These were however over-ruled. It was faid, that addreffes were to be confidered as matters of form; in a great measure complimentary, and declarative of loyalty and thanks. That any difagrecable Atrictures in a form of that nature, which was to be immediately circulated throughout Europe, would give foreigners a prejudicial idea of the harmony that fubfifted between the king and his parliament. And that there was fufficient time to examine into the conduct of administration, and to cenfure any exceptional parts of it, in the regular courfe of parliamentary business. The part of the speech that regarded the colonies, was particularly attended to in the addreffes, and it was declared, that though they should be ever ready to redrefs the juft complaints of the colonies, they were nevertheless determined to maintain the fupreme authority of the British legislature, over every part of the British empire. Thanks were then given for the measures already taken to fupport the laws in the colonies, and trong affurances of their ready concurrence, in every regulation that appeared likely to eftablish the conftitutional dependence of the Americans. The effects of the late fcarcity, and the neceffary measures to be VOL. XII. pursued to prevent a return of the calamity, was the first public object which came within the confideration of the house. Nov. 14. A bill was accordingly ordered to be brought in, not only for extending the prohibition on the exportation of corn, &c. but alfo for preventing the extraction of low wines and spirits from wheat and wheat flour. A petition was delivered the fame day by a member of the houfe, from Mr. Wilkes, reprefentative of the county of Middlefex, now in the king's bench prifon. This petition, which furnifhed an occafion for the memo rable proceedings that followed, contained a recapitulation of all the proceedings against Mr. Wilkes, from the time of his first apprehenfion by a general warrant in April, 1763, to the time of his commitment to the king's-bench prison in 1768. The petition' produced an order, for the proper officers to lay before the house, a copy of the records of the proceedings upon the feveral informations in the court of king'sbench against Mr. Wilkes. After which, the journals and refolutions of the house upon that fubject in the year 1763, being examined, a day was appointed for the hearing of the matter of the petition, and alfo of the proceedings in the court of king'sbench; of which notice was or dered to be given to Mr. Wilkes, and a great number of perfons who were concerned as actors or witneffes in thefe tranfactions, among whom was Mr. Webb, late fecretary to the treasury, and against whom a heavy charge was laid in the petition, were ordered to [*ET attend attend, the houfe at the fame time. Some perfons, of great weight in oppofition, from the beginning recommended to the miniftry that this petition fhould be paffed by without notice, and very ftrongly pointed out the mischievous confequences which must attend an enquiry into that fort of matter, to the House at large, and particularly to the minifters themfelves. During this interval, fome motions were made upon the fubject, the want of fuccefs in which feemed indicative of the difpofition that prevailed within doors, in regard to the popular prifoner, whofe prefent fituation excited the greatest attention without. Among thefe, it was moved to addrefs his majefty, that the auditor of the impreft fhould lay before the Houfe copies of all fuch accounts as had been paffed, declared, or received, from Philip Carteret Webb,. Efq; fince Midfummer 1762, which was paffed in the negative. In the mean time, Mr. Webb petitioned for an opportunity to vindicate himfelf at the bar of the House, from the charges that were made againft him; which he was allowed to do, either by himfelf or his counfel, at the time of hearing the matter of the petition. Application having been also made by Mr. Wilkes for liberty to attend the Houfe, in order to fupport the allegations of his petition, it was complied with, and liberty of council allowed him for that purpofe. After thefe previous fleps had been taken, the time for hearing the matter of the petition, which had been originally fixed for the 2d of December, was however put off to the 12th of the fame months after which it was finally adjourned to the 27th of the following January. The oppofition, though divided into two parties, which had totally. differed upon fome great political principles, upon the whole, frequently agreed in fentiment, in a diflike to many late measures of administration, and without any apparent pre-concert, or even intercourfe, acted, upon many occafions, as if they had been one united party. The principal of these, as to ftrength and number, feems to be that which adhered to the Marquis of R, who were strongly attached to the measures purfued in that administration; and as they had effected the overthrow of the ftamp fyftem, had, upon the fame principles, generally disliked and oppofed the greaeft part of the late measures purfued with regard to America. The other, which was compofed of the friends of Mr. G, though they juftified the general principle of American taxation, were but Îittle difpofed to approve of many of the meafures of the prefent miniftry, which they confidered not only as ineffectual, but, after the conceffion that had been made, as ill-timed. From this cafual co-incidence of opinion, in many public matters, of two formidable parties, whofe leaders had filled the first offices of the ftate, the minifters, though generally engaged under the covert of a strong majority, found, upon many occafions, their hands fufficiently full, and it was accordingly a very bufy winter. Many leading queftions were propofed, which still led to more critical enquiries; and feveral fpirited motions were made, which, if not attended with fuccefs, were, at leaft, fupported with great vigour and ability. A mo Nov. 17. A motion was made early in the feffion, that copies of all the correfpondence between the fecretaries of state, and our minifters at the court of France, relative to the affairs of Corfica, from the 1st of January 1767, fhould be laid before the houfe; and alfo copies of all in ftructions to any of the faid minifters, and of all memorials and reprefentations to or from the faid court, with the feveral anfwers thereunto, upon the fubje&t. This motion, though carried in the negative, produced a long difcuffion upon the affairs of Corfica. On one fide it was reprefented as a place of no manner of import ance; destitute, though an ifland, of a good harbour, and an acquifition that would rather prove a mischief than a benefit to France. Under fuch a defcription, it was not difficult to fhew the abfurdity of entering into a war in any fituation, for an object of fo little con fequence; but in our prefent circumftances, loaded as we already are, with a heavy debt, the folly and madness of fuch a meafure were fo glaring, as not to admit of a ferious difcuffion. It was however faid on the other hand, that every acceffion of power to France was dangerous to this country. That the fituation of this island in the Mediterranean, made it particularly fo, and may be attended with the mos pernicious effects to our commerce in that fea, befides the giving to France a great and dangerous influence in the affairs of Italy. It was faid that England had paid conftant attention for many years, to the prefervation of a due equilibrium in the affairs of Europe, to which we are indebted not only for fecurity, but for a great part of our national power and influence. That instead of defcending to a minute calculation of the exact value of Corfica, or rating it at a chapman's price in a fale to France, we were to confider this invafion as a violent breach of treaty, and fubverfive of that equilibrium. The fact as to the harbours was denied ; as to the danger of a war with France, it was faid, that if the was prepared and wi ling to come to fuch an extremity, for a matter of no confequence or value, we might look upon the war as already declared, as the want of a pretence could not give a moment's delay. A motion was made in a few days after, for an addrefs, that there be laid before the House, copies of all applications from the civil magiftrates to the war-office for troops, and of all orders and letters to the troops employed, or to the officers commanding them ;, and alfo copies of the feveral reports made to the war-office from fuch officers, during the riots int the month of May last. The defign of this motion was too evident, not to be oppofed by the whole weight of adminiftration. A warm difcuffion confequently arofe, in which many parts of the conduct then obferved were feverely cenfured. Many gentlemen thought, that though in fome inftances fome menfures of government could not easily be de ended; yet that in the preient temper of the times, too minute an enquiry into the acts of government upon that occafion, or any public cenfure paffed upon them, might ferve too much to lower it in the pub[*E_2] lic lic opinion, and to increase, that licentiousness which was already too prevalent among the populace. On this principle, many in oppofition either remained neuter, or fell in with adminiftration. The motion was accordingly, upon a divifion, paffed in the negative by a very great majority. A motion was afterwards made for an address, that copies of all the royal letters patent, charters, and commiffions, now fubfifting and in force, relative to any of the American colonies, with copies of all orders and inftructions which had been given by or in the name of his prefent majefty, to any officers civil or military in regard to their government, fhould be laid before the Houfe; which paffed in the negative; as did another motion made on the fame day, for copies of all letters and affidavits, which had been received fince the ift of January, 1766, relative to any difputes or difturbances in America. The merits of the difputed elections, many of which were violently contested, took up fo much time, that though the House continued fitting almoft to the eve of the holidays, these were Dec. 22. the only public matters of moment that came before them. It was then adjourned to the 19th of the following January. CHAP. IX. Proceedings on the American affairs. Refolutions, and addrefs; great debates thereon. Agreement made for five years with the Eaft-India company. Refolution for payment of the debts on the civil lift. Expulfion of Mr. Wilkes; re-election; final incapacitation. THE HE critical ftate of our colonies, as well from the great importance of the fubject, as the particular attention that was paid to it from the throne, was of courfe confidered as the principal object of the prefent feffion. The public had long wifhed, with an anxious folicitude, for this meeting, as they hoped an effectual remedy would be found for the diforders, and an end confequently put to the difturbances in that part of the world. The heavy cenfures paffed in the late fpeech, upon the conduct of one of the principal North American colonies, could not fail to increase this anxiety and eagerness of expectation, upon the flue of a bufinefs in which the whole British empire was deeply interested. Those who imagined that the fupreme authority of the legislature ought to be exerted to its utmost extent; who were difgufted with many extravagancies lately committed, and thought that the unexampled licentioufnefs which appeared in the province of Maffachufets Bay, fhould be curbed with a strong hand, were gratified with the prefent appearances; which feemed to befpeak measures of vigour and feverity. On the other hand, the advocates for America, those who from principle were lovers of conftitutional freedom, as well as those who were naturally inclined to moderation, were confiderably alarmed, alarmed, as they thought they perceived a difpofition, to urge matters to violent and perhaps dangerous extremities. A committee of the whole houfe had been formed early in the feffion, for the purpofe of an enquiry into American affairs. This was a measure that the different parties which divided that affembly were equally defirous of entering into; but as the motives were different upon which they acted, fo were the modes of enquiry which they wished to purfue. On one fide it was confined to thofe late tranfactions, which from their nature, either as feeming to impugn the legislative authority, or from their violation of order, and direct oppofition to government, muft neceffarily induce cenfure. On the other, it was proposed to take a retrospective view of the conduct of government for feveral years in colony affairs, and not content with punishing diforders, to trace back to the fource, and remove the caufes of them. We have already feen that motions were made and over-ruled, before the Christmas recefs, for the laying of papers before the committee; which would not only have led to a difcuffion of the rights claimed by the colonies, but also to a clofe enquiry into the conduct of the feveral governors and other officers of the crown, as well as into the propriety of the orders which at different times had been iffued to them from home. As coercive measures seemed now to be adopted by administration, these enquiries were accordingly oppofed by their friends, who probably thought that the dignity of government might fuffer from fuch difcuffions. An infinite number of other papers relative to America, were however laid before the committee, and a number of re-> folutions, together with an addrefs> upon the fame fubject, which had originated in the houfe of lords, were alfo brought under their con-* fideration. Frequent and long debates arofe upon these fubjects in both houfes: wherein, contrary to the pre-conceived opinion without doors, the fuperior ftrength of the miniftry was conftantly apparent, and they were upon every question fupported by a great majority. Jan. 25. 1769. During this course of debate and enquiry, a petition in the name of the major part of the council of the province of Maffachufet's Bay, figned by Mr. Danforth, as prefi-" dent of the council, was prefented to the house. It however appearing, that this petition had not paffed in a legal affembly of the council, and that confequently no perfon could be authorised to fign it as prefident, it was refufed under that title, and was ordered to be brought up, only as a petition from Samuel Danforth, in behalf of the feveral individual members of the council at whofe request it had been figned. This petition, the defign of which was to obtain a repeal of the late revenue acts, conveyed the arguments for that purpose, in terms of the greateft temper and moderation. The charter immunities, and privileges of the colonies, and their general rights as English fubjects, were enlarged upon, without feeming to call in queftion the fupreme power of the legislature; although it was implied that thofe rights had been [*E 3] violated, |