unwarily as one of the reasons for this refufal, "that by a compliance with the demand of the people he should have rendered himself OBNOXIOUS to his SOVEREIGN." This undoubtedly is the MASTER-KEY which unfolds all the apparent abfurdities and extravagancies of his conduct. The temper of the British court was fo well understood in America, that no one prefumed to hope they would be induced, by this determined and inflexible spirit of opposition in the colonies, to defift from their ruinous projects. On the contrary, measures of vengeance were confidently expected; and even perfons of acknowledged moderation, on perceiving the ideas which they had long cherished of reconciliation to be hopeless, declared their refolution, in cafe matters were carried to extremity by Great Britain, to join the standard of their countrymen. A major of provincials, who had been foreman of the jury on the trial of capt. Préfton, and to whom, in reward of his meritorious conduct, the governor had given this commiffion, faid to him with unexpected energy," Sir, you know that I am a friend to government, and with to fupport it; but if any attempt be made to violate our CHARTER, I will fight up to my knees in blood in defence of it."

On the meeting of the general court of Maffachusetts, A. D. 1774, the house of reprefentatives feemed in no. refpect difpofed to recede from the highest claims and pretenfions they had formed. On the contrary, they, by a new affumption of authority, determined upon an impeachment of the chief justice Oliver, for refufing to relinquifh the falary settled upon him by the crown-which, combined with the hope of its augmentation, they affirmed" must have the effect of a perpetual bribe, and expofe him to the violation of his oath-that the acceptance of this falary, unprecedented in all former times, was a breach of his implied engagements on entering into his office; and that by receiving a grant payable out of the revenue unjuffly extorted from the American colonies, he had given a fanction

a fanction to injuftice, counteracted the petitions of the people, and wickedly endeavoured to increase the difcontents and jealoufies which had originated from this grie vance." The governor refufing to receive the accufation, no other effect refulted from it than to render the governor and the chief justice more obnoxious, and to keep alive the fpirit of animofity and refistance.

On the 13th of January, 1774, the parliament of Great Britain was convened at Westminster. The ministry not being as yet in poffeffion of full information from America, the Speech from the throne obferved a profound filence relative to the late tranfactions; but on the 7th of March a meffage was delivered from his majefty to both houses of parliament, informing them, that, "in confequence 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 fubverfive of its conftitution, 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 prefented the message, laid at the fame time before the house of commons a great number of papers, which fufficiently fhewed the daring and feditious fpirit which now prevailed over the whole continent of America. His lordship, on enlarging upon thefe 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 fhewn, 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 fustained by the Eaft India company, but for inflicting fuch punishment as their factious and criminal conduct merited; and that the

aid of parliament would be reforted to for this purpose, and for vindicating the dignity of the crown, fo daringly and wantonly attacked, and contemned." The fpeech of the minifter was received with great applause, and the house appeared clearly and unanimoufly of opinion, that firm and vigorous measures were at this crifis abfolutely neceffary. It was then moved," that an addrefs of thanks fhould be presented to the king, affuring 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 fome faint fhew of oppofition, and it was remarked, "that fimilar affurances had been already often repeated, but that the measures hitherto adopted by minifters for the fupport and DIGNITY OF THE CROWN had only exposed it to fcorn, obloquy, and contempt. That the prefent cafe was of the utmost importance they admitted, and it required therefore an attentive and impartial examination. In order to do the Americans juftice it was neceffary to trace the fource of thefe calamities to their origin, in a fyftem of arbitrary and unwife measures at home." No inclination however appeared to enter into any retrospective investigations, and the address was finally agreed to, and prefented to the king.

In a fhort time the minifter began to develop his grand plan of coercion and punishment, by the introduction of a bill for discontinuing the lading and fhipping of goods, wares, and merchandize at the town of Boston or the har bor 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 Eaft India company for the damage fuftained by them, but till the king in council fhould declare himfelf fatisfied as to the restoration of peace and good order in the town. This bill was honored with the general approbation of the

house;

house; and it was unavailingly urged by a few individuals, that the penal clauses of the bill fhould be carried into execution only on the provifo 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 fuggefted conciliation as the grand object which ought not for a moment to be lost fight of. It was firft, and laft, and midft, 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 lefs for the advantage of America than of Britain, that the juft and conftitutional authority of the mother country, upon the antient and eftablished principles of fuperiority and fubordination, should be maintained. To pafs 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 juftice with lenity, as to demonstrate that the decifions of the fupreme power of the empire were neither tinctured with the meannefs 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 rife to these fatal contentions, at the fame time repealed, that 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 refolutions adopted in anger founded in wisdom! The idea of this repeal was fuggefted in the house of commons, but repreffed with ineffable difdain, and the bill paffed both houfes without a divifion.

in

Very foon after this, a fecond bill was introduced by the minifter, for the better regulating the government of the province of Maffachufetts bay. By this bill the charter of the province was entirely fubverted, and the nomination of the counsellors, judges, and magistrates of all kinds, cluding fheriffs, was vefted in the crown, and all thofe officers made removeable at PLEASURE. This bill the minifter affirmed to be abfolutely neceffary, for preventing the reft of the colonies from being tainted by the feditious example of Maffachufetts Bay. The oppofition now feemed to rife into some degree of firmnefs and vigor. It was afked, whether the colonies already regulated nearest to the manner propofed by this bill, were more fubmiffive to the right of taxation than Massachusett's? It was afferted that the diforder lay much deeper than in any diverfities that fubfifted in the colonial forms of Government; that the people throughout the whole extent of that vaft continent were univerfally diffatisfied, and the uneafinefs and refiftance were no lefs in the royal governments than in any other. By an invafion of the charter, the cause of Maffachufetts will be made the common caufe of all the colo nies, who have no other or better fecurity 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 feverest ftrictures; the final divifion 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. "Before the rights of the colony of Maffachusetts Bay, which they derive from their charter, are taken away, the definite legal offence by which a forfeiture of that charter is incurred," fay their lordships, ought to have been. clearly ftated, and the parties heard in their own defence; and the mere celerity of a decifion against it will not reconcile the minds of the people to that mode of government