to the acceflion of the prefent king, we fhall find fpecimens of them all, aggravated, multiplied and crouded within a fmall compafs of time, fo as to evince a fixed defign of confidering our rights natural, conventional and chartered as mere nulli- ties. The following is an epitome of the firfl fifteen years of his reign. The colonies were taxed internally and externally; their eflential interefts facri- ficed to individuals in Great-Britain ; their legiflatures fufpended; charters annulled;
trials by juries taken away; their perfons fubjefted to tranfportation acrofs the At- lantic, and to trial before foreign judica- tories; their fupplications for redrefs thought beneath anfwer; themfelves pub- liflied as cowards in the councils of their mother country and courts of Europe;
armed troops fent amongft them to enforce fubmiffion to thefe violences; and aflual hoftihties commenced againft them. No alternative was prefented but refiftance, or unconditional fubmiffion. Between thefe could be no hefitation. They clofed in the appeal to arms. They declared them- [ 221 J felves independent ftates. They confede- rated together into one great republic;