Parliament, informing them, that, " in consequence of the unwarrantable practices carried on in North America, and particularly of the violent and outrageous proceedings at the town and port of Boston, with a view of obstructing the commerce of this kingdom, and upon grounds and pretences immediately fubversive of its constitution, it was thought fit to lay the whole matter before Parliament-recommending it to their ferious confideration what farther regulations or permanent provifions might be neceffary to be established." Lord North, who presented the message, laid at the fame time before the House of Commons a great number of papers, which sufficiently shewed the daring and feditious spirit which now prevailed over the whole Continent of America. His Lordship, on enlarging upon these documents, represented the conduct of the inhabitants of Boston in the most atrocious light. He afferted that the utmost lenity on the part of the Governor, PERHAPS TOO MUCH, had been already shewn; and that this town, by its late proceedings, had left Government perfectly at liberty to adopt any measures they should think convenient, not only for redreffing the wrong fuftained by the East India Company, but for inflicting fuch punishment as their factious and criminal conduct merited; and that the aid of Parliament would be resorted to for this purpose, and for vindicating the dignity of the Crown, so daringly and wantonly D 3 wantonly attacked, and contemned." The speech of the Minister was received with great applause, and the House appeared clearly and unanimoufly of opinion, that firm and vigorous measures were at this crifis absolutely necessary. It was then moved, "that an address of thanks should be presented to the King, assuring his Majesty, that they would not fail to exert every means in their power of effectually providing for the due execution of the laws, and fecuring the dependance of the Colonies upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain." This excited some faint shew of oppofition, and it was remarked, "that fimilar affurances had been already often repeated, but that the measures hitherto adopted by Minifters for the support and DIGNITY OF THE CROWN had only exposed it to scorn, obloquy, and contempt. That the present cafe was of the utmost importance they admitted, and it required therefore an attentive and impartial examination. In order to do the Americans justice, it was neceffary to trace these calamities to their origin, in a system of arbitrary and unwise measures at home." No inclination however appeared to enter into any retrospective investigations, and the address was finally agreed to, and presented to the King. In a short time the Minifter began to develop his grand plan of coercion and punishment, by the introduction of a bill for discontinuing the lading and and shipping of goods, wares, and merchandize at the town of Boston or the harbor thereof; and for the removal of the Custom House, &c. to the town of Salem. This bill was to continue in force, not only till full and ample compenfation was made to the East India Company for the damage sustained by them, but till the King in Council should declare himself fatisfied as to the restoration of peace and good order in the town. This bill was honored with the general approbation of the House; and it was unavailingly urged by a few individuals, that the penal clauses of the bill should be carried into execution only on the proviso of a refusal to indemnify the Company on the part of the town. Such was the indignation excited by the late atrocious violation of the laws, that the House appeared reluctant to listen to any palliative arguments or perfuafives to moderation; and it must indeed be acknowledged that the Empire was now, by unexampled indifcretion, brought into a fearful and hazardous dilemma. Good policy evidently suggefted conciliation as the grand object which ought not for a moment to be loft fight of. It was first, and last, and midst, in every generous and reflecting mind; but then this conciliation ought not to be accompanied with any real degradation on the part of Great Britain. It was not less for the advantage of America than of Britain, that the just and conftitutional authority of the Mother Country, upon upon the antient and established principles of fuperiority and fubordination, should be maintained, To pass over fuch enormities, as had now taken place, without notice or animadverfion, would indeed have been a dereliction of that authority; but great caution was neceffary, now that the paffions were awakened, fo to temper justice with lenity, as to demonftrate that the decifions of the fupreme power of the Empire were neither tinctured with the meanness of malice nor the folly of revenge, Had the penal clauses of the Boston Port-Bill been properly modified, and the duty on tea, which had given rise to these fatal contentions, at the fame time repealed, there is no doubt but a compenfation to the Company would have been immediately voted, the honor of Government would have been maintained, and a fure foundation laid for a permanent reconciliation. But how rarely are the resolutions adopted in anger founded in wisdom! The idea of this repeal was suggested in the House of Commons, but repressed with ineffable disdain; and the bill paffed both Houses without a divifion, Very foon after this, a second bill was introduced by the Minister, for the better regulating the government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, By this bill the charter of the Province was entirely fubverted, and the nomination of the counsellors, judges, and magiftrates of all kinds, including sheriffs, was vefted in the Crown, and all these thefe officers made removeable at PLEASURE. This bill the Minifter affirmed to be absolutely neceffary, for preventing the rest of the Colonies from being tainted by the feditious example of Maffachusetts Bay. The Oppofition now seemed to rise into some degree of firmness and vigor. It was asked, whether the Colonies already regulated nearest to the manner proposed by this bill, were more fubmiffive to the right of taxation than Massachusetts ? It was afferted, "that the disorder lay much deeper than in any diversities that subsisted in the Colonial forms of Government; that the people throughout the whole extent of that vast Continent were universally diffatisfied, and the uneasiness and refiftance were no less in the Royal Governments than in any other. By an invasion of the charter, the cause of Massachusetts will be made the common cause of all the Colonies, who have no other or better security for the continuance of their own." It was finally carried by a prodigious majority of 239 against 64 voices, May 2, 1774. In the House of Lords the bill did not pass without the severest strictures; the final division on the general question was 92 to 20, and an animated and excellent protest against it was figned by eleven peers, amongst whom were the Dukes of Richmond and Portland, and the Marquis of Rockingham. "Be |