Rind's Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, August 2.

A Letter from the Merchants of London, trading to North-America, to the Committee of Merchants in this City, dated the 18th of June, 1766.

GENTLEMEN,

Referring you to our former Letters, of the 28th of February, and 18th of March, both which we hope you have long since received, we now enclose three Acts of Parliament, which obtained the Royal Assent the 6th Instant, viz.

An Act for indemnifying Persons who have incurred Penalties in America, on account of the Stamp-Act.

An Act for repealing certain Duties, and granting others in lieu thereof, and further regulating several Branches of the American Trade.

An Act for establishing certain Ports in Jamaica and Dominica, for the more free Importation and Exportation of certain Goods and Merchandizes.

The first will, doubtless, give you particular Satisfaction, as completing the Repeal of the Stamp-Act. The other two we consider as the Basis of an extensive System of Trade between Great-Britain and her Colonies, framed on liberal Principles of reciprocal Advantages, relieving the Colonies from injudicious Restrictions, and severe Duties, enlarging old, and opening to them new Channels of Commerce; and by Securing to Great-Britain an increasing Consumption of her Manufactures, and, of Consequence, an Extension of her Navigation and Revenue.

You must be sensible, Gentlemen, that from those Sources have been derived the Power, so happily exerted by this Country, on many Occasions, to guard your Religious and Civil Interests; we are therefore persuaded that you will think it just and necessary to prevent, by every possible Means, foreign States from sharing in the Advantage of your Commerce, and thereby depriving Great-Britain of the Means to afford you future Instances of her parental Protection.

The Consideration, that every Degree of Intercourse between the British Colonies and the manufacturing Countries of Europe, tends to strengthen their Navigation, and increase their Manufactures, at the Expence of our own, will, we are sure, be a sufficient Motive to engage you heartily to carry into Execution the Clause of the Regulation Act, inhibiting that Intercourse; this may effectually be done, if such Trade is held, by the principal Merchants among you, to be dishonourable, the Laws of Reputation being stronger than any others; and we flatter ourselves, that your Friends here will not, on any future Occasion, be made to blush by Instance of its Violation.
We must observe that, notwithstanding the apparent Necessity of new commercial Laws, such hath been the persevering Opposition to these salutary Measures, as to occasion the Loss of much Time, and to render it impracticable to obtain these Trade Acts in a State of full Perfection; for although they are in themselves very important, and far more than could be expected, yet they are to be considered but as the great Out-lines of a Plan to extend the National Commerce.

Amendments will, doubtless, be found necessary, and must be adopted. In the mean Time, we persuade ourselves they will meet a ready Obedience on your Parts.

It is incumbent on us to mention, the happy Union between the West-Indian and North-American Merchants, which has proved of great Advantage in combatting the Opposition; it took Place early in the Session; and, for the general Good, we sincerely wish it always to subsist, in its present Cordiality.

The Regulation of Paper Currency is postponed, in order to communicate to the Colonies, and take their Opinion upon, a Scheme for a general Paper Currency through America, which has been proposed to the Administration.

The Consideration of permitting you to import Wines, Fruit, and Oil, directly from Spain and Portugal, is also postponed.

Nothing further remains unredressed, which was recommended to us in your Memorial, but the Prohibition you are under from exporting Bar Iron to foreign Countries; a Restriction considered as beneficial to the Iron Manufactories of these Kingdoms, to which, from good Policy, Reason and Justice, a Preference is due; and we beg Leave to recommend your avoiding hereafter, any Applications which may be construed into the most distant Means of interfering with the Manufactures of the Mother Country; either by furnishing her Rivals with raw Materials, or by the public Encouragement of similar Manufactures amongst yourselves; no small Strength having arisen to your Opponents, during the late Struggles, from each of those Topics.

In a Word, the System of Great-Britain is, to promote a mutual Interest, by supplying the Colonies with her Manufactures, by encouraging them to raise, and receiving from them all raw Materials, and by granting the largest Extension to every Branch of their Trade, not interfering with her own.

Having now completed, so far as it can be done this Year, the important Business for which we united in November last, we think it incumbent on us to repeat our Sense of the Obligations the whole commercial Interest of Great-Britain and America is under to the present Administration; to whose Abilities, Attention and Perseverance, the Progress made, in adjusting these great national Points, must be attributed; and, we hope, the good Consequences of these Regulations will transmit their Names with Honour to Posterity.