I Have perused your Letter, Intituled, The Distressed State of the Town of Boston, and think the Ti­tle doth answer the Matters of Fact therein con­tained; which are too obvious to every Man to be deny'd, and therefore I believe all Men will be of Opinion that it was high time some body did begin, and shew the Poverty and Oppression which is breaking in like a Flood upon us. I have lately Travell'd into livers parts of the Country, and convers'd with many Principle Men there, and find them all to be very diffe­rent in Opinion from those who have pretended to give Answer to yours in the News-Letter, the 18th of April, and since in a Pamphlet dated 23d. of same Month, In­tituled, Some Remarks on yours, and indeed I think the Author did well to put in the Word, Some: for those Things which there was most need of clearing up, he hath not thought proper to touch upon, perhaps he saw he was not able to give any satisfactory Answer thereto, and so thought (as any wise Man would) that it would be most prudent to pass them over in silence, and indeed no Man of common understanding, who compares your Letter with the pretended Answers will say, that the Answers any way clear up the Difficulties you complain of. So that your Letter stands good, and will do so in the Opinion of every Judicious Reader, until a clearer and fuller Answer appear. I have also seen a piece of [Page 4] sulled paper, Intituled, The Postcript, which I hastily ran over, but thought it not worth while to give it a second reading, being sensible that none but some very mean wretch could be so simple to think the Cause (of which he would be thought a Patron) could receive any benefit by the railing of such a Rabshica. However, I put it in my Pocket, thinking it might serve (as dirty as it was,) for a necessary occasion; but Sir, I can assure you, you'l suffer nothing by such Scurrility, for I find you are justifyed by Men of every Rank and Order, and it is the cry of (by far the greatest part) both of Town and Country, that your Letter was a word in season, and that you have done well in appearing in this critical Juncture.

I think it no Difficult matter to Answer the Answer's, but it will take up too much of my Time, and indeed what they have written, are mostly Evasions, Misre­presentations and Amusements, and perhaps some Mistakes, to which the Gentleman owns he is as liable as you are. He saith you have represented Things in a smart and moving manner, by which I perceive he thought that the Town felt the Truth of what you have written, and therefore would readily fall in with it; This seems to be his great fear and perplexity thro' the whole Epistle, and therefore he saith your heart waxed hot within you, and inliven'd and sharpen'd your Expression: Though I confess I don't see you have exceeded that way any more than the nature of the Thing required; for it being so Melancholy a Theame you were upon, I think it look'd well enough to shew your Resentments against some Evils you complain of by a suitable warmth of Expression.

As to the ill use which have been made of our Province Bills, and the unhappy Consequences resulting therefrom, I shall not run into the Argument, it being nothing to the present Case, but I can't but observe that it is the Opinion of every Body I hear discourse on that Subject, that the Province Bills received their [Page 5] deadly wound the Day they were first invented, but had they been then made a lawful Tender, or had there been then a Law made that no Man should have been Imprisoned who tendered the Province Bills for satisfaction, the Poor Men who received 'em for Wages in the Canada Expedition would not have lost Fifty per Cent, by them: And indeed I am of Opinion if Merchants had then made a Bank, and given out their Bills, these Poor Men would have fared much better then they did with the Province Bills, for the Merchants would have been for supporting the Credit of their own Bills, whereas it was their Interest to run down the value of the Publick Bills, in order to get Money by them; and this hath always been the great Argument with me why a Private Bank must be better than a Publick; A Private Bank would be in the hands of a multitude of Men whose Interest it would be to support the Credit of there Bills, whereas it is and always will be the interest of every private Man to undervalue the Publick Bills, by selling his Silver to the highest bidder: And it is this in a great measure that hath raised the price of Silver to Twelve Shillings per Ounce.

I am fully of the Gentlemans mind, that the Distressed State of the Trade of Boston is not owing to the want of Province Bills, for I say it was an unhappy Day wherein they were first invented, but the distressed State of the Town of Boston, which is what you talk of, is owing to the want of some better Medium of Exchange, and I am sure you are right in saying, that it is impossible the Town or Country can subsist without some Medium or other, And Two Hundred Thousand Pounds in this large Country is but as a sprat in a Whales Belly; One would think there could not be less that that in the Countrymans Chests to buy Land with.

[Page 6]The Gentleman don't wonder the Trade of Boston declines, and expects it will yet do so, And I am of his Opinion. He saith several other Places in this and other Provinces are got into a foreign Trade of late; But he dont tells us that our Burthening Trade with heavy Duties, hath been in a great measure the cause of it, whilst our Neighbours court Trade, and endea­vour to encourage the Trader, and find their Account therein, for by under-selling us they supply those Pla­ces who formerly depended on us, so that we have lost the advantage we formerly reap'd by supplying our Neighbours, and those also who they now supply.

But the Gentleman makes a great noise about our giving Twelve Shillings per Ounce for Silver, and saith we have Province Bills to buy up all the produce of the Country and all the Silver and Gold besides; By which I find he knows little of Trade of this Country. As to the Silver and Gold, I suppose a small Sum of Money will buy up all that comes in; I don't believe there is Three Thousand Pounds per Annum, comes into the Province, so that could it all be kept and not a Penny Ship'd off again, unless it came in faster then it doth now, we should not have Silver enough for a Medium to manage our Trade, in less then Two or Three Hun­dred Years. But further I must tell that Gentleman, that if the Fish which is made in the Country in one Year lay in one Pile, and all our Province Bills in another, I am of opinion that the Bills would not be sufficient to pay for that one Article, so vastly short is the Gentleman in his Computation.

The Gentleman seems very much concern'd at your touching upon the Law made to shorten Credit. I find it is a tender point by the Treatment you have lately met with on that account; and therefore I shall wave it, and only say, That in my apprehension no Man could have [Page 7] justify'd the good intentions of the Government more than you have done; you only shew the Advantages some People have taken therefrom to oppress their Neighbours, and your Answerer don't deny the Truth of what you assert. I hope none will blame you for comparing it with the Scriptures, that being the Eternal Rule of Righteousness, by which we must all be justify'd or condemn'd.

The Gentleman seems afraid that every Bodies Belly is not full of the Publick Bank, but I am fully of your Opinion that it is so; And joyn also with your Answerer that it never did no good; and add further, nor never will do any: For which Reason I hope if ever we have any more Bills, they will be on another foot, and as that Gentleman saith, they imagine a vain Thing who think the Loan Money they have Borrow'd will be paid by the Province. I think it very unjust for any to desire it, and very idle for 'em to expect it.

The Gentleman tells us, That the Silver and Gold will always be Bought up and Shipp'd off while we have such plenty of Bills. As if the plenty of Bills were the cause thereof, no my Friend, it is the scarcity of Returns is the cause. He does not consider we have lost our Bay Trade, which was a great Article in our Returns. Our Newfoundland Trade and other Branches are in a great measure cut off by the high Prizes our Provisions bare here of late, and this hath run up the Prizes of Re­turns, and the reason European Goods are so high of late, is (1) Because there is not near so many Imported as formerly, though the Country is growing daily, and Expends vastly, and (2) The Scarcity of Returns help also to keep up their Prizes, and what Silver comes in is ac­counted as Merchandize, and Bought up as other Returns are, and so hath been for a long time. We all know that there hath not been any Silver passing in Pay [...] these many Years.

[Page 8]The Gentleman tells us, That there is a Cry made of hoarding up the Bills at some Convenient Seasons, but don't say what Seasons those are, so that we are left in the dark as to that matter. But he goes on and talks of the Merchants hoarding up the Bills to buy Silver, and putting off there Tradesmen with Goods, and keeping 'em out of their Money part with this Excuse, that the Bills are hoarded up; as if it were the Men who employ'd the Poor who hoard up the Bills, But I must tell the Gentleman, it is not those who are concerned in Shipping and employ the greatest part of the Town that drive this Trade; it is a Sett of Men among us who live only by Buying up Bills of Exchange, and Silver and Gold, and bid upon one another, and so advance the Exchange, and the Price of Silver and Gold also, and these are the Men who Import the fineries and gue gaus he speaks of, who indeed serve more to hurt us than to help us.

Well, I find the only Project the Gentleman can contrive for a Medium of Exchange to pass amongst us is, To leave of trusting, That he tells us will do the Business; But I can put him in a way which will do our Business much sooner, and a way as likely to take Effect and that is to leave off Eating, Drinking, and Wearing, and then there will be an end of Buying and Selling, and this is as likely for such a Place as this, or indeed any other Place who lives by Trade, to live without Trusting. Perhaps the Gentleman is a Sallary Man, and so don't know much about Trusting: But if so I believe I may venture to tell him, if we have not some Medium or other contrived, Sallary Men will feel it as much as others very quickly.

[...] to the Reasons the Gentleman gives against a [...] think they are not unanswerable. How­ [...] [...] enter upon the Argument least I should [Page 9] be thought to drive that matter too far: I only far, That I always was and still am of your Opinion, that a Private Bank under the Inspection of the Government would have been much better than the way we have been in, and so you say in your Letter; you there propose that the Government should Encourage and Support it by suitable Laws, whith takes off the Force of the Answerers great Objection against it, Viz. That it will be in the Power of the Bankers to accomplish any of their own private Designs, without the Governments being able to restrain 'em.

But I find the Gentleman mistakes your Proposal of Fortifying our Exposed Settlements, and saith, Peoples going into New Plantations where they could not raise their own Provisions hath raised the Price with us, and so far he is right: But you only proposed securing what are Setled from the Insults of the Heathen who are ready to devour them. But though it may have been some inconveniency that there have been so many New Settlements of late I hope we shall soon find the good Effect thereof, and doubt not but that they will now feed themselves and help feed us also.

I must own with the Gentleman in the News-Letter, that we have been too Extravagant in our Buildings, Cloathing, Furniture, and Tables, and I confess it is a fault to exceed in these Things; But Solomon tells us, That there is nothing better under the Sun then for a Man to Eat and Drink, and Enjoy the good of his Labour: So that I believe we ought not to be sordidly Covetous, and deny our selves the Comfort of what we Work for, but Eat and Drink as our Circumstances will afford, so as not to abuse the Favour of Heaven to Voluptuousness. But this wretched Trade of Half Money and Half Goods hath insensibly run People into this Extravagancy, and still keep 'em in it; for what shall they do with their Notes to Shops, they can't Eat [Page 10] or Drink them, they must improve 'em in such ways as I have before mentioned or utterly lose 'em: And the Country will by and by feel as great, if not greater mischiefs from this want of a Medium then we have felt, and in matters of greater Consequence, for when the Bills are all in (which will not be long first) they must sell their Produce for Shop Goods, or keep 'em and eat 'em all themselves; and that we can't allow of nei­ther, for then we must starve, and rather than do so, we shall be so wicked as to Borrow of our Country Friends and never Pay. And if they Sell them for Goods they must wear 'em, they can't Merchandize with 'em because there will be no Money to Buy with: What then will be the Consequences but Sloth and Idleness, they will have no Use for their Wool or their Flax, their Shop Notes will be more than they will Expend. Their Children will be viciated for want of Business, and in another Generation will loose all that Spirit and Life which distinguishes Free Men from Slaves, and will be brought to that sordidness and meanness of Soul, which appears in Ireland, and some other Places, where the Poor couch like an Assunder his Burthen at the sigh of one of there Land-Lords, though the Man (set his Estate aside) is no better than the meanest of them And these I fear will be the miserable Consequence resulting from the want of a Medium.

I must joyn with the Gentleman in this that it was or the pressing Importunity of the Trading part, that the General Assembly consented to the Publick Loan or Bank and therefore I suppose it was them you allude to when you talk of there being short sighted. But I presume the Gentleman will acknowledge, that the Reason of there urging that matter was because the saw they should be ruined in their Trade if they had no Medium, and the Government had crush'd the Private Bank, and therefore their Case being almost Desperate they were glad to lay hold of any thing to save themselves from Drowning.

[Page 11]Again that Gentleman tells us, That at a Town Meeting in Boston, the Private Bank was rejected by a great Majority of the Voters; I well remember I was there but I could not see such a mighty disproportion in the Votes; had it came to a written Pole, I am of Opinion they would have proved pretty equal. Put if the People did not see so clearly into the Difference then, I am well satisfied they have felt it since by an unhappy Experience that there Understanding was then in the dark.

The Gentleman goes on and saith, That the Private Bank hath been Burried a great many Years; and I make no doubt but it hath so been with himself and some others, and they have so far Burried the Publick Bank also that both Town and Country are half ruin'd, and if a Private Bank or some other Medium be not Brought on to support us, we shall ere we are aware, be plunged into the most direful Circumstances that ever poor People were in. He talks of endless mischiefs and confusions the Private Bank would have involved us in, but gives us no one Instance wherein: I find they are all for General Terms when they come upon that Head and don't care to descend to Particulars.

The Gentleman seems sorry for our Distressed Cir­cumstances, But don't project any thing for our Relief; This is only saying to us, Be ye warmed and be ye cloathed; But where is the charitable Samaritan that Binds up our Wounds, and takes Compassion on us. I am sure I am fond of no Bank of one sort or other, if any thing else can be projected which may Effectually Relieve us, but I am not for Lying down and Dying in these Circumstances. We are Bare and must be Fed, and if one Project will not do, we must try another, and then another, as the Physician doth with his Languishing Patient; and not neglect until Death seize us and we be past Remedy, which will soon be our Case.

[Page 12]But what could the Gentleman mean by saying, That by your Projecting the Building Bridges, Fortifications, &c. one would not think our Circumstances so distressed as you pretend: Could he think any Man of common sense could read that part of your Letter and not charge him with triffling; is not your Proposal all along to bring out a Medium of Exchange, that the Poor may be employed & their Families kept from starving, which they must do if there be not some Medium to Buy Ne­cessaries withal. I am as uneasy as others at the thoughts of Intailing a Debt on my Posterity, but better be in Debt than Dye, Skin for Skin, all that a Man hath will he give for his Life: But I confess I don't see such a mighty Inconveniency neither, in leaving my Son an Hundred Pounds to pay if I leave him so much the more to discharge it. I acknowledge it is just to pay our Debts, and wise and prudent to pay the Old Score, but I think it as prudent to look forward and consider how we shall Live when the Bills are all in. There will not be then a Farthing of Money to Buy a morsel of Bread for this great Multitude.

Well, the Gentleman joyns with you in Opinion in one Article, he tells you he is for incouraging Manufactures But I am sorry to see his mean contracted Spirit; he tells you he hopes they shall Raise their own Provisions, and Wear their own Clothing, and so live out of Debt, so that I find he is for having the Town and Country independent of each other; for he don't pretend they shall raise more than they use, & as for us we may go naked and starve.

The Gentleman saith, That the main Spring & Design of your Letter was to Influence in the Choice of Repre­sentatives in the Country; I rather think it was to set the sad Condition the Town and Country is in for want of a Medium of Exchange, in a true Light, and the Poverty, Misery and Oppression which is breaking in [Page 13] upon us; and indeed the Country groans under it almost as much as the Town, and say they can't improve their Lands for want of Labourers, and they can neither Buy nor Hire, because they can't get Money; whereas if Money were plenty they could improve much more of their Lands, & consequently raise abundantly more, and their Lands would grow more valuable, and so could afford to Sell cheaper to the Merchants, and yet be gainers by the Bargain; but for want of this Medium we can expect no other but that shortly their Fields will be as the Field of the Sluggard overgrown with Tares.

The Gentleman tells you the Governour and Council will give you no Thanks for your Sugar Plumbs, as he is pleas'd to call them. I hope and believe you were Sincere in your Protestations, I never knew you were any Party Man; and I wish from my heart that some Method may be found for our relief to prevent Party-making amongst us; it grieves me to see our Divisions which are daily increasing, and which tend only to our ruin; whereas if we would but Unite, and bare with one another in our different Apprehension of Things, debate Matters fairly, and lay aside all private designs, and Animosities, and believe that every Man's particular Interest is comprized in the General, and study sincerely the Publick Good, I am fully perswaded we might contrive ways to Extricate our selves out of these Difficulties, and be as flourishing a People as ever.

I hope with your Country Friends, that the several Towns will chuse to Represent 'em in the General Court, Men of a Publick Spirit; and farther I hope when they come together, that they will choose such, and none but such, for Counsellours, Men not only of Parts and Probity, but of Integrity [Page 14] and down right Honesty; Lovers of King GEORGE, and of their Country also; such as will sincerely seek our Peace and Prospe­rity: and I hope that the GOVERNOUR will of His Great Goodness to the People, con­sider our Malancholy Circumstances as set forth in your Letter, which I have not as yet heard any Man deny the Truth of; and which he can't but be confirmed in the belief of, on perusing your Letter and the triffling Answerers, who have not in the least confuted the Matters of Fact therein contained. And I pray GOD to direct the Governour and General Court in some proper Measures for our Relief; for most certainly something must be done or the Place will soon sink and the Trade come to nothing.

On the whole, I perceive all the Gentle­man drives at in his pretended Answer is only to draw in the few Bills which are yet abroad; he tells us this is the way to raise the value of 'em, so then I find he and you agree in that point, for you say in your Let­ter that the reason some give why those who Explode what others Project for our Relief is that they may get their Neighbours Lands at half Value, and the Gentleman I find is for drawing in all the Bills that then a Man who hath Mortgaged an House for Two Hun­dred Pounds which cost him a Thousand, must [Page 15] be forced to let it go for the Two Hundred, because when the Bills are all sunk, he will not be able to get wherewith to redeem it: And now let any Man judge whether this be the way to keep the Estates in many Mens Hands which the Gentleman saith, (and in­deed every Body else thinks) is the Strength, Safety and Interest of the Land, or whether it does not rather look like a design to in­slave a People and make a few Lord's, and the rest Beggars. But no more of this at present, we all know one another, and what the best of us were Twenty or Thirty Years ago. I can't forbear repeating a Flight of one of our English Poets,