i6 An Inquiry into the Principles of taxation. 



" fhare of the reckoning upon others, to go fcot 

 " free ? If a nnan, who praftifed this, would, 

 '* when detected, be deemed and called a fcoun- 

 " drel, what ought he to be called, who can 

 " enjoy all the ineftimable benefits of public 

 " fociety, and yet contrive to evade paying his 

 ** juft fhare of the expence, and wrongfully throw 

 ** it upon his honefter, and, perhaps, poorer 

 ** neighbors ?"* But fuppofe the fhare to be 

 unjufl, or partially demanded -, is the impofition 

 to be fubmitted to without complaint or remon- 

 ftrance ? The plea of equity, which authorizes 

 one to withhold a public fubfidy, if well founded, 

 mult be clearly difcernible by the underftand- 

 ing of his neighbor, and ought alike to direft 

 his conduit. Should he, therefore, through the 

 want of patriotifm, or the fear of penalty, acquiefce 

 in opprefTion, he defervedly incurs both the blame 

 and the fuffering. Mr. Hampden withftood the 

 afTelTment of fhip-money, in oppofition to the una- 

 nimous opinion of the twelve judges ; and in 

 vindication of the unalienable rights of his fellow- 

 fubjedts, expoled himfelf, for the trifling fum of 

 twenty fhillings, to the indignation, and rigorous 

 perfecution of the court. 



I am fenfible that pride, refentment, fadtion, 

 and felf-interelt fet themfelves in oppofition to the 

 ftate } and, that men, fo adtuated, may falfely 



* Franklin's Political and Mifcellaneous Pieces, p. 69. 



afTume 



