Benjamin Franklin [1766 
House a written message to this purpose: ‘that his 
Majesty, being highly sensible of the zeal and vigor 
with which his faithful subjects in North America 
had exerted themselves, in defence of his Majesty's 
just rights and possessions, recommend it to the 
House to take the same into consideration, and enable 
him to give them a proper compensation.” You will 
find those messages on your own journals every year 
of the war to the very last; and you did accordingly 
give two hundred thousand pounds annually to the 
crown, to be distributed in such compensation to the 
colonies. 
This is the strongest of all proofs, that the colonies, 
far from being unwilling to bear a share of the burden, 
did exceed their proportion; for if they had done less, 
or had only equalled their proportion, there would 
have been no room or reason for compensation. In- 
deed, the sums reimbursed them were by no means 
adequate to the expense they incurred beyond their 
proportion; but they never murmured at that. They 
esteemed their sovereign’s approbation of their zeal 
and fidelity, and the approbation of this House, far 
beyond any other kind of compensation; therefore 
there was no occasion for this act, to force money 
from a willing people. They had not refused giving 
money for the purposes of the act; no requisition 
had been made: they were always willing and ready 
to do what could reasonably be expected from them, 
and in this light they wish to be considered. 
Q. But suppose Great Britain should be engaged 
in a war in Europe, would North America contribute 
to the support of it? 
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