and to bear a Share of the general Burthens of the _British_ Empire.

You must also guard their Coasts at all Times, and protect them from all Invaders: And when they chuse to amuse themselves by going _on smuggling_, _trucking_, _huckstering_, and _buccaneering_ Parties on the _Spanish_ Main, then you must more particularly stand up in their Defence, and insist on their Vessels not being searched by the _Spanish_ Guarda-costas. And if the _Spaniards_ should think this an hard Measure, and appeal to the Practice and Example of _Englishmen_ themselves, who never fail to search the Ships of all Nations, if found hovering on their Coasts, you must positively and vehemently say, that the _Case is widely different_:--Then you have a sufficient Plea for declaring War against them;--then, my Lords and Gentlemen, resolve (as your Predecessors did before) never to make Peace 'till the Right of Searching is given up;--then spend another _sixty_ or _ninety_ Millions in this new Quarrel;--and at last make Peace, (as they did) without ever mentioning the Right of not being searched; for which alone they pretended to go to War.

But this is not all:--For when the Back-Settlers in _America_ shall have "topped the _Apalachian_ Mountains in sufficient Numbers to constitute Hords of _English_ Tartars, pouring down an irresistible Cavalry on the unfortified Frontiers;"--who is to _resist_ these _Irresistibles_?--Not the Colonists or Provincials; for they, poor People, tho' now 150,000 strong, [see General LEE's Letter] to fight against their Protectors and Defenders, will nevertheless be so frightened at the Sight of this _Apalachian_ Tartar Cavalry, that they will again cry out for Help to the Mother-Country;--again, I say, as they did before, when only an handful of [3] _French_ and _Indians_ appeared against them. And indeed, if the Mother-Country will act the Part of _Don Quixote_ to that Degree, as to expend her best Blood and Treasure in their Cause, why should they incur any Dangers in their own dear Persons? Why be at the Pains and Charges of defending themselves, when they can so easily get the _British_ Nation to fight, and bleed, and do every Thing for them? Besides Mr. BURKE has already declared in express Terms, [Page 98, 2d. Edit.] that AMERICA MUST NOT BE EXHAUSTED. Exhaust, therefore, yourselves, my Lords and Gentlemen! as much as you please, or as much as you can; but don't expect Assistance from _America_, even in her own Defence, whilst she can get such Knight-Errants as the _English_ to fight her Battles; and whilst she can raise Patriots and Pamphleteers, News-Writers and Republicans, without Number, to yell the _American_ War Hoop, and to denounce BLACK and BITTER Days against those, who should even hesitate to obey her Commands.

But the third Question is, Which Scheme is _best calculated to prevent the like Disturbances for the future_?

And here I would humbly beg Leave to observe, that if my Scheme had nothing else to recommend it to your Notice, it most infallibly cuts off all the present Causes of Dispute and Contention between the two Countries; so that they never can revive again. Whereas Mr. BURKE's is, at best, but a temporary Cessation from Hostilities; a mere Truce, 'till both Parties can be recruited, and better provided to begin the War again. Nay, his would be found in the Event,--not only to be no Manner of Cure or Palliation of the present Evils, but even greatly to foment them, and also to engender many new ones.

For Example:--Granting, that Peace was made on the very Terms, which Mr. BURKE requires:--Granting, that we repealed every Act of Parliament to which the _Americans_ have thought proper to object:--Granting also, that we renounce for ever any Claim of Right to levy Taxes:--And granting, in short, that the _American_ Assemblies became so many distinct Parliaments, supreme within themselves, and independent of all others:--Still, whilst these _American Independents_ are to be protected by the _British_ Flag; whilst they are to enjoy all the Rights and Privileges of natural-born _British_ Subjects, both at Home, and Abroad, and in every Part of the Globe,--Questions _will_, and _must_, and _ought_ to arise, on what Terms are these independent _Americans_ to be thus protected? And what Compensation is to be made to the Mother-Country, for communicating to them her most valuable Rights and Privileges? Are they really to enjoy all Posts of Honour and Preferment, and all Places of Trust and Profit, and to be entitled to every Sort of Advantage, [4] Safeguard, and Protection, equally with the Natives of _Great-Britain_; and yet to make no Recompence or Acknowledgement for all these Favours?--The Answer of every staunch _American_, and of Mr. BURKE their Advocate General, must be as follows, (for on their Principles they can return no other) That each independent _American_ Parliament will be ready to _give_ and to _grant_ to _Great Britain_, by Way of Recompense or Gratification, the whole Sum of--_whatever they shall think proper, and no more_[5]. And that in respect to the Regulations of _American_ Commerce, they will consent, that you shall put whatever nominal Restraints you please upon it, provided you will not enforce such Restraints by any Forfeitures or Penalties, which shall imply _the most distant Idea of Taxation_;--and provided also that, if Offences should be supposed to be committed, they, (the _Americans_) and no others shall be allowed to be Judges both of the Nature, and of the Degree of each Offence; and that the Cause shall be tried no where else, but in their own _American_ Courts, and by their own _American_ Juries.

Now, my Lords and Gentlemen, suffer me I beseech you, to appeal to your own good Sense and Understandings on this Head.--Ask yourselves this plain Question, Is such a Plan of Reconciliation as Mr. BURKE proposes, a likely Method of terminating the present Disputes between the Mother-Country and her Colonies? Nay ask farther;--Hath it so much as a Tendency to cool and moderate them? Or rather doth it not seem much better contrived to enflame, than to extinguish; to kindle new Fires, than to quench old ones?

Besides, when each of these _American_ Assemblies shall be erected into a distinct Parliament, supreme within itself, and independent of the rest,--Is it possible to suppose, that no _new_ Disputes, or _new_ Differences will arise between such co-ordinate States and rival Powers;--_neighbouring_, _jealous_, and _contending_ Powers, I say, whose respective Limits are in many Instances as yet undefined, if really definable! And is it at all consistent with any Degree of common Sense, or daily Experience, to suppose that such Combustibles as these will not speedily catch Fire?--Especially, if we take into the Account, the discordant Tempers of the Inhabitants of these respective Provinces, their inbred Hatreds and Antipathies against each other, their different Modes of Life, the Differences of Climate, Religion, Manners, Habits of Thinking, &c. &c.

Now, when Tumults and Disorders shall arise from any of these various Causes,--What is to be done? And to whom, or to what common Head, or general Umpire is the appellant Province to carry her Complaint?--The Parliament of _Great-Britain_, it seems, must no longer interfere; for that is no longer the supreme Head of the Empire, to which all the Parts used to be subordinate, and professed to be obedient; therefore, being destitute of any authoritative or constitutional Right to _compel_ Submission, all it can do, is to offer its good Services by Way of Mediation; and that is, generally speaking, just nothing at all.

Is then the KING (abstracted from the Parliament) to be appealed to in this arduous Affair? And is he alone (in his mere _personal Capacity_) to command the Peace to be preserved between State and State, or Province and Province.----[6]Is he, I say (abstracted from being a King of _Great-Britain_) to summon all the Parties before himself and his Privy Council, in order to hear their respective Allegations, and finally to determine, and settle the Differences between them? Be it so: Then if he only is to decide, _as in an Affair relating to his own private Patrimony, in which we have no more Concern than we have with Hanover_,--it necessarily follows, that he must be invested with sufficient Power (independent of, and without the Consent of Parliament) to enforce these Decisions; for a Decree without a Power to enforce it, and to compel Obedience, is altogether nugatory and vain.

Now, my Lords and Gentlemen, this brings us to the last Point of Comparison between Mr. BURKE's, _and my System_, viz. Which will least endanger, or rather, which is best adapted to preserve our present happy Constitution?

Mr. BURKE's you see (if consistent with itself) must invest the Prince with an amazing Degree of Power!--Even with such a Degree, as shall be sufficient to controul the refractory States of _America_, from one End of the Continent to the other. Nay, what is still more, this _supreme_, _controuling_ Power must be the only CENTER OF UNION throughout the Empire. Nothing besides is so much as proposed; and indeed nothing besides (when the parliamentary Connection is dissolved) can be sufficient to _tie_ all the Parts together;--Parts so widely distant, so totally disjointed from each other, as the _British_ Isles and the _American_ Continent.

Now here again permit me to ask, Is not this a very alarming Circumstance even in Contemplation? And is all our boasted Zeal for Liberty to end at last only in that _Union_ and _Connection_ which can be procured to the several detached Parts of the Empire by Means of a Court, and of a standing Army?--A large standing Army to be kept up independently of the _British_ Parliament!--And that too for the express Purpose of enforcing the Decrees and Arbitrations of the Court!

But this is not all; for even a standing Army would not be so formidable (because it would soon moulder away) were no Means to be found out for its Support and Maintenance: And this Scheme of many independent Parliaments points to the very Means of obtaining the necessary Supplies; for, as an ingenious Foreigner has very judiciously observed[7], "A Sovereign who depends, with regard to Supplies, on several Assemblies, in Fact depends upon none. An Agent for the _American_ Colonies, [I suppose the Author meant Dr. FRANKLIN] in his Examination before the House of Commons, (_Anno_ 1766, P. 122) has even suggested in three Words the whole Substance of what I have endeavoured to prove on that Subject; when he said, _The Granting Aids to the Crown is the only Means the Americans have of_ RECOMMENDING THEMSELVES TO THEIR SOVEREIGN. Nothing therefore could be more fatal to _English_ Liberty (and to _American_ Liberty in the Issue) than the Adoption of the Idea, cherished by the _Americans_, of having distinct independent Assemblies of their own, who should treat immediately with the King, and grant him Subsidies, to the utter Annihilation of the Power of those antient, and hitherto successful Assertors of general Liberty, the _British_ Parliament."

To these Reflections in this and in other Parts of his Book, the judicious Author adds many striking Examples, particularly the present State of the Want of Liberty in _France_ and _Spain_, by way of confirming and corroborating his Argument. But in my humble Opinion there is still a more forcible Example to be drawn from the Case of the hereditary Dominions of the House of _Austria_. For it is well known, that the Princes of that House rule in as absolute a Manner over every Part of their vast Possessions as the Sovereigns either of _France_ or _Spain_; and yet there are States (answering to our Parliaments) in almost every Country belonging to the _Austrian_ Dominions; nay, these States are frequently summoned to meet together; which is not the Case with the _general national Assemblies of France_, or with the _Cortes_ of _Spain_. How then comes it to pass,--that such Meetings produce little or no Effects in regard to the obtaining of a _reasonable_ Degree of Liberty for the Subject, which every Subject, if in his right Senses, wishes to obtain? The Reason is obvious:--There are a Multitude of little States or Parliaments within the Territories of the House of _Austria_;--the States of _Austria_ (not to mention the several still lesser States in the _Netherlands_) the States of _Bohemia_, States of _Hungary_, of _Transilvania_, _Stiria_, _Carinthia_, _Carniola_, &c. &c. But all these petty States, or Parliaments being totally independent of, and consequently _Competitors_ with, and _Rivals_ to each other, never can act in Concert, or pursue one general Plan, or attend to one _common Interest_:--So that the Power of the Prince, which would have been too weak to have contended with them all, if all had been UNITED (like the Parliament of _Great-Britain_) in _one compact, and general Body_,--becomes an _Over-match_ for any one of them singly and disjointed from the rest:--And this is the true Reason, why the House of _Austria_ governs all her Provinces with so high an Hand at this Day. In short, _Divide et impera_, explains the whole Mystery of this Affair:--And _Great-Britain_ may here see her own Picture, drawn to the Life, if ever she should consent to the Erection of Parliaments in _North-America_, to be _co-ordinate_ with her own; and at the same Time should allow these _North-Americans_ to be _Co-partners_ with herself in one common Empire.

But why do I labour to prove this Point? Mr. BURKE himself is as conscious, as I can be, of the dreadful Effects, which must necessarily attend the Execution of his Scheme. Hear him therefore in his own Words:--[8]"We know that the Emulations of such Parties [to be created by the independent Parliaments of _North-America_] their Contradictions, their reciprocal Necessities, their Hopes and their Fears, _must_ send them all in their Turns to him who holds the BALANCE of the State. The Parties are the Gamesters, but Government keeps the Table, and is sure to be the Winner in the End. When this Game is played, I really think, it is more to be feared, that the [_American_] People will be exhausted, than that Government will not be supplied."