3i8 FOTHERGILL AND FRANKLIN CHAP. 



duties already existing, and put into force the trade laws 

 which had been generally evaded. These measures 

 struck heavily at American commerce. He went on to 

 introduce the Stamp Act, which imposed taxation within 

 the colonies themselves. This touched a great constitu- 

 tional principle, for the Americans had no representation 

 in the British parliament. The colonies were roused : 

 Franklin made strong remonstrance on behalf of their 

 Assemblies, but all in vain : the Act was passed in March 

 1765, and he yielded to the inevitable so far as himself to 

 nominate a collector under the Act. For this he was 

 denounced at home, and his house surrounded by rioters. 



Fothergill published anonymously in August 1765 a 

 paper entitled " Considerations Relative to the North 

 American Colonies." This is a vigorous, well-reasoned 

 pamphlet, full of that love of justice and of liberty which 

 is dear to an Englishman. It gained the warm commenda- 

 tion of his friends in the colonies. 



Combating the general ignorance of American affairs, 

 he shows how the settlements came to be founded, how 

 they have grown, and what are their aims and characters. 

 He deals with their relations to the mother country, and 

 in what manner they are a source of wealth to it. The 

 North Americans as a people are mainly of the class of 

 " our lower English farmers," making a just sufficient 

 living by hard work, and importing all the British manu- 

 factures they can ; though hospitable they are not rich. 

 Money is scarcer with them and of higher value. Certain 

 rights over trade and commerce for the good of the 

 Empire are admitted, but beyond these taxation cannot 

 be justly imposed without consent. " A British Parlia- 

 ment has certainly power to do many things, which it has 

 no right to do. It has power to enact what laws it thinks 

 fit, respecting any part of the British Empire ; but still 

 it is to be remembered, that reason is the supreme law, 

 and anything inconsistent with it is void in itself. To 

 subject them to laws, in the making of which they have 

 no voice, and can have none, is to strike at the root of 

 our own constitution." He urges the repeal of the 



