How would you like to pay four shillings a year, out of
every pound your farms are worth, to be squandered, (at least
a great part of it) upon ministerial tools and court sycophants?
What would you think of giving a tenth part of the yearly
products of your lands to the clergy? Would you not think it
very hard to pay 10s. sterling per annum, for every wheel of
your waggons and other carriages, a shilling or two for every
pane of glass in your houses, and two or three shillings for every
one of your hearths? I might mention taxes upon your mares,
cows, and many other things; but those I have already men-
tioned are sufficient. Methinks I see you stare, and hear you ask
how you could live, if you were to pay such heavy taxes? Indeed
my friends I can't tell you--You are to look out for that, and
take care you do not run yourselves in the way of danger, by
following the advice of those, who want to betray you. This
you may depend upon, if ever you let the Parliament carry its
point, you will have these and more to pay. Perhaps before
long, your tables, and chairs, and platters, and dishes, and
knives and forks, and every thing else would be taxed. -- Nay,
I don't know but they would find means to tax you for every
child you got, and for every kiss your daughtes received from
their sweet-hearts, and God knows, that would soon ruin you.
The people of England would pull down the Parliament House,
if their present heavy burdens were not transferred from them
to you. Indeed there is no reason to think the Parliament would
have any inclination to spare you: The contrary is evident.

But being ruined by taxes is not the worst you have to fear.
What security would you have for your lives? How can any of
you be sure you would have the free enjoyment of your religion
long? would you put your religion in the power of any set of
men living? Remember civil and religious liberty always go
together, if the foundation of the one be sapped, the other will
fall of course.

Call to mind one of our sister colonies, Boston. Reflect up-
on the situation of Canada, and then tell me whether you are
inclined to place any confidence in the justice and humanity of
the parliament. The port of Boston is blocked up, and an ar-
my planted in the town. An act has been passed to alter its
charter, to prohibit its assemblies, to license the murder of its