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say, but this I am well satisfied of, that it will soon appear to be detrimentall to the trade of Great Brittain and a severe check upon her manufactures; this will be evident to every one that considers that the Inhabitants of this Province by their trade and Fishery are some of the greatest Consumers of the Natural produce of Great Brittain. In short all the mony we gett, all the Oyl we catch, all the Ships we build, all the Freights we make, the neet proceeds, of all our Cod Fish at the marketts of Spain and Portugall; of most of the Rum at Newfoundland and Guinea, and all the Proffitts from every Branch of Bussiness, center in Great Brittain and the whole is not sufficient to pay for the goods we want. Lett it be further considered that if the Fishery here and at Newfoundland shou'd fail, Great Brittain will be deprived of an nursery for Seamen and in a few years will want hands to navagate her fleets, at the same time the French will have a fine oppertunity to Increase there Fishery, to promote the growth of their Colonies and put their Navy upon a respectable Footing. Before I conclude I woud enquire what good purpose the rigorous execution of this Act can answer? It must be done with a veiw, either to encourage and promote the growth of the English Islands, or to Raise a Revenue to the Crown to be appropriated as hereafter may be determined; as to the first motive, it's evident the English Islands don't in the least need any such Support and Encouragement, as they have vastly the advantage of these Colonies in their Trade already. In short it will enable them to gain a monopoly of what they cannot supply, and make them the Sole purchasers of what they cannot take off; as to the last, I mean a Revenue, it may easily be proved to be an object not worthy the attention of the ministry when putt in competition with the trade

of North America, a trade of vast Importance to Great Brittain, as the growth of her manufactures and the Increase of her Navigation depend greatly upon it. The Generall Court when they meet, will doubtless have the Facts before mention'd assertain'd as near as can be. In the mean time to gett as many of them as you can proved on your side the water may not be amiss, especially as all evidence taken viva voce is Generally more satisfactory than otherways. Upon the whole I apprehend the best way of settling this dispute woud be for the Parliament to Lower the duty to half-penny per Gallon. A penny might do, but that's the utmost the trade wou'd bare. This I write as a private person. It's a difficult affair for you to conduct at present, as the Generall Court have heretofore instructed Mr. Bollan to oppose any duty at all, as of Dangerous precedent. What their mind will be now, I can't say, but I suppose you won't incline to be very active in it (or at least openly appear so) till you have received their Instructions upon this head. I'm inclined to think they woud be willing the affair shoud take this Turn, provided it's done without their explicit Agreement. I am with great Respect Your most Humble Servant,

THOMAS CUSHING.

THOMAS CUSHING TO JASPER MAUDUIT

BOSTON, November 10, 1763.

Duplicate. SIR, - Inclosed you have Copy of my last: I have lately mett with a State of the Controversy betwixt the Sugar Colonies and the Nothern Colonies, drawn up some years ago (I believe) by Mr. Bollan.1 As it will throw light upon

1 Probably a manuscript statement, as no known pamphlet by Bollan answers to the description.

this subject, I thought a copy of it wou'd be acceptable, which you have inclosed; It was taken in great haste, the ship being just upon sailing, by two different hands at the same time, this is my excuse for its being so incorrect and illegible. For further information relative to this important matter I beg leave to refer you to Mr. Postlethwait's Dictionary of Trade and Commerce, Vol: I. p: 870, where the Arguments on both sides the Question are fully stated: In my last I referr'd you to Mr. Sam'l Cary for intelligence upon this subject, but I am since informed he is strongly connected with the West India Interest and his Evidence must be taken (if at all) with great Caution. I understand Mr. Baron's who was lately Collector for this Port,2 is well acquainted with the nature of our Trade and may be of service if consulted and advised with. I am with Respect, Your most humble Servant,

1

THOMAS CUSHING.

THOMAS CUSHING TO JASPER MAUDUIT

BOSTON, November 11, 1763.

SIR, - The Captain of the Man of War stationed here has lately seiz❜d a Brig't from France, which touch'd at this Place in her way, as the owners say, to St. Eustatia. Whether she will be condemned is a Question not yet determin'd. I give you this piece of intelligence, as its probable this single Instance will be improved, by the West india Interest in the course of your dispute with them, as an Evidence of our Trading directly with the foreign Governments in Europe contrary to Act of Parliament, but I hope our Character as a trading People won't be settled by one or two instances of this kind; It's well

1 The younger Carey was in 1791 concerned in the Granada trade.

2 He had been suspended from office in 1761. See Barrington-Bernord Correspondence, 30.

known our Merchants in general dislike the Trade to Holland and France as hurtfull to our Mother Country and like good subjects have always discountenanced it. A number of them went so far some years ago as publickly to advertise they woud inform against all Persons carrying on such trade to Holland; But at the same time they judge this Trade to be pernicious, they are fully convinced that the Trade of these Nothern Colonies to the foreign Colonies is beneficial and of vast advantage in its consequences very to the Trade of Great Britain, and think, instead of being obstructed, it ought to be encouraged. They have been desirous of the General Court's meeting immediately in order to take some measures to prevent the rigorous exaction of the Duty upon Molasses. However, it seems the Court is further prorogued by the Governor to the 21st of December next, till which time you can't expect any Instructions from them upon this matter. The reasons given for this proroguation are various according [to] the different Apprehensions of people; It is said by some that there is no other affair that calls for the Court's meeting at this time, That the G-v-n-r has wrote home fully upon this affair, which renders the Court's meeting barely upon this occasion needless. It is supposed by others, that, if, at the next Session of Parliament, the Duty shoud be lower'd, or the Act shoud not be revived, or if revived, the Duty shoud not be rigorously exacted, that the G-v-n-r, by Virtue of his Letter, woud expect the whole Merit of such a favourable occurrance; but in this expectation, its apprehended by others, he will be disappointed, as they are confident that the several Agents for these Nothern Colonies (altho' they shoud be without instructions from their Constituents) will by their Vigilence and Activity respecting this matter, have a considerable Influence in

any favourable Resolutions that may be made by the Parliament upon this subject and doubt not we shall be particularly informed of the measures they may from time to time take to give this affair a favourable Issue. Before I conclude I beg leave to observe that it will be impossible for the Ministry to gain a revenue out of the Duty as it now stands, it amounts to an absolute Prohibition of the Trade; If the duty of six pence per Gallon is continued and rigorously exacted, all must desist altogether from importing molasses or run it in clandestinely. In either case the Crown will receive no revenue. It wont answer to import it and pay the present duty, as the prime cost of it togather with the duty added, will make the price of it equal to the price of West india Rum, and West india Rum at an equall price having always the preferrence, the sale of New England Rum will be totally prevented and consequently the importation of Molasses from which that rum is distilled. In case we have it at all, therefore, it must be run; perhaps it will be objected that as we shall be narrowly watch'd, the risque of running it will be so great as to prevent it, but it may be answer'd, that if we don't import it, the Price of Rum and Molasses will be so high as to make it worth while for the French to do it; It is asserted by the British Sugar Planters that in case we did not purchase the Molasses of the French, it woud be of no value to them, the only use they woud make of it woud be, as formerly, to give it to their Hogs and Cattle. Now this being the case and they having experienced the Profitts of selling of it to the English and well knowing their want of it, won't the Temptation be great to run it in clandestinely among the English Islands and the Nothern Colonies, they can run no great risque, for if it shoud be seiz'd and forfeited (as its acknowledged to be of little or no value) the

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