We take this Opportunity just to acquaint you that our Governor has received a late Instruction by which he is expressly forbid for the future upon any Pretence whatever to give his Consent to any Law or Laws whereby the Commissioners, or any Person employed in the King’s Service whose Offices have no peculiar Relation to this Province shall be liable to pay Taxes during his Residence here, for such Salaries or Allowances as do not issue out of any Monies granted by the Legislature of this Province. This Instruction was communicated to the House the last Day but one of the late Session and threw the House into great Consternation, as it was looked upon to be as arbitrary a Measure as any that has yet [been] taken by Administration. You will see the Message of the Governor to the House in Consequence of this Instruction and their Answer, in the inclosed Paper. This is indeed a natural Effect of the Right assumed by Parliament to tax America; for if the Property of the Colonists is at the Disposal of the Mother Country, to be taxed by Parliament at Pleasure, it infers a Right in them to exempt such Persons as they please from any Share of the Burthen. The People of every Class in Town and Country, except the Crown Officers, are greatly alarmed, and think it would, if conceded to, be a Precedent, for the future Exemption of all who will fall into and support the oppressive Measures, which will have a Tendency to increase the Number of their Dependents, and consequently to give them an Influence which must be to the greatest Degree dangerous. We have not Time to enlarge at present, but shall write you more fully by the next Opportunity. In the mean Time we inclose you an Account of the Taxes the Commissioners have paid, under the Hands of the Assessors, which appear to have been so light, that we can hardly think their Complaint of them can arise from any other Principle but a haughty Disposition to be independent of the Government of this Province, which they have heretofore treated with an insufferable Insolence: We are with respect Your most humble Servants