lations for us? What signified making them, if they did not
provide some persons to see them executed? -- Must a few bad
men be left to do what they please, contrary to the general sense
of the people, without any persons to controul them, or to look
into their behaviour and mark them out to the public? -- The
man that desires to screen his knavery from the public eye, will
answer yes; but the honest man, that is determined to do nothing
hurtful to his country, and is conscious his actions will bear
the light, will heartily answer no.

The high prices of goods are held up to make you dissatisfied
with the non-importation. If the argument on this head were
true, it would be much better to subject yourselves to that dis-
advantage, for a time, than to bring upon yourselves all the
mischiefs I have pointed out to you. Should you submit to
claims of the Parliament, you will not only be oppressed with
the taxes upon your lands, &c. which I have already mentioned;
but you will have to pay heavy taxes upon all the goods we
import from Great-Britain. Large duties will be laid upon
them at home; and the merchants, of course, will have a
greater price for them, or it would not be worth their while to
carry on trade. The duty laid upon paper, glass, painter's
colours, &c. was a beginning of this kind. The present duty
upon tea is preparatory to the imposition of duties upon all
other articles. Do you think the Parliament would make such
a serious matter of three pence a pound upon tea, if it intended
to stop there? It is absurd to imagine it. You would soon find
your mistake if you did. For fear of paying somewhat a higher
price to the merchants for a year or two, you would have to
pay and endless list of taxes, within and without, as long as you
live, and your children after you.

But I trust, there is no danger that the prices of goods will
rise much, if at all. The same congress that put a stop to the
importation of them, has also forbid raising the prices of them.
The same committee that is to regulate the one, is also to re-
gulate the other. All care will be taken to give no cause of
dissatisfaction. Confide in the men whom you, and the rest
of the continent have chosen the guardians of our common li-
berties. They are men of sense and virtue. They will do no-
thing but what is really necessary for the security of your lives
and properties.

A sad pother is made too about prohibiting the exportation