T A X A T I O N O F A M E R I C A.

WHILE I relate my story, Americans give ear;

Of Britain's fading glory you presently shall hear;

I'll give you a true relation, attend to what I say,

Concerning the taxation of North America.

O the cruel lords of Britain who glory in their shame,

The projects they have lit on they joyfully proclaim;

'Tis what they're striving after, our rights to take away,

And rob us of our charter in North America.

There are two mighty speakers, who rule in Parliament,

Who always have been seeking some mischief to invent,

'Twas North, and Bute, his father, this horrid plan did lay,

A mighty tax to gather in North America.

He searched the gloomy regions of the infernal pit,

To find among those legions one who excell'd in wit,

To ask of him assistance, or tell them how they may,

Subdue without resistance this North America.

Old Satan, the arch traitor, resolved a voyage to take,

Who rules sole navigator on the burning lake;

For the Britannic ocean he launches far away,

To land he had no notion, in North America.

He takes his seat in Britain, it was his soul's intent,

Great George's throne to sit on, and rule the Parliament,

His comrades were pursuing a diabolic way,

For to complete the ruin of North America.

He tried the art of magic to bring his schemes about,

At length the gloomy project he artfully found out;

The plan was indulged, in a clandestine way,

But lately was divulged in North America.

These subtle arch contrivers addressed the British court,

All those were undersigners, for to observe report--

There is a pleasant landscape that lieth far away,

Beyond the wide Atlantic in North America.

There is a wealthy people, who sojourn in that land,

Their churches all with steeples most delicately stand;

Their houses, like the lilies, are painted red and gay;

They flourish like the gallies in North America.

Their land with milk and honey, continually doth flow,

The want for food and money they seldom ever know

They heap up gold and silver, they have no debts to pay,

They spend their time in pleasure in North America.

On turkeys, fowls and fishes, most frequently they dine,

With gold and silver dishes, their tables always shine,

They crown their feasts with butter, they eat, and rise to play,

In silks their ladies flutter in North America.

With gold and silver laces, they do themselves adorn,

The rubies deck their faces, refulgent as the morn!

Wine sparkles in their glasses, they spend their happy days,

In merriment and dances in North America.

Let not our suit offend you, when we address your throne,

O king, this wealthy country and subjects are your own,

And you their rightful sovereign, they truly must obey,

You have a right to govern them in North America.

O king, you've heard the sequel of what we now subscribe,

Is it not just and equal to tax this wealthy tribe?

The question being asked, his majesty did say,

My subjects shall be taxed in North America.

Invested with a warrant, my publicans shall go,

The tenth of all their current they surely shall bestow;

If they indulge rebellion, or from our projects stray,

I'll send my whole batallion to North America.

I'll rally all my forces by water and by land,

My light dragoons and horses shall go at my command;

I'll burn both town and city, with smoke becloud the day,

I'll show no human pity for North America.

Go on, my hearty soldiers, you need now fear no ill--

There's Harly, Hills, and Roger's, and Johnson will fulfil--

They tell such ample stories, believe them sure we may,

That half of them are Tories in North America.

My gallant ships are ready to hoist you o'er the flood,

And in my cause be steady, which is supremely good;

Go ravage, steal and plunder, and you shall have the prey;

They quickly will knock under in North America.

The laws I have enacted, I never will revoke,

Although they are neglected, my fury to provoke,

I will forbear to flatter, I'll rule with mighty sway;

I'll take away the charter from North America.

O George! you are distracted, by sad experience find;

The laws you have enacted are of the blackest kind,

I'll make a short disgression, and tell you by the way,

We fear not your oppression in North America.

Our fathers were distressed, while in their native land;

By tyrants were oppressed, as I do understand;

For freedom and religion they were resolved to stray,

And trace the desert regions of North America.

Heaven was their sole protector while on the roving tide,

Kind fortune their director, and providence their guide,

If I am not mistaken, about the first of May,

This voyage was undertaken for North America.

To sail they were commanded, about the hour of noon,

At Plymouth shore they landed, the twenty-first of June;

The savages were nettled, with fear they fled away,

And peaceably they settled in North America.

We are their bold descendants, for liberty we'll fight,

The Game of independence we challenge as our right,

What heaven has freely given, no one can take away,

Kind heaven, too, will save us in North America.

We never will knock under, O George, we do not fear

The rattling of your thunder, nor lightning of your spear;

Tho' rebels you declare us, we're strangers to dismay;

You cannot therefore scare us in North America.

To what you have commanded, we never will consent;

Although your troops are landed upon the continent;

We'll take our swords and muskets, and march in bright array,

And drive the British rustics from North America.

We have a bold commander, who fears not sword nor gun;

The second Alexander, his name is WASHINGTON;

His men are all collected, and ready for the fray,

To fight they were directed for North America.

We have Green, Gates and Putnam, to manage in the field,

A gallant train of footmen, who had rather die than yield;

A stately troop of horses train'd in a martial way,

For augmenting our forces in North America.

Proud George you are engaged all in a dirty cause,

A cruel war hath raged repugnant to all laws,

Go tell the savage nation you're crueller than they,

To fight your own relations in North America.

Ten millions you've expended, and twice ten millions more;

Our riches you intended should pay the mighty score;

Who now will stand your sponsors, your charges to defray?

For sure you cannot conquer this North America.

I'll tell you George, in metre, if you attend awhile,

We forced your own St. Peter at Sullivan's fair isle;

At Monmouth too we gained the honor of the day--

The victory obtained in North America.

Surely we were your betters hard by the Brandywine;

We laid him fast in fetters, whose name was called Burgoyne,

We made your horse to tremble with terror and dismay,

The heroes we resemble in North America.

Confusion to the Tories, that black infernal name,

In which Great Britain glories for ever to their shame

We'll send each foul revolter to smutty Africa,

Or noose them in a halter in North America.

A health to our brave footmen, who handle sword and gun,

To Green, Gates and Putnam, and conquering Washington;

Their names be wrote in letters which never shall decay,

While sun and moon cloth glitter in North America.

Success unto our allies, in Europe and in Spain,

Who man their ships and gullies, our freedom to maintain,

May they subdue the rangers of boasting Britannia,

And drive them from their anchors in North America.

Success unto our Congress of the United States,

Who glory in the conquest of Washington and Gates--

To all, both land and seamen, who glory in the day

When we shall all be freemen in North America.

Success to the legislation that rules with gentle hand,

To trade and navigation, by water and by land;

May all with one opinion our wholesome laws obey,

Throughout this whole dominion in North America.

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