heriff read a declaration to the faction of that town, at their town meeting by which they were commanded to break up their illegal affembly; but the proclamation was treated with the greatest contempt, and the fheriff infulted in the groffeft manner.

That he had it undoubtedly in his power, by calling In the affiftance of the naval force which was in the harbour, to have prevented the deftruction of the tea; but as the leading men in Boston had always made great complaints of the interruption of the army and navy, and charged all disturbances of every fort to their account, he, with great prudence and temperance, determined from the beginning to decline a meafure which would be fo irritating to the minds of the people; and might well have hoped, from this confidence in their conduct, and trust reposed in the civil power, that he fhould have calmed their turbu. lence and preferved the public tranquility. Thus, faid the ministry, the people of Boston were fairly tried. They were left to their own conc'uct, and the exercise of their own judgment, and the refult has given the lie to all their former profeffions. They are now, fay they, without an excufe; and all the powers of government in that province, are found infufficient to prevent the moft violent outrages. The loyal and peaceable people of a mercantile town, as they affect to be peculiarly confidered, have given a notable proof to the world of their juftice, moderation, loyalty, and affection for the mother country, by wantonly committing to the waves a valuable commodity, the property of another loyal mercantile body of fubjects, without the pretence of neceffity, even fuppofing that their oppofition to the payment of the duties, could juftify fuch a plea; as they had nothing to do but to adhere to their own refolution of non

confumption

confumption, effectually to evade the revenue laws.
It was concluded upon the whole, that by an impartial
view of the papers now before them, it would mani-
feftly appear, that nothing conld be done by either
civil, military, or naval officers, to effectuate the re-
establishment of tranquility and order in that province,
without addition of parliamentary powers, to give
efficacy to their proceedings. That no perfon em-
ployed by government could, in an act, however com.
mon or legal, fulfil the duties of his office or ftation,
without being exclaimed against by the licentious, as
That it was the
an infringement of their liberties.

fettled opinion of fome of the wifeft men both in
England and America, and thofe the beft acquainted
with the affairs of the colonies, that in their present
ftate of government, no measures whatfoever could
be pursued, that could, in any degree, remedy those
glaring evils which is every day growing to a more
That parliament,
enormous and dangerous height,
and parliament only, was capable of re-establishing
tranquility among thofe turbulent people, and of
And that it was
bringing order out of confufion,

therefore incumbent on every member to weigh and
confider with an attention fuitable to the importance
of the fubject, the purport of the papers before them,
and totally lay all prejudices afide, to form his opinion
upon the measures moft eligible to be purfued, for
fupporting the fupreme legislative authority of parlia-
ment, and the great interefts of the British empire.
This is the fubftance of what was urged by the mini.
The grand
ftry, when they prefented the papers.
object which the miniftry had in view, and which they
coloured with the name of the fupremacy of parlia
ment, was the fupremacy and dominion of themselves,
which they wanted to establish on the authority of
parliament. They could not help knowing, that if the
colonists

404

colonists were fubjects of the British empire, that they were to be governed by the fundamental ftatutes of the constitution; and that no new forms of govern. ment, or modes of taxation, could be admitted in any part of the British empire, contrary to the fundamental laws, without diffolving the ancient frame of government, and bringing the people again to a state of nature. The fupremacy of the parliament of Britain could only legally and reasonably extend as far as thofe places where its members reprefented, or to fubjects that had been fettled by agree. To proment to be referred to their jurifdiction. ceed farther was to establish in parliament a defpotifm over one part of the empire, which is not permitted in other parts, which few people will think reasonable when applied to themselves.

This

The party in parliament which had ftrong prefumtions that the diforders in the colonies proceeded as much from the mifmanagement of government, as from the turbulent temper of the colonies, propofed an examination of the measures that had been pursued for fome time paft, and that the conduct of the several governours, and the orders that had been fent to them from the ministry, fhould be examined. was a very fair and reasonable propofal, which honest men could not decently refuse. But the miniftry ftrongly oppofed all retrofpect views of their past conduct, alledging that it only tended to inflame the minds of the people, and would exafperate them more against government. The bufinefs they said was ur, gent and important, and required a speedy difcuffion; and that in the enquiry, fome great and important points would come under their confideration. Particularly, is America any longer to be dependent on this country? How far is it to be connected? what degree? It might be a great question, Whether

In

the

the colonies fhould not be given up? But if this queftion is decided in the negative, then it would be neceffary to examine in what manner their fubordination should be preferved, and the authority of this country inforced? Thefe points required the moft ferious investigation, in which the retrofpect recommended would be unneceffary, and perhaps dangerous, as encouraging thofe whom it was the business of parliament, by every means, to reduce to obedience. This method of reafoning was fophiftical and delufory; for it suggested that there were no other methods of conciliating the affections of the colonies, and fecuring their dependence on the mother country, except those that were calculated to fupport the dominion of the miniftry, and fecure them and their friends in their places and penfions. Inftead of any of those questions which have been mentioned, it might perhaps have been much better for the honour and dignity of the nation, and the fupreme legiflature, never to have called their authority in queftion, but to have proceeded to reverfe the laws complained of, and to rectify thofe falfe fleps of government which had occafioned the prefent difcontents. It has almost been the cafe in all ages, with all empires and governments, that have as yet exifted, that their power and authority were never called in queftion, till they began to ftretch them beyond their just bounds; and then by making new ftatutes to inforce the power, they fuggested reasons of doubt whether they were poffeffed of any fuch authority. It is highly probable, that had the ministry purfued the advice given them by the minority, and made fuch a reformation as the nature of the fubject required, that we should not have heard of the independency of America for a century to

come.

Many plaufible, but felfish arguments, were used by

the

the miniftry to incenfe the nation against the colonists, but the strongest, and which had most effect, was, that our trade to America would cease to exift, if the flagrant outrage at Bofton fhould pafs unpunished. By strong representations of this evil, the people began to be inflamed against the colonists, and in the time of this artificial fermentation, the miniftry pufhed on their schemes of coercion and violence with the greateft rapidity. They knew the minority would not choose to refift in exprefs terms, what was so positively affirmed to be for the advantage of the nation, or if they did, they would foon lofe all their popularity; they therefore made the best of this opportunity to carry their points in the houfe of commons. By carrying the vote of addrefs to the king, giving him thanks for the communication of the papers that had been laid before the houfe, the miniftry gained a great advantage; for they found by the difpofition of the house, which was strongly against taking any retrospect view of things paft, that they would confine themselves to the mere behaviour of the Americans. The violence of the colonists was manifeft and indifputable, and while no other reafons were produced except what appeared in the face of their actions, it was the moft likely thing in the world, that any propofition against them would be carried. It was fortunate for the miniftry that no part of the weakness and diforderly ftate of fo many governments, was laid before the houfe, for in this cafe they were likely to get clear of feveral years mifmanagement, which would have been a clog to all their motions, and must certainly have iflued in their difgrace.

It appeared manifeft that gathering against the colonies, that of Maffachufett's-Bay.

the ftorm that was would fall first upon This made the agent

for that colony prefent a petition to the house, by way

of