career, and the matters of fact will declare. The debates concerning domeftic affairs had been fo warmly agitated, that American affairs which had been recommended in his Majefty's fpeech, had hitherto been overlooked. It was not now to be expected, confidering the temper of the ministry with regard to affairs at home, that the colonifts who were infifting upon the fame privileges, would find much favour.

Upon the 5th of March, the minifter, however, thought proper to bring in a bill for a repeal of fo

much of the late act paffed in the feventh of the prefent reign, as related, to the impofing of a duty upon paper, painters colours, and glass; the tax upon tea, which was laid on by the fame act, being ftill to be continued. The reasons given for this repeal were, that the act had been the occafion of dangerous combinations on the other fide of the Atlantic, and had created difcontents at home among the merchants trading to those parts, which made the repealing of the act a matter of ferious confideration. This faid little for the wisdom of the legislature, in paffing a law, which in its own nature could not but give general discontent and commotion among the fubjects. It would appear that the minister did not intend to purfue the principles of confiftency when he repealed only part of that act, and condemned the whole of it, as inconsistent with true wisdom, and the character of the British legislature. The colonists had as great an objection

Ee

free enjoyment ofthofe rights which my family were called to defend, and, while I act upon these principles, I fhall have a right to expect, and I am confident I fhall continue to receive, the steady and affectionate fupport of my people,

BECKFORD's Speech. Moft Gracious Sovereign, Will your Majefty be pleafed fo far to condefcend as to permit the Mayor of your loyal city of London, to declare in your royal prefence, on behalf of his fellow citiżens, how much the bare apprehenfion of your Majefty's difpleafure would at all times affect their minds. The declaration of that displeasure, has already filled them with inexpremible, anxiety, and with the deepest affliction. Permit me, Sire, to affure your Majefty, that your Majefty has not in all your dominions any fubjects more faithful, more dutiful, or more affectionate to your Majesty's person

and family, or more ready to facri fice their lives and fortunes in the maintenance of the true honor and dignity of your crown.

We do, therefore, with the greateft humility and fubmiffion, moft earneftly fupplicate your Majefty, that you will not difmifs us from your prefence, without expreffing a more favourable opinion of your faithful citizens, and without fome profpect, at least of redrefs.

Permit me, Sire, farther to obferve, that whoever has already dared, or shall hereafter endeavour by falfe infinuations and fuggeftions, to alienate your Majefty's affections from your loyal fubjects in general, and from the city of London in particular, and to withdraw your confidence in, and regard for your people, is an enemy to your Majesty's perfon and family, a violator of the public peace, and a betrayer of our happy conftitution, as it was established at the glorious revolution.

objection to the authority that had laid a duty on teas, as that which laid a duty upon paper and glafs. They confidered the authority, impofing fuch duties upon them without their confent, as illegal and oppreffive, and were not willing to admit a claim of the English legiflature, that denied them the common rights of other fubjects. They inferred, if this claim was admitted or complied with, that a parliament which lay at fuch a diftance from them, were in a great meafure ignorant of their ftrength, and whofe interest it was to eafe themselves by oppreffing of them, would never come to an end in their requifitions, as long as they could find any thing to tax in the colonies. They therefore confidered the partial repeal of the act as no favour, while the parliament infifted upon their taxing them when they pleafed. Thofe in the oppofition reafoned much upon the fame principles; but also added that it would be a real injury to Great Britain, and prevent the colonifts from buying our manufactures, which would bring on diftrefs at home, as well as on the other fide the Atlantic. They gave inftances how much the exports to America had fallen fhort in the space of two years; that in 1768 they had exceeded 1769 no lefs than the prodigious fum of 744,000l. they amounting in the former to 2,378,000l. and in the latter to 1,634,000. This was a convincing proof of the operation of thofe new laws that had given rife to the disturbances in the colonists. The ministry seemed to think light of all this, and endeavoured to account for this difference upon a plan of their own, which they could not but fee was falacious and abfurd. They faid the difference was accounted for, by fuppofing that the non-importation which enfued was forefeen by the importers, and that they had laid in a double quantity of goods. This

was

4

was fpeaking at random, without any certainty, and the true account might have been discovered, by ex. amining the exports before the conteft began, which would have led them to have made a better estimate. The oppofition, argued against the tea act, from the inutility thereof; they affirmed that it would produce little advantage to this nation, and would be a fource of perpetual discontent to the colonies that by the keeping up the establishment of cuftom-houfes for that trifling tax, we would opprefs the Americans without any real advantage: that thefe voracious officers and their dependents would eat up the whole revenue that arofe from the duty, and where then would be the profit?-That the tea duty would not pay the charge of collecting it. It is manifeft that this act could have no other object except dominion; for instead of being any advantage to government or this country, it was a real difadvantage. It was heaping charges upon the mother country, to collect from the colonies what would not pay the collectors, on which account the people at home would have that deficiency to make up. There could no political end be answered by it, except one, and that is to provoke the colonies to rebellion, with an intention to feize upon their poffeffions. If men are not infatuated with the strongest partiality, they can find no other reafon for continuing this part of the act. after they had repealed the other parts of it. Supremacy feems to have been the leading idea with the miniftry, which of itself is fo mean and foolish, that even folly itfelf would be ashamed of it, when there is no moral or political end to be answered thereby. For one country to claim dominion over another at fo great a distance, would require the legislature both to be omnifcient and omnipotent. It was certainly fufficient

for

for Britain to live in friendship with their brethren under the fame fovereign, and fuffer each other to be their own legislators, walking according to the principles of their first conftitution. But fuch manuœvres of government have not been uncommon in the world; nations often stretch their power and authority, till by proceeding too far their government is defpifed.

The government was now pofitively bent upon purfuing the principles of dominion and fupremacy, and determined to support the tea act at all events. The colonists who were well informed of all the proceedings of our parliament, which they confidered as the real deeds of the court, and the miniftry, grew more and more obftinate in their oppofition, and were not de termined to comply with statutes, which they confidered as directly contrary to their natural rights and the pofitive laws of the British empire. The whole American continent was in a state of the utmost agitation, and nothing was to be seen but deep concern, commotion, and forrow throughout the colonies.

Upon the 12th of March, a moft dreadful fray happened between the foldiers of the twenty-ninth regiment and the inhabitants of Boston, in which feveral people loft their lives, and the whole city was thrown into the utmoft confufion. The reports concerning this dreadful riot have been so various and contradictory, that it is difficult to discover the truth from fuch difcordant reprefentations. The military who had been fent to Bofton by the authority of government, to enforce the new laws, arrived in that city with the strongeft impreffions of their being fent there to quell an actual rebellion.. They therefore began to use freedoms inconfiftent with the rules of peace, and the tranquility of that city. Their behaviour gave great offence to the citizens, who were

not