John Dickinson

Name: Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania — Letter 4
Author: John Dickinson

Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

Summary

“Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania — Letter 4”, published in 1768, is a work by John Dickinson. It explores elements such as Great-Britain, colonies and imposition.

Quotes from Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (John Dickinson)

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ I was at pains to collect, to digest, to consider them; and I will be bold to affirm, that the profit in Great-Britain from the trade of the colonies, through all its branches, is two millions a year. This is the fund that carried you triumphantly through the last war. The estates that were rented at two thousands pounds a year, threescore years ago, are three thousand pounds at present. Those estates sold then from fifteen to eighteen years purchase; the same may now be sold for thirty. You owe this to America. ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ A “tax” means an imposition to raise money. Such persons therefore as speak of internal and external “taxes,” I pray may pardon me, if I object to that expression, as applied to the privileges and interests of these colonies. There may be internal and external impositions, founded on different principles, and having different tendencies; every “tax” being an imposition, tho’ every imposition is not a “tax.” But all taxes are founded on the same principle ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ External impositions, for the regulation of our trade, do not “grant to his Majesty the property of the colonies.” They only prevent the colonies acquiring property, in things not necessary, in a manner judged to be injurious to the welfare of the whole empire. But the last statute respecting us, “grants to his Majesty the property of the colonies,” by laying duties on the manufactures of Great-Britain which they must take, and which she settled them, on purpose that they should take. ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ The following extracts will shew how positive and general were his assertions of our right.
“It is my opinion that this kingdom has no right to lay a tax upon the colonies.”----“The Americans are the sons, not the bastards of England. Taxation is no part of the governing or legislative power”.---“The taxes are a voluntary gift and grant of the commons alone. In legislation the three estates of the realm are alike concerned, but the concurrence of the peers and the crown to a tax, is only necessary to close with the form of a law. ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ IV. “That the people of the colonies are not, and from their local circumstances, cannot be represented in the house of commons in Great-Britain.”
V. “That the only representatives of the people of the colonies, are the persons chosen therein by themselves; and that no taxes ever have been, or can be constitutionally imposed on them, but by their respective legislatures.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ No man was bound to go out of the realm to serve the King. Therefore, even in the conquering reign of Henry the Fifth, when the martial spirit of the nation was highly enflamed by the heroic courage of their Prince, and by his great success, they still carefully guarded against the establishment of illegal services. “When this point (says Lord Chief Justice Coke) concerning maintenance of wars out of England, came in question, the commons did make their continual claim of their antient freedom and birthright, as in the first of Henry the Fifth, and in the seventh of Henry the Fifth, &c. ”

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Source: Wikisource

John Dickinson, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (1768)

“ Here is money drawn, without their consent, from a society, who have constantly enjoyed a constitutional mode of raising all money among themselves. The payment of this tax they have no possible method of avoiding; as they cannot do without the commodities on which it is laid, and they cannot manufacture these commodities themselves. ”

John Dickinson

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Quotes from Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania… (John Dickinson)

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