162 Benjamin Franklin 1773 
inhabitants. If the injured and exasperated farmers, 
unable to procure other justice, should attack the 
aggressors, drub them, and burn their boats; you are 
to call this high treason and rebellion, order fleets and 
armies into their country, and threaten to carry all 
the offenders three thousand miles to be hanged, 
drawn and quartered. Oh, this will work admirably! 
16. If you are told of discontents in your colonies, 
never believe that they are general, or that you have 
given occasion for them; therefore do not think of 
applying any remedy, or of changing any offensive 
measure. Redress no grievance, lest they should be 
encouraged to demand the redress of some other 
grievance. Grant no request that is just and reason- 
able, lest they should make another that is unreason- 
able. Take all your informations of the state of the 
colonies from your governors and officers in enmity 
with them. Encourage and reward these leasing- 
makers; secrete their lying accusations, lest they 
should be confuted; but act upon them as the clearest 
evidence; and believe nothing you hear from the 
friends of the people. Suppose all their complaints 
to be invented and promoted by a few factious dema- 
gogues, whom if you could catch and hang, all would 
be quiet. Catch and hang a few of them accordingly; 
and the blood of the martyrs shall work miracles in 
favor of your purpose.* 
I One of the American writers affirms: ‘That there has not been a 
single instance in which they have complained, without being rebuked; 
or in which they have been complained against, without being pun- 
ished.” A fundamental mistake in the minister occasioned this. 
Every individual in New England (the peccant country) was held a 
coward or a knave, and the disorders which spread abroad there were 
Nop.