The Virginia Gazette

BOSTON, April 18.

Extract of a Letter from St. Croix, March 14, 1774.

To complete the Ruin of this Island, we have a Stamp Act, which has just taken Place, and is perhaps the most oppressive Order ever imposed, even in oppressive Governments. Every Man in common Business is obliged to use Stamp Paper: A running Account is forfeited if on common Paper, and the Party rendering it severely fined; Receipts are not valid unless Stamped; Paper for Obligations are excessively high, some Sheets costing 200 Pieces of Eight; a Sheet for a Bill of Sale is four Pieces of Eight, for an Account four Ryals. At this Rate, the Country will soon lose all the English Inhabitants; for no true Englishman will ever live under such Oppression. These Stamps are not all we are to expect: a few Months will convince us that the Expences of that Kind of Paper will be trivial to other Burthens and Taxes we shall be made to pay, such as a heavy Poll Tax on the white People. All Dry Goods are, and must, be stamped, and such as are not are forfeited; also an additional Duty on Produce is expected. These are great Hardships on the Continent, as well as us here; and I do not know what Way to bring our Tyrants to Reason, but by your with-holding your Trade from us one Year. I believe the Inhabitants would suffer a temporary Inconvenience for a lasting Establishment, on a good Footing; for by a Stagnation of Trade from America, even for a few Months, little or no Money would go into the King's Treasury, and then our Governour would see the Dependence of this Island was on the Continent both for the Means of Sustenance and Money.