that in the late war, while some of you did much, others did but little or perhaps nothing at all—and would not that be the Case again was you left to Defend yourselves? No doubt it would, unless you were Erected into one power by a Union of the whole, but that is a measure we dont think you yourselves, was you in our Steads would think adviseable; and there are many reasons why you should wish not to have the Country Defended by your own Children. A Soldiers life is not only a life of Danger, but in a proper Sense is a base life, whereas you have all a Chance in that opening Country to raise your families to be considerable in time by a diligent Attention to your natural and proper business.
To all this the Americans answer, truly Sr. we must own there is a weight in your Arguments & a force in your reasonings—but after all we must say we are rather silenced than convinced. We feel in our bosoms that it will be for ever inconvenient, 'twill for ever be dangerous to America that they should be taxed by the Authority of a British parliament by reason of our great distance from you; that general want of mutual knowledge & acquaintance with each other,—that want of Connexion & personal friendship, & we without any persons of our own Appointing, who will have any thing to fear or hope from us, to speak for us in the great Council of the nation—we fear a foundation will be laid for mutual Jealousy and ill will, & that your resentments being kindled you will be apt to lay upon us more & more, even to a Degree that will be truly grievous & if that should be the Case that twill be hard under all the Circumstances, very hard to convince you that you wrong us, & that unknown & very unhappy Consequences will Ensue.
To this the Minister Replies:—
Come, suppose your Observations are entirely Just, & indeed we must own there are inconveniences attending this matter; what then is to be done? perhaps you will say let the Colonies send Members to Parliament; as to that in the first place the Colonies have not told us that they desire such a thing, & tis easy to see there are many reasons why they should not desire it. The Expense would probably be very great to 'Em; they
