obferve a proper decency in expreffing them. The writer of the historical part of the Annual Register observes, that "their public writers, as well as fpeakers, were ge"nerally very intemperate, and a certain ftile and manner was introduced, which feemed peculiar to them"felves, and too ridiculous for serious compofition." It is easy for fuch as do not immediately feel the pain which others fuffer, to account their behaviour ridiculous in the paroxifm of their distemper; but provided they were in their fituation, their behaviour would probably be as ridiculous. There is a warmthi of zeal that appears in their compofitions, as will happen in all cafes when men are in earnest, but at the fame time, a due refpect to the characters they are addreffing; and unless men's eyes are blinded through a selfish prejudice, they must be obliged to confefs; that fo far as the pen has been employed in this controverfy, the colonists have made no contemptible figure. There is an inconsistency that has been urged against some of their publications," that when on one hand, "they feem to forget their dependency as colonies, "and affume the tone of diftinct and original states; "on the other hand, they claim all the benefits of the દ્વંદ English conftitution, and the highest rights of Eng"lishmen, but forget that it is their dependence whichi can entitle them to any fhare of those rights and benefits." In this there does not appear fo great inconfiftency as fome do imagine. As members of the empire, and fubjects of the fame fovereign, they are mutually dependent, as other fubjects are upon government and the conftitution; but then they certainly are entitled to fome fhare with their brethren in the legislature, otherwife they differ nothing from flaves. We shall see afterwards what they fay for themfelves, and what their moft fanguine oppofers have faid against them, when the reader fhall be left . to judge for himfelf concerning the conclufions neceffary to be drawn. A report that their petition to the King had not been delivered by the fecretary of state, exafperated them greatly. It was faid that the petition was refufed to be received at London, because the agent had not proper authority, and because the governor had not figned it. The difolution of their affembly had encreased their fufpicions, and the affair of the feizing the floop had confirmed them. They were therefore now in a very ill temper, and fhewed their indignation without much restraint. It is no wonder, in fuch an agitation of temper, that many outrages were com mitted. When the excife was at first put in execution in Scotland, there were as great tumults at Glafgow as there were on this occafion at Boston. When the paffions of men are overheated, it is not easy to make them liften to cool reasoning. A While matters were in this unhappy fituation, two regimefits were ordered from Ireland, and fome detachments from Halifax in Nova Scotia, to fupport the civil government. This threw the whole town of Boston into confternation, and raised great commotions: it was confidered in the light of an invafion, and animadverted upon in the feverest terms. meeting of the inhabitants was called to affemble at Faneuil-hall to confider what was to be done in that extremity, when they chofe one of their late popular reprefentatives as moderator. They then appointed a committee to wait on the governor, to know what reasons he had for fome late intimations he had given, that fome regiments of his Majefty's forces were expected in that town, and to prefent a petition, to defire that he would iffue precepts to convene and af femble femble with the greateft fpeed; to both which an immediate anfwer was required. The governor an fwered, that his information was of a private nature, and that he could do nothing as to the calling of another affembly for this year, until he received his Majefty's inftructions, under whofe confideration it now' was. A committee had also been appointed to con fider the prefent ftate of their affairs, which gave in their report, a long declaration and recital of their tights, and the violation of them, which they conceived had been lately made; and paffed feveral fudden refolutions, particularly with respect to the legality of taifing or keeping up a ftanding army among them, without their confent. This refolution they founded upon an act of the first of King William, which declares it to be contrary to law to keep an army in the kingdom in the time of peace, without the confent of parliament. This report and the refolutions were unaimously agreed to by the affembly, and a general refolutión paffed, which was alfo founded upon a clause in the fame law, which recommends the frequent holding of parliaments. Upon this a convention was called to affemble at Bofton. In pursuance of this refolution, the four members who had reprefented the town in the late affembly, were now appointed a committee to act for it in the convention; and the felect men were ordered to write to all the other towns in the province, to propose their appointing committees for the fame purpose. Thefe proceed. ings of the colonists were confidered as illegal and unlawful affemblies, and according to the ideas of the governor, they undoubtedly were fuch. It would appear that both Governor Bernard and the ministry at home, did not confider the colonists as having the fame benefit of the laws as the people in the mo ther ther country, though they reckoned them bound by them in their fullest extent. For if they had confidered the colonifts as having the privilege of other fubjects, they would not have quartered troops upon them in the time of peace, without an act of legiflature in which they were reprefented. But they feem to have had in idea, à distinction between a British freeman and a colonift, which the latter did not admit. The colonists judged, that from the law made in the reign of King William, they had a right to their affemblies, which they confidered as their parliaments, and without their confent, it was illegal to keep up a ftanding army among them: the ministry confidered them as emigrants that had left their country, but were bound by its laws, without enjoying the privileges that arofe from them, and unlefs they had this idea, their conduct will appear ridiculous: bút all the advocates for the mother country's fupremacy, have founded their arguments upon the diftinction between a free Briton and a colonist. Whether this diftinction is founded in nature and reafon, I fhall leave to the reader to determine as he thinks beft. There is one piece of duplicity in the conduct of this town meeting, which cannot be vindicated, which thews their addrefs more than their honefty, and it is this they made a requifition to the inhabitants, that as there was a prevailing apprehenfion in the minds of many, of a war with France, they fhould aćcordingly be provided with arms, ammunition, and 6ther accoutrements, fo as to be prepared in cafe of fudden danger. After this, a day of públic prayer and fafting was appointed, and the meeting diffolved. It is manifeft that a war with France, was a mére pretence, to carry forward a fcheme, to have the inhabitants provided against another evil than a French war. Though Though the affembly at Bofton might have good reafons for defiring the inhabitants to have arms in readinefs, they ought not to have affigned falfe ones before the appointing of a faft: for this was certainly an act of vile hypocrify, which no good man can ap prove. The circular letter of the felect men, was written in the fame ftile, and with the fame temper as their acts and refolutions, which were inclofed, and on which it was founded. In this time of general commotion, ninety-fix towns appointed committees to attend the convention; but the town of Hatfield refused to comply with the meafure, and gave their reafons in a letter, by way of anfwer, which was written with much temper, and fet forth very plaufible reafons for their refufing to join with the reft. It is plain from this anfwer, that they either had different ideas from the reft of their brethren, or were lukewarm in the caufe of liberty *. When the convention met, the first thing they did, was to fend a meffage to the governor, wherein they disclaim all authoritative or governmental acts that they were chofen by feveral towns, and came freely and voluntarily, at the earnest defire of the people, to confult and advise fuch measures as may promote peace and good order in their present situation. They *We have fully confidered your propofal of a convention, and the reafons you are pleased to affign for it, and hereby take the liberty to exprefs our fentiments. We are not fenfible that the ftate of America is fo alarming, or the state of this province fo materially different from what they were a few months fince, as to render the meature you propose either falutary or necessary. The act of parliament, for raising a revenue, fo much complained of, has been in being and carrying into execution for a confiderable time paft, and proper fteps taken by feveral governments on this continent to obtain redrefs of that grievance; and humble petitions by them, ordered to be presented to his Majeity, we trust, have already, or foon will reach the royal car, be gracioully received, and favourably anfwered; and the petition from the houfe of representatives of this province the last year among the rest: if it fhould not, for want of an agent from this province, at the court |