cerning Mr Wilkes, and his election as member for the county of Middlefex, added much to the irritation of parties. The misfortune which happened in St George's Fields contributed much to inflame the minds of the people. The proceedings at law against the perfons who were charged with the crime of murder, were rather offenfive than fatisfactory; and the efcape of one of the offenders, who was charged with the crime, added to the offence. It was alleged that he had made his escape by connivance, if not by command; and that the acquittal of another had happened, in confequence of his efcape, and by a management very unfair and difingenuous. The parties at home were on this occafion much in the fame temper with the Americans and Governor Bernard; inftead of making allowances for one another's infirmities, they did all in their power to add to their vexation. The miniftry, instead of striving to foften the people, by kind or fmooth words, took every step, as if by defign, to disoblige them, and heighten their refentment. One of the fecretaries of ftate, in a letter recommended, in the strongest terms to the magiftrates, an early ufe of military power, and the fecretary at war thanked the foldiers for their fervice in St George's fields, and promised them protection. This promife was attended with pecuniary rewards given publicly, which greatly incenfed the populace, and raised their indignation to a degree of fury and madnefs. This conduct of the miniftry was confidered as a wanton violation of the people's liberties, and a cruel infult over their diftrefs, for the lofs of their friends, who had been killed by the foldiers. And indeed the fecretary might have behaved more prudently, provided he meant to conciliate the affections of the people to the go government. There appeared fomething of wanton

nefs

nefs and severity in the ftile of thofe letters, which good policy and a proper degree of prudence, might have restrained; for though the rioters were foolish and outrageous, they were yet his Majesty's political children, and when they were killed, it made the number of his fubjects lefs, which, instead of being matter of exultation, was rather matter of forrow and concern,

The tempers of the people, which by proper lenient measures, might have fubfided, was kept up by many inflammatory publications and difcourfes, which though they contained feveral truths, and just argument, were written without temper or charity. Every part of that late tranfaction was represented in the strongest colours, and placed in the moft dreadful attitudes; and it was represented as if the military power that was kept up for the defence of the people, had been perverted to their deftruction; and an enraged foldiery already flushed in the flaughter of their countrymen, was to be encouraged by rewards to further bloodshed, and to be freed from every terror of the law.

The ministry did all in their power to ftem this popular torrent, by painting in the most striking colours, the licentiousness of the people; and that contempt of all government which rendered it neceffary to apply violent remedies to a violent distemper. They ftated the unhappy disposition of the people to be fuch, that juries, under the general infatuation, could hardly be obtained to do juftice to foldiers under profecution, unless government interpofed in the most effectual manner, in the protection of those who had acted under their command. They faid that fuch was the infolence of the populace, and the danger of the Contagion becoming by degrees prevalent, even a

mong

mong the foldiers, that it was neceffary to keep them fteady to their duty, by new and unufual rewards. Thefe reafons had but little weight with the public, who were well perfuaded that thofe who made the greatest outcry against licentioufnefs, had themfelves fet the example, and were in thofe departments of life in which they acted, as licentious as that rabble which they had painted in the blackeft colours. The vulgar, though they have not fuch a taste for refinement in fpeculations as people bred about courts, yet have as much common fenfe ás to understand, that fuch as want to restrain licentioufnefs, ought themfelves to obferve the moral law. There is no manner of question that the arguments of the miniftry were very juft; for in no age have the people been more loofe and diffolute than the prefent, but thefe arguments, like a dilemma, look more ways than one; they turn upwards as well as downwards, and may be applied to perfons in high rank, as well as to the rabble. The best method for the ruling powers to reftrain vice, immorality, and licentiousness, is to fhew a good example, and promote the best laws for good education that the rudiments of virtue may be early planted in the minds of men, and tutored to the best advantage. People in the low walks of life in general look up to those above them, by whofe example they are very much influenced; and it will be impoffible to have the common people virtuous till they be led by imitation of those above them. When men, whom they know to be as vicious as themselves, punish and correct them, they will confider the exercife of that power, to proceed, not from a regard to the law, but from defire of dominion.

Whatever force might be in the arguments, made ufe of in defence of the ministry, one thing is certain, they

they grew more and more unpopular every day, and fome political incidents happened about this time, which leffened them ftill more in the opinion of the public. Among thefe, was the removal of General Amherst from the government of Virginia. The government of that province had for half a century been confidered as a finecure, and the bufinefs done by a deputy, and was avowedly beftowed upon the general in that fenfe, as a reward of his former fervices, and a teftimony of approbation of his particular good conduct in America. The removal of a perfon who' had done fuch fervices for the public, became a fubject of general difcuffion, and was cenfured with great feverity; nor did the arguments that were used in fupport of that measure remove, but confirm the prejudices of the people. Under a load of popular odiùm, and many just cenfures, the ministry still kept their ftations, contrary to the expectation of almoft the

whole nation.

Lord Chatham, who was regarded as the projector and founder of this miniftry, being almoft continually abfent through bodily infirmity, loft his influence in the cabinet, which was not perceived till his friend Sir Jeffrey Amherst was removed from his government. Then it was perceived that the measures of the miniftry were not directed by his advice. Soon after the removal of the general, Lord Shelburne refigned his office of fecretary of state, and was fucceeded by Lord Weymouth, for the northern department, and about the fame time Lord Chatham refigned his place as keeper of the privy feal, and was fucceeded by the Earl of Bristol, to the great furprife of the whole nation. The Earl was an intimate friend of Lord Chatham, which made this change appear fomewhat extraordinary. This change happened in the month of October,

October, and the the parliament affembled November the eight.

When the national fenate met, the nation was full of expectation that measures would be fallen upon to quiet the minds of the people, confiftent with the dignity of the crown, and the laws of the land. The fpeech from the throne foon disappointed thefe hopes and expectations: Inftead of any lenient meafures to fettle the difquieted minds of the nation, the fpeech contained severe reflections against the colonists, particularly the people of Boston were declared to be in a ftate of difobedience to all law and government, and to have proceeded to measures fubverfive of the conftitution, and attended with circumstances that mani. fefted a difpofition to throw off their dependence on Great Britain. The addrefs to the fovereign for this fpeech, plainly fhewed what the colonies had to expect from both the King and parliament. They declared, that though they were ready to redrefs the grievances of the colonies, and to hear their complaints, they were nevertheless determined to fupport the fupremacy of the British legislature over every part of the British empire. In this fituation were matters when the parliament met.