Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

Page 23 text:

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.

Page 22 text:

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.

Page 24 text:

18 The Aiigtisfa Seminary Anmial. Fourth Proposition. — Each Colon) ' - has in itself a General Assembly with powers legally to raise, levy and assess duties and taxes towards defraying all sorts of public services. Fifth Propositio7i. — The Colony Assemblies have often when requested, granted cheerfully large supplies to the king. (1) The speaker keeps to Parliamentary Records. (2) Parliament cannot refuse in the gross what it has acknowledged in detail. (3) Mr. Grenville ' s s tatement and mistake. (4) The productive nature of Revenue by Grant and the futility of Revenue by Imposition . Sixth Proposition. — The granting of supplies by Colony As- semblies has been more beneficial than the granting of aids by Parliament. First Resolution. Resolution to Repeal or Amend certain Acts of Par- liament. (1) To repeal the Revenue Acts of 1767. (2) To repeal the Boston Port Bill. (3) To amend the Act of 1774. taking away the Char- ter of Massachusetts. (4) To repeal the Regulating Act. (5) An amendment of the Act for Trial of Treason committed out of his Majesty ' s dominion. Reasons for Repealing these Kcts. Second Resolution. That the judges appointed by the Assemblies shall not be removed except by wish of the Assemblies. Third Resolution. That the Courts of Admiralty be Regulated.