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thereby obliging the internal consumer to pay those duties.

If America were to lay a duty of five pence five pence sterling pr. Ib. on the exportation of her tobacco, would any European nation buy it? Would not the colonies of Spain and all spol Portugal, and the ukraine of Russia furnish it much cheaper? Was not England herself obliged for such reasons to drop the duty on to on tobacco she furnished to France? Would it not cost an immense sum in officers immense of rac betonuz

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&c. to guard our long coast against smuggling of tobacco, and running it out to ut to avoid a duty? and would not many even of those officers be corrupted and connive at it? It is possibly an erroneous opinion, but I find it I find myself rather inclined adopt that modern one which supposes it Best for every country to leave its trade entirely free from dane Khw incumbrances. Perhaps no country does this at present: Holland comes the nearest to it; and her commercial wealth seems to have encreased in proportion. Heems

box wtiauqme Your excellency has done me the honour of announcing to me your appointment: I hope soon to return the compliment by informing you of my demission. I find the various employments of merchant, banker, judge of admiralty, consul, &c. &c. besides my ministerial function, too multifarious and too heavy for my old shoulders; and have therefore requested congress that I may be relieved: for in this point I agree even with my Enemies, that another may easily be found who can better execute themoar fud lengten, edr víno for B. FRANKLIN."

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New Constitution of Massachusetts: Maintenance of the Clergy do nwtb alid em 910 DEAR SIR, 262 by Passy, May 25, 1781. It gives me great pleasure to learn that your new constitution is at length settled with so great a degree of unanimity and general' satisfaction. It seems to me upon the whole an excellent one; and that if there are some particulars that one might have wished a little different, they are such as could not in the present state of things have been well obtained otherwise than they are, to and if by experience found inconvenient, will probably be changed hereafter. I would only mention at present alone article, that of maintenance for the clergy? It seems to me that by the constitution the Quakers may be obliged 310 pay the tax for that purpose. But as the great end in imposing it is professedly the promotion of piety, religion, and morality, and those people have found means of securing that "end among themselves without a regular **clergy, and their teachers are not allowed to receive money; I should think it not right to tax them and give the money to the teacher of the parish; but I imagine that in the laws to be made for levying parish taxes, this

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matter may be regulated to their contentment. Yours, &c. momoqorq amca was,q£1 276WIE JEUM BA FRANKLIN. adt above ammos me slote yas to wineup cdi nous Passy, July 6, 1781. 50.15mA to The following paper was delivered this day to

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M. de Rayneval to be by him communicated to¤Count Vergennes in order to correct some wrong sideas of that minister.

B. F.

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It seems to have been insinuated, either through mistake or ill will to the United StatesнT OT

anista That's their merchants have combined to depreciate the bills drawn on France

2d. That their trade with England is as great as be as before the war sol of enwardly theng em sovig 1

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I have known two instances wherein bills of exchange on England have fallen more than 15 per cent lower than the present price of bills on France, as plodz sd acqu The first was in 1739 when an expedition being projected against Carthagene, the Government of England ordered 3000 men to be raised in America and transports with provisions &c. to be furnished, for the amount of which expence bills were ordered to be drawn on the treasury at London. This adventitious quantity of bills ¿coming into market, and being more than the common course of the commerce required, occasioned the lowering of their price 421 per cent, below the rate before accustomed bot oved signed godt bus y' stom bas The like happened a few years after, when on a when on a pros pect of short crops of corn in Europe, orders were received Buk 2091515 in America to purchase and send over vast quantities, an and to draw bills and sell them in the country in order to raise money for the purchase. This sudden addition to the quantity of bills produced a fall of 40 per cent in their price. And this must always happen in some proportion when the quantity of any article in commerce exceeds the present demandai Laron

And when it is considered that the merchants of America are numerous and dispersed through 13 different provinces, at great distance from each other, such a combination

will appear as improbable, as that the farmers in France should combine to raise the price of wheat vi901 vidizzoq

With regard to the English commerce, there is none certainly but what is contraband, and there can be no temptation to such contraband, but for particular commodities that are cheaper there than in France. The quantity therefore cannot be great?& Such contraband is found difficult to prevent in all countries. It is carried on at this time between France and England. But there are many commodities much cheaper in France, such as wines, silks, oil, modes, &c. which will be of great cons sumption in America; and when correspondencies are once settled, and the people there become acquainted with the manufactures of France, the demand for them will merease, these manufactures will of course be improved in goodness and cheapness, and the trade continue to augs ment accordingly. wớc 3 sen vaa TO JOLT 9 (83 90 - It is difficult to change suddenly the whole current of connections, correspondencies and confidences that subsist between merchants, and carry them all into a new channel, but time and a continuance of friendship will make great alterations. B. FRANKLIN.

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TO THE HON. ROBERT MORRIS, ESQ. Superintendant of the Finances of the United States. DEAR SIR, ra, da ta Passy, July 26, 1781.

I have just received your very friendly letter of the 6th of June past, announcing your appointment to the superintendance of our finances. This gave me great pleasure, as from your intelligence, integrity, and abilities,

there is reason to hope every advantage the public can possibly receive from such an office. You are wise in estimating before hand, as the principal advantage you can expect, the consciousness of having done service to your country. For the business you have undertaken is of so complex a nature, and must engross so much of your time and attention as necessarily to hurt your private interests; and the public is often niggardly even of, its thanks, resembling those little dirty stinking insects, that attack us only in the dark, disturb our repose, molesting and wounding us while our sweat and blood is contribu ting to their subsistence. Every assistance that my situation here, as long as it continues, may enable me to afford you, shall certainly be given, For besides my affection for the glorious cause we are both engaged in, I value myself upon your friendship, and shall be happy if mine can be made of any use to you. With great and sincere esteem, I am ever, dear Sir, &c. &c. & f Fulb B. FRANKLIN, :

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દાતાર 1, 99.9nita De..

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PS. With this I shall send an answer to your official letter of June 8, quleb ront scamuntzon a bus emit tud

TO HIS EXCELLENCY J, ADAMS, ESQ.

Capitulation of Lord Cornwallis. General Greene.

[EXTRACT.]

Passy, Nov. 26, 1781.

Present forward last Saturday some packets and letters for you, which I hope got to hand in time: most heartily do I congratulate you on the glorious news! The infaut Hercules in his cradle has now strangled his second

* The capitulation of Lord Cornwallis's army.

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