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1765] Excise. The Post-Office. 205 charges on the commodity, and when it is offered for sale makes part of the price. If the people don't like it at that price, they refuse it; they are not obliged to pay it. But an internal tax is forced from the people without their consent, if not laid by their own representatives. The Stamp Act says, we shall have no commerce, make no exchange of property,... neither purchase, nor grant, nor recover debts,... neither marry nor make our wills, unless we pay such and such sums...." " But supposing the external tax or duty to be laid on the necessaries of life imported into your colony, will not that be the same thing in its effects as an internal tax?" "I know not a single article imported into the northern colonies but what they can either do without or make them- selves ". . . ." If an excise was laid by Parliament, which they might avoid paying, by not consuming the article excised, would they not then object to it?" "They would certainly object to it, as an excise un- connected with any service done, and as merely an aid which they think ought to be asked of them, and granted by them, if they are to pay it, and can be granted for them by no persons whatsoever whom they have not empowered for that purpose." "You say they don^t object to the right of Parliament to laying duties on goods, to be paid on their importation ; now is there any kind of difference between a duty on the importation of goods and an excise on their consumption?" "Yes, a very material one ; an excise, for the reasons I have just mentioned, they think you can have no right to lay within their country. But the sea is yours; you maintain by your fleets the safety of navigation in it, and keep it clear of pirates. You may therefore have a natural and equitable right to some toll or duty on merchandise carried throughout that part of your dominions, towards defraying the expense you are at in ships to maintain the safety of that carriage." For similar reasons, Franklin said, the post-office was not a tax on the colonies; postage was payment for service done, and no one was compelled to pay if he did not choose to receive the service. Dulany thought the establishment of the post-office came nearer to being a tax than any other regulation of trade; but still it was materially different. For the same reason that an Act of Parliament was necessary to secure the discipline of the provincial troops acting with those of Great Britain in the late war with France, the authority of Parliament might be properly exercised in establishing a regular post-office. All the laws of each colony were confined to that colony, and therefore local prohibitory and coercive clauses designed to enforce a general obedience, without which the scheme would fail, might be eluded. This matter of the post-office might then be referred to the general superintending authority of the empire. CH. VI.