hey say they already ship as much as the Continent can consume, for
through them are imported only such quantities of spices, &c., as the
merchant here can vend, after the run goods are sold, they being
imported cheaper than those from England, are naturally first sold. But
if the East India Company should think proper to extend their trade, I
cannot doubt it would in a great measure put a stop to the importation
from Holland and the Dutch Islands, and large sums would annually pass
from America to London for those commodities. But perhaps little more
should be said until it is known in what manner our fellow countrymen
shall view this scheme of trade."

"Philadelphia, Oct. 30, 1773.

"I shall endeavor to communicate a more full state of the sentiments of
my fellow citizens than I could in my last letter. I could then only
conjecture what might be the result of their judgments respecting the
Hon'ble the Directors of the East I. Com^y sending their teas to this
Continent. A communication of sentiments, taking place between the New
Yorkers & the Philadelphians, soon produced a number of pieces in the
public prints and otherwise, most absolutely asserting the rights of the
Americans, and denying the power of Parliament respecting the internal
taxation of the Colonies, which led into many comparisons, endeavoring
to shew that the agency of the tea was equally odious & dangerous as
the execution of the Stamp Act would have been. I may say with great
truth, that I do not believe one man in a hundred was to be met with who
approved of the sending the tea, while the duty was to be paid here. Yet
a great number of people acknowledged the right of the East India
Directors to export their teas to America, and declared that nothing
less than a confirmed belief that the admitting this mode of taxation
would render the assemblies of the people mere cyphers, could have
induced them to proceed in the manner they have done; for when it was
mentioned to them that by refusing to admit the tea to be landed, they
did as much deprive the India Company of the natural rights of English
merchants, as the subjecting us to the payment of duty possibly could
affect us, they replyed that the Act of Parliament hindered the tea from
being landed _until_ the duty was first paid or secured, and
consequently as the Directors knew this, and the opposition heretofore
given by the Americans, they must take what f