facturer in that "Town, on account of the Non-Importation Article;" we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, inhabitants of the Town of Leeds, being convinced that no publick letter of such import has been sent from hence, and happy in knowing that such account is a misrepresentation of the situation of the Manufacturers of this place, are unwilling that the opinion or allegation communicated by any private person to his correspondent, should be imposed upon the publick as the general sense of the Town; and call upon you to disclose what authority you had for saying that Mr. Barclay did read such a letter; or that if you had such authority, then that Mr. Barclay would set forth so much of the contents of his letter as relates to this affair, with the name of the person who subscribed it, and desire that this may be printed in your Newspaper.

Cheapside, (London,) January 16, 1775.

The Printer of the London Evening Post is desired to insert the following, being that part of a letter from Leeds which was read, on the fourth instant, at the meeting of the North American Merchants, at the King's Arms Tavern, viz:

"Leeds, December 28, 1774.

"The unhappy differences betwixt Great Britain and America throws the Merchants in this country into great inconveniences, and the Manufacturers into great distress: there are now a great many Cloth Dressers in this Town out of employ, and a much greater number of Cloth Makers, such as Carders, Spinners and Weavers, in the country adjacent. The poor's rate, at Dewsbury is already got up to eight Shillings in the Pound; and at Batley, Heckmondwick, and the other Towns thereabouts, the poor's rate are nearly as much; and it is my firm belief that if the Trade to America is shut up until this time twelve months, all the rents of the lands and houses in the above Townships will not be sufficient to support the poor alone. I wish our Rulers, who are at the head of affairs, could spare a day to visit a few of the poor cottagers, and see for themselves the manner in which they live, their poor diet, their wan looks, their ragged clothing, their starved children, it might be a better guide for them, in the ordering of affairs, than their always being in London, and seeing nothing but affluence and plenty; but as this, I fear, is not likely to be the case, and as this country now feels the bad effects of the stop to America, if any thing can be done to obtain redress, it is a pity but it was done. If the Merchants of London petition Parliament for a repeal of those Acts that are the cause of the difference, the Merchants and Manufacturers of this country will be glad to join in a petition to the like import, provided the Merchants in London should think it necessary; for the people at this distance cannot so well judge what is expedient as you that are upon the spot. I therefore could wish we had the direction of the Merchants, in London, what to do; for, if there is the least prospect of doing good, our endeavours should not be wanting."

I have wrote to the author of the above, desiring that he will avow the contents to the Mayor and the rest of the gentlemen who signed the letter from Leeds, dated the 9th of January, 1775.

DAVID BARCLAY.

Leeds, January 21, 1775.

The Mayor, and other gentlemen of this Town, having thought proper to call upon the author of a private letter, which was read, on the 4th instant, at the meeting of the American Merchants, and others, at the King's Arms Tavern, in London, please to inform them that I wrote the letter, and that the contents thereof related only to such Merchants in Leeds as trade to North America, and to the Manufacturers of Goods for that trade, who reside in this Town and parts adjacent; and I thought it was explicit enough for my correspondent, if not for the publick for whom it was not intended.

I am conscious, to myself, that I never designed to disguise the truth; and, until my opponents do bring the proofs of some new sources of trade being opened to this country, I must, and do insist, that whatever number of hands were usually employed for the North American Trade, these hands, be they more or less, remain at this, moment, by the stagnation of the North American Trade, wholly unemployed, or only sharing in the labour and wages of those who were usually employed for the European Trade; and whatever was the number of labourers employed for the American Trade over and above the number necessary for the European Trade, the sufferings of the poor must be estimated according to that number. That the want of employment, and that great distress prevail; amongst the poor labouring Manufacturers, in consequence of the Non-Importation Agreement, the enclosed certificates, taken on the spot, incontestibly prove; that a great number of Cloth workers, in this Town, are now out of employment; and that many more do not earn half the wages sufficient to support their families, I do still aver, and have a list of such now in my possession, which may be seen by any one here who doubts the truth of it.

Those who are acquainted with Parish Rates must know that they are laid at certain seasons only; so that when I informed my correspondent that the poor's rate at Dewsbury was got up to eight Shillings in the Pound, my design was not to intimate that this was solely to be attributed to the stop of the Trade to America, that being but of a short standing; but in order to give him an idea of the numerous poor at that place, and also what might be apprehended from the same cause, if continued. I have been at Dewsbury, this week, and there I was told that the next half year's assessment for the poor would be five Shillings in the Pound; now, as there is no material alteration in the prices of provisions, nor any unusual sickness amongst them, the advance from about four Shillings the half year to five Shillings the half year, may, I think, be fairly attributed to the want of trade to America.

In that part of my letter where I said it was my belief, that if the Trade should be shut up till that time twelve months, all the rents of the lands and houses in the Townships there specified, would be insufficient to maintain their respective poor, my zeal for the cause may seem to have carried me beyond the bounds of probability: and I own, that upon further reflection, I think so in some degree myself, though the bounds of probability in this case must vary greatly in the opinions of different men, according as they are more or less sensible of the vast consequence of the American Trade to those Townships; and I hope the freedom of expression allowed in private letters, will clear me of any wilful design to impose upon the publick in this point.

There are not in any part of the King's Dominions that I am acquainted with, more dutiful and loyal subjects than the Master Manufacturers in the West Riding, of the County of York. They have good natural abilities; they can tell to others their own feelings, and the obvious causes of them; and for frugality and industry, they are perfect patterns; and though the enclosed testimonies of their sufferings, as related in my private letter of the 28th ultimo, are signed but by hundreds of these very useful members of the community, yet, did the occasion require it, the like testimonies, if I may be allowed to judge, would soon, very soon, be signed by thousands.

Some may object, and say, the season for shipping Woollens to America, does not come on until four or five months hence; granted; but this is the season when the Master Manufacturer used heretofore to be preparing his Warp and Woof for the goods proper for that trade; it is also the time when the moneyed Merchant and Warehouseman used heretofore to be laying in their stocks of goods against the shipping season came oil; by which the labouring poor had employment within doors in the severest season of the year.

SAMUEL ELAM.

"These are to certify all whom it may concern, that from the total stagnation of the Trade to North America, great numbers of the labouring poor of this place are out of employ, and a great number that are but part employed; by which the distresses of the labouring poor are very much increased amongst us. And we, the underwritten