hardly have brought myself to think that I should have given offense as my post had neither business nor emolument annexed to it. I have wrote by this ship, and desired of My Lord Halifax that if this request should be renewed I might have leave.1 It is uncertain whether it will or no. They begin to attack me in the papers already. If it should, I find a great reluctance when I take a near view of it. If I thought I could do any service I would run the risk of being reproached for doing it. I have no personal advantage in view except the improvement of my mind; new posts or new employments I do not desire. You can see the thing in a truer light than I can. I wish you would

then that a commission without any kind of business or perquisite could be intended to confine me to a particular place, but upon consideration I was satisfied the Governor's advice was right."

1 “The Assembly in their present session by a general vote desired me to take a voyage to England as agent for the province to transact several affairs which are depending there. Although the Lt. Gov.'s place whilst the Governor is in the province has neither business nor emolument annexed to it, yet I did not think it proper to be absent without leave. Notwithstanding my refusal at this time it is possible the Assembly, which by charter is to meet the 30th of May, may make the same request. I humbly ask your Lordship that if they should repeat their desire, I may have leave to comply with it, unless it shall appear to your Lordship to be for his Majesty's service that I should remain in America." Hutchinson to the Earl of Halifax, February 3, 1764. Mass. Arch., XXVI. 78. Leave was refused.

A memorial on the molasses duty was prepared, entirely the work of Israel Mauduit. "He thought that it might be of service to lay the Argument in one View before their Lordships. And considering the very formidable number of Votes, which the West Indians have in the house of Commons; that it is our business to avoid as much as possible the committing ourselves in any dispute with them. Many of the Merchants he has talk'd with are convinced that it is a common Concern of both Colonies to discourage as much as possible the French, Dutch and Danish Distilleries; and for that purpose to allow the foreign Islands to sell their Molasses. But many of the mere Islanders don't choose to look so far. One thing their own Interest has suggested which may be of service. They have desired the Lords of the Treasury that no ship may be permitted to sail from our West Indies, without a Certificate upon Oath, that the Sugar, Rum or Molasses on board are the produce of the Island cleared from." Jasper Mauduit to the Speaker, February 11, 1764. Mass. Arch., XXII. 351. A printed copy of this memorial dated (in Ms.) February 9, 1764 and signed by Jasper Mauduit is in the John Carter Brown Library, Providence.

give me your candid advice. There will be opportunities before that affair can come forward again. Your affect. humb. sert.

HARRISON GRAY TO JASPER MAUDUIT

BOSTON, Feb'ry 7, 1764.

SIR, Inclosed you have an Account of the bills drawn on you since my last of the 2d of November, amounting to the Sum of Four thousand six hundred and eighty pounds. The General Court at their last Session made choice of His Honor the Lieut. Governor to be in the joynt Agency with you, not from any disrespect to you, but it was apprehended from some of his Honor's friends in the House, that no one in this Country was so well acquainted with the dispute that has been long subsisting between this Province and the other Colonies relative to the Line. His Honor has excused himself from that service. My sincere compliments to your Brother. I have the Honor to be Your most Obedient Humble Servant,

SIR, -Since the foregoing the Generall Court have mett and have chose a large Committee of both Houses to consider how our Trade is affected by the Act of Parliament laying a duty upon Molasses, etc. The Committee have mett and we are prepairing Instructions for you upon this matter. I find the Committee in general are of oppinion that this Act is at this time put in rigorous execution in order to obtain our Consent to some Dutys being laid, but this is look'd upon of dangerous consequence as it will be

conceeding to the Parliaments having a Right to Tax our trade which we can't by any means think of admitting, as it wou'd be contrary to a fundamentall Principall of our Constitution vizt. That all Taxes ought to originate with the people. Now this can't be at present the case with any duty's the Parliament may lay, as we are not Allowed a Representative in Parliament; Its probable therefore you will be instructed Strenuously to oppose any duty at all being laid. If they impose any it must be without our Consent. I mention this for your Government. I hope your Instructions will be ready and forwarded by the first Vessell in the meantime I am with Respect Your humble Servant, THOMAS CUSHING.

BOSTON, February 11th, 1764.

MR. MAUDUIT. SIR, —Since my last the General Court have finished your Instructions1 relative to the Sugar Act

1 On January 27 the House appointed Edmund Trowbridge, Chambers Russell, James Otis, John Winslow and Royall Tyler a committee to prepare instructions for Mauduit. The names added from the Council are not entered in the printed Journals. As the Court was prorogued February 4, the instructions were prepared by the committee during the recess. They are in Mass. Arch., xxII. 320. They reached Mauduit late in March, too late to be of real service.

"In my letter of the 12th of March I mentioned, that it was intended to keep up Ten Thousand Men in the several parts of America and the West Indies. And that the Colonies should contribute to the Maintenance of them. I have not since the writing of that Letter received any objections to this scheme, and therefore did not think myself at Liberty to make any; but judged it best, as we could not oppose, to make a Merit of our Submission. Nor indeed could any opposition at all avail, in the present state of our Finances. Mr. Grenville, after the kindest expressions of regard to the Colonies, assured my brother, that whatever were the distresses bro't upon the revenue by the extravagant Expenses of the War, they did not mean to draw anything from America for the relief of them. All that was desired was, that it should bear the charge of its own Government and Defence, and nothing more. In this the Parliament will most certainly concur with him. Nor do I find the least Disposition in the other Agents to oppose it. All that we can desire, therefore, is to have the Duties laid on in such a manner, as shall be the most equal, and the least prejudicial to our trade." Jasper Mauduit to the Speaker, February 11, 1764. Mass. Arch., XXII. 350.

and the Secretary forwarded you the same by the last conveyance. While this matter was under consideration it was represented that the Ministry were meditating some new Regulations with respect to the Colonies, that a number of Forces were to be sent to garrison the Forts upon the Frontiers, that the Forces were to be supported by a Revenue to be raised out of Dutys to be laid upon our Trade, etc. And a Motion of a sudden was made to chuse some Person on this side the Water acquainted with the nature of our Trade and with Government affairs, as an Agent to be joined with yourself in order to prevent any such Duties being laid and to transact the Business of the Province at the Court of Great Britain, and after some debate the question was put and out of 86 Members 46

In opening his budget Grenville postponed stamp duties for a year, while suggesting a duty of three pence a gallon on foreign molasses imported into North America. Grenville, in suspending stamp duties for one year, wished to give to the Provinces their option, to submit to the proposed duties, or to raise an equivalent sum by another tax "desirous, as he expressed himself, to consult the Ease, the Quiet, and the Goodwill of the Colonies." Jasper Mauduit to the Speaker, March 13, 1764. Mass. Arch., xxII. 359. "The present sense of Parliament is such, that I should only flatter and deceive the General Court, if I led them to imagine, that any one Man of Consequence there would stand up in his place, and avow an opinion that America ought not to bear at least the greater part of the expense of its own Government; or that Acts of Parliament (tho' not Orders of Council) were not obligatory upon all his Majesty's Subjects in all parts of his Dominion." Jasper Mauduit to the Secretary, April 7, 1764. Ib., 363.

"A few days ago several of the Agents waited upon Mr. Grenville, to know his intention upon that subject [stamp duties]. When he told us that he was still of the same mind. That of the several Inland Duties that of the stamps was the most equal, required the fewest officers, and was attended with least Expense in the Collecting of it. That therefore, tho he doubted not but that the Colonies would wish rather to have no tax at all; yet as the necessities of Government rendered it an indispensable duty, he should certainly bring in such a Bill. And in the meantime he should leave it to each province to signify their Assent to such a Bill in General, or their requests about any particular modifications of it as they should think fit. My Brother took the Liberty of desiring to have the particular heads of the Bill; without which he said it would be asking the province to assent to they did not know what. But was answered, that that was not necessary. That everyone knew the stamp laws here; and that this Bill is intended to be formed upon the same plan." Jasper Mauduit to the Secretary, May 26, 1764. Ib., 375. A duplicate is in LVI. 425.

were for chusing an Agent to be join'd with yourself and the next day proceeded to the choice. Mr. Hutchinson the Lieut. Governor, having been bread a Merchant and been long conversant in Government affairs, was thought of as a suitable Person, and no other person appearing inclin'd to undertake this Business, he was choose. His Honor, after taking this matter under consideration, return'd for answer, that as it was not probable any services he could do woud contervail the Charges of a voyage to Great Brittain and of his support while there, and as his affairs were attended with some difficulties which coud not be removed under three or four months he left it with the Court either wholly to excuse him from the Agency or to permitt him then, (if inclined,) to take it up.1 The House took this answer under consideration and as they apprehended it woud be very expensive and an additional agent, if necessary, woud be wanted immediately; they voted wholly to excuse His Honor from the Agency. The Council were divided in their sentiments upon this matter, one half of them were for wholly excusing His Honor and the other half were for his considering of it for a while. The Court soon rose and so this matter ended and I believe the House will not be very soon perswaded, (if His Honor shoud hereafter be inclined) to vote for sending him again. I hope you will be able to gett the affair relative to Duties upon Molasses settled this winter, in that case the Court will judge it altogether needless to have him for an additional Agent. It has been suggested that the Ministry will attempt to obtain a stampt Act laying a duty upon all writings in the Colonies. I doubt not you will oppose

1 Hutchinson's letter is printed in the Journals of the House of Representatives, February 2, 1764.