1The Colonist’s Advocate: I, 4 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Verner W. Crane, Benjamin Franklin’s Letters to the Press, 1758–1775 (Chapel Hill, [1950]), pp. 167–70. This essay, printed in the Public Advertiser on Jan. 4, 1770, was the first in a series of eleven that ran in that newspaper for the next two months. The series was designed to muster support for the total repeal of the Townshend Acts, and ended when the last hope of such...
2The Colonist’s Advocate: II, 8 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 8, 1770 The Absurdity of taxing the Colonies without Representation, is so glaring, that some Defenders of the late oppressive Measures have attempted to palliate it by urging, that our American Brethren are actually represented in the British House of Commons; “the most ridiculous Idea (says Lord Chatham in his Speech on the Stamp Act) that ever...
3The Colonist’s Advocate: III, 11 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 11, 1770 Suppose some long-headed Minister should invent a Tax to be imposed only on those Subjects, residing in Britain, who have no Vote in any Election for Members of Parliament. Suppose the British Government to publish a formal Declaration, That they have a Right to give and grant away the Property of many Millions of their Fellow-Subjects,...
4The Colonist’s Advocate: IV, 15 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 15, 1770 To assume the Title of the Colonist’s Advocate , is to undertake the Defence of Three Millions of the most valuable Subjects of the British Empire, against Tyranny and Oppression, brought upon them by a wrong-headed Ministry. It is to call the Attention of Government to the Injuries of the brave and free Emigrants from these Realms, who...
5The Colonist’s Advocate: V, 25 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 25, 1770 In my last Paper I shewed, from authentic and known Estimates, that, had not the Course of our Trade with the Colonies been interrupted by the Inventions of the Grenvillians, we were in the Way to have carried it, in the Space of a few Years, to such a Length, that the Mother-Country would have gained by it annually the amazing Sum of Five...
6The Colonist’s Advocate: VI, 29 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 29, 1770 I have shewn, that our Gains by our Colonies have been immensely great [and], but for the Grenvillian Taxation Scheme, would have soon come to be equal alone to the Whole of our necessary annual Expences of Government in Times of Peace. If so, how absurd are the Cavils of some among us, who argue, That we have been at great Expences for the...
7The Colonist’s Advocate: VII, 1 February 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , February 1, 1770 Walpole, who declared in the House of Commons that he did not well understand foreign Affairs, who was as quick at smelling out where Money might be had as any Minister could well be imagined, and whose Difficulties in keeping his Place were such, that it was alledged he would have swept the Bottom of the Ocean for a Guinea, if he could: Even...
8The Colonist’s Advocate: VIII, 5 February 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , February 5, 1770 Lord Chatham, in his Speech on the Repeal of the Stamp-Act, said, That Debate was the most important that had come before the House since the Revolution. How differently that great Man, of whom, with all his Faults, we may well say, “We ne’er shall look upon his like again,” thought of this Matter, from our Grenvillianised Ministers, it is...
9The Colonist’s Advocate: IX, 12 February 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , February 12, 1770 The Grenvillians labour to persuade us, that there is an Inconsistency in the Colonists refusing to submit to British Taxation, at the same Time that they acknowledge themselves obliged to obey the Laws of the Mother-Country. The Enemies of the Colonists must be very shallow Politicians, if they be really and sincerely at a Loss to...
10The Colonist’s Advocate: X, 19 February 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , February 19, 1770 The Grenvillians have endeavoured, by various Publications, in Pamphlets and News-papers, to support the Wisdom of taxing the Colonies, by sometimes alledging, that the British Trade with America is but an inconsiderable Object. It has never yet, they say, in any one Year, been worth to the Mother-Country quite Three Millions clear Gain. And...
11The Colonist’s Advocate: XI, [2 March 1770] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Verner W. Crane, Benjamin Franklin’s Letters to the Press , 1758–1775 (Chapel Hill, [1950]), pp. 207–9. The Genuineness of the following Extract from a North American Letter may be depended on. The Strain of it will shew, whether it is written by one most attached to the Ministry or to the People, and consequently whether the Information it contains is to be taken strictly, or...