rogative, could have restrained the governor from convening the assembly. In the after letters, her right to raise a revenue from them in any form was denied; but that of regulating their trade acknowledged. A resort to force was hypothetically indicated.

Amid all the excitement of these discussions, the New York assembly, having been dissolved, a new election was held, and an assembly was returned not less zealous than that which they succeeded. The merchants of New York now met again, and relying on their previous success, entered into a non-importation agreement, which a few months after was renewed. At the same moment, Massachusetts having already remonstrated and petitioned, as did Virginia and South Carolina, Boston invited a convention of the towns, and passed a vote that each man provide himself with arms and ammunition. For the commissioners of customs had left Boston in a fright, and a guard of soldiers was stationed, and cannon were pointed toward the usual place of legislation.

In the last month of this year, the new assembly of New York, with all these scenes before it, evinced a spirit worthy the occasion. They asserted the right of petition as equally belonging to their body as to the House of Commons; that the colony lawfully and constitutionally has and enjoys an "internal legislature of its own, in which the crown and people of the colony are constitutionally represented; and that the power and authority of legislation cannot lawfully or constitutionally be suspended, abridged, abrogated, or annulled by any power, authority or prerogative whatever." They averred their right to correspond and consult with other subjects out of the colony, or in other parts of the realm, either individually or collectively, on any matter wherein their rights or interests, or those of their constituents are or may be af

fected; and they appointed a committee of correspondence to report its transactions to subsequent meetings of the House. Petitions were also preferred to the king, to the Lords and to the Commons, pronouncing the late acts imposing duties," with the sole view and express purpose of raising a revenue, utterly subversive of their constitutional rights, because as they neither are, nor, from their peculiar circumstances, can be represented in parliament, their property is granted away without their consent." Next, they remonstrated against the act suspending their functions.

The governor pronounced their resolutions "flatly repugnant to the laws of Great Britain;" and punished them by a dissolution.* The recent declaration of the British prime minister, "I will never think of repealing the late act of Parliament securing to us a revenue, until I see America prostrate at my feet;" and the recent increase of troops ordered to Boston, assured him his conduct would be approved.

A new election was now held. In the city a leading handbill was issued, protesting, that not a sufficient number of "dissenters" was included in the representation, but the churchmen prevailed.

On the fourth of April the new assembly met. The governor urged in a special message, that the old mode of appointing an agent to Great Britain by the governor, council and assembly, be restored.

The assembly, in order to have the influence of public opinion, the debates being with closed doors, resolved that their votes and proceedings be printed and made public. And on the first day of the session they appointed a grand committee of grievances-a grand committee on courts of justice—a grand committee on trade.

* January 2, 1769.

Four days after, Philip Schuyler, whose bold, determined spirit had been infused into the previous assembly, moved, "as their repeated resolves and applications had not been attended with success," and with a view "to restore lasting harmony," that a day be fixed to take into consideration the state of the colony; and for the appointment of special agents. He then reported an address, insisting upon the appointment of agents by the assembly alone; stated that the sums granted for the support of the troops were very considerable, and that the governor's requisition demands the most serious consideration;" lamented the decay of trade, and urged the emission of a paper currency.

To check the executive influence, he also moved, that no person "holding any office of honor, trust or profit," should sit as a member of that body. Resolutions were next passed, asserting the sole right of imposing taxes, that of petition, of trial by jury, and that the sending of persons for trial to places beyond the sea was "highly derogatory to the rights of British subjects." The indocile. temper of the assembly indicating to the governor that a longer session would only the more exhibit his weakness, he forthwith prorogued it for a few weeks, which prorogation was extended, and it did not again meet until late in the autumn.

*

Thus far, the experiment of coercion had been unsuccessful. The cabinet of England felt the pressure of public opinion and were considering a retreat. To soothe the colonies, a circular was sent forth giving promise of a change of policy.

Meantime Virginia responded to the resolutions of New York in like emphatic terms, and Massachusetts approved, remonstrating pointedly against the presence of

* May 20, 1769.

an armed force within her borders, and avowing her determination never to make provision for the troops.

The merchants of New York, seeing in these proceedings little promise of beneficial results, now determined to appeal more strongly to the interests of England. They passed resolutions that the non-importation agreements, then only referring to the glass and tea bill, should endure until ALL the obnoxious revenue laws were repealed. In this Boston for a time concurred, but Philadelphia, taking a less enlarged view, adhered to the terms of the original stipulation.

The assembly of New York again met in November. The governor intimated the probability of a repeal of the revenue acts, and a bill was introduced for the issue of bills of credit to be loaned for a term of years, the proceeds to be applied to discharge the debts and to meet the exigencies of the colony.

The motives to it were the great scarcity of specie, caused by the interdiction of traffic with the foreign West Indies, and the total absence of a paper currency, reducing values, preventing remittances to England, and obstructing a provision for the public service. The bill passed and received the sanction of Colden, the lieutenant-governor.

It was not acceptable to the British ministry until Colden explained it. These bills, he informed them, were not made a legal tender except at the treasury and at the loan offices. "It is a consideration of some importance to the government, that, as the interest money cannot be applied without the consent of the governor, the supply for the troops quartered in this place, may for the future be secured, which has at all times met with opposition in the assembly, and has been with difficulty obtained." †

* 1769.

+ Colden to Hillsborough, February 21, 1770.

Thus enlightened on the policy of the measure, parliament passed an act sanctioning the emission. The ministry were also informed that the recent act declaring the judges and other officers of government ineligible to the assembly, had been so amended as to confine the exclusion to the judges, which had been repeatedly urged.

Another measure was taken at this time of general interest. In his speech to the assembly, stating that his majesty had been pleased to direct that the regulation of the trade with the Indian nations would be in future left to the colonies; Colden urged that the consideration of this subject be resumed.

The assembly promised so to do, and "to frame such laws as will answer his majesty's most gracious intention," confirm the friendship and secure the affections of the Indian nations. Soon after a resolution was adopted that the Legislature cannot pass a law that will fully answer, without the harmonious co-operation of the other colonies; that the most proper step is to appoint commissioners to meet others who may be appointed by the neighboring colonies, to fix on a general plan for the regulation of the Indian trade; "that laws may afterwards be passed conformable thereto." In this view, an act passed appointing commissioners of conference. Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Quebec, appointed like commissioners. "I now suspect," Colden wrote, "the commissioners will not meet, or not agree upon any one plan, by reason of the different interests of the different colonies." They never met.

This subject was not resumed; fast growing exigencies pointing the attention of the colonies to larger objects. Though engrossed by these, the prominence of this interest in the public mind, now sunk into insignificance, was markedly shown at a subsequent period.

* July 7, 1770.