CHA P. IV.

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The Parliament affembles a Committee appointed to confider American affairs-the proceedings thereof-various debates in Parliament concerning the Coloniesboth Houses of Parliament bent upon humbling the Colonists-the Duke of Grafton refigns-Lord North fucceeds him.

THE hopes of the nation were now anxiously fix

ėd upon the new parliament, and it was earneftly expected that fome healing measures would be purfued to fettle the difturbances in the colonies, and quiet the minds of the people at home. These earnest hopes of the nation were confiderably damped by the fpeech from the throne, which rather breathed fentiments of severity, than that mildness and clemency, which was thought neceffary to heal the prefent deftempers. The friends of peace and humanity did not however defpair, but that the great council of the nation, when affembled, would in fome period of this feffion, fo moderate matters, that the effects of the fevere fpeech from the throne would be mitigated by the wife counfels of parliament. From the cenfures paffed upon fome of the colonies in the King's fpeech, it was eafy to perceive what were the intentions of the miniftry, and what measures would be purfued, provided a ma-` jority in parliament gave fanction to their defigns. The whole British empire was deeply interested in

the

the iffue of this bufinefs, and waited with eager expectation, the refult of parliamentary determination. There were at this time two parties who were equally agitated with concern for the iffue of this business; and these were fuch as wanted to have the fupreme authority of parliament exerted to its utmost extent; who were highly difpleafed at the behaviour of the Maffachusetts colony, and thought that a fevere check ought to be given to the licentioufness of that province. The others who were equally anxious in this affair were those who were lovers of conftitutional liberty, as well, naturally difpofed to moderation and lenient measures; these were greatly alarmed, at the fignatures of vigour, they perceived in the speech, and the danger that would follow in case of carrying mat ters to extremity.

1

A committee of the whole house had been formed early in the feffions, for the purpose of an enquiry into American affairs. This was a measure that the different parties in parliament were equally anxious in pursuing: but the motives by which they were influenced were very different, and the methods of purfuing their enquiry very oppofite to each other. The party on the fide of the miniftry confined their views to thofe recent tranfactions which were moft offenfive, and feemed more immediately to call for interpofing the authority of parliament; which were judged by the moft fanguine, highly worthy of a fevere cenfure, as a violation of all order and government. On the other fide, it was proposed to enquire into the fources and fprings of those disorders, and to take a retrospective view of the conduct of government towards the colohies, for feveral years paft, and if poffible, to cure the distemper, by removing the caufes thereof. This was a work not fo cafily performed, when thofe who

were

were judged the original causes of thofe evils, conti nued to operate against all enquiries, by which their own conduct might have been laid open.

Before the Christmas recefs, an unfuccefsful attempt had been made, to have copies of all the royal letters patent, charters, and commiffions, now fubfifting, and in force, relative to any of the American colonies, with copies of all inftructions which had been given by, or in the name of his prefent Majefty, to any of ficer civil or military, laid before the Houfe. These papers, it is fuppofed, would not only have led to a discussion of the rights of the colonies, but alfo to a close enquiry into the conduct of fome governors, and other officers of the crown, as well as into the propriety of the orders that had at different times been fent to them from home. Nothing could be more reasonable than a requeft of this fort; it could injure none, except fuch as deferved cenfare, which could not be accounted injury but justice, and it would have been the most effectual method to have prevented governors at a great diftance from the centre of power, abufing their authority, in provoking the subjects to outrage by an arbitrary behaviour. The granting of this request would also have removed all fufpicions concerning government, and would have alfo confirmed the national confidence towards the ministry. Adminiftration had at this time adopted other meafures than what were agreeable to the nation, and were not difpofed to give any fatisfaction concerning their own conduct; they therefore oppofed this motion, and prevented its fuccefs. They imagined that the dignity of government might fuffer from fuch an enquiry, and were difpofed to fupport imaginary ho nor, at the expence of general utility. A vaft number of other papers, were however laid before the

committee

committee, and feveral refolutions formed thereon
together with an addrefs upon the fame fubject, which
came from the House of Lords, but after long debate,
the ministry carried their point and the enquiry came
to nothing. In this, as in feveral other things this
new parliament difappointed the hopes of the ra-

tion.

Upon January the 25th, 1769, while thefe debates
were going on, à petition, in the name of the majori
ty of the council of Maffachusetts bay, figned by Mr
Danforth, as prefident of the council, was prefented
to the Commons. It appeared that this petition want-
ed fome formalities, neceffary for procuring it admif.
fion into the Houfe. It was faid that it had not paf-
fed in a legal affembly of the council, and of confe-
quence, no perfon could be authorised to fign it as
prefident. It was rejected under that title, and or-
dered to be brought in only as the petition of Samuel
Danforth, in behalf of the feveral individuals, mem-
bers of the council, at whofe requeft it had been fign-
ed. It was evident from this proceeding of the Com-
mons, that the majority were difpofed to come to no
terms with the colonifts, and that government intend-
ed to make them fubmit to the abfolute authority of
the mother country. This petition was fo far from
being written in an offenfive ftile, that no petition
could have been expreffed in milder terms, nor writ-
ten with more moderation. It prayed for a repeal of
the late revenue acts, and enlarged upon the chartered
immunities, and privileges of the colonies. The ge-
neral rights of the colonists, as English fubjects, were
fet forth, without mentioning the fupremacy of the
British legislature, or calling it in question, although
this was alfo touched in a gentle manner, by affeṛting
that their rights had been violated, and requesting

that in time coming they might be fecured. The inability of the colony to addrefs the Houfe in their le giflative capacity, was regreted, and a particular detail of the difficulties, hardships, and dangers which their ancestors endured; who, for preferving their civil and religious liberties, had made fettlements in a wildernefs, where they were expofed to the rage of the most cruel and favage enemies; where, from the nature of the climate, and the infertility of the foil, no advantage to their temporal interefts was even to be hoped for; and the utmost that could be expected, was only a fcanty fubfiftence, in confequence of the moft unremitted labour. From thefe premiffes, it was inferred that they not only dearly purchased their fettlements, but acquired an additional title, befides their common claim, as men and as British fubjects, to the immunities and privileges which they afferted had been granted to them by charter. Many arguments were ufed by their friends in behalf of the petition. Their ready and willing fervices at their own expence in our wars; the old colonies having been all éstablished without any expence to the mother coun try; the great advantages fhe derives from them; the fhare they virtually bear in our taxes, by the confumption of our manufactures; their inability to pay the duties, and the bad confequences refulting from the late laws, not only to them, but to the mother country, were brought as arguments to folicit the repeal, and to fhew the title they had, not only to a fecurity of their righs, but even to favour.

Administration finding that they had a majority in parliament, was now determined effectually to humble' the refractory colonies. The houfe of Lords, upon the 8th of February, paffed fome refolutions, and an addrefs to his Majefty, which were fent down to the Commons,