the greatest
burden of the war upon the shoulders of a particular order of men in
particular States only.

Now surely, if by partial and unjust measures, for which necessity
alone can plead, we have been able to draw from every State, a tax
more than equal to the present demand, no State can say, that it
cannot afford its proportion of a more equitable tax. Those who have
hitherto borne the weight of the war, must warmly espouse a measure,
which is so greatly calculated for their relief. Those who have
hitherto been eased from the burden, must be more able to take it up
at this time, when they have the most promising expectation of
relinquishing it soon.

It is certain, that if we put ourselves in a state to take advantage
of circumstances early in the ensuing spring, we have the best
grounded reason to hope, that a few months will remove the war from
our doors. Whereas if we delay to enable Congress to say to their
allies, "we are ready for an effectual co-operation with any force you
may send," they will turn their attention to other objects, and leave
us to lament in vain the opportunities we have lost. Every motive
then, national honor, national interest, public economy, private ease,
and that love of freedom, which pervades every Legislature on the
Continent, call loudly not only for a compliance with the
requisitions of Congress, but for so early a compliance as to render
it effectual.

It is true we are at present in such a situation as to have no
apprehensions for the final establishment of our independence; but
surely it is a matter of some moment to us, whether we shall obtain
it, or at least be freed from the ravages of the enemy and the burden
of the war in the course of six months at the expense of eight
millions of dollars, or whether we shall wait for it till a general
and perhaps a distant peace, and be subject in the meanwhile to
infinitely more expense, and all the distress that attends a country
which is the seat of war.

But, Sir, it is time to dismiss a subject, which wants no arguments to
illustrate it. I am confident that you will use every means to
convince the State over which you preside, of the danger which will
result from relying more upon the weakness of the enemy than their own
strength, more upon the aid of their allies than their own exertions,
more upon unjust, partial, hazardous, and expensive expedients, than
upon an equal and regular support of the measures, which Congress,
u