in open rebellion. Sir, I rejoice that America has resisted; three millions of people so dead to all the feelings of liberty, as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of all the rest. I am no courtier of America. I maintain that parliament has a right to bind, to restrain America. Our legislative power over the colonies is sovereign and supreme. When,' asks the honorable gentleman were the colonies emancipated?' At what time, say I in answer, were they made slaves? I speak from accurate knowledge when I say that the profits to Great Britain from the trade of the colonies, through all its branches, is two millions per annum. This is the fund which carried you triumphantly through the war; this is the price America pays you for her protection; and shall a miserable financier come with a boast that he can fetch a pepper-corn into the exchequer, at the loss of millions to the nation?

"I know the valor of your troops-I know the skill of your officers-I know the force of this country; but in such a cause your success would be hazardous. America, if she fell, would fall like the strong man: she would embrace the pillars of the state, and pull down the constitution with her. Is this your boasted peace? not to sheathe the sword in the scabbard, but to sheathe it in the bowels of your countrymen? The Americans have been wrongedthey have been driven to madness by injustice! Will you punish them for the madness you have occasioned? No: let this country be the first to resume its prudence and temper; I will pledge myself for the colonies, that on their part, animosity and resentment will cease. Upon the whole, I will beg leave to tell the house in few words what is really my opinion: It is, that the stamp act be repealed, absolutely, totally, and immediately."

On the 22d of February, General Conway introduced a motion to repeal this act. The debate lasted until three o'clock in the morning, and never was there a debate which excited more warmth of interest, or more vehemence of opposition The lobbies of the house were crowded with the manufacturers and traders of the kingdom, whose anxious countenances plainly showed that their fates hung upon the issue. A division at length being called for, two hundred and seventy-five rose in support of the motion, and one hundred and sixty-seven against it.

On learning this vote, the transports of the people were ungovernable. Impressed with the conviction that they

owed their deliverance to Mr. Pitt, their gratitude knew no bounds: when he appeared at the door, in the language of Burke, "they jumped upon him, like children on a long absent father. They clung to him as captives about their redeemer. All England joined in his applause." In the house of peers, the opposition to the motion was still more obstinate. Some of the dukes, and the whole bench of bishops, were for forcing the Americans to submit, with fire and sword. Opposition, however, was, at length, wearied out, and the motion to repeal was carried by a majority of thirty-four, a compromise having been made by introducing the above declaratory act.

Sec. 12. The satisfaction of the colonies on the repeal of the stamp act was sincere and universal. Elevated with the idea of having removed an odious and oppressive burden, and believing, notwithstanding the declaratory act of parliament, that the right of taxing the colonies was at length surrendered, better feelings were indulged; commercial intercourse was revived, and larger importations of goods were made than ever.

On the meeting of the house of representatives of Massachusetts, a vote of gratitude to the king, and of thanks to Mr. Pitt, the Duke of Grafton, and others, was passed by that body. By the house of burgesses in Virginia, it was resolved to erect a statue in honor of the king, and an obelisk in honor of all those, whether of the house of peers or of the commons, who had distinguished themselves in favor of the rights of the colonies.

Sec. 13. In July, 1766, the administration of the Marquis of Rockingham was dissolved, and a new one formed, under the direction of Mr. Pitt at this time created Earl of Chatham. Unfortu nately, it was composed of men of different political principles, and attached to different parties. Among the members of the new cabinet, hostile to America, was Charles Townshend, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Influenced by Lord Grenville, this latter minister, in the year 1767, introduced

into parliament a second plan for taxing America, viz. by imposing duties on glass, paper, pasteboard, painter's colors, and tea.

Sec. 14. During the discussion of this bill, Mr. Pitt was confined by indisposition, and hence, unable to raise his voice against it. Without much opposition, it passed both houses; and on the 29th of June, received the royal assent. At the same time, were passed two other acts;-the one establishing a new board of custom-house officers in America; and the other restraining the legislature of the province of New-York from passing any act whatever, until they should furnish the king's troops with several required articles.

Sec. 15. These three acts reached America at the same time, and again excited universal alarm. The first and second were particularly odious. The new duties, it was perceived, were only a new mode of drawing money from the colonies, and the same strong opposition to the measure was exhibited, which had prevailed against the stamp act. Several of the colonies, through their colonial assemblies, expressed their just abhorrence of these enactments, and their determination never to submit to them.

Soon after the establishment of the new board of customhouse officers, at Boston, under the above act, a fit occasion presented itself, for an expression of the public indignation. This was the arrival at that port, in May, 1668, of the sloop. Liberty, belonging to Mr. Hancock, and laden with wines from Madeira.

During the night, most of her cargo was unladen, and put into stores; on the following day, the sloop was entered at the custom-house, with a few pipes only. A discovery being made of these facts, by the custom-house officers, the vessel was seized, and by their order removed along side of the Romney, a ship of war, then in harbor. The conduct

of the custom-house officers, in this transaction, roused t indignant feelings of the Bostonians, who unwarrantabiy attacked the houses of the officers, and even assaulted their persons. No prosecutions, however, could be sustained, from the excited state of public feeling. Finding themselves no longer safe in the town, the officers prudently sought protection on board the Romney, and subsequently retired to Castle William.

Sec. 16. The public excitement was soon after increased by the arrival in the harbor of two regiments of troops, under the command of Colonel Dalrymple. These were designed to assist the civil magistrates in the preservation of peace, and the custom-house officers in the execution of their functions.

On the day after its arrival, the fleet was brought to anchor near Castle William. Having taken a station, which commanded the town, the troops, under cover of the cannon of the ships, landed without molestation, and to the number of upwards of 700 men, marched with muskets charged, bayonets fixed, martial music, and the usual military parade, on to the common. In the evening, the select men of Boston were required to quarter the two regiments in the town, but they absolutely refused. A temporary shelter, however, in Fanueil Hall, was permitted to one regiment, that was without its camp equipage. The next day, the state house, by order of the governor, was opened for the reception of the soldiers; and after the quarters were settled, two field pieces, with the main guard, were stationed just in its front. Every thing was calculated to excite the indignation of the inhabiThe lower floor of the state house, which had been used by gentlemen and merchants as an exchange, the representatives' chamber, the court-house, Fanueil-Hallplaces with which were intimately associated ideas of justice and freedom, as well as of convenience and utility—were now filled with regular soldiers. Guards were placed at the doors of the state house, through which the council must pass, in going to their own chamber. The common was covered with tents. Soldiers were constantly marching and counter marching to relieve the guards. The sentinels challenged the inhabitants as they passed. The Lord's day was profaned, and the devotion of the sanctuary disturbed

tants.

the sound of drums and other military music. There was every appearance of a garrisoned town.*

Sec. 17. In Feb., 1769, both houses of parliament went a step beyond all that had preceded, in an address to the king, requesting him to give orders to the governor of Massachusetts-the spirited conduct of which province was particularly obnoxious to the ministry-to take notice of such as might be guilty of treason, that they might be sent to England and tried there.

A measure more odious to the people of America, or more hostile to the British constitution, could not be named, than for a man to be torn from his country, to be tried by a jury of strangers.

The house of burgesses of Virginia met soon after the official accounts of this address were received, and, in a few days, passed several spirited resolutions, expressing "their exclusive right to tax their constituents, and denying the right of his majesty to remove an offender out of the country for trial." The next day, the royal governor of that colony sent for the house of burgesses, and addressed them laconically as follows: "Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the house of burgesses, I have heard of your resolves, and augur ill of their effects. You have made it my duty to dissolve you, and you are accordingly dissolved!" The assembly of North Carolina passed similar resolutions, and were dissolved by their governor, in a similar manner.

In May following, the assembly of Massachusetts convened, but refused to transact any business, while the state house was surrounded by an armed force. This force, however, the governor would not remove, but adjourned the assembly to Cambridge. At this place, the assembly passed resolutions expressing their belief, that the maintenance of a standing army in the colony, in time of peace, was an infringement of the natural rights of the people. They refused to make any of the appropriations of money desired by the governor, in consequence of which he prorogued them. In August, the governor (Bernard) was recalled, and the government devolved upon Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson.

* Holmes' American Annals.