Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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16 The Augusta Seminary Annual. 5. By enfranchising the slaves. Objection — Impracticable. (1) The slaves might refuse to take liberty, or the masters might free them. (2) Incongruity of this act from the English. 0. By annihilati)ig space and time. But all these difficulties got over, the Ocean still remains. ' ' Second Alternative. To prosecute it as Criminal. 1. Objection — Inapplicable. (1) Difficulty of drawing up an indictment against a whole people. (2) An Empire is the aggregate of many States un- der one common he ad. It is absurd in the head of an Empire to think because privileges are pleaded his authority is defied. (3) England must be the judge between the Colonies and herself; the incongi ' uity of a judge ' s pros- ecuting as criminal a civil litigant against him in point of right. 2. Objection-r— Inexpedient. (1) As shown by the conduct of Massachu s in the Boston riots. (2) As seen in the difficulty of applying juridical ideas to the present case. Third Tllternativc. To comply with this spirit as necessary. The Colonies complain of Taxation without Represen- tation. To satisfy them they must be given what they ask for, not what Parliament thinks best for them.

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The Aui usta Seminary Annual. 15 ' . American Character. Love of Freedom, the chief characteristic of the Amer- ican people is due to (1) Descent. (2) Form of Government. (3) Religion in the Northern Provinces. (4) Manners in the Southern. (5) Education. (6) Remoteness of Situation from First Mover of Government. This Spirit of Liberty meeting with the ex- ercise of power in England has kindled the flame which is ready to consume the Empire. Part II. How to Deal writh America. Necessity of determining on some fixed course. First Alternative. To Change the Spirit yy Removing the Causes. 1. By with-holding land grajits. Objection — Impracticable. (1) Because of the quantity of land unsettled. (2) People would settle without grants. 2. By impoverishing the Colonies. Objection — Impracticable. (1) It would weaken the object. (2) It would be temporary. 3. By falsifying their pedigree. Objection — Impossible. So long as they speak the English tongue. 4. By changing the Rcligioti ajid by abolishing their public Institutions. Objection — (1) Inquisition is out of fashion. (2) The army would be too great an expense.

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The Au :;usla Seminary Annual. 17 1 . Consideration limited to Policy. (1) To give up the question of Right of Taxation. (2) To keep up the concord of the Empire by Unity of Spirit. (3) To admit the people of the Colonies into an in- terest in the Constitution. (4) Previous measures now insufficient. 2. Trade Laws. Whether the Trade or the Revenue Laws are the real cause of the quarrel. 3. Plan j or Conciliation modeled on Constitutional Precedents . (1) The Government of Ireland. (2) The Government of Wales. (3) The Government of Chester. (4) The Government of Durham. These examples show that freedom and not ser- vitude is the cure for anarchy. 4. Application of Constitutional Prccede?its to America. (1) Comparison of Wales and America as regards Descent, Population, State of Rebellion, Gov- ernment by Penal Statutes, Representation. (2) Nature opposes a representation of the Colonies, however what nature has disjoined in one way, wisdom may unite in another. (3) For theory, the ancient Constitutional policy in regard to representation, and for practice, ex- perience has been taken. (4) The Speaker desires to establish taxation by Grant not b} ' Imposition. Part III. Resolutions. First Proposition. — The Colonies have not been allowed Rep- resentation in Parliament.. Second Proposition. — The Colonies are grieved because taxed without Representation. Third Proposition. — Distance of Colonies has not permitted Representation, neither have the Colonies desired it.