1. IT is manifest, the Country is plunged into Circumstances that require heavy Taxes to preserve us from ruines, that would be thousands of thousands of Pounds heavier than our most heavy Taxes; without great Charges it is impossible to pay the just wages of them that have bin in the Publick Service; to defraud whom would not only be an Imprudence, which must in a little time leave us without all defence, but also an Injustice that would cry in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts. Besides there is a necessity of great Expences to Fortifie our selves against the • nrodes of Enemies, went this day have ground to expect, and ought to be prepared for.

2. For any to Grumble at the Raising needful Taxes to defray our publick charges, is a piece of unreasonable and abominable Baseness; and it is a scandal to New-England that ever it should be found among us. What would these Complainers Have? would they have no Publick Charges at all defrayd? This would be immediately not only to dissolve all Government but all Society. Or would they have such Publick Charges born by voluntary Contribution of the Inhabitants: This would not do the 〈◊〉 part of what must b • e done to prevent our perishing; & besides, i • would 〈◊〉 the burden upon 〈…〉 but not the most 〈◊〉 to Provide for the common Safety. Moreover, 〈◊〉 to be remembred, that nothing is 〈◊〉 on this People but by their own Consent in a General Assembly. And they deserve not the name on English-men, that are not more ready, and count it not more easie, 〈◊〉 part with a pound in this way, than a penny in the 〈…〉 Mode. Or is it from 〈…〉 sin which too much prevaile 〈…〉 . The Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also call it the worst 〈…〉 It witholds that from our 〈…〉 that will add to an Enemies 〈◊〉 in our s • ameful misery; as 〈…〉 who refusing, to pay the charge of all 〈◊〉 on their Walls, were themselves and 〈◊〉 wealth made a prey to the Tu •• s. If •• y plead we have no Government, and so have no power to raise mony; pray, let them call to mind, that all the Subsidies now raised in England, are by an Assembly chosen by Corporations no otherwise restored than ours. And is it indeed any thing less than a Treason against the Crown of England, for any to intimate, that we have no Government for, and so, no Protection from, that Crown • O • , looks it not very sincerely, for those persons, whose Consciences never troubled them, when Taxes were Treasonably Levied; without any Assembly of the People, now to pretend Conscience for not paying of those which the Body of the People in an Assembly have judg'd necessary to support their Majesties Interest in these Territories.

3. All the Taxes hitherto raised have bin most advantageously Employed. Our Present Rulers, have no personal benefit by them; They spend their time and care, and are at cost too, for the Common Weal, and would count themselves well paid for all, in the Contentment, of the people. The great complaint is, That our ventursome Expedition to Canada hath run us into Debt. It should be Considered that the voice of the people every where called for it. Our-Neighbours in the West made us believe they would lay all the mischief that should be done by the French at our doors, if we did not attempt it: such Importunities with assurances of aid by Land did first engage us and oblige us. Had the West not filled us, wee had certainly bin Masters of Canada; and then our Expedition had been as much Exto ••• as now it is Despis'd! it was not a thing too big for us, for notwithstanding the Failure in the West, and the 〈◊〉 of some among our selves, till the 〈◊〉 was too far spent for any Great Thing to be done; add also the scantness of our Ammunition, with the smalness of our Army; yet the missing of Quebeck is hardly accountable to rational Satisfaction, Besides, the French had Assaulted us by Land before ever we visited them by Sea; and that short visit we made them, we are assured, has preserv'd our Country from further Assaults of theirs upon us. Nor is it rational to think that we can ever have a settled peace, while Canada is in French hands; if there should be a Peace between the two Cr ••• , we may fear, they may, as they have boasted they will, by setting their Dogs (the Indians) upon us to make America too hot for us. Hence also the reducing of it unto the English Empire, was a Design wherein was manifest as the desire of our own future Welfare, so of doing the greatest Service to the Crown of England. The Design seemed to be as well said, as any that was e ••• undertaken in these parts of the World; and it had been dangerous to have delayed it unto another year; for had they not gone with the 〈◊〉 to Canada, a thousand Boss-l •• ers had been upon our Country Towns and • aid them waste: Prayers and Hopes for one Good issue of that Expedition, met nor with a total Disappointment; nor do we 〈◊〉 see the 〈…〉 ; the business is not over yet. If Heaven hath frowned on us, it calls us to 〈◊〉 our sin, and not Increase it by denying the payment of Debts this way contracted, or spending our fury on any that were active in this Affair. That were to carry it not like Englishmen, much less like Christians, but more like Turks who destroy their best Counsellors for the wisest Counsels, where they do not Succeed. Let men beware they do not provoke God to make these Canady Enemies as fiery Serpents to sting Murmurers at and Despisers of Divine Providence.

4. Upon the Difficulties and Necessities which the Country hath been brought into, a better way could not well be thought upon, then the 〈◊〉 of CREDIT now passing (or that should be so) among us. Silver we have not enough in the Country to do which must be done, more being usually Exported than is Imp • r • ed And why may we not do as well 〈…〉 , as 〈◊〉 her Plantations of America? What is the use of Coyned Silver? but to furnish a man with Credit, that he may obtain from his Neighbours those Commodities, which he hath occasion for? The Country in the General Cou • t, have Recognized o •• Acknowledged, a Debt of so many thousand pounds unto them that have been the Servants of the Publick. The Credit conveyed by these Bills now Circulates from one hand to another as mens dealings 〈◊〉 , until the Publick Taxes call for it. It is then brought in to the Treasurers hands, from which it goes not out again. Now the Conveniences which the Servants of the Publick have had by them, have honestly paid the Countries Debts; and •• at could coined Silver have done more? Hence it follows, that for any to 〈◊〉 , the first Receivers of these Bills, by forcing them to abate of their ju • t value; and then for themselves to bring these Bills to the Publick Treasury, where they are better than ready • Silver, is a crying Opresion. When any persons pay their Rates to the Constables in these Bills, they do in a manner say, They to 〈◊〉 indirect Advantage to get them cheaper than they are of Credit for. If the Government can find out any that have done otherwise, they ought to advance the Rates of such people to procure a Reparation to them that have been wronged. It will speak ill for New-England, that poor Soldiers and Seamen should be cheated by any of the Inhabitants, and no Restraint put upon them, no Redress required where it may be done.

5. It is strange to think that New-Englanders, who dwell in such a keen air, should not have sharpness enough to perceive the prudence, justice and universal benefit, of paying and saving publick Charges, by these Bills of Credit. When Canada shall be better known to us, we shall find, It is a common thing for the Government at Quebeck to pay their men in such ways, & the Inhabitants there are not so dishonest as to cheat the needy persons to whom the Bills were first given, of half the worth of them; yea, there are no men of business through the world, who do not use as well as know the way of dealing by Bills of Credit: How many Credible Merchants are there, whose Bills do Pass as ready mony, with hundreds of People with whom they have had no immediate Concernment? And shall not the Government of this Colony, have much Credit with a people that choose all, and make part of it? Besides, no man that deals but for ten Pounds, will refuse to grant, that Discount in Accounts Currant is good Payment. All these Bills enable people to Discount with the Treasure at last; therefore it is but fair and just they should have a General Circulation.

6. The more sensible part of mankind have thought 〈◊〉 of C •• a • t on many Accounts preferable to silver in their Pockets; it is so in Venice, P •• i • , Leghorn & Amsterdam, and other s ••••• ding places. We shall find men who ha •• had store of mony, have carried it into Banks, from whence they have taken only Bills of Credit, with which they have managed all their businesses, Bills being less Troublesome, & Cumber some, then Silver would be; and more Safe. What hapned at Venice is very memorable: That State had occasion for Two Millions of Ducats, accordingly monys were brought into the Bank, and Bills given out for the • ame value; such was the usefulness of these Bills that they would not afterwards be parted with for mony; and the Government was for •• d unto Contrivances, to limit the value of them. If we as well understood our interest, these Bills would in a little time be so valuable, that men would Cheerfully give Silver, to purchase them at their full Credit. 'Tis true ours are founded on the acknowledgement which the Country hath made of their being so much in Debt, and their Resolution of raising what is owing. Now suppose, that Fund, be never so Tottering, it is a sufficient bottom for those few Bills which there hath yet bin order for: besides, these have some advantages which Stamp • Silver will never have; They are so well Contrived, that it is harder to Counterfeit any of them, then to Counterfeit any Coyn in the World. And though they are more Portable then Co •• , yet they will not be Exported out of the Land; nor will they be hoarded up, but Inspire our whole trade with such a vigor as hitherto hath not been seen. All men must own, that till we can light on something Equivalent to Coyn, that may Run amongst us in such a quantity as may agree with our Affayrs, and yet not Bleed away in vast summ's by every Vessel that goes to forreign parts, we shall always have a Consumption upon us, In short, if the way of d • aling with these Bills, were more improved and refined, it were easie to propose a certain Method by which this poor Country might in one half years time be Enriched above One Hundred Thousand Pound: yea, we might at any time Command • alf • that Summe without the Tenth Part of that vexation that now every Country Rate occasions, And let it be considered, whether they who do decry our Bills of Credit, do sufficiently weigh the desperate circumstances of the Country. We are surrounded with Adversaries; if we cannot find store of men to Expose themselves for us at this time no man in his wits, can think the Country can stand: these Men must have mony to reward and support them in their Services, or they can do no more: but Silver we say we have not; Credit we may have, and it will do as well, if by this Credit we permit our Friends to Command the same useful things as if they had ready Silver in their hands. If the French should Prevail, some men would part with Thousand, and have no Bills of Cre ••• for it; to make ours passable, is the most probable visible means to prevent it. Hence to do any thing to render those Bills Contemptible and Unpass • ble, is in Effect to leave the Country without all manner of Defence, against any that would prey upon us; which is a Moral Madness we should upon no Terms render our selves guilty of: whereas if these Bills of Credit might pass with full Credit among us, we might with Gods Blessing, be able to Encounter greater Difficulties than we have yet met withal. It is not worth while to take notice of the foolish Flout of some, in the Name they put upon these Bills, calling them Paper-mony; when all kn • w that a Paper signed and sealed may be worth many Pounds of Silver. And why may not Paper-mony be as good as Tobacco-mony, Potato-mony and Sugar-mony? yea, do not our Brethren at Connecticut find, Corn-mony will do their business for them All the Difference is, that some English-People in America know how to make a Bargain with what they Have, for what they Have not; which it is time for New-England to Learn.

7. It is time for all people to examine, what is that which clogs the passing of our Bills. It is the debasing of them, so that twenty shillings in a Bill can scarce find Credit for fourteen or fifteen shillings of stamped silver: But wherein is the Original of this? Is it in the Merchant? or the Trader? surely they who have lent the Country some Thousands of Pounds, much of it in ready silver, and all of it without Interest, or other Gains (that an unthankful Neighbour hood have reported of them and reproached them with) and have taken their whole Repayment in Bills of Credit, they should be willing to keep up the Credit of these Bills. Is it in the Husbandman? one would think they who find it so hard to buy Silver, should be willing with their Provisions to buy Credit, that may be as good (and in some cases better) to them than ready Cash. It remains then that all should joyn to mend this great error. And why may not Boston begin? where-ever were the first fault, it seems, possible now for Boston to Correct the whole. It is supposed the Government will be resolute in Raising what hath been granted by the Country this year, for the Publick Rates. Many Proposals have been made unto the Government, for establishing the Credit of our Bills. In my opinion, they need only to do this; Let the Publick Rates be vigorously Raised. These Rates will in one years time fetch back all the Bills into the Treasury, where they will be cancelled. The people will find it their Advantage then (common sense will reach them) to furnish themselves with these Bills; tho' they give ready Silver for them, they will find they thereby save a Shilling in a Pound. If but a competent number of men, who Deal much, would now give your selves the Trouble of Meeting, to Debate, Agree, Conclude, and Engage upon giving a just Reputation to our Bills, The whole Country must and will joyn with them in it. And if they will further give themselves the Trouble of Publishing to the Country, •• at may Rectifie some common mistakes, and how wishing they themselves are to pay and also to take Bills at a due price, doubtless it would much promove the Cure of this Distemper among us.

Sir, You will candidly accept of these Thoughts, from one who counts and loves New-England as his Country, th •• he was not Born and Bred in it. The Violations of Conscience as well as Policy among us in the Things I have Discoursed of, have made me count it my Duty thus to answer your Desire, of seeing some thoughts upon the Subject we have now h • d before us. You 〈…〉 much a Desire of yours is a Command, on,