being discharged, he fued Lord Rochford for illegal imprisonment, for which a jury granted him a

thousand pounds damages, liable, however, to the future determination on a question of law.

UCH was in general the ftate of public affairs in England and America, previous to and 'about the time of the meeting of parliament. In the Oct. 26th, fpeech from the throne, fpeech from the throne, 1775. after accounting for this early meeting by the fituation of America, heavy complaints were made of the mifreprefentations of the leaders of fedition in the colonies, who having firft infufed into the minds of the people, a fyftem of opinions repugnant to their true conftitutional fubordination, had at length commenced hoftilities, and ufurped the whole powers of government. His Majesty then entered into the difference of the views of thofe leaders, and of thofe of the crown and parliament, from whence the former derived their prefent advantages. The view of the latter was rather to undeceive, than punish. Therefore only small forces were fent, and propositions of a conciliatory nature accompanied the measures taken to enforce authority. The The former, whilft they endeavoured to delude with fpecious profeffions, had in view nothing but the eftablishing of an independent empire. That the confequences of the fuc

cefs of each plan were too obvious, The spirit of the British nation was too high, and its refources too numerous, to fuffer her tamely to lofe what had been acquired with fo great toil, nurfed with great tenderness, and protected at much expence of blood and treafure. That wisdom, and in the end clemency, required a full exertion of these refources. That the navy had been increased, and the land forces greatly augmented. Foreign fuccours (though no treaty was then concluded) were held out. The difpofition of the Hanover troops in Mahon and Gibraltar was fpecified. In the end, an affurance of the royal mercy was given, as foon, as the deluded multitude fhould become fenfible of their error, and to prevent the inconveniences which might arise from the great distance of their fituation, and to remove as foon as poffible the calamities which they fuffer, authority would be given to certain perfons upon the spot, to grant general or particular pardons and indemnities, in fuch manner, and to fuch perfons, as they fhould think fit, and to receive the fubmiffion of any province or colony which fhould be

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disposed

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

At the conclufion they were informed, that from affurances received, as well 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 fituation of the makers, produced fimilar effects with thofe of the preceding feffion; long and earnest debates in both houfes, 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 address in the Houfe of Commons was moved for by Lord John Cavendish, propofing to leave out the whole, except the introductory paragraph, and to fubftitute in the place a declaration, "That they beheld, with the utmoft 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 circumftance alone fufficient to give them juft 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, arisen from the want of full and perfect information of the true ftate and condition of the colonies being laid before parliament; by reafon of which, measures 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 Majesty's councils; and to nourish, without hope of end, a moft unhappy civil war.

"That, deeply impreffed with the melancholy ftate of public concerns, they would, in the fulleft information they could obtain, and with the most 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 distracted 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. ftill. more dreadful calamity, of shedding British blood by British arms.

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

fing energy on both fides, and intermixed with much acrimony and bitterness. In this conteft the speech was taken to pieces, and every part of it moft feverely fcrutinized. The minifters were charged with having brought their fovereign into the most difgraceful 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 defuge 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 madness, to cry out for havoc and war. Hiftory 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 ruinous 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 falfe 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 perfon 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 fe paration.

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 honefly, 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 whatfoever, in which they were not reprefented. They did not whifper 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 minillers 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 mifconception of American affairs, which had operated upon the minifters in every part of their conduct.

This fhameful accufation, they said, 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 minifters cannot pretend that they have entered, or been led, blindfolded into thefe de ftructive measures. They have been repeatedly warned, feffion after feffion, 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 inspiration, 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 wish and endeavour to ftigmatize, as operated upon only by factious motives, as enemies to their country, and as framers of fedition both here and in America. These 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 said, had other fources of information, and which, in fpite of reafon 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 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 bes came 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 infifted 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 leaft, confidered the fubject, 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 enquiry, thofe leaders who had already deceived and mifled them in every thing, until they had brought us into our prefent most difaltrous circumftances? 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 support, 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 must this feffion be rifen to four fhillings, and the most fanguine imagination can fcarcely hope that it will ever again be lowered, even fuppofing the moft 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.

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They were taught to confider, fuppofing, (which was far from being admitted) that we fhould be fuccefsful, 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 loss of trade, a change, or annihilation of property, with ruined and depopulated provinces, ftill fmoking under all the calamities of a cruel civil war, would be able to repay fifty, fixty, or a still greater num ber of millions of money, which would probably be loft or expended in the conteft. This first loss, great as it might be, was not, however, the worst part of the confequence. Thofe wide and ruined dominions, irritated as the remaining poffeffors ever muft continue, with an immortal abhorrence of our name and nation, could only be kept in fubjugation, by an immenfe ftanding 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 establish. ment would or could be supported by fuch a people. America, in its priftine ftate of vigour and felicity, when it gloried in the English conftitution, was itself a living and unparalleled proof of its excellence, and pointed it out as an honour to human nature and fociety, muft, even in that ftate, have funk beneath the burthen. How will it be then when she is thus fallen and debilitated, and when the confiders every man em

ployed