venue of 800,000l. is on an average above 6,5761. a year. The fum af 800,000l. was at that time thought abundantly fufficient to fupport the fplendor of the crown, and the Majefty of this great people. His Majesty has received befides 172,6051. the arrears of the Jate King's Civil Lift, 100,000l. on account of Somerfet-house, and an additional grant of 513,5111. in the year 1769, to discharge all incumbrances. The death of the Princess Dowager of Wales was a faving of 60,000l. a year, and the Duke of York 12,000l. a year. Yet, fir, we are now told of another debt of 618,340l. and called upon to pay that likewife, notwithstanding the former bargain with the public. The very proposal implies another violation of public faith. Sir, I'will venture to fay, if we are indeed juft trustees for the people, if we confcientiously reflect that their wealth is intrufted to our care, that we are the guardians of the public purse, we ought to ftop this growing evil, and reprobate the idea of fuffering their money to be thus fquandered, as well as the country drained by a variety of taxes. I muft add, fir, taxes impofed to fupply a profufion,

B 3

"

fufion, which arifes from a violation of a for lemn compact with the nation, and renders the limitation of the expenees of the crown by Parliament the moft vague and abfurd of all propofitions. The power of controul of the expences of the crown is the being and lifet of Parliament. What traces do we now find of the exiftence of this power? Are the accounts on our table proofs of our boasted: deconomy? and is meanness thus nearly allied to prodigality?

There is at prefent, fir, a peculiar cruelty in thus endeavouring to fleece the people, when we are involved in a most expensive, as well as unnatural and ruinous, Civil War, and burthened with an enormous load of national debt, the intereft of which even we are fcarcely able to ftand under. Is there no feeling for the fufferings of this impoverished: country? Are the people really nothing in the fale of government ? The principal of the

national debt is ftated to us at Midfummer 1775 to amount to the aftonishing fums of 135,943,0511. and the intereft to 4,440,8211. Is this the time, fir, that a miniffer can withs an unembarrafied countenance come to Parlia

ment

ment to lay additional loads on an exhausted nation, and to afk more of the people's money? When the greateft fources of our commerce and wealth are deftroyed by the folly and wickedness of adminiftration, when we have already spent in this unjust war above nineteen millions, when above, half our empire is loft, and those American friends, who have affifted us fo frequently and fo powerfully, are forced by our injustice to become determined enemies, and for their own fafety to endeavour our humiliation, are we at fuch a mament as this to talk of the greatness of the crown, a crown fhorn of half its beams. Are we to hear of the happy state of the nation, when we have loft more than we have retained of this divided empire, when. new taxes and additional burdens on the people, are the most important objects of govern-" ment?"Is the Civil Lift to incrcafe in proportion to the lofs of all thofe refources of trade and riches, by which it is fed and nourished ? Is the nature of the Civil Lift in the body politic analogous to what Lord Bacon fays of the Spleen, that it increafes in proportion to

the waste, decay, and rapid consumption of the other parts of the human body?

Sir, we ought to look back to what former Princes and Parliaments have done. I will take the confideration only from the glorious æra of the Revolution, and it shall be stated fairly and fully. The Civil Lift was not granted to King William for life till the year 1698, when 700,000l. a year was fettled on him. The diftractions of his government, and of all Europe at that period, are well known. His most generous views for the public were thwarted at home during the greatest part of his reign by the *Tories, as. the friends of liberty are now harraffed by them

*His Excellency General Washington ftrictly forbids all the officers and foldiers of the Continental Army, of the Militia, and all recruiting parties, plundering any perfon whatfoever, whether Tories or others. The effects of such persons will be applied to public ufes in a regular manner; and it is expected that humanity and tenderness to women and children will diftinguish brave Ameri ans, contending for liberty, from infamous mercenary ravagers, whether 'British or Heffians.

Trenton, Jan. Ig 17770

G. WASHINGTON,

Did

them in America, according to the late or ders of General Washington to the Continental army, and his fpirited letters to the Congrefs. Queen Anne had the fame revenue fettled upon her. She did not ask the additional fum of 100,000l. to her Civil Lift, but he gave unasked out of it yearly 100,000l. towards carrying on the war, a war against France, befides 200,000l. at least towards the building of Blenheim-houfe, and above 100,000l. for the fupport of the poor Palatines. We have a refolution of this Houfe, fir, on a report from a Committee, which ftates this very fully. It is on the Journals of May 13, 1715, and in the following

Did any Monarch in Europe begin this year with fuch a glorious act of humanity, and regard to the public, as Dictator Washington in America?

Greenwich, March 16, 1777. "The bearer hereof, Nehemiah Lifcome, being an "infamous Tory, and profefi enemy to the United States * of America, and confequently having no right to a “refidence or dwelling on this Continent, is hereby "ordered to remove himself immediately to Long. "Ifland, &c, &c, &c.

By order of Major Gen. Woofter,

Ino. Cofins Ogden, Aid-de-Camp