ernment attempted to administer it. Two
ways were principally chosen for this great purpose. The first by
regulations; the second by new funds of revenue. Agreeably to this plan,
a new naval establishment was formed at a good deal of expense, and to
little effect, to aid in the collection of the customs. Regulation was
added to regulation; and the strictest and most unreserved orders were
given, for a prevention of all contraband trade here, and in every part
of America. A teasing custom-house, and a multiplicity of perplexing
regulations, ever have, and ever will appear, the masterpiece of finance
to people of narrow views; as a paper against smuggling, and the
importation of French finery, never fails of furnishing a very popular
column in a newspaper.

The greatest part of these regulations were made for America; and they
fell so indiscriminately on all sorts of contraband, or supposed
contraband, that some of the most valuable branches of trade were driven
violently from our ports; which caused an universal consternation
throughout the colonies. Every part of the trade was infinitely
distressed by them. Men-of-war now for the first time, armed with
regular commissions of custom-house officers, invested the coasts, and
gave to the collection of revenue the air of hostile contribution. About
the same time that these regulations seemed to threaten the destruction
of the only trade from whence the plantations derived any specie, an act
was made, putting a stop to the future emission of paper currency, which
used to supply its place among them. Hand in hand with this went
another act, for obliging the colonies to provide quarters for soldiers.
Instantly followed another law, for levying throughout all America new
port duties, upon a vast variety of commodities of their consumption,
and some of which lay heavy upon objects necessary for their trade and
fishery. Immediately upon the heels of these, and amidst the uneasiness
and confusion produced by a crowd of new impositions and regulations,
some good, some evil, some doubtful, all crude and ill-considered, came
another act, for imposing an universal stamp-duty on the colonies; and
this was declared to be little more than an experiment, and a foundation
of future revenue. To render these proceedings the more irritating to
the colonies, the principal argument used in favor of their ability to
pay such duties was the liberality of the grants of their assemblies
during the l