! ties laid on by the authority of the provinces; many excifes; a land tax in many provinces; an heavy poll-tax; befides a faculty-tax upon all perfonal eftates and acquifitions, amounting in fome provinces to five or fix fhillings in the pound; fo that the affertion of their not being taxed, or contributing to the public expence, was totally without foundation. The friends of the miniftry, and of the colonists, demonftrated that the Americans were poor, and were indebted four millions to the merchants in Britain; who, as they were creditors to fuch an amount, were really the proprietors of a great part of what the Americans feemed to poffefs: That the fuppreffion of manufactures in America, by obliging them to take every fort which they ufed, from Britain, was making them pay, in one fpecies of taxation, all other kinds of taxes; and in fact, making them the chief fupporters of public burdens. Confidering their great distance from this country, it was urged that it was impoffible for the people here to be fo well acquainted with the ftate of American affairs, as to be able to judge minutely concerning the propriety of a revenue tax: That without being well acquainted with the ftate of the colonifts, we, in this country might be ready to opprefs them, which government fhould above all things, endeavour to avoid: That it was the best policy to keep o commercial views, and purfue the advantages that attended them, which would lefs opprefs the colonifts, and would enable them fooner to pay their debts to our merchants.Thefe are a few of the arguments on both fides, on this occafion, and it will be allowed by all who are clear of prejudice, that the miniftry had the better in this difpute. Justice, found policy, clemency, and bumanity were united in their reafonings; whereas the oppofition oppofition breathed domination tyranny, and deftruction through the whole of this debate. Notwithstanding the violence and vigour of those in oppofition, and all the fecret influence of an invifible power, the bill paffed, upon a divifion, by a majority of 275 to 167, and was carried up to the lords by aboye two hundred members of the house of commons. The approbation with which it was introduced into the upper houfe, did not fecure it from a vigorous oppofition: Thirty-three lords entered a proteft against it at the fecond reading, and twentyeight at the third reading: It was however carried by a majority of thirty-four lords, and in three days received the royal affent. The repeal of this law, was the cause of more univerfal joy through the dominions of Britain, than probably ever was known by any one event. It could not but do the hearts of the promoters of this appeal good, to fee and hear of fo many millions of their fellow fubjects rejoicing and exulting at an event which proceeded from the wifdom, benevolence, juftice, and clemency, of men whom they had entrusted with their concerns. There was more true glory to the king, the parliament, and the miniftry, in repealing this act, than if they had all united to enforce it by fleets and armes, fire and fword. There can be little true glory in forcing laws by military execution, but there is much honour in making fuch statutes or repealing them, as give joy to a whole empire. This is one of the glories of the prefent reign, and for the fake of this noble act of wisdom, every humane perfon will be ready to forgive an hundred faults. Whatever may happen in future times, it may be faid that George the Third had once a wife miniftry, and put his hand to a noble and illuftrious deed. In all cafes that are problematical nothing nothing difplays the wifdon of a legislature more than the purfuing meafures that are lenient in their own nature, and tend to conciliate the affections of the fubjects to government. The infirmities of human nature require that the exertions of government fhould be tender, and that power which is lodged in the hands of governers to preferve men's lives, fhould never be employed to destroy them, as long as any other me thod can be adopted. There was alfo this feffions a bill brought in and paffed, for fecuring the dependance of the colonies upon Great Britain; and another for granting indemnity to fuch as had incurred penalties on account of the stampact, and an order made by government, that, the provinces of North America fhould indemnify fuch as had fuffered by the late riots, by making a compenfation for the loffes they had fuftained, which they fome time after accordingly did. The cyder-act was alfo repealed, and another duty laid on in the place of it, fo that one popular law fucceeded another, and the miniftry encreased in popularity as they were envied by those in oppofition, The fatisfaction arifing from the repeal of this act was heightened in proportion to the degree of discontent that had arifen from the paffing of it, and the cyder counties tafted the fame pleasure with their brethren in America, which they enjoyed at the fame time, and teftified their thankfulness by univerfal joy. As men in growing really wifer generally grow better, fo as the miniftry encreased in wifdom, they proceeded in promoting acts of utility. By their conferences with the merchants in North America, and thofe of the West Indies, they acquired more knowledge of their trade, and the method of conducting it, and by virtue of fome petitions from trading towns in England, a bill was paffed for opening free ports in the Weft In dies under certain limitations and restrictions. Several new and important regulations were likewife made in the general fyftem of commerce in the colonies, and fome restrictions taken off, that had been long complained of, as an heavy clog upon trade and bufinefs. Thefe popular acts made the miniftry the idol of the mercantile part of the nation, who could not help being highly pleafed at the attention which had been paid to their interefts, fo different, from what former administrations had generally practifed. Some other acts and refolutions were paffed this feffion, which all tended either to eafe, or remove the burdens of the people; among which may be reckoned the repeal of the old duties upon houfes and windows, and the new bill, by which the duties are much more equitably laid on, and more eafy to the lower and middling degrees of people. It was alfo refolved that the taking up of people by general warrants, or the feizing of their papers, except in such cases as are prefcribed by acts of parliament are illegal. The miniftry had hitherto fucceeded in the most profperous manner; they had weathered the ftorm of oppofition during this feffion, and gained every point they had attempted in parliament. They had fecured the confidence and good will of the public, in the highest degree; they alfo had aquired fome credit in their foreign tranfactions: an advantageous commer cial treaty had been concluded with the emprefs of Ruffia, and the long contefted Canada bills, were fettled, to the fatisfaction of the owners; and they had made fome progrefs in reviving the long neglected affair of the Manilla ranfom. Such was the fuccefs of the miniftry, that it was now thought that they were were fecurely fettled and fixed in their prefent fituation. It was at this time, to the furprife of the whole nation, that notwithstanding thefe appearances the miniftry was changed. The prefent reign had hitherto been remarkable for changes of this fort, and the reafon generally affigned for this political phænomonon was, that a fecret influence of an invisible agent which did not appear publickly directed the fprings of government, and produced fo many and various revolutions in the miniftry. Whether this opinion proceeded from jealoufy or fome other caufe I will not pretend to determine, but it was the general belief of the public at that time, upon whatever principle it might be founded. Such a fudden overturn in the ministerial department, when all the nation applauded the meafures of government, could not be accounted for, upon any rational principle of operation; for as the miniftry were the fervants whom the king had ap. pointed to manage the public affairs of the nation, and they had difcharged their duty with univerfal approbation, the turning them out of office when they were fo agreeable to the public, feemed to declare, that the interefts of the king and the nation were different, or that the fovereign did not fuftain the people proper judges of their own interefts. The miniftry finished their career with fo much honour to themfelves, and fatisfaction to the nation, and withal, behaved in fuch a difinterested manner, that their popularity increased after their difmiffion from their office. They had gained nothing to themselves, and fecured nothing to their friends, and retired without place, penfion, or emolument. The public expreffed the fenfe they had of their fervices, by numerous addreffes prefented to the marquis of Rockingham on this occafion, while they fhewed their difpleafure at difplacing |