away, the definite legal offence by which a forfeiture of that charter is incurred," say their Lordships, "ought to have been clearly stated, and the parties heard in their own defence; and the mere celerity of a decision against it will not reconcile the minds of the people to that mode of government which is to be established upon its ruins. On the general allegations of a declaratory preamble, the rights of any public body may be taken away, and any vifionary scheme of government substituted in their place. By this bill, the Governor and Council are invested with dangerous powers, unknown to the British Constitution, and with which the King himself is not entrusted. By the appointment and removal of the Sheriff at pleasure, they have the means of returning such Juries as may best suit with the gratification of their paffions and interests; the life, liberty, and property of the subject are put into their hands without control. The weak, injudicious, and inconfiftent measures of the Ministry have given new force to the distractions of America, which on the repeal of the Stamp Act were subsiding; have re vived dangerous questions, and gradually estranged the affections of the Colonies from the Mother Country. To render the Colonies permanently advantageous, they must be SATISFIED WITH THEIR CONDITION! that fatisfaction there is no chance of restoring, but by recurring to the principles

on

on which the repeal of the Stamp Act was founded."

The next step was, to bring in a Bill for the impartial administration of justice in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. This Bill provided, that in case any person was indicted in that Province for murder or any other capital offence, and it should appear by information given on oath to the Governor, that the fact was committed in the exercife or aid of Magistracy in fuppreffing riots, and that a fair trial could not be had in the Province, he should send the person so indicted to any other Colony, or to Great Britain, to be tried; the Act to continue in force four years. This was the counter-part of the obsolete and tyrannical Act of Henry VIII. lately revived for the trial in Great Britain of treasons committed in America. As that was intended for the punishment of the enemies of Government, this was defigned for the impunity of its friends. The oppofition to this Bill in both Houses, though it finally passed by great majorities, was warm and vigorous. By this Bill," faid Colonel Barré, at the close of an admirable speech, " you are offering the last of human outrages to the people in America, by subjecting them in effect to military execution: instead of sending them the olive branch, you have sent the naked sword. What madness is it that prompts you to attempt obtaining that by force, which

66

may

may be with so much more facility and certainty procured by requifition? Retract your odious exertions of authority, and remember that the first step towards making them contribute to your wants, is to reconcile them to your Government." A proteft, not less spirited than the former, was entered againft it in the House of Lords. "This Bill," faid the protesting Peers, "after the proscription of the port of Boston, the disfranchisement of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, and the variety of provifions which have been made in this feffion for new-modelling the whole polity and judicature of this Province, is an humiliating confeffion of the weakness and inefficacy of all the proceedings of Parliament. By fuppofing that it may be impracticable, by any means that the public wisdom could devise, to obtain a fair trial there for any who act under Government, the House is made virtually to acknowledge the British Government to be universally odious to the whole Province, and to the whole Continent. This Bill seems to be one of the many experiments towards an introduction of effential innovations into the government of this Empire. The virtual indemnity provided by this Bill for those who shall be indicted for murders committed under color of office, can anfwer no other purpose. We confider that to be an indemnity which renders trial and confequently punish

6

punishment impracticable; and trial is impracticable when the very Governor under whose authority acts of violence may be committed, is empowered to fend the instruments of that violence to 3000 miles distance from the scene of their offence, the reach of their profecutor, and the local evidence which may tend to their conviction."

It was a wonted saying of the famous Sir Franeis Walfingham, "that a Statesman must observe the joints and flexures of affairs;" but this was a species of knowledge which the Minifters of George III. disdained to study. All things must, at all events, bend to their will; and if no "joints or flexures" were difcernible, the resistance was to be overcome by acts and inftruments of political

torture.

This Bill being paffed, and the recess approaching, many Members were about to retire into the country, when their attention was recalled to another Bill, for making more effectual provifion for the Government of the Province of Quebec. It paffed through the House of Lords, where it originated, with unexpected facility; but met with an oppofition in the House of Commons more vehement than any of the former. The principal objects of the Bill were, to afcertain the limits of the province, which were now extended far beyond those settled by the proclamation of 1763, includ

A

including that vast tract of territory southward of the Lakes, and bordering upon the great rivers Ohio and Miffifippi; to establish a Legislative Council, the Counsellors to be appointed by the Crown, and the office to be held during pleasure ; to confirm the French laws and a trial without Jury in civil cases, the English laws and a trial by Jury in criminal; to secure to the Roman Catholic Clergy the legal enjoyment of their tythes from all who were of their own religion. The revenue of the Province was configned in the first instance to the Board of Treasury, for the support of an unlimited Civil Lift and the Administration of Justice; the Judges holding their offices and falaries during pleasure. Thus the government of Quebec was converted into a legal despotism, committed by Parliament into the hands of the Crown; and a striking proof was exhibited to the world, what the other provinces of America had to expect, when reduced to a loyal and dutifulsubmiffion. The provision made by this act for the Roman Catholic Clergy, occafioned a confiderable degree of odium and unpopularity to attend it without doors; but the zealous friends of liberty with grief and astonishment perceived, that the public at large not only acquiefced in, but approved and applauded the measures now adopted for the fubjugation and enslavement of America. So true is it, that a nation, which would risque every thing to fecure