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a reconciliation with Britain, we fhall not only continue to grant aids in time of war, as aforefaid, but, whenever the fhall think fit to abolish her monopoly, and give us the fame privileges of trade as Scotland received at the union, and allow us a free commerce with all the reft of the world; we shall willingly agree (and we doubt not it will be ratified by our conftituents) to give and pay into the finking fund [100,000l.] fterling per anuum for the term of one hundred years; which duly, faithfully, and inviolably applied to that purpose, is demonftrably more than fufficient to extinguish all her prefent national debt; fince it will in that time amount, at legal British intereft, to more than [230,000,0001.] ‡.

But if Britain does not think fit to accept this propofition, we, in order to remove her groundlefs jealoufies, that we aim at independence, and an abolition of the navigation act, (which hath in truth never been our intention) and to avoid all future difputes about the right of making that and other acts for regulating our commerce; Do hereby declare ourselves ready and willing to enter into a Covenant with Britain, that the fhall fully poffefs, enjoy, and exercise that right, for an hundred years to come; the fame being bona fide used for the common benefit; And in cafe of fuch agreement, that every affembly be advised by us to confirm it folemnly by laws of their own, which once made cannot be repealed without the affent of the

crown.

[See Dr. Price's Appeal on the national debt. E.]
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The last charge, that we are dishonest traders, and aim at defrauding our creditors in Britain, is fufficiently and authentically refuted by the folemn declarations of the British merchants to parliament, (both at the time of the ftamp-act, and in the laft feffion) who bore ample teftimony to the general good faith and fair dealing of the Americans, and declared their confidence in our integrity; for which we refer to their petitions on the Journals of the House of Commons.-And we prefume we may fafely call on the body of the British tradesmen, who have had experience of both, to fay, whether they have not received much more punctual payment from us than they generally have from the members of their own two houfes of parliament.

On the whole of the above it appears, that the charge of ingratitude towards the mother country, brought with so much confidence against the colonies, is totally without foundation; and that there is much more reason for retorting that charge on Britain, who not only never contributes any aid, nor affords, by an exclufive commerce, any advantages to Saxony, her mother country; but no longer fince than in the laft war, without the leaft provocation, fubfidized the King of Pruffia while he ravaged that mother country, and carried fire and fword into its capital, the fine city of Drefden. An example we hope no provocation will induce us to imitate,

Letter

Letter from Dr. Franklin to a friend in England, on the subject of the first campaign made by the British forces in America *_

I

Dear SIR,

-

Philadelphia, 3d Octob. 1775

Am to fet out to-morrow for the camp ‡, and having but just heard of this opportunity, can only write a line to fay that I am well and hearty. Tell our dear good friend ***, who fometimes has his doubts and defpondencies about our firmness, that America is determined and unanimous; a very few tories and placemen excepted, who will probably foon export themselves.

[This letter has been feveral times very incorrectly printed: It is here given from a genuine copy. The parties to whom it is addreffed, are of the very firft order, both in point of literary merit and amiable manners.

E.]

[Dr. Franklin, Col. Harrison and Mr. Lynch, were at this time appointed by Congrefs (of which they were members) to confer on certain fubjects with Gen. Washington. The American army was then employed in blocking up Gen. Howe in Bofton; and I believe it was during this vifit, that Gen. Washington communicated the following memorable anecdote to Dr. Franklin; viz. that there had been a time, when this army had been fo deftitute of military ftores, as not to have powder enough in all its magazines,. to furnish more than five rounds per man for their small arms.” Great guns were out of the question; they were fired now and then, only to fhew that they had them. Yet this fecret was kept with fo much addrefs and good countenance from both armies, that Gen. Washington was enabled effectually to continue the blockade. E.] -Britain,

-Britain, at the expence of three millions, has killed 150 Yankies this campaign, which is 20,000l. a head; and at Bunker's Hill the gained a mile of ground, half of which she lost again by our taking poft on Ploughed Hill. During the fame time 60,000 children have been born in America. From thefe data his mathematical head will easily calculate the time and expence neceffary to kill us all, and conquer our whole territory. -My fincere refpects to ******, and to the club of honeft whigs at ***

Adieu. I am ever

Yours most affectionately,

B. F.

Letter

Letter from Lord Howe to Dr. Franklin *.

Eagle, June the 20th, 1776.

I Cannot, my worthy friend, permit the letters and parcels, which I have fent (in the state I received them) to be landed, without adding a word upon the fubject of the injurious extremities in which our unhappy difputes have engaged

us.

You

[In the year 1776 an act of parliament paffed to prohibit and reftrain on the one hand, the trade and intercourse of the refractory colonies refpectively during the revolt; and on the other hand, to enable perfons appointed by the crown to grant pardons and declare any particular district at the king's peace, &c. Lord Howe (who had been previoufly appointed commander of the fleet in North America) was on May 3d declared joint commiffioner with his brother Gen. Howe for the latter purposes of the act. He failed May 12 ; and while off the Maffachusetts coaft prepared a declaration announcing this commiffion, and accompanied it with circular letters. July 4th, independence had been declared; but nevertheless congrefs (invited by various attempts made to procure a conference) refolved to fend Meffieurs Franklin, J. Adams, and E. Rutledge to learn the propofitions of the commiflioners, by whom authorized, and to whom addreffed. The commiffioners having no power to treat with congrefs in 'ts public capacity, and congrefs not being impowered by their reprefentatives to refcind the act of independence; the conference was broken off —It remains only to add, that on Sept. 19, the commiffioners declared themfelves ready to confer with any of the well-affected, on the means of restoring peace and permanent union with every colony, as part of the British empire; and promifed. a revifion of the feveral royal inftructions fuppofed to lay improper reftraints on colony-legiflation, and alío the king's concurrence in a revision of the objectionable acts of parliament: Which feemed the ultimatum of the commiffion.-Parliament however, by a fubfequent act, (which among other things formally renounced taxation in North America and the West Indies) authorized five commiffioners

to

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