Vacancies bow fupplied..

But in cafe of vacancy by death, or removal of any officer civil or military under this conftitution, the governor of the province in which fuch vacancy happens, may appoint till the pleasure of the Prefident General and Grand Council can be known.

The vacancies were thought beft supplied by the governors in each province, till a new appointment can be regularly made; otherwise the fervice might fuffer before the meeting of the Prefident General and grand council.

Each Colony may defend itfelf on
Emergency, &c.

That the particular military as well as civil establishments in each colony remain in their present state, the general conftitution notwithstanding; and that on fudden emergencies any colony may defend itself and lay the accounts of expence thence arifing before the Prefident General and general council, who may allow and order

pay

payment of the fame as far as they judge fuch accounts just and reasonable.

Otherwise the Union of the whole would weaken the parts, contrary to the defign of the union. The accounts are to be judged of by the President General and grand council, and allowed if found reasonable: this was thought neceffary to encourage colonies to defend themfelves, as the expence would be light when borne by the whole; and alfo to check imprudent and lavish expence in such defences ‡.

[This plan of union, it will appear from the next page, was rejected; and another proposed to be fubftituted by the English minifter, which had for its chief object, the taking power from the people in the colonies in order to give it to the crown. E.]

1

I. LET

I. LETTER to Governor Shirley, concerning the Impofition of direct Taxes upon the Colonies, without their Confent*.

SIR,

Tuesday Morning.

I return you the loose sheets of the plan, with thanks to your Excellency for communicating them.

Apprehend, that excluding the people of the

colonies from all share in the choice of the grand council, will give extreme diffatisfaction; as well as the taxing them by act of parliament, where

[Thefe letters to Governor Shirley firft appeared in the London Chronicle for Feb. 6-8, 1766, with an introduction figned A Lover of Britain. In the beginning of the year 1776, they were republished in Almon's Remembrancer, with an additional prefatory piece, under the fignature of A Mourner over our Calamities.→ I shall explain the fubject of them in the words of one of these writers. The Albany Plan of Union was fent to the government here for approbation: had it been approved and established by authority from hence, English America thought itself fufficiently able to cope with the French, without other affiftance; feveral of the colonies having alone, in former wars, withstood the whole power of the enemy, unaffifted not only by the mothercountry, but by any of the neighbouring provinces.-The plan, however, was not approved here; but a New one was formed instead of it; by which it was propofed, that "the governors "of all the colonies, attended by one or two members of their " respective councils, should affemble, and concert measures for

"the

where they have no representation. It is very poffible, that this general government might be as well and faithfully adminiftered without the people, as with them; but where heavy burdens are to be laid upon them, it has been found useful to make it, as much as poffible, their own act; for they bear better, when they have, or think they have some share in the direction; and when any public measures are generally grievous or even distasteful, to the people, the wheels of government move more heavily.

"the defence of the whole, erect forts where they judged proper, "and raise what troops they thought neceffary, with power to "draw on the treasury here for the fums that should be wanted, " and the treasury to be reimbursed by a tax laid on the colonies "by act of parliament."--This New plan being communicated by Governor Shirley to a gentleman of Philadelphia, (Dr. Franklin) then in Bofton (who hath very eminently diftinguished himself, • before and fince that time, in the literary world, and whose ⚫ judgment, penetration and candor, as well as his readiness and ability to fuggeft, forward, or carry into execution, every fcheme of public utility, hath moft defervedly endeared him, not only to our fellow-fubjects throughout the continent of North America, but to his numberless friends on this fide the Atlantic) ⚫ occafioned the following remarks from him, which perhaps may contribute in fome degree to its being laid afide. As they very particularly fhew the then fentiments of the Americans on the fubject of a parliamentary tax, before the French power in that country was fubjected, and before the late restraints on ⚫ their commerce; they fatisfy me, and I hope they will convince 'your readers (contrary to what has been advanced by fome of your correfpondents) that thofe particulars have had no fhare in producing the prefent oppofition to fuch a tax, nor in difturbances occafioned by it, which thefe papers indeed do almost prophetically foretel. For this purpofe, having accidentally fallen into my hands, they are communicated to you by one whe is, not partially, but in the most enlarged fenfe,

R

ALOVER OF BRITAIN.' E.]

II. LETTER to the fame; concerning direct Taxes in the Colonies impofed without Confent, indirect Taxes, and the Albany Plan of Union.

SIR,

Wednesday Morning.

I Mentioned it yesterday to your Excellency as my opinion, that excluding the people of the colonies from all share in the choice of the grand council, would probably give extreme diffatisfaction, as well as the taxing them by act of parliament, where they have no representation. In matters of general concern to the people, and especially where burdens are to be laid upon them; it is of use to confider, as well what they will be apt to think and fay, as what they ought to think: I fhall therefore, as your Excellency requires it of me, briefly mention what of either kind occurs to me on this occafion.

First, they will fay, and perhaps with justice, that the body of the people in the colonies are as loyal, and as firmly attached to the prefent conftitution, and reigning family, as any fubjects in the King's dominions.

That there is no reason to doubt the readiness and willingness of the reprefentatives they may choose, to grant from time to time fuch fupplies for the defence of the country, as fhall be judged neceffary, so far as their abilities will allow.

That the people in the colonies, who are to feel the immediate mischiefs of invasion and con

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