Preface, by the British Editor, to "The Votes and Pro-

ceedings of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants.

of the Town of Boston"

Rules for Reducing a Great Empire to a Small One; pre-

sented to a late Minister, when he entered upon

his Administration

An Edict by the King of Prussia.

381

387

399

405

441

456

An Account of the Transactions relating to Governor

Hutchinson's Letters.

Note by the Editor, containing other Particulars re-

specting Hutchinson's Letters

Emblematical Representation

On a Proposed Act of Parliament for Preventing Emi-

A True State of the Proceedings in the Parliament of

Great Britain, and in the Province of Massachu-

setts Bay, relative to the Giving and Granting the

Money of the People of that Province, and all

America, in the House of Commons, in which they

are not represented

On the Rise and Progress of the Differences between

Great Britain and her American Colonies

466

516

. 526

ESSAYS AND TRACTS,

HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL,

BEFORE

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

(CONTINUED.)

THE

INTEREST OF GREAT BRITAIN CONSIDERED,

WITH REGARD TO HER COLONIES

AND THE ACQUISITIONS OF

CANADA AND GUADALOUPE.

This pamphlet was first published anonymously in London, in the year 1760. At that time the war with France was about coming to a close, and the politicians were fruitful in their speculations on the terms of peace, particularly after Canada had fallen into the hands of the British, by the brilliant victory of Wolfe at Quebec. It was a question much discussed, whether Canada should be retained, or whether it should be given back to the French as a set-off for acquisitions in the West Indies. The controversy was carried on with warmth, and the public attention was attracted to it, not more from the importance of the subject, than from the ability of the writers enlisted on each side.

The Earl of Bath wrote and published a Letter to Two Great Men, (Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle,) in which he advanced reasons for keeping Canada, as more valuable to England than any West India possessions, that could be obtained as an equivalent. Shortly afterwards appeared "Remarks on the Letter to Two Great Men," without a name, but ascribed by some to Edmund Burke, and by others to William Burke. The author took the opposite ground, preferring Guadaloupe to Canada, and maintaining his position with much display of political knowledge and ingenious argument.

At this stage of the controversy, Franklin entered the lists, and sent out the following tract, in which he comments upon these two performances, and applies himself particularly to expose the fallacies and confute the arguments of the Remarker. (This task was so successfully executed, and his views were enforced by such clearness of illustration and cogency of reasoning, that the pamphlet was believed to have had great weight in the ministerial

VOL. IV.

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