Mr. _Grenville’s_ intended stamp act was communicated to the American agents. Many of them did not oppose it. Half their number were placemen, or dependent on the ministry. Mr. _Joseph Sherwood_, an honest quaker agent for _Rhode-Island_, refused his assent to America’s being taxed by a British parliament. Mr. _Mauduit_, the Massachusetts agent, favored the raising of the wanted money of a stamp duty, as it would occasion less expence of officers, and would include the West-India islands. But the scheme was postponed, and the agents authorised to inform the American assemblies, that they were at liberty to suggest any other way of raising monies; and that Mr. Grenville was ready to receive proposals for any other tax that might be equivalent in its produce to the stamp tax. The colonies seemed to consider it as an affront, rather than a compliment. He would not have been content with any thing short of a certain specific sum, and proper funds for the payment of it. Had not the sums been answerable to his wishes, he would have rejected them; and he would scarce have been satisfied with less than £.300,000 per annum, which was judged absolutely necessary to defray the whole expence of the army proposed for the defence of America: he might rather have expected that it should amount to what Mr. _Huske_ had mentioned. No satisfactory proposals being made, he adhered to his purpose of bringing forward the stamp bill, though repeatedly pressed by some of his friends to desist, while he might have done it with honor. _Richard Jackson_, esq. had been chosen agent for the Massachusetts; he, with Mr. _Ingersoll_, Mr. _Garth_, and Mr. _Franklin_, lately come from Philadelphia, waited on Mr. _Grenville_ the second of February, 1765, by desire of the colonial agents, to remonstrate against the stamp bill, and to propose, that in case any tax must be laid upon America, the several colonies might be permitted to lay the tax themselves. At this interview Mr. _Jackson_ opened his mind freely on the subject; and Mr. _Franklin_, as must be supposed, mentioned, that he had it in instruction from the assembly of _Pennsylvania_, to assure the ministry, that they should alway think it their duty to grant such aids to the crown as were suitable to their circumstances, whenever called for in the usual constitutional manner. Mr. Grenville, however, pertinaciously adhered to his own opinions; and said, that he had _pledged his word for offering the stamp bill to the house_, and that the house would hear their objections, &c. &c.