CLEMENTS
Herman Le Roy Edgar.






Non Celegate Stegelane
to JWillame
LETTÉK

TO A
FRIEND.
GIVING a concife, but juft, reprefentation of
the hardships and fufferings the town of
BOSTON is expofed to, and muft undergo
in confequence of the late ACT of the BRI
TISH-PARLIAMENT; which, by fhutting
up it's port, has put a fatal bar in the way
of that commercial bufinefs on which it
depended for it's fupport.
SHEWING, at the fame time, wherein this
EDICT, however unintended, is powerfully
adapted to promote the intereft of all the
AMERICAN COLONIES, and even of BOS
TON itfelf in the end.
1829
17
BY
T. W. A BOSTONIA N.
C
Bau
BOSTON, N. E.
Printed and Sold at GREENLEAF's Printing
Office, in HANOVER-STREET,
M,DCC.LXXIV.

20 no
льмоте

*****
************
號
​A
LETTER
TOA
FRIEN
D.
BOSTON, May 30, 1774.
SIR,
THANK you for your kind
letter, wherein you exprefs a
tender concern for the people
of Bofton,and fympathize with
them, under the hard trial they muft
pafs through, in confequence of the late
parliamentary act, commonly spoken of
under the name of the Bofton port-bill.
It is a general idea only of the fufferings
we must endure that has excited in you
thofe motions of grief and pity, of which
you have the perceptions; for, being
at a diſtance, and not being diftinctly
acquainted with that multiplicity of
ways in which this barbarous act will
operate

4 A LETTER to
operate to diftrefs us, your conception
of our fufferings, by means of it, muft
fall vaftly below the greatnefs of them.
It will not therefore be difpleafing,
though it fhould add fome degree of
impetuofity to your paffions, which al-
ready give you uneafinefs, if I am par-
ticular in pointing out to you thofe
avenues this horred decree has opened
to let in mifery upon us,
BE pleaſed then to confider, not the
well-being only, but the fupport of this
town is almoft wholly dependent upon
trade, the carrying on of which makes
way for imployment, and employment
procures daily bread for at least eight
tenths of its inhabitants. Extenfive
trade, you will be fenfible, if you only
allow yourſelf to think a while, natur-
ally gives rife to a great variety of oc-
cupations, which occupations give a
livelihood to hundreds and thouſands.
It must therefore amazingly fpread dif-
trefs in fo large a commercial place as
this metropolis of the Maffachuſetts-
Province, to have its inhabitants in an
inftant,

A FRISE N D.A
inftant, as it were, put out of all capa-
city of employing themfelves in any of
thofe vaftly various callings, on which
alone, under God, they had their de-
pendence for a fupply with even the
neceffaries of life. Few, comparatively
very few in Bofton, are men of inde-
pendent fortunes. The people here
are almost univerfally laborers or arti-
ficers of this or the other denomination,
who, by this act which has ftopped the
courfe of trade, are totally deprived of
the only means of their fubfiftence.
This is the cafe of our fhip-builders,
fhip-joiners, maft-makers,riggers, caulk-
ers, rope and fail-makers; whofe oc-
cupations gave them and their depend-
ents a comfortable maintenance: This
is the cafe of our houfe-carpenters and
mafons, who have now little to do,
either in the way of building or repair-
ing houfes; as timber, boards, fhingles,
brick and lime are not permitted to be
brought into the town in any veffel
whatever, from any part of the province
or elſewhere: This is the cafe of our
diftillers and fugar boilers; who are at
once

6 AULET IT ER to
once incapacitated for carrying on that
bufinefs which was their fupport; as
neither molaffes nor fugar are fuffered
to come into Bofton-harbor: This is
the cafe with our coopers; who, if they
could procure ftaves and hoops could
make little or no ufe of them, as the
work of trimming imported cafks and
making others for exportation, has, at
prefent, an unhappy period put to it:
This is the cafe alfo of our truckmen,
porters, and a numerous train of day-
laborers, who will now be neceffi-
tated to become idlers, and muft fuffer
hunger, and be cloathed with rags.
élodw
Aax-list
By this enumeration of our tribes of
workmen, you will readily perceive,
that vaft numbers, not lefs, I fuppofe
(taking in their wives, children and
fervants, who are dependent upon them)
than fifteen thousand at the loweft com-
putation, are reduced to a ſtarving
condition; none of which, fo far as is
known, had any more an hand in the
deftruction of the Eaft-India company's
tea, then Lord North himfelf; and but
a

A FRISE NID.A 17
afew of them comparatively were among
thoſe who conftituted the affemblies who
have been complained of as riotous.
Nor are the fufferings occafioned by
this act confined to the inhabitants of
Bofton; but extend to all in our towns
on the fea fhore, for hundreds of miles,
whofe bufinefs is that of coafting, as
they are forcibly reftrained from bring-
ing to this port any merchandize
from the places where they live, or
from carrying any out of it, to the
towns to which they belong, though
their neceffity fhould ever fo loudly call
for it: Yea, fuch is the cruelty of this
act, that none of the people in our in-
land towns can fo much as cross the
ferry from Charleſtown to Boſton with
any of their goods for fale, but by ex-
pofing both their goods, and the boat
that brings them, to a feizure by thofe
whofe tender mercies are cruelties: Yea
further, no merchandize of any fort is
permitted to be brought from either
Marblehead or Salem, the port fubfti-
tuted in the room of Bofton, but by
land carriage, which, though greatly ex-
penfive,

8 A LET IT ER to
LETTER
penfive, is made almoft doubly fo; as
inftead of fifteen miles only, by going
over a ferry, the neceffary carriage is
now no less than twenty eight; which
is as diftreffing to the merchants in
their towns, as to thofe in Boſton, and
as much complained of. In an addrefs
from an hundred and twenty-five mer-
chants and freeholders at Salem, to his
Excellency Governor Gage, in which
they have done themfelves great honor,
are thefe words; "In fhutting up the port
of Bofton, fome imagine that the courfe
of trade might be turned hither, and
to our benefit. But nature, in the
formation of our harbor, forbids our
becoming rivals in commerce with that
convenient mart. And were it other-
wife, we muſt be dead to every idea of
justice, and to all feelings of humanity,
could we indulge one thought to feize
on wealth, and raife our fortunes on the
ruin of our fuffering neighbors. But
fo far from receiving benefit, we are
greatly injured by the fhutting up the
harbor of Bofton, as it deprives us of a
market for much the largeſt part of our
Weft-

A FRIEND. 9
Weft-India imports; and there is not
a town in the province but will feel the
ill effects of it. Permit us then, fir,
to apply to your clemency and juftice
to afford us every alleviation in your
power, and to procure for us every
poffible relief from this extenfive mif-
chief." To what can this multiplica-
tion of trouble and charge be afcribed
but to the want of knowledge of the
country, or a defign wantonly to en-
large our diftrefs by the exercife of fove-
reign power? Who could have imagined,
that a decree thus mixed with contri-
ved feverity, and thus big with diftrefs
and ruin to thousands of poor inno-
cents, could have had exiſtence given
it by an English parliament! Is it pof-
fible filial affection to the parent-ſtate
fhould hereby be promoted? What, in
the natural courfe of things, can be the
effect of fo cruel an edict, but the ftir-
ring up a fpirit of refentment? And if
multitudes, by being reduced to a ftarv-
ing defperate condition, fhould act a wild
and mad part, who would be fo much
to blame as thofe who were the
occafional caufe of it?
B
BUT

to ALE TIT ER to
30 BUT it will be faid, provifion is made
in the act that fhuts up the harbor of
Bofton, for its being opened again;
infomuch that it will be our own fault,
if the difficulties we complain of are
not removed. It is a proper queftion
here,why were thefe difficulties brought
upon us at all in an abfolute and un-
conditional way? Had terms of fub-
miffion been connected with punish-
ment as threatned only, fo as that it
might have been at our own option,
whether we would fubmit, or fuffer;
the reafon for complaint would have
been far lefs than it now is. But with-
out previous warning, in the propofal
of any terms that might have prevented
the coming of evil on us, it is inflicted
with ineffable vengeance, and under
fuch circumftances, that fhould we, in
the moſt fervile manner, fubmit to all
that is required, we must notwithstand-
ing inevitably fuffer almoft total ruin.
For the act will be in full force the
first day of June, and will remain fo
till a certificate from the Governor,
fetting forth our entire fubmiffion
Suns Incand
க

A FRIEND. It
and obedience, is tranfmitted to the
King, and relief, in confequence of it,
is granted to us by him in privy coun-
cil; which every one knows is impoffi-
ble to be done, till hundreds are ftarv-
ed to death, if not provided for by
heaven in fome unknown way or other.
AND not only are we laid under a
neceffity of fuffering by this act to an
extreme degree, though we fhould be
ever fo obedient to its requirements;
but (truely melancholy to confider) the
terms fpecified in it, upon which alone
our fufferings are to be removed, far
from being fixed with precifion, are fo
loofe and indeterminate, that a Govern-
or may, fhould he fo pleafe, perpetuate
them during his political existence;
as, without a certificate from him, de-
claring our compliance with the parlia-
mentary demands, the King himself in
privy council is not enabled to open
the port of Bofton; nor is any other
way provided for its being done.

12 A LETTER
A FURTHER aggravation of our fuf-
ferings, and what gives the keeneft edge
to them is, that the wharfs and landing-
places in the town of Bofton, which are
the property of numerous individuals,
and of a much greater value than all the
teas the Eaft-India company have fent to
this whole continent, are, as to the use
of them, wherein only their value con-
fifts, wrefted out of their hands, and
put into the King's, to be difpofed of
at his pleaſure. The city of London,
we imagine, however highly and juftly
they may think of the King's wifdom
and benevolence, would, with one
united voice complain of tyranny, a
bare-faced invafion of their rights, if
they were thus reftrained from the ufe
of this or the other valuable part of
their property, unlefs by a granted
licence at the pleafure of his Majefty.
The inhabitants of Boflon are English
fübjects, as well as the citizens of Lon-
don and may with equal juftice utter
their cries against that arbitrary exer-
cife of power, which indifcriminately
makes the ufe of their rightful property
depend-

A FRIEND.
13
dependent on pleaſure at three thoufand
miles diftance: Nor may it be thought
ftrange, if their groans fhould be loud
and bitter: Efpecially, as this inftance
of defpotifm is added to complete
hardſhips in other refpects cruel in their
nature, and extreme in degree, beyond
what might have been expected, in
like circumftances, from either France
or Spain.
WHAT now could be the excite-
ment to this extraordinary vengeance?
The preamble to the act of parliament
will inform us.
It begins with mentioning "Dan-
gerous commotions and infurrections
fomented and raiſed in the town of Bof-
ton, by diverfe ill-affected perfons."
But was Bofton the only place in Ame-
rica, where there had been fuch com-
motions? Might it not, with equal
truth, have been faid, that like "com-
motions and infurrections had been fo-
mented and railed" in New-York,
Philadelphia, and other American co-
lonies? Andyet, Bofton only is the felect
ed

14 A LETTER
to
ed object of refentment, and to a de-
gree not eafily to be paralleled! Does
this carry the face of impartial juftice?
Some Boſtonians who have been in Eng-
land, and fome who were born there, have
affured us, and upon their own know-
ledge, that "commotions and infur-
rections," in the late times of public
grievance, have frequently been " for
mented and raifed" in the city of Lon-
don, and to a much greater and more
dangerous height than they ever were
at Bofton: But that city, as fuch, we
have not been told, was ever punished
at all for thefe riotous diforders, much
lefs with a feverity portending it's de-
ftruction. Would Bofton have been
thus cruelly dealt with, had not it's dif
tance from Great Britain been fo great,
that it's groans, under the weight of
oppreffion, could not be heard there,
fo as to move either indignation or com-
paffion, in our brethren of the mother
country?
BUT it is faid of thefe commotions,
that they were " fomented and raiſed
to

A FORTIE NI D. 15
to the fubverfion of his Majefty's go
vernment, and to the utter deſtruction
of the public peace and good order of
the faid town." It may with exact
truth be affirmed, that ill-affected
perfons" did not foment thefe commo-
tions with the leaft view to manifeft
difloyalty to his Majefty, or to "fubvert
his government" as conftitutionally ex-
ercifed; but to endeavour, in the only
way they had left, to fruftrate the de-
figns of thofe, who, by falfe and inju-
rious reprefentations, would deceive his
Majefty, fo as to be permitted to bring
this country into bondage. It is well
known, both at home and here, that
we have often made our humble com-
plaints of grievances two great to be
eafy under. And what has been the
effect, but a contemptuous deafneſs to
our cries for relief? To this it is owing,
and this only, that there have been any
undefirable commotions among us.
And fhall we be forcibly reduced to
the laft extremity of mifery, becauſe
we cannot any longer patiently bear
that which is intolerable? Had we not
been

16 A A
LETTER to
been oppreffed, and to an high degree,
there would not have been the leaft
difturbance in the town, or province.
And fhould it be true, that oppreffion
has made" diverfe perfons ill-affected,"
and excited them to raife unwarrant
able commotions, muft thouſands of
innocents be punished herefor with
the utmoft feverity? Is this reaſonable?
Can it be made to confift with equity?
Could it have been, had the common
feelings of humanity operated without
obftructions? The Boftonians have al-
ways been as much difpofed to honor
and fupport conftitutional government,
as any of the people in England; and
it is one of their greateft burdens that
they fhould be brought into fuch cir-
cumftances, as to be even forced into
that which is highly difagreeable to
them; and if "the good order of Bof-
ton" has in any meafure, been dif-
turbed, the way to reftore peace is to
hear our cries, and redrefs our griev-
ances. This, and this only, will do it
effectually, and laftingly. Force may
for a while keep the people
under re-
ftraint;

A FRIEND. 17
ftraint; but this very reftraint may, in
time, be the occafion of the out-break-
ing of their paffions with the greater
violence; and what the confequence,
in that cafe, will be, God only knows.
A FURTHER reafon given for the
paffing this act is, that in thefe commo-
tions, "certain valuable cargoes of teas,
being the property of the Eaft-India
company, and on board certain veflels
lying within the bay or harbor of Bof-
ton, were feized and deftroyed." Some,
even in England, have wrote with great
ftrength and fpirit in defence of the
deftruction of thofe teas, under the
fpecial circumftances in which they
were fent here. But fhould it be ad-
mitted, that this deftruction was un-
warrantable, both in the view of rea-
fon and law, will it follow from hence
that the town of Bofton ought to be
put into a ſtate of fuffering, which it is
impoffible they fhould live under, un-
lefs fupplies are fent to them from the
other towns, in this, or the neighbour-
ing colonies? It fhould always be re-
C
mein-

18 A LETTER
to
membered, the tea-deftruction was ef
fected by perfons in difguife, and un-
known even to this day. Bofton, as a
town, neither adviſed to it,nor did any
thing to bring it into event: Nay,
even thoſe very people, whofe affem-
bling together, two or three times in
Boſton, has been called unlawful and
riotous, were fo far from defigning, or
fo much as defiring, this deftruction,
that they did all that lay in their pow-
er to prevent it: Nor would the tea
have been deftroyed, had it not been
for Governor Hutchinfon, the collector
(under the eye of the commiffioners)
and the confignees, to whom alone it
must be afcribed, that it came to this
end: Nor were the people, whofe af-.
fembling together has been fo bitterly
complained of, the inhabitants of Bof-
ton only, but of many other towns in
the province. Thefe are all known,
certain truths. And yet, Bofton, as a
town, is confidered as chargeable with
this deftruction, and punished for it in
an awfully fevere manner; and this
too, without giving them notice of
their

A FRIEND. 19
their crime, or opportunity of faying a
word in defence of themfelves. If this
is not unconftitutional, arbitrary con-
duct, mankind in common, will, I am
fure, call it rigorously hard and cruel.
THE laft thing faid, in order to pro-
mote the giving life to this act, is, that
"in the prefent condition of the faid
town and harbor, the commerce of his
Majefty's fubjects cannot be fafely carri-
ed on, nor the cuftoms payable to his
Majefty, collected." There is not a more
known truth, than that the commerce
of his Majefty's fubjects has not been
by this town, in it's " prefent conditi-
on," or by any "ill-affected perfons" in
it, in the leaſt meaſure obftructed, unless
in the fingle article of the Eaft-India
company's teas; nor have his Majefty's
officers been at all hindred from col-
lecting the payable cuftoms, excepting
only in this fame article; nor was there
ever any difficulty even as to this, till
in a late inftance or two. And fo far
was the commerce of his Majefty's
fubjects" from being obftructed in other
articles by what was done in this, that
the

20 A LETTER to
the utmost care was taken to prevent
it: Nor is there a perfon in Bofton who.
will fay, unless he knowingly wrongs
the truth, that the deftruction of the
teas was the occafion of his fuffering as
to any other kind of merchandize, tho'
fent in the fame fhips that brought the
teas. The miniftry well knew, that
not Bofton, or the Maffachuſetts-pro-
vince only, but all the American colo-
nies were united as one in thinking it
unconstitutional to be taxed by the par-
liament, as they are not reprefented
there, nor can be, by reafon of their lo-
cal diſtance; and they have been juf-
tified in this fentiment by fome of the
greatest men at home, who have faid
that in defence of it, which the colo-
nies are fully fatisfied cannot be con-
tradicted inconfiftency with the acknow-
ledged right of English fubjects. It is
ftrange therefore, that what was done,
with refpect to the article of the teas on-
ly fhould be the occafion of exciting
minifterial wrath to fuch an amazing
height: Efpecially, as it was owing, if
faulty,to an error in judgment, not per-
verfenels

A FRIEN D. 21
verfenefs of difpofition: It is more ftrange
that this conduct fhould be confidered.
as a general obftruction to commerce,
and to the collection of payable cuf-
toms, when neither the one nor the
other, as to other articles, were in the
leaft affected thereby : It is more ſtrange
ftill, that Boſton only fhould be the ob-
ject of refentment, when New-York, and
Philadelphia, were chargeable with the
like, but greater fault, proceeding from
one and the fame principle: It is moft
of all ftrange, that Bofton, had it been
the only faulty town, and deferving of
puniſhment, fhould have it inflicted
with cruelty unmixed with mercy, and
fo as to make no diftinction between
one and another; but involving all in
one common ftate of diftrefs, greater
in degree and extent than Scotland, or
any of it's towns, were obliged to fuf-
fer, though commotions were fomented
and raiſed there, within the memory of
thoufands now living, and with a pro-
feffed defign to dethrone King George
the fecond, and to place the crown of
England on the head of a Popish Pre-
tender.

22 A LETTER to
tender. Does this look like juftice im-
partially executed? May it not be rear
fonably thought, that other ends might
be in view befides that of punishment,
upon the foot of juft defert? Nor would
it exceed the view even of an American
underſtanding to conceive what theſe
other ends might be.
I BELIEVE, fir, a fufficiency has been
faid, if not to give you an adequately
full idea of the fufferings of
poor Bof
ton, yet fuch a conception of them as
will excite your wonder, and heighten
your feelings of compaffion towards
us. * But I will not enlarge, leaft your
wrath
* Since penning the above, there has been bro't
into event, of which we had not the leaft
imagination, and which I cannot reftrain
myfelf from mentioning to you. It is this.
Our veffels with wood, which, by the Bofton
port-bill, are obliged to put in at Marble-
head, to be enabled by the cuftom-houfe
at Salem to proceed to Bofton harbor, are
denied this privilege, till the wood that is
in them has been taken out, and then put in
again, whichoccafionsnot onlyexpenfivelabor,
battedious delay; as there are few landingpla-
cesin Marblehead, andconfiderable numberof
veffels in the harbor there at the fame time,
which must wait till they have opportunity
to

A FRIEND.
143
wrath fhould be provoked, and fuch re-
fentment enkindled in you, as could
not eafily be kept under due reftraint.
INSTEAD, of this, I will endeavor to
calm your paffions, and mitigate your
fenfations of pain on our account, by
fhowing you, wherein this parliament-
ary act, however unintended by the
contrivers of it, is powerfully adapted
to promote the intereft of all the Ame
rican colonies, and of even Bofton its
felf in the end.
THE
to unload, and then load again. The paf-
fage of thefe veffels to Bofton is hereby al-
ways lengthened, and they are fometimes
detained longer than they need have been,
by being expofed to contrary winds. Befides
all which, thefe fame veffels, when they are
come to Bolton, are not fuffered to depart from
thence, till the owner's of them, or others in
their behalf, have travelled to Plymouth,
which is more than forty miles, and have
vifited the Bofton cuftom-houfe, which is
now removed there. Thefe obftructions
have increafed the price of fewel nearly one
third part, which must be cruelly deftreff-
ing to the people here, in their prefent
circumftances. The fame may be faid of our
provifion-veffels. They muft all go to Mar-
blehead; and then they are obliged to be
unloaded and then loaded, before they can
be

24 A LETTER to
THE defign of the British admini-
ftration, with refpect, not only to this
town and province, but all the colo
nies on the continent, is fo obviously
viſible by this act of parliament, that
no one can eaſily be at a lofs to know,
that it is to oblige America, by the iron
hand of power, to fubmit to fovereign
pleaſure. This is accordingly the uni
verfal fentiment of all ranks, orders, and
conditions of men from one end of the
continent to the other. Even thofe
who
be permitted to come to Bofton; nor can
they go out of that harbor, without a per-
million from Plymouth, more then forty miles
diftant. Whether this extraordinary bure
den, upon articles without which we cannot
live, is to be afcribed to the late parliamen-
tary act, or the commiffioners, who now re-
fide at Salem, you may eafily fatisfy yourself
by only reading the act itself. It is the ge-
neral opinion, that thefe commiffioners, had
they the feelings of humanity, would not
have put a conftruction upon the port bill,
fo far exceeding in rigor what it will bear
in confiftency with common fenfe.
But
what may not be expected from men, who,
ever fince they have been in office, have
done all in their power to render themfelves
odious to the people, and lefs ferviceable to his
Majefty, than they might otherwife have
been.

A FRIEN D. 25
who have been diftinguifhed by being
called the friends of government, are
now fully fatisfied, that the plan to be
carried into execution, and by forcible
meafures, is, intire obedience to the de-
mands of defpotifm, inftead of thofe
conftitutional laws we are perfectly
willing to be governed by. It may
reaſonably be efteemed an advantage,
and a very important one, to be thus
indifputably let into the knowledge of
this; as, by knowing that forcing from
us our rights and privileges as English
fubjects, is the grand point in view, we
fhall naturally be urged on to contrive
expedients to prevent, if poffible, our
being in this way, brought into bon-
dage: Or, fhould no expedients be
effectual to this end, power being on
the fide of oppreffion, we may folace
ourfelves with the thought, that we
acted like men, and will refolutely en-
deavor, under the influence of this con-
fideration, to prepare our minds to
bear, in the eafieft manner, the great-
eft of all outward evils, fubjection to
arbitrary pleaſure.
D
THIS

26 A LETTER
to
THIS act, though more immediate-
ly relative to Bofton, and the Maffa-
chufett's-province, is an alarm to all
the North American colonies; loudly
founding it in their ears, that they may
furely expect, each one in their turn,
as occafion offers, like treatment with
that we have met with. For the defign
intended to be carried into effect, is not
confined to a fingle town, or province,
but extends to the whole American
continent. What has been done, with
refpect to Bofton, and the province to
which it belongs, is the beginning only
of forrow, unless prevented in one pru
dent way or another, and an example
held out, in terrorem, to the other colo-
nies.
And fhould Bofton, and the Maf-
fachuſetts's-province, be brought into a
ftate of flavery by the hand of power,
every other town and colony on the
continent would unavoidably, in a lit-
tle time, be placed in like circumftan-
ces. This is the voice of the late par-
liamentary proceedure, and as evident-
ly fo as if promulged in the moſt plain-
ly

A FRIEND.
27
ly articulated words. And this, accord-
ing to the accounts we have received,
is the interpretation the colonies put
upon it. They efteem themfelves as
truly, though not fo immediately,
ftruck at, as either Bofton, or the Maf-
fachufett's-province. For, as they juft-
ly obferve, the caufe in which we fuf-
fer is à common one, their's as well as
our's; and whatever our fate is, the fame
will be their's alfo. If now the Ame-
rican colonies fhould be influenced, by
this amazingly cruel act, to unite as one
in projecting, and carrying into exe-
cution, expedients reafonable in them-
felves, and wifely adapted to fecure the
enjoyments of their rights and privi-
leges, and to promote, at the fame time,
harmony and love between Great-Bri-
tain and America, it would moft cer-
tainly be for the common intereft of all,
yea, even of Bofton, that this fhocking
decree has been iffued forth, though
their fufferings, by reafon of it, will be
awfully fevere. And it is, I may add
here, unquestionably true, that the co
lonies

28 A LETTER
to
lonies will, by means of this parlia
mentary conduct, be more firmly unit-
ed than ever; yea, that they will all
act in concert, as if they were one, in
exerting themfelves in all wife and pof-
fible ways to fruftrate the defigns of
thoſe who would rule them with a rod
of iron, instead of the laws of conftitu-
tional government. Many here, as
well as at home, would not fuppofe it
poffible there fhould be fuch an union
of the colonies; but this is now made
to appear by their choice of deputies to
meet in congrefs to confult meaſures
for the common good of them all, and
particularly for the relief of Bofton, as
it is now fuffering, not for it's own fake
only, but for their's alfo.
As the port of Bofton has been the
principal inlet in this part of America,
to that inundation of British goods,
which have occafioned the spreading
of extravagances, beyond defcription
in every kind, not only through this
town, but the whole province, it might
be

A FRIEN D. 29
be the defign of Heaven, though not
thought of by men, to teftify againft the
ineffable folly of all forts of perfons,
whether of higher or lower rank, in
parting with the fruits of their labor,
or the income of their eftates, for im-
ported articles, which are of no fervice
unleſs to gratify pride, and footh a vain
mind; and to give, at the fame time,
this folly of their's a folemn check.
which, if not reftrained, will be the ruin
of the country. It would argue wif-
dom in people, and powerfully tend to
promote their INTEREST, if they would
look upon themfelves as NOW taught in
providence, and loudly called upon, to
refrain from purchafing that merchan-
dize, which fwallows up their fubftance
for the paultry confideration only of
appearing in finery of drefs which ill
becomes them. A non-confumption
of English goods, in thofe articles
wherein they may do as well without,
as with them, to every purpofe excepting
that of ornamental vanity, would with-
out controverfy, be highly beneficial,
not

30 A LETTER
to
not only to this town and province,
but to all the towns in all the colonies;
and it might happily tend to bring us
relief in this day of darknefs and dif-
trefs. It would be no wonder, if fome
importers from England, whofe views
are folely confined to felf, fhould ex-
claim against fuch a meafure, and exert
themſelves to the utmost to prevent it's
taking place; as their gain might here-
by be leffened. This is no other than
may be expected of thofe in trade;
whofe contracted minds reftrains them
from all public generofity. But is it
not better that thefe individuals fhould
fuffer, than that this fhould be the cafe
of the whole country, who, by means
of what they import, are influenced, by
a kind of fafcination, to part with
their earnings to their great hurt, in-
ſtead of profit. It is readily acknow-
ledged, that trade, wifely conducted,
is the fureft method to enrich and ag-
grandize a people; but it is a great
miftake to imagine, that it will, carried
on in any way, be productive of this
effect

A FRIEND.
31
effect. And it may be laid down as an
indubitable truth, that trade, inftead of
promoting this good, will powerfully
tend to do mifchief to a people, confi-
dered as fuch, however it may ferve
fome individuals, if it is fo managed,
as that, upon the whole, they are im-
poverished by means of it. This, for
a courfe of years, has been the refult of
our trade as carried on with Great-Bri-
tain. Such have been the needlefs im-
ports from thence, and fuch the folly of
people in their extravagant ufe of them,
that a very great part of the fruit of
our labor and toil, and of our trade to fo-
reign parts, has been remitted home for
that which has been rather ruinous, than
profitable to us! It may, without ex-
aggeration, be faid, that fome millions
a year fterling have been fent from the
colonies to England, in return for
goods imported from thence, which we
did not want, and which could not, in
any wife view, be confidered as pro-
motive of benefit to us. Need the peo-
ple now be told, that it would be for
their

32 A LETTER to
their intereft, unspeakably fo, to put
thefe millions fterling into their own
pockets which are annually fent home
in payment for what they might as
well, yea much better, have done with-
out? They must be under a degree of
infatuation not to fee this to be the
height of folly, even to madnefs. Let the
importers of a monftrous fuperfluity
of English goods turn the courfe of
their trade, at leaft fo manage it as may
ferve the public, and not themfelves
only, and they will then merit both
honor and encouragement: But they
will have no juft reafon for complaint,
if they are elteemed poor mercenary
wretches, while, for their own private
gain, they are vehemently clamorous in
oppofing all reaſonable methods fo far
to put a stop to English imports, as they
are certainly hurtful to the country,
and in an high degree. Our prefent
circumftances loudly call for this, and
that which will naturally follow upon
it, a retrenchment of our unparralleled
extravagance. And fhould the colonies
take

A FRIEND.
33
take occafion from what has been done
to Bofton (a ftriking fpecimen of what
they may expect will be done to them,
at one time or other) to live more with-
in themfelves, and to confume no Eng-
lifh goods, but what their convenience,
I will not fay neceffity, calls for, wefhould
probably foon find an end put to the
grievances we have long complained
of, but ftill lie groaning under: Per-
haps, the people in England would feel
it difadvantageous to them, fhould the
people in America agree upon a non-
confumption of British goods, within.
fuch limits as a due regard to their own
intereft makes neceffary; but they
could not reafonably find fault with
fuch a meaſure, and, inftead if doing
fo, they might co-operate with us, in
endeavoring the reſtoration, and fu-
ture fecure enjoyment, of thofe civil
rights and privileges we have been de-
prived of, by the hand of power. And
fhould we, by their interpofed affift-
ance, be placed in thefe happy cir-
cumftances, fuch would be our affecti-
E
on

34 A LETTER to
on towards them, as that we fhould
chearfully forego our own advantage
in trade, fo far as might in reafon be
expected, in order to promote their's.
Be this as it may, by fuch a meaſure,
carried into execution, we fhould na-
turally be put upon greater frugality
than we have commonly been uſed to,
a more enlarged cultivation of our lands
and the fetting up manufactures a-
mong ourſelves in every kind, wherein
they may be ferviceable to us; the
effect whereof would be the retaining
monies in our own purfes, which would
be more than an hundred-fold com-
penfation for what is unconftitution-
ally wrefted from us; at leaft we ſhould
have that within ourfelves, which would
enable us to wait without ftrife and
contention, till the almighty righteous
ruler of the world fhall work out fal-
vation for us; which we firmly believe
he will, in one way or another, fooner
or later.
- 100 sd bluow doch

A FRIEND.
35
I COULD eafily have enlarged on
every article I have mentioned, and
fhould have mentioned fome other;
but I was not willing to give your pa-
tience too tedious a trial.
am, Dear Sir,
with Great Refpect,
your Affectionate Friend,
and Humble Servant.
T. W. alias

Jovic2 olumul bas
om vu
Coy brig of gallive sort
Coard CUIA
RAD

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1774
Ch