pretty certain that wisdom will be proper & even very necessary, as well as prudence & good Discretion to direct the Councils of America. . . . .
I shall hope to see you the beginning of Summer at farthest.
Govr. Fitch
Copy
Sir
In my last, which was by the last mail to New York, I gave you a particular Account of the reception the American Stamp Bill met with in the house of Commons upon the first bringing of it in. Since that time, in the farther progress of the bill through the House, there have been some farther debates, the most considerable of which was at the second reading of ye. bill, upon the offer of the Petitions from the Colonies against the same. You doubtless know that no Petition can be offered or presented to Parliament but by some Member of ye. house. The first that was offerred was by Mr. Fuller a West india Planter in behalf of the Merchants in London trading to America. These Gentlemen it seems are much alarmd. on account of their outstanding Debts in America, which it is said Do not fall short of four Millions Including ye West Indies. Substance & purport of ye Petition being opened & stated by Mr. Fuller & leave being asked to bring it in, 'twas Strongly Objected to, upon a principle which it seems has long been adopted by ye House that no petition shall be Received against a Money Bill; this Drew into a Discussion & Consideration How Peremptory this Rule of the House was, how long it had been adhered to, & ye Grounds & Principles upon which it was founded. Upon the
- ↑ The present letter, as well as the succeeding one, is printed in Mr. Ingersoll's Letters relating to the Stamp Act; but is here taken from the manuscript copy among his papers.
