difpofed to return to its allegiance. It was alfo obferved, that it might be proper to authorife fuch commiffioners, to restore any province or colony, returning to its allegiance, to the free exercife of its trade and commerce, and to the fame protection and fecurity, as if it had never revolted.

At the conclufion they were in formed, that from affurances received, as well as from the general appearances of affairs in Europe, there was no apparent probability that the measures which they might adopt, would be interrupted by difputes with any foreign power.

The addreffes in answer to this fpeech, which, as ufual, were an adoption of the whole, with no other alteration in the terms, but what was neceffary to the difference of fituations of the makers, produced fimilar effects with thofe of the preceding feffion; long and earneft debates in both houses, and a proteft in one. The refemblance was not lefs perfect in the fuperior force by which they were carried through.

The minority were little difpofed to give way to thefe addreffes in the form in which they were brought in. An amendment to the addrefs in the Houfe of Commons was moved for by Lord John Cavendish, propofing to leave out the whole, except the introductory paragraph, and to fubfitute in the place a declaration, "That they beheld, with the utmcft concern, the diforders and difcontents in the colonies, rather increased than diminished by the means that had been used to fupprefs and allay them; a circumtance alone fufficient to give them just reason to fear, that thofe means

were not originally well confidered, or properly adapted to their ends. That, they were fatisfied by, experience, that the misfortune had, in a great measure, arifen from the want of full and perfect information of the true state and condition of the colonies being laid before parliament; by reafon of which, meafures injurious and inefficacious had been carried into execution, from whence no falutary end could have been reafonably expected; tending to tarnish the luftre of the British arms, to bring difcredit on the wifdom of his Majefty's councils; and to nourish, without hope of end, a most unhappy civil war.

"That, deeply impreffed with the melancholy state of public concerns, they would, on the fulleft information they could obtain, and with the molt mature deliberation they could employ, review the whole of the late proceedings, that they may be enabled to difcover, as they will be moft willing to apply, the most effectual means of restoring order to the diftracted affairs of the British empire, confidence to his Majefty's government, obedience, by a prudent and temperate ufe of its powers, to the authority of parliament, and fatisfaction and happiness to all his people. That, by thefe means, they truft to avoid any occafion of having recourfe to the alarming and dangerous expedient, of calling in foreign forces to the fupport of his Majefty's authority within his own dominions, and the gill more dreadful calamity, of fhedding British blood by British arms.

This motion brought on a feries of long and most interefting debates, which were conducted with the utmost cagerness, and uncea

fing energy on both fides, and intermixed with much acrimony and bitterness. In this conteft the fpeech was taken to pieces, and every part of it most feverely fcrutinized. The minifters were charged with having brought their fovereign into the most disgraceful and unhappy fituation of any monarch now living. Their conduct had already wrefted the fceptre of America out of his hands. One half of the empire was loft, and the other thrown into a ftate of anarchy and confufion. After having fpread corruption like a deluge through the land, until all public virtue was loft, and the people were inebriated with vice and profligacy, they were then taught, in the paroxyfms of their infatuation and madnefs, to cry out for havoc and war. History could not fhew an inftance, of fuch an empire ruined in fuch a manner. They had loft a greater extent of dominion in the first campaign of a reinous civil war, which was intentionally produced by their own acts, than the most celebrated conquerors had ever acquired in fo fhort a space of time.

The fpeech was faid to be compofed of a mixture of affumed and falle facts, with fome general undefined and undifputed axioms, which nobody would attempt to controvert. Of the former, that of charging the colonies with aiming at independence, was feverely reprehended, as being totally unfounded, being directly contrary to the whole tenor of their conduct, to their most exprefs declarations both by word and by writing, and to what every person of any intelligence knew of their general temper and difpofition. But what

they never intended, we may drive them to. They will undoubtedly prefer independence to flavery. They will never continue their connection with this country, unlefs they can be connected with its privileges. The continuance of hoftility, with the determined refufal of all fecurity for thefe privileges, will infallibly bring on feparation.

The charge of their making profeffions of duty, and propofals of reconciliation, only for the infidious purpose of amufing and deceiving, was equally reprobated. It was infifted, that, on the contrary, thefe had, from the beginning, told them honeftly, openly, and bravely, without difguife or referve, and declared to all the world, that they never would fubmit to be arbitrarily taxed by any body of men whatsoever, in which they were not reprefented. They did not whisper behind the door, nor mince the matter; they told fairly what they would do, and have done, if they were unhappily urged to the laft extremity. And that though the minifters affected not to believe them, it was evident, from the armament which they fent out, that they did; for how ever incompetent that armament has been to the end, nobody could admit a doubt that it was intended to oppofe men in arms, and to compel by force; the incompetence for its purpofes proceeding merely from that blind ignorance, and total misconception of American affairs, which had operated upon the minifters in every part of their conduct.

This fhameful accufation, they faid, was only to cover that wretched conduct, and, if poffible,

to

to hide or excufe, the difgrace and failure that had attended all their measures. Was any other part of their policy more commendable, or more fuccefsful? Did the cruel and fanguinary laws of the preceding feffion, anfwer any of the purposes for which they were propofed? Had they in any degree fulfilled the triumphant predictions, had they kept in countenance the overbearing vaunts of the minifter? They have now funk into the fame nothingness with the terrors of that armed force which was to have looked all America into fubmiffion. The Americans have faced the one, and they defpife the injuftice and iniquity of the

others.

Yet the ministers cannot pretend that they have entered, or been led, blindfolded into thefe deftructive measures. They have been repeatedly warned, feffion after feflion, of the danger in which they were involving themfelves, and of the ruin into which they were plunging the nation; the confequences were fo truly foretold, the predictions have been fo exactly verified, that they feem now rather the effect of fome extraordinary infpiration, than of reafon founded upon obfervation, and applied to the nature and relation of things. Thefe warnings they received from thofe gentlemen in oppofition, whom they with and endeavour to ftigmatize, as operated upon only by factious motives, as enemies to their coun, try, and as framers of fedition both here and in America. Thefe are the Caffandra's, who foretold the deftruction which the minifters were bringing upon their country, and who, because they forefaw the

danger, are unworthily to be blackened with the imputation of having produced the evils which they foretold.

But the minifters, they faid, had other fources of information, and which, in fpite of reason and experience, they were ftill evidently determined to rely upon. Thefe were the falfe, partial, illiberal reprefentations, of artful, defigning, and interefted men, who had held public offices in America, and who wanted to increase their own influence, emoluments, and authority, as well as to find the means of gratifying their petty prejudices and refentments, by extending the powers of the crown to the prejudice of the people. Men who became at length fo foured by the oppofition they met with, and the confequent difappointment in all their fchemes, that all their fentiments feem to have been dictated only by malice and revenge.

The difgrace, and danger of calling in foreign troops to fettle our domeftic quarrels, of rendering them the arbiters in a conteft with our own people, were ftrongly infited upon by the oppofition. They faid, that this new dignity, of which we were become of late fo wonderfully fond, was of a very peculiar nature. That while it was fo irritable with refpect to our own people, that the mention of an American right or privilege,. operated upon it in the moft violent degree, it crouched in the moft fuppliant manner in its commerce with foreigners. It was not difficult to bring examples from history, to fhew the danger of calling in foreigners in fuch circumftances.

The country gentlemen were repeatedly

repeatedly called upon to fupport the amendment, and not to give their approbation to the dangerous and fanguinary measures propofed in the speech, until they had, at laft, confidered the subject, and had the neceffary information laid before them. They were asked, if they would for ever continue to run blindfolded into every deftructive measure that was propofed, without once hefitating or reflecting upon the common ruin, in which they were involving themfelves with the nation? Would they ftill follow, without examination or inquiry, thofe leaders who had already deceived and mifled them in every thing, until they had brought us into our prefent most difaftrous circumflances? Had they yet had time to confider the difficulties attending the fupport of an army of 70,000 men, on the other fide of the Atlantic? Had they calculated how many thoufand tons of fhipping would be neceffary for their conveyance, and for their fupport, or what the expence might amount to, of fupplying them with fresh provifions from Smithfield market, and with vegetables, and all other neceffaries, from London and its neighbourhood? These were matters of ferious confideration. The landtax muft this feffion be rifen to four fhillings, and the moft fanguine imagination can fcarcely hope that it will ever again be lowered, even fuppofing the most fortunate change of circumftances. Thus are their eftates already mortgaged to one fifth of the value of their clear income; and if this ruinous war is carried on to the extent that is held out, they might

expect at its end to find the mortgage doubled.

They were taught to confider. fuppofing (which was far from being admitted) that we fhould be fuccessful, how they should be repaid the enormous expences which they must neceffarily incur in profecuting the conflict. They were asked, whether burnt towns, military executions, a total lofs of trade, a change, or annihilation of property, with ruined and depopu lated provinces, ftill fmoking under all the calamities of a cruel civil war, would be able to repay fifty, fixty, or a ftill greater number of millions of money, which would probably be loft or expended in the conteft. This first lofs, great as it might be, was not, however, the worst part of the coníequence. Thofe wide and ruined dominions, irritated as the remaining poffeffors ever must continue, with an immortal abhorrence of our name and nation, could only be kept in fubjugation, by an immense standing army, and a very confiderable naval force. They demanded whether any gentleman, the leaft informed in the hiftory of mankind, could once imagine, that fuch an establishment would or could be fupported by fuch a people. America, in its priftine state of vigour and felicity, when it gloried in the English conftitution, was was itself a living and unparalleled proof of its excellence, and pointed it out as an honour to human nature and society, muft, even in that state, have funk beneath the burthen. How will it be then when the is thus fallen and debilitated, and when the confiders every man em

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