“These are not the reasonings of politicians, but the sentiments and language of the people in general. For with great truth we may say, in no country is the love of liberty more deeply rooted, or the knowledge of the rights inherent to freemen more generally diffused, and the principles of freedom and government better understood than among the British American colonies. “For this reason we think ourselves obliged to inform you, that though the merchants have confined their agreements to the repeal of the act laying a duty on tea, paper, glass, &c. yet nothing less than a repeal of all the revenue acts, and putting things on the same footing they were before the late innovations, can or will satisfy the minds of the people. The fleets and armies may overawe our towns; admiralty courts and boards of commissioners, with their swarms of underlings, may by a rigorous execution of severe unconstitutional acts, ruin our commerce, and render America of little use to the people of Britain; but while every farmer is a freeholder, the spirit of liberty will prevail, and every attempt to divest them of the privileges of freemen, must be attended with consequences injurious to the colonies and the mother country. “In a matter of so great importance you will excuse this freedom. We consider the merchants here and in England, as the links of the chain that binds both countries together. They are deeply concerned in preserving the union and connection.—Whatever tends to alienate the affections of the colonists, or to make them averse to the customs, fashions, and manufactures of Britain, hurts their interest. While some, therefore, from ambitious views and sinister motives, are laboring to widen the breach, we whose private interest is happily connected with the union, or which is the same, with the peace and prosperity of both countries, may be allowed to plead for an end to these unhappy disputes; and that by a repeal of the offensive acts, the cause of jealousy and uneasiness may be removed, tranquility restored, harmony and mutual affection re-established, and trade return to its usual channel.” The names of the committee on the back of the draft from which the above has been copied, were, _Alexander Huston_, _John Rhea_, _John Cox_, _John Gibson_, _Joseph Swift_, _James Mease_, _J. M. Nesbit_, _William West_, _Robert Morris_, _Charles Thomson_, _Daniel Benezet_, _William Fisher_, _George Roberts_, _Samuel Howell_, and _Thomas Mifflin_.