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' v^ts ^ ■ ',^' J V 4^ ,< *- -U^ ^4* [Price One Shilling.] .r > t %■ ^ iM^'f" :#5 l-.JK .-*^, l^i-l'.^J .J ^■''*f'„,_ t;*--: ^ . fr-iff ''■•'■ T^rf^mmmmm^^mmmmm^ " .!> «a_ ■/>■ ^^^rW'TWv^ ■ t„r^ ' FREE THOUGHTS ON T HE PROCEEDINGS O F T H E CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 5, 1774: WHEREIN Their ERRORS are EXHIBITED, THEIR REASONINGS CONFUTED. A N D T H E Fatal Tendency of their N o n-I m p o rtat i on, NoN-ExPORTATioK, and Non-Consumption Measures, are laid open to the plaineft Under- ftandings ; AND The ONLY MEANS pointed out for Prcfcrving and Securing our prefent Happy Constitution : In a L E T T E R to the Fa R M E R s, arid other Inhabitants of North America in general, and to thofe of the Province of N E vv- Y o R K in particular. .. ,v ^. By a F A R M E R. Hear 7R#, for I WILL fpeak ! NEW-YORK, Printed: LONDON Reprinted for Richardson and U R <^u H A R t, at the Royal Exchange. 1 775. ! J' '■■J ' ", «.X.?' 1'/: w - i.. „ ,«;,, 1^, ..4 , K — ' - ■■"■■ ■■ "^ FREE THOUGHTS b N T rt U - I>ROCEEDING9 ' . ■♦ O F T H E *T" Congress at PhiladelphiAj df^* -> ikj' Priends and Countrymen, PERMIT me to addrefs ydU Upoii k fubje^t, which; next to your eternal welfarfe ih a futiirfe world, demslnds your moft ferious and difpaflionate confide- ration. The Ameticart Colonies are unhap^* pily involved in a fcene of confufion and difcord. The bands of civil fociety aid broken *, the authority of government weak- ened, ahd in forjc ihftances taken away * Individuals aredeprived of their liberty; theit property is frequently invaded by violence, iind not a fmgle Magiftrate has had courage 6r virtue enough td interpofe. From this diftrcflcd fituation it was hoped, that the © Wifdoni --^t— ' Hj yip » -* ■ Wi i l wii Jw i ■ ii« w '**» L^ - ■•'^ — ' s t J M ri I I* ♦ 1 wifdotn and prudence of the Congrefs lately aifembled at Philadelphia, would have de- livered us. The eyes of all men were tjuirned to them. We ardently expedted that fome prudent fcheme of accommodating our un- happy difputes with the Mother- Country, would have been adopted and purfued. But alas ! they are broken up without ever at- tempting it : they have taken no one ftep that tended to peace : they have gone on from bad to worfe, and have either igno- rantly mifunderftood, carelefsly negle^ed, or bafely betrayed the interefls of all the Coloni cs, ( 1 (hall in this, and feme future publicdv tion, fupport this charge againft the Con- grefs, by inconteftable fads : But my fird bufinefs (liall be to point out to you fbme of the confequences that will probably follow fromtheNon-importation,Non-exportation, and Non-confumption Agreements, which they have adopted, and which they have order-^ ed to be enforced in the moft arbitrary man- ner, and under thefevereft penalties. On this iubjedl, I choofe to addrefs myfelf princi- pally to You the Farviers of the Province of New-York, becaufe I am moft nearly coane^ed f [3} ^onncftcd with you, being one of your number, and having no intereft in thecountry but in common with you ; and alfo, becaufe the intereft of the farmers in general will be more fenfibly affefted, and more deeply in- jured by thefe agreements, than the intered of any other body of people on the conti- nent. Another reafon why I chooife to ad- drcfs myfelf to you is, becaufe the Farmers are of the greateft benefit to the ftate, of any people in it : They furnifh food for the merchant and mechanic ; the raw materials for mod manufa<5tures, the (laple exports of the country, are the produce of their in- duftry : be then convinced of your own im- portance, and think and a(ft accordingly. The Non-importation Agreement adopted by the Congrefs, is to take place the firrt: of December next j after which no goods^ wares, or merchandize, are to be imported from Great-Britain or Ireland j no Eaft- India Tea from any part of the world ; no molafles, fyrups, paneles, coffee, or pimento, from our iflands in the Weft-Indies j no wine from Madeira, or the Weftern Iflands j no foreign indigo. B 2 Th« ( 4 ] The Non-Exportation Agreement is tq take cfFedt on the tenth day of September next; after which we are not to export, dire<5tly or indiredlly, any merchandize or c:>mmodity whatfoever, to Great-Britain, . Ireland, or the Weft-Indies, except Rice to Europe,": — unlefs the feveral adts and parts of afts of the Britifli Parliament, referred to by the fourth article of AfTociation, be repealed. The Non-confumption Agreement is to be in force the firft day of March next ; after which we are not to purchafe or ufe any Eaft-India Tea whatfoever j nor any j;oods, wares, or merchandize from Great- Britain or Ireland, imported after the fufk of December, nor molafles, &c. from the Weft-Indies ; nor wine from Madeira, or the Weftern Iflands, nor foreign indigo. Let DS now conftder the probable confe- quences of thefe agreements, fuppofing they ihould take place, and be exadly adhered to. The firft I ftiall mention is, clamours, dif- cord, confufion, mobs, riots, infurredtions, rebellions, in Great- Britain, Ireland, and the Wcft-lndies. This confequence does not indeed imniediatcly affedt You, the 6 Farmers ■ m w^_ «9 )cr lor fn, I to •ts [s] Farmers of New-York ; nor do I think it a probable ope : But the Congrefs certainly intended it Ihould happen in fome degree, or the efFedt ihey propofe from thefe agree- ments cannot poffibly take place. They in- tend to diftrefs the manufacturers in Great- Britain, by depriving them of employment T-*-to diflrefs the inhabitants of Ireland, by depriving them of flax- feed, and of a vent for their linens, to diftrefs the Weft-In- dia people, by with-holding provifions and lumber from them, and by ftopping the market for their produce. And they hope, by thefe means, to force them all to join their clamours with ours, to get the zCta complained of, repealed. This was the un- doubted defign of the Congrefs when thefe agreements were framed; and this is the avowed defign of their warm fupporters and partisans, in common converfation. But where is the juftice, where is the policy of this procedure ? The manufactur- ers of Great-Britain, the inhabitants of Ireland, and of the Weft-Indies, have done us no injury. They have been no ways inftrumental in bringing our diftrefles upon ^8. Shall we then revenge ourfelves upon them ? a -i III r. 1 1*1 [ 6 ] ibem ? Shall we endeavour to flarve them into a compliance with our humouirs ? Shall; we, without any provocation, tempt or force them into riots and infurre^ions^ which, mud be attended with the ruin of many— » pFobaJbly with the death of fome of them ? Shall we attempt to unfettle the whole BritiQi Government--i-to throw all into^ confufion, becaufe our fdf-will is not com^ plied with ? Becaufe the ill-projedted, ill- conduded, abominable fcheme of fome of the colonics, to form; a republiiran govern* - nient independent of Great-Britain, cannot Qtherwife fucceed ?— (Good God! caa we look forward to the ruin, deilrudtion, and defolation of the whole British Empire, witfaouit one relenting thought ? Can we contemplate it with pieafure ; and promote h with all our might and vigour, and at the fame time call ourfelvea bis Majejiy's moji^' dutiful and loyal fuhjeSls ? Whatever the Gentlemen of ^he Congrefs may think of the matter, the fpirit that di<5tated fuch a meafure, was not the fpirit of huma- nity. ...... I Next let us confider the policy, or rather impolicy of this meafure. Inflead; of con.-. ciliating, '} t7l Ciliating, It will alienate the affcdlions of the. people of Great- Britain. Of friends St will make them our enemies ; it will excite the rcfcntment of the government at home a- gainft us ; and their refentment will do tis no good, but, on the contrary, much harm. Can we think to threaten, and bully, and frighten the fupreme government of the nation into a compliance with our demands? Can wc expedl to force a fubmiflion to our peevifh and petulant humours, by exciting clamours and riots in England ? We oupht to know the temper and fpirit, the poweV and ftrength of the nation better. A fingle campaign, fliould (he exert her force, would ruin us effcdually. But (hould fhe choofe lefs violent means, fhe has it in her power to humble us without hurting her- fclf. She might raife irnmenfe revenues, by laying duties in England, Ireland, and the Weft-I.idies, and we could have no remedy lefts for this non- importation fcheme can- not laft for ever. She can embarrafs our trade in the Mediterranean with Spain, Holland, &c. nor can we help ourfelves ; for whatever regulations fhe fhould make, would effedually be enforced, by the fame Navy t,'i w • I f U 1 Navy that (he keeps in readinefs to proieft her own trade> , ' ^ We {hall alfo, probably, raife the refcrit- mcnt of the Iri{h and Weft-Indians. The padions of human nature are much the fame in all countries. If they find us dif- pofed wantonly to diftrefs them, to ferve our own purpofes, will they not look out for fome method to do without us ? Will they not feek elfewhere for a fupply of thofe articles, which they ufed to take from us ? They would deferve to be defpifed £clt their meannefs, did they not. Holland, the Baltic, and the river St Lawrence, would afford the Irifh a fufH- cient fupply of flax-feed. If they look out in time they cannot be difappointed. Ca- nada produces no inconfiderable quantity already. I have been well informed, that many bufhels have been bought up there at a low price, brought to New- York, and fold to the Irifh fadtors at a great advance. Are the Irifh fuch novices in navigation, that they cannot find the way to Quebec ? Or are . mam mM <■,>,# .^^^ i . to proieA he refeiit- ns. The nuch the d us dif- to fervc look out IS? Will upply of ake from fpifed fyr river St a fufH- look out d. Ca- quantity t many re at a Etnd fold te. Are n, that jc? Or are I r9] are they fo blind to their own intereft, as to continue giving a high price for fla[x- fced at New-York, when they might have a confiderable fupply from Canada, at a inoch more reafonable rate ? You will fay, that as foon as the Irifii fend their (hips to Quebec for feed, the price will rife till it comes to an equality with ours. I know it. I know alfo, that the more the price rifes, the more Cana- dians will be encouraged to raife it. I know alfo, that the more they raife and fell, the lefs demand there will be for ours, and the lefs price it will fetch at mar- Jcet. Nor (hould we diftrefs the inhabitants of the Weft- Indies fo much as at firft fight we may imagine. Thofe iflands produce now many of the necciliiries of life. The quan- tity may eafily be increafed. Canada would furnidi them with many articles they now take from us i flour, lumber, horfes, &c. Georgia^ the Floridas, and the MiflifTippi abound in lumber; Nova-Scotia in fifli. All thefe countries would be enriched by our folly, and would laugh at it. C When I. I '( [ 10 ] When a trading people carelefly neglcd^,i or wilfully give up any branch of their trade, it is feldom in their power to recover it. Should the Irifti turn their trade for flax- feed to Quebec, and the Weft-Indians get their flour, horfes, bcc. from thence, or pther places, the lofs to the farmers of this province would be immenfe. The laft non- importation fcheme turned the Indian trade from New-York down the river St. Law- rence; we are now repeating, with regard to our flour and flax-feed, the fanie blun- der we then committed with regard to thq Indian trade. The confcquence, however, will be much worfe. The lofs of the Jn- dim trade, was a lofs to the merchants only ; but the lofs of the flax-feed trade, will be a lofs to every farmer in the province! and a lofs which he will feverely feel. 4 You know, my Friends, that the fale of your feed not only pays your taxes, but fur- niflies you with many of the little conve- niencies, and comforts of life j the lofs of it for one year would be of more damage to you, than paying the three-penny duty on tea for twenty. Let us compare mat- '■•"'' ters J :!:• [ «« ] ters a little. It was incoriverilent for ih6 this year to fow niore than one buflicl of feed. I have threfhed and cleaned up ele- ven bufhcls. The common price now is at leaft ten (hillings * ; my feed then will fetch me five pounds, ten (hillings. But t will throw in the ten (hillings for expences. There remain five pounds : in five pounds arc foiir hundred ihree-pences; four hun- dred thrfee-pences currency, will pay the duty upon two hundred pounds of tea> even reckoning the exchange with London at 200 percent, that is; reckoning 100 1. (terling, to be equal to 200 1. currency ; whereas in fad it is only equal to 175 or 180I. at the moft. I ufe in my family about fix pounds of tea : few farmers in my neighbourhood iife To much : but I hate to (lint my wife and daughters, or my friendly neighbours when they come to fee me. Befidcs, I like a di(h of tea too, efpecially after a little more than ordinary fatigue in hot weather. Now 200 pounds of tea, at (ix pounds a year, will lift juft 33 years, and eight months. So that in order to pay this mon- * Since this piece was written, the price of flax- feed in fil'cu to thirteen, (hillings per bufhtl. c ?. ftrous '•?57"i^;i*»a;.i*c-.«.. "• t. f •,, *■-, • •-- •*;.* ♦ >•• * «.. • 1 12] Arous duty upon tea, which has raifed all this confounded combuftion in the country^ I have only to fell the produce of a buihel of flax-feed once in thirty-three years. Ridiculous ! i ft n 4 ;,! 14 But, to leave jefting. The lofs of the fale of your feed only for one year, would be a condderable damage to you. And yet the Congrefs have been fo inattentive to your interefts, that they have laid you un- der, almoil, an abfolute neceflity of lofing it the next year. They have decreed, and proclaimed a non-exportation, to commence in September next. The Irilh will be a- larmed. They will look out fome where elfe. Or fliould they determine to fend their (hips the earlier, we cannot, without the utmoft intonvenience, get our feed to market by that time i efpecially, not from the remoter parts of the province. The confequence will be, that we mud; fell our feed at the oil -mills in New- York, juft at the price the nianufa(fturers fhall pleafe to give us. Upon the whole then, it is highly impro- bable that we ihall fucceed in diflrefiing 6 tl^e r f ''.'■.-i-.^.r*— ".f-** ' «&Nfc ,<■» *— rsr* ' "— ^- *. « '^.^•m cST^A ,<», [ '3 1 the people of Great -Britain, Ireland, and th« Weft-Indies, (o far as to oblie*! them ,tp join with us in getting the a(5ts ot Parliament which we complain of, repealed. The firft diftrefs will fall on ourfelves : it will be more fevereiy felt by us, than by any part of all his Majefty's dominions; and it will affedt us the longeft. The fleets of Great- Britain command refped throughout the globe. Her influence extends to every part of the earth. Her manufa(5tures are equal to any, fuperior to moft in the world. Her wealth is great. Her people enterprizing, and perfevering in their attempts to extend and enlarge, and proted her trade. The total lofs of our trade would be felt only for a time. Her merchants would turn their attention another way. New fources of trade and wealth would be opened : new fchemes purfued. She would foon find a vent for all her maaufadtures in fpite of all we could do. Our malice would hurt our- felves only. Should our fchemes diftrefs fome branches of her trade, it could be only for a time ; and there is ability and humanity enough iii the nation to relieve thofe that are diftreflled by us, and to put them •/ ■ \ f/ I i:' a [ H ] tticm in fome other way of getting thclf living. The cafe is very different with us. Wc have no trade but under the protedtion of Great-Britain. Wc can trade no where but where (he pleafes. We have no influence abroadi no ambadadors, no confuls, no fleet to prot^ ^ our (hips in pafling the feas, nor our merchants and people in foreign coun- tries. Should our mad fchemes take place, our Tailors, fliip -carpenters, carmen, fail- makers, riggers, miners, fmelters, forge- men, and workers in bar-iron, &c. would be immediately out of employ; and we ihould have twenty inobs and riots in our own country, before one would happen in Britain or Ireland. - Want of food will make thefe people mad, and they will come iri troops upon our farms, arid take that by force which they have not money to pur- chafe. And who could blame them ? Juf- tice, indeed, might hang them; but the: fympathetic eye would drop the tear of humanity on their grave; The next thing I fhall take notice of, is the advanced prices of goods, which will, not ■-~-'\j-^i A •• .^swtcSSr:' ng thcif us, Wc e£iion of I'here but influence no fleet feas, nor gn coun- ke place, nen, fail- s, forge- c. would and we ts in our iappen in vill make come iri ; that by ^ to pur- :nrj? Juf- but thei ! tear of tJee of, is lich will, not I h ^i; I IS 1 pQt only probably, but necefTarily, fblIow« as foon as the non-importation from Great- Britain, &:c. (hail take effedt. This is a confequence that moft nearly concerns you; nor can you prevent it. You are obliged to buy many articles of clothing. You cannot make them yourfelves ; or you can- not niake them ib cheap as you can buy them. You want Woollens for your win- ter clothing. Few of you have wool enough to anfwer the purpofe. For not- withflanding the boafts of fome ignorant, hot-headed men, there is not wool enough on the continent, taking all the colonies together* to fupply the inhabitants with blockings. Notwithftanding all the home- fpun you can make, many of you find it difficult, at the year's end, to pay the {hop- keeper for what the neceffities of your fa- milies have obliged you to take up. What will you do when the prices of goods are advanced a quarter, for inflance, or an half? To fay that the prices of goods will not be raifed, betrays your ignorance and folly. The price of any commodity always rifes in proportion to the demand for it; and the demand always increafes in propor- tion to its fcarcity. As foon as the impor- tation -"-—■ ■- =-. .M\ ; r ' i ■h ll I I [ 16 ] lation ccafes in KcW-York, the quantity of goods will be daily lelTertcd, by daily con- fumption ; an-d the prices will gradually rife in proportion. " But the merchants of " New- York have declared, that they will •* demand only a reafonable profit." Who is to judge what a reafonable profit is ? Why, the merchants. * Will they expofe their invoices, and the fecrets of iheir trade to you, that you miy judge whether their profits are reafonable or not ? Certainly they will not ; and if they did, you can- not undes Hand them j and, confequently, can fc>rin no judgment about them. You have therefore nothing to truft to in this cafe but the honour of the merchants. Let us then confider how far we have rcafon to truil to their honour. • Not to rnife the price of a commodity when it is fcarce, and in demand, is con- trary to the principles and pracftice of mer- chants. Their maxim is, to buy as cheap, and fell as dear, as they can. Will they let you have a piece of goods for twenty (hillings, which will fetch them twenty- five ? When the (lores and (hops are full, and a price is demanded which you think unrea- .smsfrSSr'Z^-it,., t »7l tinfeafonable, you will afk an abatement* ^f you are refufed, you will took etfewhcre. But when there arc few goods and many buyers, no abatement can be expedted. If iou won't give the price, your neigh1)0ur perhaps is in greater necelfity, and muji ^ive it. Betides, the merchant knows that no more goods can be imported. He knows that the necetTities of the country are in-i creating, and that what you refufe now at twenty (hillings, you will be obliged Co take, by and by, at twenty-tive. But no argument is like matter of fadb. You have had one trial of a hon* impor- tation agreement fome years ago. Pray how did you like it ? Were the prices of goods raifcd Oh you then ? You know they were. What remedy had you? A good Chritiian remedy indeed, but a hard one- patience — and patience only. The honour of the merchants gave you no reliefs-con- found their honour — it obliged me — it obliged many of you, to take old moth- eaten clothes that had lain rotting in the. iliops for years, and to pay a monArous price for them. D Some, tiSl iomcr indeed, I confefs it with gratitude^ had honour enough to attempt to regulate the price of Tea, at that time. Did thef fucceed? No. There was not honour enough in the body of merchants to bring it to efFcd. Mcflrs. * ' declared at the CofFee-Houfe, that they wouM be bound by no regulations. They would have their own price for their tea. They had it. And common bohea tea was ibid at the enormous price of nine (hillings the pound. Will you again truft to the honour of tbefe men ? You had better truft to the mcrcv of a Turk. Indulge me in a few fentences more upofi< this fame fubjcdt of Tea. It is well known that little or no tea has been entered at the Cuftom-Houfe for feveral years. All that is imported is fmuggled from Holhnd, and- the Dutch lilands in the Weft-Indies. In this trade the laWs of our country are Irampled upon. The nation fs defrauded' of its revenues. The facrednefs of an oath^ the grand fccurity of the liberty, and pro- perty, and lives of EnglKhmen, is profti- tuted' "s .V In ( 19 1 tttted to the vile purpofes of private gain. Perjury and falfe fwearing are encouraged by thofe very merchants, to whofe honoi^r we are now to truft^ that they will not de* inand an unrcafbnabk profit on their goods. Let the guilty alone take this to them* felveSi I mean no reiledtions on the fair trader. But never will I believe that the n^an who can co(^ly s^nd deliberately en- courage perjury or falfe fwearing — who can calnr^y lay fchemes, and repeatedly execute them, in order tp defraud his country of her revenues, would ever heiitate one mo- ment, whether he (hould not proflitute his honour, and cheat me too, could he do it with ccjual fecurity. T\kt poor culprit, who perhaps forced by necefiity, turns informer, is branded with ignominy^-— is treated as an out-cafl from focietyt but the lordly merchant, who, wallowing in wealth, can plead no necefli- ty, tramples on the mod facred obligations, and yet holds up his head, and boails him- ielf a man of honour. O (hame ! (han^e ! D 2 [iro] "I i' !| M 1 ? ■' 5' I know not how it happens, hut not only the merchants, but the generality of citi- zens, treat us countrymen with very unde- ierved contempt. They a6t as though they thought, that all wifdom, all knowledge, all underilanding and fenfe, centered ip themfclves ; and that we farn^ers were ut- terly ignorant of every thing, but juft to drive our oxen, and tP follow the plough. We are never confulted, but when they cannot do without us: and then, all the plans are laid in the ^ity^ before they are of- fered to us. Be tl^e potion they prepare for us ever fo naufeous, we muft fw; .low i^ down, as well as we caii. It is not many years fince the Mayor, Aldermen, and Tom- monalty pf the city (hewed their contep)pt of us, in the ipofl' infulting manner. They pailed a law to regulate the priced of our produce; and, inftead of proteaing us in their markets, we were expofed to' conti- nual abufe and infults. ' "We could not carry a* quart of milk, a duck, a chicken 1 think not an egg— I am furc not a cjuail or Jhipe, to market, iii peace. If ihey were fcarce, we durft not afk an advanced price ; for jf we did, a fine— s^r imprifonment, was [ ai 3 was pur portion.— rD^d they allBs fix th^ price oi Jhop' goods? Catch them at tha^ and I will humbly afk their pardon.-r-r- Where was honour at this time ? Troth { cannot tell : but, were it neceifary, I could eafiiy tell where (he was not> I may, perhaps, at another time, tell yoii a little mpre of my mind upon this matter : at prefent* let i;s attend to another circum- ilance, which I think renders the honour of the New-York merchants a l^ttfe fufpi« cious, and convinces me, that we have no fufficient ground to truft to it. Common fenfe cannot utterly have (][u|tted the city ; there mud be fome merchants who are fen* fible of the evil tendency of this Non-con- fumption, Non-importat^n> and Non-ex- portation agreement. But where is the man who has had honour enough to avow his fentiments, and oppofe it? Shew him to ipe, anQ I will reverence him as '* The no- "« bleft work of God." 5ix honeft mer-. chants, who had honour, virtue, and cou- rage enough openly to avow their fcnti- ments, and adl accordingly, would yet iavc you anu their country from win. But 4. i , I* ) *'■ V ; ■!■■ ;| ii I \ ^u| the cDnjudl of the merchants pre- fcnts ^ very 4iffifing particular commodities in 9 f(^w h^nd^, that they may ;ay^tl th^rp(elve$ of $h« ueceflity of the buyer, and, get a gp^ prif ^. We Countrymen ar(; in tliis fifu^tipi^. Np (Tiq'6 gopd^ ^an bq importeii ^ the mf ftbaots have us at theic mercy i Ipt thqia (let $heir prjqp 9Ver (o fiighi^ ne * ii ' I t 0' ^? ?i; r [Hi iiie agreement, and money and credit enougn to import largely again. Biit the infdHor merchant is ruined : he has lived on his car- pital i it is gohe i if he is not in Mt, ht has nothing to begin trade with ; and he ttidd bcGbme a clerk to his wealthy neighbour. Thefe inferior merchants are of great confequence to the community. They keep down the price of goods, and [yrevent its becoming exceflive ; they mud make quick Tales, that they may make their remittances in due feafon: they mud therefore tak6 what their goods wiU fetch. But the weal-» thy merchant can wait for a better price, without hurting his eftate or credit; or elfe he muft be content with the fame advance with the merchant of (mail capital. Another argument to prove that the prices of goods will increafe is, that they are already increAfed, even before thu fatal day fixed fbr the commencement of the Non-importation Agreement. Several persons, whom I take to be good judges, have afTured me, that the prices of woollens, linens, &c. are very per- ceptibly incrcafed in the (hops in New- York. And I was told, by a very credible man from Ncw- ^. -l lit 1 V t enoiigU infdHor A his est- ht hafs he moft ibour. of great ley keep event its ce quick littances £>re tak6 he weaI-» IT price, ; or elfe advance be prices 5 already fixed ibr »ortation a I take that the ery per- jr-York. an from New- ! »5 3 ffe^-Yprk, that the price of gun-powdor Was raifed from 9 or lo 1. to 17 or j 8 l.per hutldred. I know you'll flare, and wi£h to koaWy what cqM fi> enormoufly advance tfie article of Gun-powder ;■ I'll tell you. It was the great and fudden demand for it, when the Patmans and Co. of New-Eng^ landi were in fucb a violent hurry to divert themfelves with fighting the King's troops : and fhould thefe heroes take it ini^ . their heads to divert themfeJves with pufh- pin, I fuppofe the price of pins would rife in the fame proportion. I come now to the confideration of anotti6r probable conicquence of a Non- importation agreerhent, which is. That it will excite the fefentmentof thegovernmentathomeagairift us, and induce the Parliament to block up 6ur ports and prevent our trade entirely. it would certainly be good policy in the government to do to. Few Colonics are fettled but ^y a trading people, and by them chiefly for the benefit of trade. The grand defigh of England in fettling the American Colonies, was to extend her trade— to open a new vent for her manufa<^urcs. If then we ftop our imports, the benefit of our ^ trade i §'. fipi t^6) trad^ is ii^ a mstaner loft to her, and 2he would iind but little additional disadvantage, fhottld file ftop our trade with all the world. -■.-..' * ■ . ■ . ^ ■ . ' , . t " »■ . . .- But Aiould the goirernment parfue milder meafures^— though we indeed have no right to expeft it will — -yet the Congrefs have determined the expediency of our (lopping our own trade, after a limited time» viz. ten months. In either ca(e the confequence will be much the fame; and it matters but little whether the government blocks up our ports, or whether we ourfelves voluntarily put an end to our exports, as well as. im- ports ; after the tenth of September next we are to have but little trade, except with our neighbouring Coldnies. Confider the confequence. Should the government interpofe, we (hall have no trade at all, and confequently no vent for the pro- duce of our farms. Such part of our wheat, flax-feed, corn, beef, pork, butter, checfc, as was not con fumed in the province, mud be left to rot and flink upon our hands. Should the government leave us to our- felves, the little trade that would be o» ^n, N id and mc vantage, e world. e milder no right efs have [lopping Tie, viz. fequence ters but 16 up our luntarity [ as.im- »cr next spt with }uld the no trade the pro- irwheaty , cheefe, :e» mufi mds. to our- be o» '*tip V d hP ■^t, t [ ^7 1 would never keep thefe articles at fuch « price, as to make it wqrtb v^hile to raifc more of them than yft w^nt for our owa confuinption. (.ook well to yourfelves, I befeech ygu. From the day that the exports from this province are (lopped> the farmers may date the commencement of their r uin . Can you live without money ? Will the (hop-keeper give you bis goods ? Will the weaver, flioe- maker, blackfmith, carpenter, work for you without pay ? If they will» it is more than they will do for me. And unlefs you can fell your produce, how are you to get money P Nor will the cafe be better, if you are obliged to fell your produce at an under* rate j for then it will not pay you for the labour and expcnce of raifing it. But this is the leaft part, of the diflrefs that will comp upon you. Unhappily, many of you are in debt, and obliged to pay the enormous intereft of ieven pounds on the hundred, forconfider- able fums. It matters not whether your debts have been contradtcd through ncceffity, or careleiTncfe ; you muft pay them, at leafl E 2 t& -■ ^ '-.^x^'-- B V i\ ) - C«8] Ac intereft, punctually ; the ufurer will not wait long; indeed you cannot exped he fhould : you have had his money, and are obliged, in judice, to pay him the principal and intereft, according to agreemen^f But without felling your produce, you can'neither pay the one, nor the other ; the confequence will be, that after a while, a procefs of law will be commenced againft you, and your farms muft be fold by execution ; and then you will have to pay not only principal and intereft, hut Sheriffs fees. Lawyers fees* and a long lift of Gf cepteras» Now, under thefecircumftances, will your farms fetch half what they coft you. What is a farm good for, the produce of which cannot be fold ? Had matters continued in their old courfe, fome one of your neigh- bours, who knew the value of your farm, fnight have been willing and able to h^ve given you a reafonable price for it, had you been difpofed, or obliged to fell ; but he has more wit than to buy a farm, when he can- not fell its produce. Your creditor then, or fome rich merchant, or ufurer, muft take it at their own price : to you it is of no confequence who takes it -, for you are ruin- :*?. Rrillnot ed he and are rincipal U But neither equence of law d your nd then ipal and ;rs feet* vill your What f which inued in neigh- ur farm, to have had you it he has 1 he can- or then» nuft take is of no, ire ruin- ed. ■vSe [29] ^, Gripped of your farnif and very pro* (Kibly of the means of fubfiftence for your- ielf and family. Glorious effect of Non« «xportation ! Think a little, and then tell me— ^whentheCongrefs adopted thiscurfed jfeheme, did they in the leaft confider your inteieft ? No, impofiible ! they ignorantly mifunderfloQd, carelefsly negledled^ or bafely betrayed you. But, it is faid, that all legal procefTes are to be flopped, except in criminal cafes.—— That is to fay — the lower clafs of people are to be deprived of their daily bread, by being thrown out of employment by the Non« Exportation agreement ; to prevent ftarving» many of them will be tempted to fteal i if they (leal, they are to be hanged. The dif- honeft fellow, who owes money, may, by refuting payment, ruin his creditor; but there is no remedy, no procefs is to be ifTued againft him. This may be juftice, but it looks fo much like cruelty, that a man of a humane heart would be more apt to call it by the latter, than the former name. But pray, by whofe authority are the courts of Juftice to be ihut up, in all civil cafes ? [30], cj^»?.,p^Who QfiHl DARE to ilop th^ Courts of Jiiftko^-^-^A very pretty ftocf indeed ^ I l>uy & cow of my poor neighbour^ siQd I proixiifo to pay him at Chriftmaa : ho wants thflj money to pay hia (hoe-maker» taylor, &c. my rafcally neighbour, on tho other fide, owqs m« ten pounds i I depend upon this mone^ to pay for the cqw : b« refufes payment : the Courts of JuAice are (hut up : I cannot fue him, nor can I pay my debt for want of the money. My neighbour pick Stiibbs has a farrii which he rents to Peter Doubtful for 2o 1. a year. Pick is an hQ;)eft, good Tort of a man, but rather negligent, and depend) upon thi^ 20 1. to enable htm to n>ake both endi of the year, meet, as we fay. There is one Tim Twiftwcll, a RaTcal from New-Engr land, who lays claim to Stubbs's farm, tho' he has no more right to it than the Popf of Rom^. He knows his right is good for nothing, and has never dared to proieouie it, though be has money enough, and hr^s been harping upon it. thefe fevcii y;^ars. But he has lately made feveral attempts to corrupt Poubtful the tenant. Should he fuccccd* ^'% • ;»■■ t3'1 fecceed, and get fofleifioo of tlie ^ihii^ how is Stubbs to recover his right, vthtil cbe courts of juftice are (hut up ? You may fay that he mdft wait till the courts aKe bpNied« and then he may profecnte his cliiim. It may be k>. But temdmber, that the fame violence which nowihnts the courts of juf- tice, may keep them fhat, tiJl poor Stiibbs is abfolutely ruined. Rouze, my Friends, rouze from you ftu- pid lethargy. Mark the m«n who fhall dare to impede the courfe of juftice ; brand ^hem as the infamous betrayers of the rights of their country. The grand i^Curity of fhe property, the liberty, the Hres of En- gli(hmen, confifts in the due adminiftrsition of juftice : while the courts are duly at- tended to, and fairly conducted, our pro- perty is fafe ; as fuon as they are fhut, every thing is precarious : for neither property nor liberty have any foundation to ftand u^on. Tell me hot of Deleg^Mes, Congtcffes, Committees, Riots, Mobs, fnftirr%dtions» Affociatidns, — a plague on them all.— Give me the fteady, uniform, Uhbiafled infliience of the Courts of Juftic«. I have been hap- py py under their protedion, slnd I traft M JQod I (hall be ib again. But after all, fome of you, t fear, lobfe forward with pleafure to thofe halcyon dayd of fecurity, when the Courts (hall be (hut. Undifturbed by the clamours of creditors^ tmdifmayed by the fight of the Sheriff, you think to pafs your lives in quietnefs and peace !-*-But ah ! my friends ! truft not the fatal, the ill-judged fecurity. You would not, I hope, be (o diChontd as not to do your utmod endeavour to pay your debts ; befides, while the Courts of Juftice are (hut, you will be apt to be carelefsj you will ncgleft paying your intereft, your debts will accumulate, your creditors will be ir- ritated; and, as foon as a legal prtcefs can be commenced, you will be ruined before you can look about you* Some of yoo are indebted to the loa;^- office. You have your money, it is true, at albw rate ; you pay only five per centum > but, if you cannot fell your produce, you can no more pay five per cent, than feven. The (hutting up of the Courts of Judice can here give you no relief. By virtue of the [33] the aft which rcgu^us the Loan-Office, your farms, if you faij to pay the int?reft, will be fold in a limited time, without any Judicial procefs at all. Some of you, alfo, are tenanjts at will j and if you fail in paying your rents, you may be turned oft, with little or no warn- H' , . ■ ■ .. ....1. . Confider now the fituation you will be in, if Great- Britain, provoked by your Npn-importation Agreement, fhould ihut Up our ports; or ihould the Non-exporta- tion agreed to by the Congrefs, take effed:. In that cafe you will not be able to fell your produce ; you cannot pay even the in- tereft of the money ypu are indebted for : ypur farms muil be fold, and you and your families turned out, to beggary and wretch- ccinefs. — Blcffcd fruits of Non-importation and Ngn-exportation ! The farmer that is in debt, will be ruined; the farmer that is clear in the world, will be obliged to run in debt, to fupport his family : and while the proud merchant, and the forfworn fmug- gler, riot in their ill-gotten Wealth, the la- borious farmers, the grand fopport of every F well- » ) HI ■>k I ' [3+1 ^ell-regulated countfy, muft all go to the dogs together.— Vile ! Shameful ! Diaboli- cal Device! Let us attend a little to the Non-con- fumption Agreement, which the Congrefs, in their AiTociation, have impofed upon us. After the firft of March we are not to pur*- chafe or ufe any Eaft-India Tea whatfoever ; nor any goods, wares,, or merchandize from G.ea't-3ritain or Ireland, imported after the £rft day of December next i r^or any r/io- i^des, fyrups, &c. from the Britiih planta- tions in the Weil-Indies, or from Dommi- ca ; nor wine from Madeira, or the Weftern Iflands ; nor foreign indigo. Win you fubmit to this flavifh regu^- tion ? — You muft.-^Ouc fovereign Lbrds and Mafters, tlie High and Mighty Delegates, in Grand Continental Congrefs aiTembled* have ordered and directed it. They have direded the Committees in the refpedlive colonies, to eftabliih fuch further reguhtions as they may think proper, for carrying their aiTociatjon, of which this Non-confumption agreement is a part, into execution. Mr. ***** *** of New- York, under the autho- nty M' ■*.* . ■>'- [ 35 ] rity of their High-Mightinefles, the Dele- gates, by and with the advice of his Privy- Council, the Committee of New- York, hath iflued his mandate^ bearing date No- vember 7, i774t recommending it to the freeholders and freemen of New-York, to ^emble on the 18th of November, to chooljb eight peribns out of every ward, to be a Commit:ee, to carry the AfTociation of the Congrcfs irto execution.— The bufi- nefs of the Committee fo chofen is to be, to infpei^ the condudl of the inhabitants, and fee whether they violate the Aflbciation. — Among other things. Whether they drink any Tea or wine in their families, after the firft of March ; or wear ^ny Britiih or Irifli manufadlures ; or ufe any Englifh molaffes, &c. imported after the firft day of Decem- ber next. If they do, their names are to be publifhed in the Gazette, that they may be puhUckly known, a.^d unwerfally con^ temned, as foes to the Rights of Britijh A^ meriea, and enemies of American liberty.-^ And then the parties of the faid AJfociation will reJpeSlively break off all dealings with him or her. — In plain Englilh, — They fliall be confidered as Outlaws, unworthy of the proleftion of civil fociety, and delivered F 2 over m I: . [ 36 ] over to the vengeance of a lawlefs, outra- geous mob, to be tarred^ feathered, hanged, drawn f quartered, and burnt, — O rare A- merican Freedoni ! 7 i i> ui^ r, W i i )i i ' 1 ? 6 f \ Probably, as foon as this point is fettled in New-York, the faid Mr. ***** **♦ iri the plenitude of his power, by and with the advice of his Privy- Council aforefaid, will iflue his Mandate to the fupervifors in the feveral counties, as he did about the choice of Delegates, and diredl them to have Committees chofen in their refpedive diftrids, for the fame jaudable pgrpofe. Will you be inftrumental in bringing the moft abjedt flavery on yourfelves ? Will you choofe fuch Committees ? Will you fubmit to them, (hould they be chofen by the weak, foolifli, turbulent part of the country peo- ple ? — Do as you pleafe v but, by him tha( made me, I will not. — No, if I muft be enflaved, let it be by a K i n o at Iea(V, and not by a parcel of lawlefs upftart Commit- tee-men. If I muft be devoured, let me be devoured by the jaws of a lion, and not gnawed to death by rats and vermin. Did 0' pid you choofe your fupervifors for tac purpofe of inflaving you ? What right have they to fix up advertifements to call you together, for a very different purpofe from that for which they were elected ? Are our fupervifors our mafters ? And fhould half a dozen foolifli people meet together again, in confequence of thejr advertifements, and choofe themfelves to be a Committee, as they did in many diftridls, in the affair of choof- ing Delegates, are we obliged to fubmit to fuch a Committee? You ought, my friends, to alfert your own freedom. Should fuch another attempt be made upon you, affemble yourfelves together ; tell your fupervifor, that he has exceeded his com- mifiion: That you will have no fuch Committees : That you are Englifhmen, and will maintain your rights and privi- leges, and will eat, and drink, and wear, whatever the public laws of your country permit, without afking leave of any ille- gal, tyrannical Congrefs or Committee on earth. But however, as I faid before, do as you pleafe : if you like it better, choofe your Com- >'!*! '-i '. [ 38] Committee, or fufFer it to be chofen by half a dozen Fools ia your neighbour hpod, — i-Qpen your doors to them, ^let them examine your tea-canifters, and mplafTes^ jugs, and your wives and daughters petti- coats,-- — bo\v> and cringe* and tremble, and quake,— -^fali down and worship our fovcreign lord the Mob. — But I repeat it, by H ' " . n , 1 will not,— No, my houfe is my caflle : as fuch I will confider it, as (iich I will defend it, whilp I have breath. No King'^ officer (hall enter it without my . ''nifl)on, unlefs fupported by a v^arrant froin a magiftrate.—— And (ball ipy houfc be entered, and n)y ippde of living en- quired into, by a domineering Committee* man ? Before / fqbmit, I will die : livp p^^ and be (laves. I Do, I fay^ as you pleafe : but (hould ^ny pragmatical Committee- gentleman con^e to my houfe, and give himfelf airs, I (hall (hew him the door, and if he do^s not foon take himfelf away^ a good hiccory cudgel (hall teach him better manners. There is one article more of the A(roda* tion, which exhibits fuch 9- Ariking iniUnce of ki -1 f 39 1 (^ thie tgnorftAct, Dt Inatiention of the Con« gttfs to tht FarnMrs intereft, that I muft take notiee of it to you $ efpecially fts it vtrill givit tne an op^wtunity of mientioning as drlkittg ait fttftatice of the arbitrary, il- legal, atid tyraAhical procedure bf the Com- mittee of Correfpondence in New- York. Thd ^Icle I ftican, is the fcventh, rela- tive to ^e iftcreafing of the number and imptOving of the breed of (http. N'o (heep of any^kifid are to be exported to the Weft- lAdSelv or «lfewbcrc. Why, for God's {dkti ^t.vt noHetkef-s inckided in this pro* hibliroin t Will ^eithtrs increafe th 1 . z\. W. Farmer* ' t ' ' POST- I [49 ] ^m^ POSTSCRIPT. Tyr U C H ftrefs has been laid, it feems, ^'^ upon the unanimity of the Delegates, and it has been urged, that all the Inhabit tants of the continent (hould think thcm- fclves in honour obliged to abide paffi'vely by their decifions, be they what they may, as they were their Repr.fentatlves, — But I would juft obferve, that not one per/on in an hundred (to fpeak much within bounds) throughout this province at Icaft, gave his vote for their ekSllon : and as to the unani- mity which was fuppofed to prevail amongft them, it is now pretty generally underftood, and it is an undoubted fadt, that not only fKoJl or a/l of the New-Tork members, but many others, of the moft refpeSlabie cha- raBers amongft them, warmly oppofed their condudt in a multitude of inftances; though they had unhappily agreed, before their entrance upon bufinefs, that neither froteji nor d{ffent ihould appear upon their l\ minutes. mm ■»« >,* W ..'iHJ-W!. ■f 5 165' '. [ 5°] minutes. The arts smd^ratagems ufed on this and fome 0/i6^r occafions, during the feilion of the Congrefs, together with the caballing out of doors, and the unfair DEALINGS within, will fill up more pages, than are comprehended in the prefent Letter IP my Fellow'Farmers, \h FINIS, *ed on g the h the [FAIR pages. Letter o