_Recording Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Mass._

[Illustration: Signature, Benjamin Franklin]

"As a philosopher he ranks high. In his speculations he seldom lost
sight of common sense, or yielded up his understanding either to
enthusiasm or authority."--GOODRICH.

LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS.

LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS.

No. 1.

LETTER FROM MR. WILLIAM PALMER.

_To the Directors of the East India Company._[24]

Gentlemen:

As the Act allowing a Drawback of the whole of the customs paid on tea,
if exported to America, is now passed, in which there is a clause
empowering the Lords of the Treasury to grant licences to the India
Company, to export tea, duty free, to foreign States, or America, having
at the time of granting such licences upwards of ten millions of pounds
in their warehouses, and as the present stock of tea is not only near
seventeen million, but the quantity expected to arrive this season does
also considerably exceed the ordinary demand of twelve months, and the
expediency of exporting tea to foreign States having been considered, I
presume to lay before this Court the following extracts, &c., from
letters relative to the consumption in America, and calculation of
advantages attending the exportation of tea by licence, and as an
assurance the same are formed upon some experience of this trade (having
not only been concerned in a great part of the tea which has been
shipped to America since the allowance of the drawback, in 1767; but
being now about to repurchase at your ensuing sale no small quantity of
Bohea tea for the same account,) I am desirous, at my own hazard, to
include in such purchase, an assortment of all other kinds, viz.:
Congou, Souchong and Hyson, but more particularly the several species of
Singlo, namely, Hyson, Skin, Twankay and First Sort, from a conviction
that, by degrees, the consumption of these species, also and
particularly Singlo tea, might be introduced into America, at least so
far for the benefit of the Company, as in part to relieve them from the
disagreeable necessity, they will, without some such vend, be subject
to, of forcing that species of tea to market, before it is greatly
damaged by age, provided you are of opinion the same may possibly tend
to the advantage of the Company; or, should it be the opinion of this
Court, an immediate consignment should take place, I am ready to give
such assistance towards carrying the same into execution as may