The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. II | Page 4

execution; and the motion on your paper presses him
only to complete a proper plan, which, by some unfortunate and
unaccountable error, he had left unfinished.
I hope, Sir, the honorable gentleman who spoke last is thoroughly
satisfied, and satisfied out of the proceedings of ministry on their own

favorite act, that his fears from a repeal are groundless. If he is not, I
leave him, and the noble lord who sits by him, to settle the matter as
well as they can together; for, if the repeal of American taxes destroys
all our government in America,--he is the man!--and he is the worst of
all the repealers, because he is the last.
But I hear it rung continually in my ears, now and formerly,--"The
preamble! what will become of the preamble, if you repeal this tax?"--I
am sorry to be compelled so often to expose the calamities and
disgraces of Parliament. The preamble of this law, standing as it now
stands, has the lie direct given to it by the provisionary part of the act:
if that can be called provisionary which makes no provision. I should
be afraid to express myself in this manner, especially in the face of
such a formidable array of ability as is now drawn up before me,
composed of the ancient household troops of that side of the House and
the new recruits from this, if the matter were not clear and indisputable.
Nothing but truth could give me this firmness; but plain truth and clear
evidence can be beat down by no ability. The clerk will be so good as
to turn to the act, and to read this favorite preamble.
"Whereas it is expedient that a revenue should be raised in your
Majesty's dominions in America, for making a more certain and
adequate provision for defraying the charge of the administration of
justice and support of civil government in such provinces where it shall
be found necessary, and towards further defraying the expenses of
_defending, protecting, and securing the said dominions_."
You have heard this pompous performance. Now where is the revenue
which is to do all these mighty things? Five sixths
repealed,--abandoned,--sunk,--gone,--lost forever. Does the poor
solitary tea-duty support the purposes of this preamble? Is not the
supply there stated as effectually abandoned as if the tea-duty had
perished in the general wreck? Here, Mr. Speaker, is a precious
mockery:--a preamble without an act,--taxes granted in order to be
repealed,--and the reasons of the grant still carefully kept up! This is
raising a revenue in America! This is preserving dignity in England! If
you repeal this tax, in compliance with the motion, I readily admit that
you lose this fair preamble. Estimate your loss in it. The object of the
act is gone already; and all you suffer is the purging the statute-book of
the opprobrium of an empty, absurd, and false recital.

It has been said again and again, that the five taxes were repealed on
commercial principles. It is so said in the paper in my hand:[3] a paper
which I constantly carry about; which I have often used, and shall often
use again. What is got by this paltry pretence of commercial principles
I know not; for, if your government in America is destroyed by the
repeal of taxes, it is of no consequence upon what ideas the repeal is
grounded. Repeal this tax, too, upon commercial principles, if you
please. These principles will serve as well now as they did formerly.
But you know that either your objection to a repeal from these
supposed consequences has no validity, or that this pretence never
could remove it. This commercial motive never was believed by any
man, either in America, which this letter is meant to soothe, or in
England, which it is meant to deceive. It was impossible it should:
because every man, in the least acquainted with the detail of commerce,
must know that several of the articles on which the tax was repealed
were fitter objects of duties than almost any other articles that could
possibly be chosen,--without comparison more so than the tea that was
left taxed, as infinitely less liable to be eluded by contraband. The tax
upon red and white lead was of this nature. You have in this kingdom
an advantage in lead that amounts to a monopoly. When you find
yourself in this situation of advantage, you sometimes venture to tax
even your own export. You did so soon after the last war, when, upon
this principle, you ventured to impose a duty on coals. In all the articles
of American contraband trade, who ever heard of the smuggling of red
lead and white lead? You might, therefore, well enough, without danger
of contraband, and without injury to commerce, (if this were