That evidently well-considered paper, probably the production of the mind and the pen of James Duane, 1 was so temperate in its tone and so judicious in its suggestions, that, after it had been presented as the Report of the Sub-Committee, it commended itself to the Committee with so much force, that it was approved without a dissenting voice ; 2 and the Chairman was ordered to send copies of it, duly signed, to the Committees of Correspondence, in Boston and Philadelphia. 3

It will be seen that the Committee regarded the dispute with the Home Government as something more than a merely local matter, in which the Town of Boston was the only sufferer ; and that it was not inclined, therefore, to confine its action, as the Vote of that Town had sought to confine it, to the particular subject of the Boston Port-Bill, nor to direct all its efforts, as that Vote had solicited, entirely to the redress of the grievances of that particular Town. On the contrary, it recognized the equal importance of " every other matter of public moment ; " it asserted that " the Cause was general and concerned a " whole Continent, who was equally interested" with themselves ; and it insisted that " no remedy can be " of avail, unless it proceeded from the joint Act and " Approbation of all." It was not inclined, without

1 We are not insensible of the fact that many suppose that the authorship of this notable letter belongs to John Jay ; but, because the entire spirit of it is so unlike what he would have presented in huch a letter, written under such circumstances ; and because he is known to have been more inclined to resort to a Non-Importation Agreement than James Duane was, we prefer to favor the belief that the latter gentleman wrote it.