Gentlemen

My Last was 24 Ulto Since I have none of your favours. The News from New York, since strengthend by the Testimony of the Quakers in your Province, leave no doubt with most people (of which I confess myself to be one of the number) of the Submission of all America to the present System of Government in this Kingdom. It is a pity, that these Circumstances had not been duly considered, before the Americans determined upon meeting in Congress, the resolutions of which by being broke through, only confirms the opinion already adopted, of the weakness of the American Counsels. I am still of the same opinion, whatever may be the Event, that these Laws of Taxation were impolitick and illegal, that they are subversive of the constitutional Liberty of the Subject, and will in the end be destructive of the present Constitution. And I am still further of opinion, that had the Colonies been united in a firm compact to resist these Laws, it was not in the power of the Mother Country to have compelled her.

It is a fact that since America has been in a State of Resistance, great Confusion has reigned in the Councils of the Ministry. When the violent and oppressive Acts passed against Boston last May, the Ministry placed the strongest dependance upon the other Colonies not supporting her, and when he found that they had determined upon a Congress, he laughed at it & looked upon an Union as a thing absurd and impossible  In this Situation the new Parliament met, when the Kings Speech was couched in warm terms against America. But no sooner was the resolution of the Congress known, & the union with which their determination was made, than the Minister was really frighten'd, & expressed himself to that purpose in the House before the Adjournment. However there being a little time to breathe before the parliament met, the most violent of the Ministry declared themselves openly against America the danger being distant. Again the News from Virginia threw them into Confusion, & produced a delusive but apparently conciliatory motion from the Minister, but with such a variety of Opinion in his Coleagues or his Superiours, that they had nearly quarrelled. Now the News from [New] York has raised their Spirits, & they talk of a Bill to shut up the Ports of Virginia & Carolina. The Act to restrain the Fisheries, or in other words to starve the four New England Provences still goes on. But if there is any wisdom in the Ministry they will now as some Provinces have acceded, & the others must, adopt moderate Measures, in order to produce some degree of reconciliation and fix their revenue System on a settled basis.

The Advocates for America of which there are able ones in the House, tho' few in number, receive now in a pretty extensive degree, the Epithets of factious, and rediculous. To suppose there was Virtue enough left in America to produce any firmness, they are stiled rediculous and for the Resistance which America has made, they are stiled factious as having caused it. Our Representative Mr [Edmund] Burke has indeed exerted himself in the Cause of the Colonies with a warmth, which becomes the dignity of his publick, & the honesty of his private Character, and however wanting any of the Americans may have been in support of their own Cause, Every Man who appeared in their defence here, was supporting in their persons the Liberties of the whole Empire, which cannot be constitutionally taxed without the Consent of the people or their Representatives, & if a Revenue is found in America, will only be used to strengthen the enormous power of the Crown by adding to the List Placemen and Pensioners. As for us poor Traders who have dared to express our Sentiments in favour of the Colonies, we have the Comfort not only of being called factious, but also of being called fools for our Interference with a Business, which did not belong to us, for that the Business of a Merchant is his Interest only, which he ought to prefer to every other Consideration, & which we were by our Encouragement to America evidently injuring by an Interruption of our Commerce. Indeed I am convinced, that Interest is the Soul of Traders in general, & that this will put an end to the resistance of America upon publick and vertuous principles. However I shall ever be happy to have an Opportunity of saying that a House in Philadelphia, the greatest perhaps in Europe led the way, by an entire sacrifice of its private Interest, to the publick Advantage, and founded an Opposition which had it been strictly adhered to would have saved Posterity from the miseries of an arbitrary Government, which this Nation is hastening to assure and for which the Introduction of a Revenue System in America, will prove a certain ground work.

I have not made much progress in the Sale of the Friendship's Cargo of Wheat. It is clean and good white Wheat, but this quality if not so much liked here being light, & not producing the quantity of Flour. Indeed our Consumption in this part of the Country is almost wholly of red Wheat, as they are much heavier and produce more flour. So that these sorts of Wheat will have the preference. However I do as others do here engage the weight to be 60 pounds P Bushel & will not go under 6/9 P Bushel. I have no doubt of finishing the sale at that price only I must wait a little patiently  Some of the Black princes Cargo² have been sold at 6/7½ warranted Colds P Bushel which somewhat affected the market  However I shall not lower  I am determined if there is the least possibility of supporting the price, which I am sure may be done with great Ease, for there was no manner of occasion for lowering the price from 7/ as the demand would have been the same. As a proof of it, of the great Quantity imported the greatest part is sold by far, notwithstanding the floods & bad weather which impeded the Country Navigation. The Weather is extremely bad, & there is no doubt of the Corn's being greatly injured, & indeed every prospect of a middling Harvest, so that this Country must be in want of grain. I have given you my sentiments fully on that Article, which I confirm with respect to want of it here. Had not the Supplies we have had, arrived, Wheat must have been 12/ p Bushel at the least. With respect to Export in future you will know best, but by the appearances of things I suppose it will now be open. The Manufacturers are fuller of work then Naught could have thought especially at Norwich Manchester & in Yorkshire, & even at Birmingham there is a good Trade, nor are the Clothing Countrees yet affected. The principal Distress lies with the Nail Duffield & Serge Manufacturers who are already great Sufferers.

I shall advise you what further occurs for I am with great Truth  Gentlemen [&c].