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have fought perfonal peace and fafety in remaining quiet. But could the truth be afcertained, it would probably be discovered, that in most of the town and other meetings, even in New England, far more than half the parties having a right to attend, from various causes were abfent; and that there were a great many among the absentees, who were fuch, because they knew that matters would be carried at fuch meetings contrary to their own fentiments. Not only fo but it may be reafonably fuppofed, and time may prove that feveral in affemblies, conventions and congreffes, voted against their own opinion, to fecure themselves from refentment and to promote their prefent intereft,

An inclination has appeared in feveral of the governmental gentlemen now in Boston, to attempt opening the court at Worcester, and to fupport it by the aid of two regiments. It has been the fubject of converfation. When the propofal of marching them came to be confidered in council, it was laid aside. The governor was well pleased with the determination; he certainly does not wish to bring on a rupture.

Now let me conclude with giving you a picture of the Maffachusetts colony, which you will be inclined to pronounce an uncommon and aftonishing curiofity. Some hundred thousand people are in a ftate of nature, and yet as still and peaceable, at prefent, as ever they were when government was in full vigor. We have neither legislators, nor magiftrates, nor executive officers. We have no officers, but military ones; of these we have a multitude chofen by the people, and exercifing them with more authority and fpirit, than ever any did who had commiffions from a governor. The inhabitants

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are determined never to fubmit to the act destroying their charter, and are every where devoting themfelves to arms. To force upon them a form of government to which they are abfolutely averfe, may not be within the omnipotence of a British parliament. The attempt has produced a fufpenfion of all legal authority, and yet individuals enjoy the fame fecurity as before, even when they differ from the public fentiment, have they the prudence to moderate their tempers and obferve a neutrality. By accommodating themfelves fo far to the times, they are safe at home and abroad.

The fortitude with which the town of Bofton fupports its prefent diftreffes, and the determination it discovers to endure as much as human nature can, rather than betray the American cause and endanger the liberties of pofterity, will secure it the encomiums of future generations. Not a town or city in all the colonies would have been likely to have exhibited fo glorious a fpectacle, had it been called out to a fimilar trial; and all the friends of American liberty through the continent may congratulate themselves, that the ftorm of ministerial vengeance has fallen first upon the capital of the Maffachusetts, as in confequence of it they have enjoyed the opportunity of providing against the worst that may be attempted, in order to reduce them to fubjection.

LET.

fide of oppofition. The conduct alfo of the late parliament was fcrutinized without mercy, and its memory. treated with more than want of refpect. A gentleman, remarkable for a farcaftic poignancy in his obfervations, in sketching a short history of that parliament, faid, that they began their political life with a violation of the fa cred right of election in the cafe of Middlefex; that they had died in the act of popery, when they established the Roman catholic religion in Canada; and that they had left a rebellion in America, as a legacy. The quef tion was rejected upon a divifion by a very great majo rity.

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Though it was then late, a petition was offered from Mr. Bollan, Dr. Franklin, and Mr. Lee, ftating that they were authorized by the American continental congrefs, to prefent a petition from the congrefs to the king, which petition his majesty had referred to that house, and that they were enabled to throw great light upon the subject: they prayed to be heard at the bar, in fupport of the faid petition. A violent debate enfued. The miniftry alleged, that the congrefs was no legal body, and none could be heard in reference to its proceedings, without giving that illegal body fome degree of countenance. It was anfwered, that the congrefs, however illegal as to other purposes, was fufficiently legal for presenting a petition. It was figned by the names of all the perfons who compofed it, and might be received as from individuals. It was faid, That it was their business rather to find every plaufible reafon for receiving petitions, than to invent pretences for rejecting them that the rejection of petitions was one principal, if not the moft powerful caufe of the prefent troubles :

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happily prevailed in the Maffachusetts, and had broken forth in fresh violences of a criminal nature; that these proceedings had been encouraged in other colonies, and unwarrantable attempts been made to obftruct the commerce of the kingdom, by unlawful combinations; that fuch measures had been taken, and fuch orders given, as were judged moft proper for carrying the laws into execution; and that they might depend upon a firm refolution to withstand every attempt to weaken the fupreme authority of the legiflature over all the dominions of the crown, his majesty being affured of receiving their fupport while acting upon these principles.

The propofed address in the house of commons, produced a confiderable debate; and the minifter was reminded of the mighty effects he had predicted from the late acts against America :-They were to humble that whole continent in the duft, without further trouble, and the punishment of Bofton was to ftrike an univerfal panic on all the colonies; that refractory town would be totally abandoned, and instead of obtaining relief, a dread of the fame fate would even prevent the appearances of pity. But the addrefs was carried without any amendment, by a majority of more than three to one.

That from the house of lords was couched in strong terms, and was warmly debated. It was rendered memorable by a proteft, thought to be the first upon an addrefs, and which was very pointed; it concluded with the following remarkable declaration; "But whatever may be the mischievous defigns, or the inconfiderate temerity, which leads others to this defperate course, we wish to be known as perfons, who have difapproved of measures fo injurious in their paft effects and their future

future tendency, and who are not in hafte, without in quiry or information, to commit ourselves in declarations which may precipitate our country into all the calamities of a civil war.*" The addrefs was carried by a majority of 63 to 13.

Notwithstanding the hoftile tone of the fpeech, and the great majority that fupported the addreffes, there appeared an irrefolution on the fide of ministry; and previous to the Christmas recefs, they feemed evidently to shrink from all contest upon American fubjects. The national estimates were entirely formed upon a peace establishment; and the minifter of the naval department publicly afferted in the house of lords, that he knew it would be fully fufficient for reducing the colonies to obedience. He spoke with the greatest contempt both of the power and courage of the Americans; and held that they were not difciplined, nor capable of discipline, and that formed of fuch materials, and fo indisposed to action, the numbers, of which fuch boasts had been, made, would only add to the facility of their defeat.

The establishment will indeed, be fully fufficient, if the ministry mean to employ the navy only, and to recall the military. Ships may effect that with little hazard and expence, which if once attempted by foldir ers, may plunge the nation into enormous difburfements, and yet not be accomplished. A few fhips of the line ftationed fingly near the capital ports of the colonies, and a number of frigates employed as cruifers to stop the Americans from fending any veffels to fea; and this measure continued, would at length weary out

Lords who figned the proteft-Richmond, Portland, Rockingham, Stamford, Stanhope, Torrington, Ponsonby, Wycombe, Camden.

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