290 | To John Pownall

    Boston July 11. 1764

    Dear Sr.

    It seems to me that the Affairs of America are becoming very critical; that common Expedients would soon begin to fail; & that a general Reformation of the American Governments would become not only a desirable but a necessary Object Measure. Full of these thoughts, When I was at Concord attending the Assembly,1 I reduced my Sentiments upon this Subject into Writing, Studying as much as possible Method Argument & Brevity. The Writing itself is a hasty Work done at such intervals of leisure as I could catch; but the Matter has been the Subject of much deliberation, & will afford heads for many useful & intresting disquisitions.

    As I much doubted of the propriety of my troubling immediately Lord Halifax or Lord Hillsborough with a paper of this kind; as I never have received a particular Encouragement to take such liberty: about a fourtnight ago I sent two Copies of this Paper to Lord Barrington,2 desiring that, if he thought it proper, He would introduce them to the Lords Halifax & Hillsborough. By this conveyance I send a third Copy to Lord Barrington, & a fourth Copy to Mr Jackson3 for his use & yours. These are all I intend to part with. I directed the last to him, as I thought it probable you would see one of the two first.4

    I could (& probably shall) write large Commentaries upon this Analysis; some of which will be Exoterick & some Esoterick. Many Arguments may be offered in favour of this System, which would be suitable to & operative upon the People; but more & of more weight that are fit only for the Cabinet. For my own part (I speak with the Vanity of a Writer & the prejudice of a System Maker) My doubts are more employed, how far this Plan may be agreable to the Ideas which the Ministers have allready formed, than about its real truth & probable Utility.5

    You may imagine that the late Parliamentary proceedings & what is still to be expected must arouse the turbulent to an high pitch, & give a new Spirit to the popular demagogues: & some consequential Emotions we must expect. To send you all the incendiary papers which are published upon this Occasion would be endless. But I enclose one that is so superlatively flagitious,6 that it deserves public notice. It was occasioned by a sensible paper published first in a Rhode Island Paper, & afterwards republished here: It may serve to give an Idea of a Rhode Island Republican; tho’ it is ^to be hoped^ that there are not, even in Rhode Island, many of so violent & outragious a temper as this furious Zealot.7

    Before I conclude, I must mention an Anecdote in the House of Representatives last Session. When the motion for the Governor’s Salary was made,8 a Member of the Town of Boston  arose9 &, after promising that He had no exception to take to the Governors conduct & did not intend that He should be anyways injured by what he was going to propose, said that if the Parliament would tax this Country, they ought to support its Government; & therefore He moved that the Consideration of the Governors Salary should be moved ^referred^ to the Winter Session: and if it should then appear that inland Taxes were to be imposed upon this Province, they should leave the support of the Government to the Parliamentary Taxes. Unluckily this Proposal was universally rejected: otherwise we should have had the Independency of the Governor promoted by the People themselves. However this Motion may Serve to show the necessity that the Governors should be made independent & not left exposed to the Ill humours, which these new regulations will create among the People.10

    I have sent you a Copy of the Instructions of the Town of Boston to their Members which ought to be read, to account for some of the proceedings in the House, particularly the instructions to the Agent.

    I am Sir &c

    J Pownall Esqr.

    AL, LbC BP, 3: 239-240.