tion to his much injured Character: And in his Absence, his Agents
and Confederates, the Monthly Reviewers, have done the same.

Here therefore, I appeal to the Public, whether I have not advanced as far
already in this Affair, as there was need for me to have done, supposing
even (which is supposing a great deal) that every Thing which Dr. FRANKLIN
said was strictly true: For granting that he did not solicit for that
Place in particular, yet it is a most undeniable Fact, that at the very
Instant when he was declaiming at the Bar of the House of Commons, against
the Authority of Parliament, he himself was an _American_ Revenue Officer,
in a very lucrative Post, created by parliamentary Authority: He was a
Post-Master General in _North-America_; and the Tax, which he collected,
and for which he was accountable, was an _internal_, as well as _external_
Tax. So that in short, in every, or in any Light, his Conduct was not of
the spotless Kind; nor was my Accusation of Disingenuity against him the
less true, whether he had solicited a Place in the Stamp-Office, or not.

While I am writing this,--a Paragraph, cut out of a News-Paper, and dated
from _Salisbury_, _October_ 15, is laid before me, which I am positively
told, is reckoned to be UNANSWERABLE. Now I have known so many of these
UNANSWERABLES to shrink to nothing, when examined with any due Care and
Attention, that I own I am not much frightened at the Appearance of this
new _American_ GOLIAH. However, let us approach this formidable Champion a
little nearer.

"The _Americans_, says the News-Writer, in their Addresses to the Public,
urge as a Reason against Parliamentary Taxation, the _great Disadvantages_
they incur by submitting to such numerous Restrictions in Trade, which
they deem a Burden equal to, if not greater than Taxation: And they also
estimate, that that Mode of contributing to the Support of the _English_
Nation, is, upon the whole, more beneficial than if they were to pay their
Share by being equally taxed with the Subjects of the Mother Country: But
to be obliged to submit to those numerous Restraints in Trade, and at the
same Time to be subject to a parliamentary Taxation, they think is the
highest Degree of Oppression.

"The _Irish_ submit to parliamentary Restraints in Trade; but then, in
return, they are exempted from Taxation. Why then should the _Americans_
be burdened with both, in similar Circumstances?"

Here the whole Matter of Complaint i