1 Engraved for Murrays History of the American War. Pollard sculp. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, L.L.D.FR.S. One of the American Plenipotentiaries at the Court of France. Printed for T.Robson, Newcastle upon Tyne. lic meafures are generally grievous or even diftaftéful to the people, the wheels of government muft move more heavilyn SIR, Wednesday morning. : "I mentioned in yesterday to your excellency, as my opinion, that excluding the people of the colonies from all thare in the choice of the grand council, would probably give extreme diffatisfaction, as well as the taxing them by act of parliament, where they have no reprefentative. In matters of general concern to the people, and efpecially where burdens are to be laid upon them, it is of ufe to confider, as well what they will be apt to think and fay; I fhall therefore, as your excellency requires it of me, briefly mention what of either kind occurs to me on this occafion. "First they will fay, and perhaps with juftice, that the body of the people in the colonies are as loyal, and as firmly attached to the prefent conftitution, and reigning family as any fubjects in the king's dominię ons. "That there is fio reafon to doubt the readiness and willingness of the reprefentatives they may chufe, to grant from time to time fuch fupplies for the defence of the country, as fhall be judged neceffary, fo far as their abilities will allow. That the people in the colonies, who are to feel the immediate mifchiefs of invafion and conqueft by an enemy in the lofs of their eftates, lives and liberties, are likely to be better judges of the quantity of forces neceffary to be raised and maintained, forts to be built and fupported, and of their own abilities to bear the expence, than the parliament of England at fo great a distance, "That "That governors often come to the colonies merely to make fortunes, with which they intend to return to Britain; are not always men of the best abilities or integrity, have many of them no eftates here, nor any natural connections with us, that fhould make them heartily concerned for our welfare; and might poffibly be fond of raising aud keeping up more forces than neceffary, from the profits accruing to themselves, and to make provision for their friends and depen dants. "That the counsellors in the most of the colonies be ing appointed by the crown, or the recommendation of governors, are often of small eftates, frequently dependant on governors for offices, and therefore, too much under influence. "That there is, therefore, great reason to be jealous of a power in fuch governors and councils, to raife fuch fums as they fhall judge neceffary, by draft on the lords of the treasury, to be afterwards laid on the colonies by act of parliament, and paid by the peo, ple here; fince they might abuse it by projecting ufelefs expeditious, harraffing the people, and taking them from their labour to execute fuch projects, merely to create offices and employments, and gratify their de pendents, and divide profits. That the parliament of England is at a great dif tance, fubject to by misinformed and misled by fuch governors and councils, whofe united interefts might probably fecure them against the effect of any complaint from hence. "That it is fuppofed an undoubted right of Englishmen, not to be taxed but by their own confent given through their reprefentatives. That the colonies have no reprefentatives in par liament. That ། "That to propofe taxing them by parliament, and refusing them the liberty of chusing a representative council, to meet in the colonies, and confider and judge of the neceffity of any general tax, and the quantum, fhews fufpicion of their loyalty to the crown, of their regard for their country, or of their common fenfe and understanding, which they have not deferved. 1 "That compelling the colonies to pay money without their confent, would be rather like raifing contributions in an enemy's country, than taxing of Englishmen for their own public benefit. That it would be treating them as a conquered people, and not as true British fubjects. "That a tax laid by the reprefentatives of the co lonies might easily be leffened as the occafions should leffen, but being once laid by parliament under the influence of the reprefentations made by governors, would probably be kept up and continued for the benefit of governors, to the grievous burden and dif couragement of the colonies, and prevent on of their growth and increafe. "That a power in governors to march the inhabi tants from one end of the British and French colonies to the other, being a country of at least 1500 fquare miles, without the approbation or confent of their reprefentatives first obtained, fuch expeditions might be grievous and ruinous to the people, and would put them on a footing with the fubjects of France in Canada, that now groan under fuch oppreffion from their governor, who for two years paft has harraf fed them with long and deftructive marches to the Ohio. "That if the colonies in a body may be well go verned by governors and councils appointed by the Ꮐ crown |