History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I
But "this is not material to the point ; for it does not operate as a bounty, "at all, because whatever duty the East India Coniiiany pays, originally, "at the Custom-house, on the importing of Teas from Asia, that sum is "added to the price of their Tea, in their sales ; so that, although the "exporter to .\merica may be allowed a drawback, yet he draws back " that sum only which he hath already paid in the price of his purchase, "by trhich means, as this article of sujiply new stands, there isanadranlage " in fnrour of the Dutch Teas imported into the Colonies, against the British " Teas, of twenty -five per cent, difference. -- (Debrett's History, Debates, and Proceedings of both Houses of Parlioment, 1743 lo 1774, v., iCA).
The reader will perceive, therefore, that the opposition to the importation of Tea, into .\merica, with its pailinnientarv- tax imposed on it, which the Merchants instigated and encouraged, in the seai>orts -- the opposition was seen no where else than within the shadows of those ports -- was composed less of " iMitriotism " than of love of pelf. TheDntch Teas
the confederated party of the Opposition -- the Government and those who favored it having no part in that matter of division among those who were opposing its policy -- were evidently seniil)le, however, as has been .said, that that unseemly confederation of radically antagonistic elements, entirely for the promotion of the interests of one of those elements without securing a corresponding advantage to the other, was unnatural, and could not be lasting; and it was evident, also, to every one, that an open conflict between the conservative aristocratic and the revolutionary democratic elements of the' population, without reference to matters of governmental policy, and only for the control of the political power, within the City and Colony, was likely to be commenced, at any moment.