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"as might give offence to those from whom only "our redress can come, our appeal being to the

very powers by whom we think ourselves op"pressed; tho' we may remonstrate to them with justice, we cannot reproach them without dan

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ger; and the most effectual means of giving "ourselves all the merit we hope for, and intend, "both with our sovereign and the parliament, will "be, we think, by giving our complaint on this "matter the complexion of our conduct, shewing an "humble submission to authority, even under the "most painful heart-burnings of our community, "at its severe decrees. But great as our distresses are, upon account of this new taxation in its general course, we are yet fortunate enough not "to have suffered so much greater, as by the par"ticular calamity you seem to have apprehended "for us, on the supposed seizure of the North"American traders; for the masters of those ves

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sels, producing certificates at our custom-house, "that no stamp papers were to be had at the ports they came from, have been admitted to an entry " of their several ships and cargoes, being suppos"ed only liable to the penalties inflicted by the "Stamp Act, and of these no notice have been "taken; so that our danger from the circumstances "you suggested to the ministers is over. But we "see another arising from the violent spirit raised

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"in the North-American colonies against this act, "which threatens us with the same ill conse

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quences; we mean, from their avowed resentment at the people of this island, for having so tamely submitted to the act, which they had been pleased so resolutely to oppose. This having led them to some extraordinary attempts (as we "have been informed) to prevent any vessels com

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ing hither with provisions for our support, how "far a combination of this kind, which has to "struggle with the private interests of so many individuals, can be formed amongst them, we may at first be led to doubt; yet, on a second "review of things, how far the excesses of popular

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fury, which has no bounds, may hurry away all "those individuals, to their own, as well as our

immediate prejudice, we may reasonably fear; "and we think it, at least, necessary to make men"tion of it to you, that you may take this, amongst "all the other unhappy consequences we may feel "from that injurious act, into your proper consi"deration."

N. B. The words in italics are those animadverted upon in the following address; and are printed in that manner, to be more easily distinguished, and referred to by the reader.

A N

ADDRESS, &c.

GENTLEMEN,

I AM a North-American, and my intention is in addressing you at present, to answer so much of a late letter from you to your agent in London, as casts unmerited censure on my countrymen.After this declaration, as you entertain such unfavourable sentiments of the "popular fury" on this continent, I presume you expect to be treated with all the excess of passion natural to a rude people. You are mistaken. I am of their opinion, who think it almost as infamous, to disgrace a good cause by illiberal language, as. to betray it by unmanly timidity. Complaints may be made with dignity; insults retorted with decency; and violated rights vindicated without violence of words.

You have nothing therefore to apprehend from me, gentlemen, but such reflections on your con

duct, as may tend to rouse that remorse in you, which always arises in the minds of ingenuous persons, when they find that they have wounded by their rash calumnies, the honor of those who merit their highest esteem, their warmest praises.

I KNOW there are in the island of Barbadoes, many men of sense, spirit, and virtue; and therefore I choose to consider you rather in the character of such, whose understanding, resolution, and integrity, have been drugged by some pernicious draft into a slumber, than of those, who with irretrievable depravity, want all the qualities requisite to make them serviceable to their countrymen, or just to others.

HAD I only heard, gentlemen, that you had called the behaviour of these colonies, a "REBELLIOUS OPPOSITION given to authority," I should have thought it a vain attempt, to aim at convincing you, how unjustifiable an aspersion that expres. sion contained; because I should immediately have concluded, that you were so ignorant of the rights of British subjects, and so insensible of all concern on the invasion of those rights, that any man who should endeavour to shew you your error, would engage in as unpromising a project, as if he should think to communicate an idea of sound to the deaf, or of colour to the blind.

WHEN I read your letter, however, with an agreeable surprize I observed, that you, at the same time you have made the attack, have laid the foundation of a defence for my countrymen. Permit me to erect the superstructure, though I had much rather see it built by more skilful hands.

You acknowledge, the " burthen of the taxes "imposed by the Stamp Act, to be oppressive in "all its parts;" that you are thereby not only "loaded with a charge more than is proportioned "to your circumstances, but deprived also of a privilege, which renders the oppression beyond "measure grievous:" that you "see two of the "most important objects, TRADE and JUSTICE,

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crouching under the load of the new duties; "and by the manner in which these duties have "been imposed, find too the most valuable of all your civil rights and liberties sinking along with

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"them."

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You say that if you "are to be subject to the power of the parliament of Great-Britain, in your internal taxes, you must always be liable "to impositions, that have nothing but the wILL (6 OF THE IMPOSERS to direct them in the mea"sure." With what consistency you afterwards hesitate, and "cannot say," whether the privilege of taxing yourselves, exclusively belongs to you,

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