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utter ruin and destruction ;—and confequently the balance of the power of government, although still within the realm, will be locally transferred from. Great Britain to the colonies. Which confequence, however it may fuit a citizen of the world, muft be folly and madness to a Briton. My fit is off; and though weak, both from the gout and a concomitant and very ugly fever, I am much better.-Would be glad to see you.

Your friend,

gone

J. POWNALL.

On

On the back of the foregoing letter of Gov. Pownall, are the following minutes, by Dr. Franklin. THIS objection goes upon the fuppofition, that whatever the colonies gain, Britain must lose; and that if the colonies can be kept from gaining an advantage, Britain will gain it :

If the colonies are fitter for a particular trade than Britain, they should have it; and Britain apply to what it is more fit for. The whole empire is a gainer.And if Britain is not fo fit or fo well fituated for a particular advantage, other countries will get it, if the colonies do not. Thus Ireland was forbid the woollen manufacture, and remains poor : But this has given to the French, the trade and wealth Ireland might have gained for the British empire.

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The government cannot long be retained without the union. Which is beft (fuppofing your cafe ;) to have a total feparation, or a change of the feat of government ?—It by no means follows, that promoting and advancing the landed interest in America, will deprefs that of Britain: The contrary has always been the fact. Advantageous fituations and circumftances will always fecure and fix manufactures: Sheffield against all Europe for these 300 years past.

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The Examination of Dr. Benjamin Franklin [before the English Houfe of Commons, in February 1766] relative to the Repeal of the American Stamp Act*

2. WHAT is your name, and place of abode? A. Franklin, of Philadelphia.

2. Do the Americans pay any confiderable taxes among themselves?

A. Certainly many, and very heavy taxes.

2. What are the prefent taxes in Penfylvania, laid by the laws of the colony?

[1766. Feb. 3. Benjamin Franklin, Efq; and a number of other perfons were ' ordered to attend the committee of the whole house [of commons] to whom it was referred to confider farther the feveral papers [relative to America] which were presented to the houfe by Mr. Secretary Conway, &c.'

Feb. 13. Benjamin Franklin, Efq; having paffed through his examination, was excepted from farther attendance.

Feb. 24. The refolutions of the committee were reported by the chairman, Mr. Fuller; their feventh and last refolution fetting forth⚫ that it was their opinion that the house be moved, that leave be ⚫ given to bring in a bill to repeal the Stamp A&t.'-A propofal for re-committing this refolution was negatived by 240 votes to 133. (See the Journals of the Houfe of Commons.)

This examination of Dr. Franklin was printed in the year 1767, under the form of a fhilling pamphlet. It is prior in point of date to fome of the foregoing pieces; but I readily fubmitted to this derange ment, thinking by this means to provide the reader with a knowledge, of the proceedings on which the examination was grounded.

I have put /paces between the anfwers, whenever the question led to a change of fubject; which frequently happened, in confequence of the defultory and intermixed inquiries, made on the part of a body fo variously compofed as the house of commons. E.]

A. There

A. There are taxes on all eftates real and perfonal; a poll tax; a tax on all offices, profeffions, trades and bufineffes, according to their profits; an excife on all wine, rum, and other fpirits ; and a duty of ten pounds per head on all negroes imported; with fome other duties.

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2. For what purposes are those taxes-laid?

A. For the fupport of the civil and military establishments of the country, and to discharge the heavy debt contracted in the last war.

2. How long are thofe taxes to continue?

A. Those for discharging the debt are to continue till 1772, and longer, if the debt should not be then all discharged. The others must always continue.

2. Was it not expected that the debt would have been fooner discharged?

A. It was, when the peace was made with France and Spain. But a fresh war breaking out with the Indians, a fresh load of debt was incurred; and the taxes, of course, continued longer by a new law.

2. Are not all the people very able to pay those

taxes?

A. No. The frontier counties, all along the continent, having been frequently ravaged by the enemy, and greatly impoverished, are able to pay very little tax. And therefore, in confideration of their diftreffes, our late tax laws do expressly favour those counties, excufing the fufferers; and I suppose the fame is done in other governments.

2. Are not you concerned in the management of the poft-office in America?

A. Yes. I am Deputy Poft-Master General of North America.

2. Don't you think the diftribution of ftamps, by poft, to all the inhabitants, very practicable, if there was no oppofition?

A. The posts only go along the fea-coafts; they do not, except in a few inftances, go back into the country; and if they did, fending for ftamps by poft would occafion an expence of postage, amounting, in many cafes, to much more than that of the ftamps themselves.

2. Are you acquainted with Newfoundland? A. I never was there.

2. Do you know whether there are any poft

roads on that island?

A. I have heard that there are no roads at all; but that the communication between one fettlement and another is by fea only.

2. Can you difperfe the ftamps by poft in Canada ?

A. There is only a poft between Montreal and Quebec. The inhabitants live fo fcattered and remote from each other, in that vast country, that pofts cannot be supported among them, and therefore they cannot get ftamps per poft.-The English colonies too, along the frontiers, are very thinly fettled.

2. From the thinness of the back fettlements, would not the Stamp Act be extremely inconvenient to the inhabitants, if executed?

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