[Extract]

Pray how many more burnings of towns are we to be abused with by the British Barbarians, ere the long suffering of the Congress is concluded, & every manly exertion of power & wisdom is to be exercised in opposing our Enemies! By a Captain arrived from one of the French ports we are told, that the French are ready to trade with us, & to defend such trade. The Buccanners of America made a great noise in times past; let the Congress give out letters of m[arque] to take all British bottoms, & we shall soon acquire a greater reputation & a better. West India & East India ships will make good men of war. The British sailors, who might be taken, would be likely to join us upon receiving proper encouragement; the single men might be married among us; the married might go back to their [own] Country after a while. The West India property belongs in general to English merchants, the planters being [to a] man over head & ears in debt to them. If the Merchants will support the ministry, we have a right [to th]eir property when we can catch it, that we may support ourselves.