principal of all the debt she may contract in this war. But whether duties upon her exports will be the best method of doing it, is a question I am not so clear in. England raised indeed a great revenue by duties on tobacco. But it was by virtue of a prohibition of foreign tobaccos, and thereby obliging the internal consumer to pay those duties. If America were to lay a duty of five-pence sterling per lb. on the exportation of her tobacco, would any European buy it? Would not the colonies of Spain and Portugal, and the Ukraine of Russia furnish it much cheaper? Was not England herself obliged for such reasons to drop the duty on tobacco she furnished to France? Would it not cost an immense sum in officers, &c. to guard our long coast against smuggling of tobacco, and running out to avoid a duty? and would not many even of these officers be corrupted and connive at it? It is possibly an erroneous opinion, but I find myself rather inclined to adopt that modern one which supposes it best for every country to leave its trade entirely free from all incumbrances. Perhaps no country does this at present: Holland comes the nearest to it; and her commercial wealth seems to have increased in proportion.

Your excellency has done me the honor of announcing to me your appointment: I hope soon to return the compliment by informing you of my dismission. I find the various employments of merchant, banker, judge of admiralty, consul, &c. &c. besides my ministerial function, too multifarious and too heavy for my old shoulders; and have therefore requested congress that I may be relieved; for in this point I agree even with my enemies, that another may easily be found who can better execute them. B. FRANKLIN.

DEAR SIR,

TO THE REV. DR. COOPer.

Passy, May 25, 1781. It gives me great pleasure to learn that your new constitution is at length settled with so great a degree of unanimity and general satisfaction. It seems to me upon the whole an excellent one; and that if there are some particulars that one might have wished a little different, they are such as could not in the present state of things have been well obtained otherwise than they are, and, if by experience found inconvenient, will probably be changed hereafter. I would only mention at present one article, that of maintenance for the clergy. It seems to me that by the constitution the Quakers may be obliged to pay the tax for that purpose. But as the great end in imposing it is professedly the promotion of piety, religion, and morality, and those people have found means of securing that end among themselves without a regular clergy, and their teachers are not allowed to receive money, I should think it not right to tax them and give the money to the teacher of the parish; but I imagine that in the laws to be made. for levying parish taxes, this matter may be regulated to their contentment. Yours, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO DAVID HARTLEY, ESQ. .

Passy, June 30, 1781.

I received my dear friend's kind letter of the 15th instant, and immediately communicated your request of a passport to M. le Comte de Vergennes. His answer, which I have but just received, expresses an apprehension that the circumstance of his grant

ing a passport to you, as you mention the purpose of your coming to be the discoursing with me on the subject of peace, might, considering your character, occasion many inconvenient reports and speculations; but that he would make no difficulty of giving it, if you assured me that you were authorised for such purpose by your ministry, which he does not think at all likely; otherwise he judges it best that I should not encourage your coming. Thus it seems I cannot have at present the pleasure you were so kind as to propose for me. I can only join with you in earnest wishes for peace-a blessing which I shall hardly live

to see.

With the greatest esteem and respect, I am ever, dear sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

[NOTE.]

Passy, July 6, 1781.

The following paper was delivered this day to M. de Rayneval, to be by him communicated to Count Vergennes, in order to correct some wrong ideas of that minister. B. F.

It seems to have been insinuated, either through mistake or ill-will to the United States;

1st. That their merchants have combined to depreciate the bills drawn on France.

2d. That their trade with England is as great as before the war.

I have known two instances wherein bills of exchange on England have fallen more than 15 per cent. lower than the present price of bills on France.

The first was in 1739, when an expedition being projected against Carthagena, the government of England ordered 3000 men to be raised in America,

and transports with provisions, &c. to be furnished, for the amount of which expense bills were ordered to be drawn on the treasury at London. This adventitious quantity of bills coming into market, and being more than the common course of the commerce required, occasioned the lowering of their price 42 per cent. below the rate before accustomed.

The like happened a few years after, when on a prospect of short crops of corn in Europe, orders were received in America to purchase and send over vast quantities, and to draw bills and sell them in the country in order to raise money for the purchase. This sudden addition to the quantity of bills produced a fall of 40 per cent. in their price. And this must always happen in some proportion when the quantity of any article in commerce exceeds the present demand.

And when it is considered that the merchants of America are numerous and dispersed through thirteen different provinces, at great distance from each other, such a combination will appear as improbable, as that the farmers in France should combine to raise the price of wheat.

With regard to the English commerce, there is none certainly but what is contraband, and there can be no temptation to such contraband, but for particular commodities that are cheaper there than in France. The quantity therefore cannot be great. Such contraband is found difficult to prevent in all countries. It is carried on at this time between France and England. But there are many commodities much cheaper in France, such as wines, silks, oil, modes, &c. which will be of great consumption in America; and when correspondences are once

settled, and the people there become acquainted with the manufactures of France, the demand for them will increase, these manufactures will of course be improved in goodness and cheapness, and the trade continue to augment accordingly.

It is difficult to change suddenly the whole current of connexions, correspondences and confidences that subsist between merchants, and carry them all into a new channel; but time and a continuance of friendship will make great alterations.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO THE HON. ROBERT MORRIS, ESQ. SUPERINTENDENT

OF THE FINANCES OF THE UNITED STATES. DEAR SIR,

Passy, July 26, 1781.

I have just received your very friendly letter of the 6th of June past, announcing your appointment to the superintendence of our finances. This gave me great pleasure, as from your intelligence, integrity, and abilities, there is reason to hope every advantage the public can possibly receive from such an office. You are wise in estimating beforehand, as the principal advantage you can expect, the consciousness of having done service to your country; for the business you have undertaken is of so complex a nature, and must engross so much of your time and attention, as necessarily to hurt your private interests; and the public is often niggardly even of its thanks, resembling those little dirty stinking insects that attack us only in the dark, disturb our repose, molesting and wounding us while our sweat and blood is contributing to their subsistence. Every assistance that my situation here, as long as it continues, may enable me to afford you, shall cer