ABSTRACT
The anonymous author The Late Occurrences in North America may have been a merchant, judging by the emphasis placed on commerce in the British Empire. The also anonymous author of The True Interest of Great Britain, with respect to her American Colonies styles himself ‘a merchant of London’ and his views equally reflect mercantile interests. Indeed, so mercantile are his interests that he eschews discussing constitutional concerns, focusing exclusively on economic issues. The author begins his attack on the Stamp Act in the same way, stating that ‘though the stamp-duty has been the ostensible cause of the late riots and disturbances in that country, yet that, in reality, is but a small part of their grievance’. It was nonetheless significant, especially as colonists, while rich in land, ‘have no silver and gold’ to pay taxes on top of debts to British merchants.
