enough, to repay any debt which fhe may contract to accomplish it.

7. Refpecting character in the honeft payment of debts; The punctuality with which America has discharged her public debts, was fhewn under the first head.—And the general good difpofition of the people to fuch punctuality, has been manifested in their faithful payment of private debts to England, fince the commencement of this war. -There were not wanting fome politicians [in America,] who propofed stopping that payment, until peace fhould be reftored; alleging that in the ufual courfe of commerce, and of the credit given, there was always a debt exifting equal to the trade of eighteen months: That the trade amounting to five millions fterling per annum, the debt must be feven millions and an half; that this fum paid to the British merchants, would operate to prevent that distress, intended to be brought upon Britain, by our ftoppage of commerce with her: For the merchants receiving this money, and no orders with it for farther fupplies, would either lay it out in the public funds; or in employing manufacturers, to accumulate goods, for a future hungry market in America, upon an expected accommodation; by which means the funds would be kept up, and the manufacturers prevented from murmuring. But against this it was alleged, that injuries from minifters fhould not be revenged on merchants; that the credit was in confequence of private contracts, made in confidence of good faith; that these ought

to

to be held facred, and faithfully complied with; For that whatever public utility might be fuppofed to arife from a breach of private faith, it was unjuft; and would in the end be found unwife; honesty, being in truth, the best policy. On this principle, the propofition was univerfally rejected; and though the English profecuted the war, with unexampled barbarity, burning our defenceless towns in the midst of winter, and arming favages against us; the debt was punctually paid; And the merchants of London have teftified to the parliament, and will testify to all the world, that from their experience in dealing with us, they had, before the war, no apprehenfion of our unfairnefs; and that fince the war, they have been convinced, that their good opinion of us was well founded. -England, on the contrary, an old, corrupt, extravagant, and profligate nation, fees herself deep in debt, which she is in no condition to pay; and yet is madly, and dishonestly, running deeper, without any poffibility of discharging her debt, but by a public bankruptcy.

It appears, therefore, from the general industry, frugality, ability, prudence, and virtue of America, that she is a much fafer debtor than Britain; To fay nothing of the fatisfaction generous minds must have in reflecting, that by loans to America, they are oppofing tyranny, and aiding the cause of liberty, which is the cause of all mankind.

IV. PAPERS

IV.

PAPER S

ON

SUBJECTS

O F

PROVINCIAL POLITICS.

NB. All the Papers under this divifion are diftinguished by the letters [P. P.] placed in the running title at the bead of each leaf.

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Report of the Committee of Aggrievances of the Affembly of Penfylvania, dated Feb. 22, 1757

*

IN obedience to the order of the house, we have

the

drawn up the heads of the most important aggrievances that occur to us, which the people of this province with great difficulty labour under; many infractions of the conftitution, (in manifest violation of the royal grant, the proprietary charter, the laws of this province, and of the laws, ufages, and customs of our mother country;) and other matters; which we apprehend call aloud for redress.

They are as follow:

[The English colony-governments feem to have been confidered as of three forts. First, Provincial governments; where the conftitution originally depends on the King's commiffion and inftructions, given to his governors; and the affemblies held under that authority, have their fhare in making local ordinances not repugnant to English law. Next, Proprietary governments; where a diftrict of country is given by the crown to individuals, attended with certain legislative powers in the nature of a fief; with a provifion for the fovereignty at home, and alfo for the fulfilment of the terms and end of the grant. Laftly, Charter governments, where the form of government is previously prescribed and made known to the fettlers, being in no degree left fubject to a governor's commiffion or proprietor's will. (See Blackftone, Vol. I. Introd. § 4.) -Good faith however to mankind feemed to require, that the conftitutions once begun under the provincial or proprietary governments, fhould remain unaltered (except for improvement,) to the respective fettlers; equally as in charter go

vernments.

By the laft paragraph of the above report, it seems that the affem. bly established in Penfylvania intended to fend Commiffioners to England, to folicit redrefs of various grievances, particularly refpecting their proprietor's conduct; and that the business being referred to a committee of the affembly, the following report was meant to convey the opinion of that committee concerning the inftructions necefsary to be given by the affembly to the commiffioners. E.]

Ddd 2

First,