was
the situation of affairs when we left there. It is true that all goods
imported into the South River from abroad had to pay not only import
but also export duties, but those bought in New York, or from the
merchants there on their own account, pay little or no export duty.
And it would appear as if the whole of the proceedings with Carteret
and him were founded in this, if they have no higher cause.

[Footnote 393: About fifty-five cents for a bushel.]

They say now, as he has accomplished these objects in regard to his
own people and Carteret, he will turn his attention to the Quakers on
the South River, who assert that they are not subject to his
government, and also to the people on the Fresh River [Connecticut],
who claim to be members of the republic of Boston, and even to those
of Boston; but whether all this is designed by him is doubtful.[394]

[Footnote 394: By "the Quakers on the South River" the writer means
the province of West Jersey, the dealings with Carteret having related
to East Jersey alone. The people of Connecticut, it is hardly
necessary to remark, did not claim to be members of the _republic_ of
Boston, though united with it in the New England confederation.]

The shoemakers, in consequence of the abundance of hides and bark in
the country, have prepared their own leather; but as it was not
necessary that every shoemaker should have his own tannery, some of
them have put up several tanneries jointly, and others who were not so
rich or had not so much to do, had their leather tanned by them, or
tanned it themselves in those tanneries, satisfying the owners for the
privilege. The proprietors of the tanneries began to exact too much
from those who had their leather tanned, whereupon the poorer ones
complained to the governor about it. He seized the opportunity to
forbid all tanning whatsoever, and to order that the hides should be
sent to Europe, and the leather ordered from there for the purpose of
making shoes, or else ready-made shoes imported. By this means the
farmers and others would be compelled to come and sell their hides to
the merchants, who would give for them what they chose, he would
derive taxes and duties from them, and the merchants their freight and
percentage of profit; leather which is dear in Europe would pay
perhaps taxes once or twice there, and freight and taxes or duties
again here; the merchants would have their profit, and then the
shoemaker would get the leather fo