and proper, that they might jointly petition for the royal interposition in favour of their violated rights.

2. "That the establishing a standing army in this colony, in time of peace, is an invasion of natural rights."

3. "That a standing army is not known as a part of the British constitution."

4. "That the sending an armed force into this colony," under pretence of assisting the civil authority, is highly dangerous to the people, unprecedented, and unconstitu tional."

5. Was the same as we have before noticed under Virginia resolves.

The governour met these resolves, by the following demand-" Will the house make provision for the troops ?" To which the house replied by message in the negative: and the governor prorogued them to the 10th of January, to meet at Boston.

New-York, and the colonies of the south, entered with spirit into the measures of the day, and concurred in their resolves with Virginia.

The house of Burgesses next ordered the following address to be presented to his majesty :

"When we consider, that by the established laws, and constiution of this colony, the most ample provision is made for apprehending, and punishing all those who dare to engage in any treasonable practices against your majesty, or disturb the tranquillity of government; we cannot, without horror, think of the unusual, and permit us with all humility to add, unconstitutional, and illegal mode, recommended to your majesty, of transporting beyond sea, the inhabitants of America suspected of any crime, and of trying such persons in any other manner, than by the ancient, and long established course of proceedings;

for how truly deplorable must be the case of a wretched American, who having incurred the displeasure of any one in power, is dragged from his native home, and his dearest domestic connections, and thrown into a prison, not to wait his trial before a court, jury, or judges, from a knowledge of whom he is encouraged to hope for speedy justice; but to exchange his imprisonment in his own. country, for fetters among strangers? Conveyed to a distant land, where no friend, no relation will alleviate his distresses, or minister to his necessities; and where no witness can be found to testify to his innocence; shunned by the reputable and honest, and consigned to the society and converse of the wretched and abandoned, he can only pray that he may soon end his misery with his life."

This address, as was designed, had more serious effects upon the feelings of the colonists, than upon those of the king, or the Parliament, and opened their eyes to a true sense of their situation, and danger.

An attempt was made at this time, in the House of Commons, to repeal the obnoxious duties; but without effect; the pride and obstinacy of the ministry, were yet unmoved by the clamour of their own citizens, or the remonstrances of the colonies; and Lord North thus expressed the sense of Parliament. "However prudence, or policy may hereafter induce us to repeal the late paper, and glass act, I hope we shall never think of it, until we see America prostrate at our feet."

When this session of Parliament was closed, Lord Hills" borough attempted to sooth the irritability of the colonies, and soften down their feelings, as well as their measures, by the following circular letter, which he addressed to the governors of the several colonies, May 13th, 1769.

"It is the intention of his majesty's ministers, to move in the next Parliament, that the duties on glass, paper, and colours, be taken off, as having been laid contrary to the true principles of commerce;" with assurances at the same time," that a design to propose to Parliament to lay any further taxes on America, for the purpose of raising a revenue, has at no time been entertained." Lord Botetourt, Governor of Virginia, endeavoured to force this impression upon the minds of the assembly of Virginia, by a speech upon the occasion, in which he pledged himself to use the utmost of his ifluence to effect it. The house of Burgesses in their reply, very politely expressed their confidence in his lordship's views, and went so far as to say-"We esteem your lordship's information, not only as warranted; but even sanctified by the royal word." Nevertheless the duty of three pence per pound remaining upon tea, shewed to the colonies that enough of taxes was retained to establish the principle in the Declaratory Act-" that Great Britain claims the right of binding the colonies in all things whatsoever." And this to them, amounted to the same, as if the whole taxes should remain, because the principle was the same, and this was the real point in question.

The assembly of Pennsylvania had not given their testimony against the resolves of Parliament; but a committee of Philadelphia merchants had fully expressed their sentiments to the committee in London, upon the contents of the circular letter of Lord Hillsborough, in which, after noticing in a lengthy detail, the controversy in question, they summarily declare-" For this reason we think ourselves obliged to inform you, that though the merchants have confined their agreements to the repeal of the act laying a duty on glass, paper, tea, &c. yet nothing

short of a repeal of all the revenue acts, and putting things on the same footing they were before the late innovations, can or will satisfy the minds of the people."

In this declaration of the commercial committee of the city of Philadelphia, the whole truth is told, and upon this truth is bottomed all the subsequent evils which followed.

CHAPTER III.

CAUSES THAT LED TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CON

TINUED.

We have noticed the landing of a military force in Boston, to support the civil magistrate in the execution of the laws, with the point of the bayonet; together with the state of the public feeling at this outrage upon their liberties; we will now carry forward the history of events that resulted from this rash measure, and shew, that there never was, and probably never will be, but one step between the bayonet, and blood.

Governor Bernard found no good resulting from the aid of the military, in support either of the laws, or his popularity; but that he became daily more obnoxious to the people, and that as the resentments of the latter increased, the influence of the former declined, until his majesty recalled him from his government in June, and in August he embarked for England, leaving Lieut. Gov. Hutchinson in the chair, 1769.

The non-importation agreement had now been in force in New-England, and New-York, more than one year, and its effects had been severely felt both in England and America. At this time, January 1770, many of the merchants in Boston began to grow slack in the observance of the agreement, and to make partial importations, and sales; this gave an alarm, and the confederates proceeded to raise mobs against their offending brethren, and do violence to their persons, and property, in order to whip. them up to a due observance of their duty. In one of the chastising mobs, one Richardson, a delinquent merchant, found himself so hard pressed by the mob, that he fired out of his window upon the populace, in February,, and killed one Chistopher Snider, a lad of eleven years of