290 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

to attain the very Point at w^ch they aimed, the immediate
Repeal of the Stamp Act without any previous Submission on
the part of the Colonies, the Legislature has in Fact submitted
to them, & has only more grievously injured its own Dignity
& Authority by Verbally Asserting that Right w^ch it substan-
tially yeilds up to their opposition. The reasons assigned for
this Concession, render it still more alarming, as they arise
from an Illegal Hostile Combination of the People in America
to Distress & Starve Our Manufacturers & to withhold from
our Merch^ts the Paym^t of their Just Debts the former of w^ch
Measures has only been practiced in open war between two
States, [& the] latter we believe not even in that situa-
tion, either by the Publick or by Individuals amongst the
Civilized Nations of Europe in Modern times. If this unpre-
cedented Plan of Intimidation shall meet with Success, it is
easy to foresee that the Practice of it for o^r & still greater
Objects will frequently be renewed & our Manufacturers &
Merch^ts reduced to the like and more Permanent Distress.
We cannot therefore but wish that some more eligible Method
consistent w^th their future Safety & our Dignity had been
taken by Parliam^t to shew our tender concern & compassion
for their Sufferings & to discourage any other such unwarrant-
able attempts, w^ch we are fully persuaded wo^d have been very
practicable with due care & attention & at an Expence very
inferior to the Importance of the Object.
Lastly. Because we are Convinced from the unanimous
Testimony of the Gov^r & other officers of the Crown in
America, that if by a Most unhappy Delay & Neglect to Pro-
vide for the due Execution of the Law, & Arm the Governm^t
therew^th proper orders & Powers repeatedly called for in Vain,
these Disturbances had not been continued & encreased they
might easily have been quieted, before they had Attained to
any dangerous Height, and we cannot without feeling the
most lively Sense of Grief & Indignation hear Arguments
drawn from the Progress of Evils w^ch sho^d & might have been
Stopped in their first feeble beginings, used for the still greater
Evil of Sacrificing to a present Relief, the highest Permanent
Interests & the whole Majesty, Power & Reputation of
Governm^t This Afflicts us the more deeply because it
Appears from many Letters that this Law if properly Sup-
ported by Governm^t would from the peculiar Circumstances
Attending the Disobedience to it, execute itself without Blood
shed, & it is said in one of the Letters to M^r Secretary Conway
" that the Principal View is to intimidate the Parliam^t but that
if it be thought Prudent to enforce their Authority, the People
dare not oppose a Vigorous Resolution of the Parliam^t of
Great Britain " That Vigorous Resolution has not yet been