[July.] A general meeting of the governors and chief men from several of the colonies, was held at _Albany_. At this congress, the commissioners were unanimously of opioion, that an _union of all the colonies_ was absolutely necessary for their common defence. The plan was, in short, “That a grand council should be formed of members, to be chosen by the assemblies, and sent from all the colonies; which council, together with a governor-general to be appointed by the crown, should be empowered to make general laws, to raise money in all the colonies for the defence of the whole.” It was drawn up by Mr. _Hutchinson_, was accepted, and sent home. Had it been approved and established, _British America_ thought itself sufficiently able to cope with the _French_ without further assistance; several of the colonies, in former years, having alone withstood the enemy, unassisted not only by the mother country, but by any of the neighbouring provinces. A _stamp act_ was talked of among the commissioners, of which number was Mr. (now Dr.) _Franklin_, one of the three from Pennsylvania; and it was thought a proper mode of taxing; under the apprehension, that in its operation it would affect the several governments fairly and equally. The idea of a stamp act had been held out, so early as 1739, in two publications drawn up by a club of American merchants at the head of whom were Sir _William Keith_, governor of Pennsylvania, Mr. _Joshua Gee_, and many others. They proposed, for the protection of the British traders among the Indians, the raising a body of regulars, to be stationed all along the western frontier of the British settlements; and that the expence should be paid from the monies arising from a duty on stamp paper and parchment in all the colonies to be laid on them by act of parliament. The congress plan was not agreeable to the views of ministry; another was proposed—“That the governors of all the colonies, attended by one or two members of their respective councils, should assemble, concert measures for the defence of the whole, erect forts where they judged proper, and raise what troops they thought necessary, with power to draw upon the British treasury for the sum that should be wanted; and the treasury to be re-imbursed by a tax laid on the colonies by an act of parliament.” When you are reminded, that the governors and councils were chiefly of the king’s appointing, you will be apt to view the scheme as a most subtle and dangerous contrivance, to provide for favorites, to sap the liberties of the Americans, and eventually to chain them down to the most abject slavery. Had the congress plan met with the countenance of minstry, it might have been adopted after a while; though of that, it appeared, there could be no certainty; for when the governor laid it before the _Massachusetts_ assembly in October, the assembly determined, not to give it the least countenance. The ministerial plan was