530 PAPERS RELATING TO THE CITY OF NEW-YORK.

not to protect but to enslave us : Has not the truth of this remark been lately exemplified in the audacious, domineering and inhuman Major Pullaine, who ordered a guard to protect a sordid miscreant, that transgressed the laudable non-importation agreement of the merchants, in order to break that, which is the only means left them, under God, to baffle the designs of their enemies to enslave this continent ? This consideration alone ought to be sufiicient to induce a free people, not to grant the troops any supply whatsoever, if we had no dispute with the mother country, that made it necessary not to concede anything that might destroy our freedom ; reasons of economy and good policy suggest that we ought not to grant tlie troops money.

Whoever is the least acquainted with the English history, must know, that grants frequently made to the crown, is not to be refused, but with some degree of danger of disturbing the repose of the Kingdom or Colony. This evinces the expediency of our stopping these grants now, while we are embroiled with the mother country, tliat so we may not, after the grand controversy is settled, have a new bone of contention about the billeting money ; which must be the case if we do not put an end to it at this time : for tlie colony, in its impoverished state, cannot support a charge which amounts to near as much per annum, as all the other expenses of the government besides.