Cambridge Library Collection - North American History
1 primary work
Volume 3
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1875 Excerpt: ...L for he saw that "the province must stake on the event 1764. liberties that ought to be immortal;" and desired to see an olive leaf, at least, brought to them before they should quit their ark.1 On the other side, Joseph Galloway urged with vigor the just complaints against the proprietaries. All royalist at heart, he had even applauded the ministry of Grenville for its disposition to mild and equitable measures, and was tolerant of a military establishment,2 of which, all the inconveniency to the colonies was to "be a proportionable part of the aids to support the troops." And Franklin, with undaunted courage supporting popular rights against every danger, was willing to transfer to the king the executive power then held by the proprietaries, believing it could be done without detriment to the established privileges of Pennsylvania. A petition for the change was adopted by a large majority; but when in summer the policy of Grenville with regard to the American Stamp Act was better understood, a new debate arose, in which Franklin took the lead. It was argued, that, dur ing the war the people of Pennsylvania had granted more than their proportion, and were ever ready to grant sums suitable to their abilities and zeal for the service; that, therefore, the proposition of taxing them in parliament was both cruel and unjust; that by the constitution of the colonies, their business was with the king, and never, in any way, with the chanChap, cellor of the exchequer; that they could not make 1 John Dickinson's Speech on the 2 The Speech of Joseph Gallo24 May 1764. 17. way, 5. 40. s_ any proposition to Grenville about taxing their con 1764. stituents by parliament, since parliament had no right to tax them at all; that the notice which they ha...