The diftrefs of the nation through the stoppage of tradeDebates in parliament concerning the repeal of the Stamp Act-the arguments used on both fides of the ; question-the joy of the nation upon repealing that act—the right of taxation confirmed, &c.

IT is

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ANNO DOMINI 1766.

This no wonder, when we confider the transactions of the preceding two years, that both this country and the colonies were in a distracted and an uneafy fituation; commerce was funk, and the manufactures were in a great measure at a stand; provifions exceedingly dear, and many labourers without employment. Thoufands had no visible methods of providing for themselves and families, however willing they: were to work to fupply their neceffities. That fource of fupply which fupported our manufacturers at home was now stopped: The color ifts were neither able nor willing to pay for the goods they had received, nor were they disposed to continue their usual trade with the mother country. In America every thing: was in a state of anarchy and confufion: The laws were fufpended, and the lawless committed many out-: rages with impunity. Under a pretence of liberty, bad men gave full reins to their vicious inclinations, as is cominon in a state of univerfal commotion. The common people, who, though they are not in general the most vicous, yet are often easiest mifled; when of hey affembled in bodies went into extravagances

the

the most licentious kind. The fober part were not able to restrain the impetuofity of a multitude, without Jaw, magistracy, or order; nor did they find it convenient to use means to restrain a temper, which they perceived might on fome future occafion, ferve the purposes they had in view. They were defigned to oppofe the ftamp act, and they could do nothing without the aid of the people.

There were two things which gave the colonists an advantage over our manufacturers at home; they were in poffeffion of large quantities of British goods, which were yet unpaid, and they had an extenfive country, abounding with many neceffary articles fitted for al tlre conveniences of life. Thefe prevented them from feeling fo fmartly the immediate effects of this univerfal ftagnation in bufinefs,occafioned by the ftampi a&t. To thefe may be added the flame of zeab for liberty. being put in fuch a ftrong agitation by this new law, made them bear difficulties which in other cafes would have been intolerable. Our manufacturers at home not being under the influence of the fame enthusiasm were ready to defpond and fink at the profpect of their future diftreffes; and as many of them had lavishly fquandered what they had earned by their labour, they had laid nothing up for a time of calamity. They were: therefore oppreffed, without having the fame fource of animation which fupported the colonists. The millions of debt which the Americans owed the merchants in this country, rendered them incapable to carry on bufinefs as formerly, and the effects of this evil, were foon felt feverely: The poor rates encreafed; the poor were ill provided for, and the nation complained; univerfal difcontent reigned in every quarter of the empire, and the miniftry were blamed for all. Some at home

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were for enforcing the ftamp act by military power at once, and for fending a powerful armament to give fanction to this new act of parliament. Others confidered this meafure as both impolitic and unnatural; like making one member of the body deftroy another, and affirmed that it would be better to repeal the act than wafte any part of the empire with fire and fword. This was undoubtedly both a rational and judicious opinion; for though they fhould have forced the Americans to have fuffered the ftamps to have continued, they could not have forced them to have ufed them, except they had pleafed, unlefs in certain cafes; for provided they had been difpofed to have trufted one another upon common paper, they would have had no need of ftamps to make their deeds legal; nor could they have forced them to have taken all their neceffaries from Britain, when they could have, and make them at home, without reducing them to a state of mere flavery..

The miniftry, on this occafion were much perplexed. They were preffed on the one hand to enforce the law by coercive meafures, and on the other hand defired to repeal the ftamp act. The promoters of the ftamp law meant to embarrafs the miniftry by perfuading them to ufe violent meafures, and then the reproach would have fallen upon the minifter, and they would have been forgotten in the general odium.On the other hand, the courtiers, and their inftruments were ready to charge them with facrificing the honour of the nation and the dignity of the crown. the crown. This miniftry, which has fiace gone by the name of the Rockingham miniftry, mét gone by the with much oppofition in all their proceedings, both from fome popular men, and many of another character; but they purfued fuch meafüres as gained

them

them credit with the nation, and when they were changed gave up without penfion, place, or emolument. I cannot help here reciting a paffage from the Annual Register, which fhews what the ministry had to ftruggle with at this critical period. Says the author,

There were not a few that kept aloof from, and in due time declared against the miniftry, upon fome fymptoms which appeared early, of their wanting that countenance, which as it has been favoura"ble or adverse, has determined the fortune of the feveral fucceffive fyftems of administration for fome years paft. This part of the oppofition for very obvious reafons, was by much the most dangerous."

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But the miniftry had what few fince can pretend. fair and clear characters, and though they were young in office, were in high efteem with the nation; their integrity was above fufpicion, and their abilities. feemed to encrease with the difficulties of their employment. Their conftant attachment to the caufe of liberty had procured them the confidence and good will of the people, both which they enjoyed in a very exalted degree. This fhewed both their good fenfe, and the foundness of their principles, that though they were in an immediate fenfe the fervants. of the fovereign, yet they would not employ their power and authority for any other purpofe except the good of the fubjects. Confidering the difficulties they had to combat, they fhewed as much political wisdom and fagacity as any minifters have done for many years. And it is no reproach to the memory of Mr Pitt, to affirm, that they behaved with as much wisdom and fteadiness, in as difficult a fituation, as ever was exemplified in his miniftry. They had a multitude of jarring interefts to reconcile, a divided

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empire

empire to unite, and the mifcarriages of the past miniftry to rectify; and befides an animofity among brethren to overcome, which is worfe to remove than even to conquer an enemy.

What their enemies imagined was impoffible for them to accomplish, they effected; they both preferved the dignity of the crown and nation, and prevented the fubjects from destroying one another. All their de fpatches to the different governors, were delivered with firmness and temper, which, when they were examined before the commons did them great honour; they were found neither to have driven the colonies to defperation, nor to have yielded up the dignity of the crown and nation in any particular. In this administration the Duke of Richmond was one of the fecretaries of state, whofe abilities as well as integrity has fince, fhone forth confpicuoufly on the fide of true patriotifm. It may be prefumed that he had a fhare in the wife direction of measures at this time.

The prudent management of the ministry on this occafion, was feverely cenfured by those who were then and have been fince for violent measures; their conduct was called weak, pufillanimous, and feeble, their measures undetermined and without defign. But the reafon of this cenfure was obvious; they faw that by the repeal of measures which they had promoted, difgrace would fall upon them, and they wanted to fee the executive power embarraffed before the meeting of parliament fo far, that the legisla ture could not in honour recede from fupporting it. For this reafon the moderation of the Rockingham administration was most feverely cenfured by the oppofition. The controverfy began now to be difcuffed at large, and many pamphlets were published on both fides of the question, with very little temper. Had the

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