Benjamin Franklin: “Those, who would be thought deeply skilled in human nature, affect to discover self-interested views every where at the…”

That compelling the colonies to pay money without their consent, would be rather like raising contributions in an enemy's country, than taxing of Englishmen for their own public benefit.

Many quarrels and wars have arisen between the colonies and Indian nations, through the bad conduct of traders, who cheat the Indians after making them drunk, &c. to the great expence of the colonies both in blood and treasure.

An ancient sage valued himself upon this, that though he could not fiddle, he knew how to make a great city of a little one.

If the English would advance one step further, or cover themselves where they are, it must be at once, by one large step over the mountains, with a numerous and military colony.