was speaking at random, without any certainty, and the true account might have been difcovered, by examining the exports before the conteft began, which would have led them to have made a better estimate. The oppofition, argued againft, the tea act, from the inutility thereof; they affirmed that it would produce little advantage to this nation, and would be a fource of perpetual difcontent to the colonies: that by the keeping up the establishment of cuftom-houfes for that trifling tax, we would opprefs the Americans without any real advantage: that thefe voracious officers and their dependants would eat up the whole revenue that arofe from the duty, and where then would be the profit?-That the tea duty would not pay the charge of collecting it. It is manifeft that this act could have no other object exccpt dominion; for instead of being any advantage to government or this country, it was a real difadvantage. It was heaping charges upon the mother country, to collect from the colonies what would not pay the collectors on which account the people at home would have that deficiency to make up. There could no political end be answered by it, except one, and that is to provoke the colonies to rebellion, with an intention to feize upon their poffeffions. If men are not infatuated with the strongeft partiality, they can find no other reafon for continuing this part of the act, after they had repealed the other parts of it. Supremacy feems to have been the leading idea with the miniftry, which of itself is fo mean and foolish, that even folly itfelf would be ashamed of it, when there is no moral or political end to be answered thereby. For one country to claim dominion over another at fo great a diftance, would require the legislature born to be omnifcient and omnipotent. It was certainly fufficient

for

for Britain to live in friendfhip with their brethren under the fame fovereign, and fuffer each other to be their own legiflators, walking according to the principles of their firft conftitution. But fuch manœuvres of government have not been uncommon in the world; nations often stretch their power and authority, till by proceeding too far their government is defpifed.

The government was now pofitively bent upon pur fuing the principles of dominion and fupremacy, and determined to fupport the tea act at all events. The colonists who were well informed of all the proceedings of our parliament, which they confidered as the real deeds of the court, and the miniftry, grew more and more obftinate in their oppofition, and were determined not to comply with ftatutes, which they confidered as directly contrary to their natural rights and the pofitive laws of the British empire. The whole

American continent was in a ftate of the utmoft agitation, and nothing was to be feen but deep concern, commotion, and forrow throughout the colonies.

Upon the 12th of March, a most dreadful fray happened between the foldiers of the twenty-ninth regi ment and the inhabitants of Bofton, in which feveral people loft their lives, and the whole city was thrown into the utmost confufion. The reports concerning this dreadful riot have been fo various and contradictory, that it is difficult to difcover the truth from fuch difcordant reprefentations. The military who had been fent to Bofton by the authority of government, to enforce the new laws, arrived in that city with the strongest impreffions of their being fent there to quell an actual rebellion. They therefore began to use freedoms inconfiftent with the rules of peace, and the tranquility of that city. Their behaiour gave great offence to the citizens, who were

not

not a little prejudiced against them, from the confideration that they were fent there, to be a check up. on their liberties. It was not that the officers were guilty of any difrefpect to the inhabitants, but did all that was in their power to promote a good underftanding between the foldiers and the townfmen. But thofe who know the compofition of British regiments in these modern times, will eafily perceive that it is no eafy task to reftrain them from outrage when they have the fmalleft occafion to exert their powers. A collection of men gathered, not only from the lowest but the baseft of the people, who have nothing to restrain them but military difcipline, and who always confider themfelves in an enemy's country, where ever they are, will always he ready upon the fmalleft relaxation of command, to fall into extravagances. By comparing the accounts given by Captain Preston and that from Bofton, it appears that the foldiers had not behaved orderly, nor the townfmen very difcreetly. The private quarrels of individuals foon grew to open outrage, and the collifion of oppofite parties, kindled a flame that was not eafily quenched. The foldiers paraded the streets with drawn cutlaffes and bayonets, and the people provoked them with infuits, and opprobrious fpeeches. The foldiers confidered the people to be rebels, and behaved to them accordingly, and the citizens looked upon them as a banditti of oppreffors, fent by government to enflave them. It was no wonder that people infpired with fuch different fentiments fhould not agree.

When once matters are carried fo far as to iffue in fhedding of blood, it is not an eafy task to reconcile the contending parties. Though the lieutenant-governor, the magiftrates, and other officers did all that was. in their power to fatisfy the people; yet the remem

brance

brance of their flaughtered friends put them into fuch a ftate of agitation, that it was impoffible to reconcile their minds to the military. They interpreted this tranfaction as only a prelude to the enforcing of laws by military execution, when once the government had perfected their measures; and the rest of the colonies pretended to fee their own fate in what had now happened at Bofton. This unhappy commotion was the occafion of more evils, both to the government and the colonies; for as the reprefentation of the facts were coloured on both fides in the strongest manner, it left impreffions upon the minds of the partizans, which were not eafily effaced. The controverfy at home concerning the fame fubjects, added additional fuel to the flame of contention, and the fecret manoeuvres of government, to difappoint the efforts of thofe that were ftruggling for liberty, being fometimes difcovered, encreafed the violence of oppofition. The house of affembly of South Carolina had voted the fum of 1500l. fterling to the fociety of the bill of rights, which was opposed by the lieutenant governor, in confequence of inftructions from the miniftry in England. Copies of the letters from England were demanded by the affembly, but were refused by the lieutenant-governor, which created great difguft in the province. Provoked with this interference of the crown; they were determined to fhew their oppofition more openly; and agreed to ftop all commercial intercoufe with New York, on account of that province breaking the non-importation agreement. This and other public deeds of legiflative bodies, animated those who were more cool in the oppofition, and by degrees made all the colonies unite in one common caufe. It is difficult to afcertain what is the whole truth in this controverfy,

but

but the reader will judge for himself when he reads the accounts of both parties, which fhall be left to his confideration.

A Letter from Bofton fets this matter in a true light.

On the evening of Monday, being the 5th of March, feveral foldiers of the 29th regiment were feen parading the ftreets with their drawn cutlaffes and bayo. nets, abufing and wounding numbers of the inhabi

tants.

A few minutes after nine o'clock, four youths, named Edward Archbald, William Merchant, Francis Archbald, and John Leech, jun. came down Cornhill together, and feparating at Dr Loring's corner, the two former, in paffing a narrow alley, where a foldier was brandishing a broad fword, of an uncommon fize, against the walls, out of which he struck fire plentifully, and a perfon of a mean countenance, armed with a large cudgel, by him, Edward Archbald bid Mr Merchant take care of the fword, on which the foldier turned round, ftruck Archbald on the arm, and then pushed at Merchant. Merchant

then struck the foldier with a short stick, and the o ther person ran to the barrack, and brought with him two foldiers, one armed with a pair of tongs, the other with a fhovel; he with the tongs purfued Archbald through the alley, collared and laid him over the head with the tongs. The noife brought people together, and John Hicks, a young lad, coming up, knocked the foldier down, but let him up again; and more lads gathering, drove them back to the bar rack, where the boys ftood fome time as it were to keep them in. In lefs than a minute ten or twelve foldiers came out, with drawn cutlaffes, clubs, and bayonets, and fet upon the unarmed boys, who, find

ing