allege to entire oblivion. He congratu- | right to tax America, yet ought not to lated the minister on such a friend as sir exercise it. He was warmly for the William; the merchants on such an able amendment. He said, if we were resolved and powerful advocate; the cabinet on to sacrifice the supremacy of parliament, such a counsellor; the right hon. gentle- he would much readier consent to it on man himself on such a patron; and the any other ground than that which the preKing and parliament on the happiness of sent petition would lead to, as this would having so respectable a person in a situa- be an inexhaustible source of applications tion to reciprocally impart the desires and of the same nature; for whenever the wishes of either party to each other. He Americans had any point to gain, let it prophesied the most salutary effects from be ever so unreasonable, all they had to so happy a beginning. He compared the do was to refuse to pay their debts, to right hon. gentleman to Sampson, and the threaten to stop all commercial intercourse ministers, and the friends of the Declara- with us, and their business would be done : tory Act and all the revenue Acts, to the if therefore we were to submit, let us Philistines; and supposed himself to be fairly give up the point at once; let us involved in the ruin, which must follow sooner even become their vassals, than refrom pulling down the pillars which had main open to demands which could have supported the system of destructive policy no bounds, and must be irresistible, when and oppression, which the right hon. gen- they were brought forward in the present tleman contended ought to have been reform. sisted. In a word, he turned, twisted, metamorphosed, and represented every thing which the right hon. gentleman had advanced into so many ridiculous forms, that the House was kept in a continued roar of laughter.

Sir Gilbert Elliot replied to Mr. Burke, and ironically complimented him; but begged leave to differ from him, as to the matter in debate. He observed, that the committee appointed for the 26th, was intended to consider of the papers, in order to come to some speedy resolution, suited to the dignity of parliament, and the present situation of affairs in America; that the great variety of facts, and mass of matter, which would come of course under consideration in the committee, to which the petition must be referred, would be a work of great and laborious toil; and that the views and objects of the enquiry, originating with the papers, and the petition being totally distinct in their nature, the determinations and execution arising from both must be different.

Mr. T. Townshend contended, that it would be fairer and more manly to reject the petition at once, than thus endeavour to defeat it; that the pretence of appointing a committee was but a mere evasion; and that, indeed, as much had been already avowed by the right hon. member who proposed the amendment, who pointed out so late as the month of June before it could be supposed capable of determining or coming to any resolution.

Lord Clare was for not submitting to the Americans in the least, and ridiculed the opinion of those who said we had a

Mr. Charles Fox, in favour of the Americans, repeatedly called on lord North to know who was the man that advised the late Acts, for it was he who had created the disturbances, it was he who had placed general Gage and his troops in the ridi-` culous situation in which they were, and it was he who ought to answer to his country for the mischief and expence that might ensue. He attacked the minister violently; pointed out his delays before Christmas, and his speed after he said, the committee meant no more than a mere farce, to delude the merchants, as he was certain nothing serious was intended.

Lord J. Cavendish was for the petition being heard with the papers, and condemned lord North for his behaviour in bringing in estimates at the beginning of the session, before he knew the expence which would be necessary; that it was a deceit to the country gentlemen, who retired into the country satisfied with the estimate at first, and who never imagined there would be any further sum required: that the noble lord was pressed, and ought to have laid before the House the papers before the holidays, as he was desired.

Lord North defended the delay before the holidays chiefly on two grounds: first, for want of necessary information; secondly, because he understood from several persons, who pretended to know it, that the address from the continental congress to the King, was of that conciliatory nature as to make way for healing, lenient measures. As to the question before the House, besides repeating the very great delays which the matters contained in the

petition would probably occasion, it could | styled the most civilized people in the

not, with the least colour of propriety, be considered with the papers; one being simply an object of commerce, the other clearly a matter of policy. He said, his reason for not laying the papers before the House sooner was, on account of what the Americans called a congress, but what he called an illegal and reprehensible meeting, not being finished; and that he was informed a petition would be sent from them to the throne, which would reconcile all matters in an amicable manner. Sir George Macartney was severe against the Petition, though, he said, he wished to be thought a friend to so respectable a body as the petitioners: petitions were generally framed, he said, and brought about by some interested persons who had artifice enough to induce others to sign them.

Captain Luttrell. I have listened with attention to this debate, in hopes of receiving such instruction as might enable me to judge which way of acting will be most conducive to the welfare of America and this country. Sir, I am sorry to find such a variety of opinions prevail amongst us, as makes it very difficult to determine what measures are likely to prove the most salutary; but being neither willing to be led astray by the oratory of one man, or the party zeal of another, I feel a wish to consider this petition on the day moved for, and to pursue an opinion I have adopted from my own personal knowledge of the Americans, their country, and their coasts. Sir, that the colonies are inseparably united to the imperial crown of this realm, I trust will never be denied by the friends of either clime; but though it has been asserted, America can subsist without our commerce, I believe nobody will say, she can flourish without our protection. If we abandon her to her present miserable situation, she must soon sue to us or to some other power for succour. Insecure in their lives and properties, the Americans must, ere long, experience the fatal consequences of being exposed to the depredations of marauders and lawless ruffians; they will soon cry aloud for the re-establishment of those judicial authorities that have been imprudently overturned, and which are necessary, not only to the welfare, but to the very existence of the subject, among the rudest nations of the globe. Sir, I fear, indeed, the Americans at this hour cannot properly be

known world; but an unfortunate fatality seems to have awaited that unhappy country for a series of years past. The late war was scarce at an end, before you put a total stop to their trade with the Spanish West Indies. 'Tis true, it was, strictly speaking, illicit, but it was very beneficial to them, for from thence they got their specie. Then, Sir, as if you meant to add insult to bad policy, no sooner had you deprived them of the means of assisting you, but you ungenerously imposed the right of taxation. Sir, if such a power is vested in the British parliament, I think you have mistaken the season to exercise it; but I never can consider that we, who are many of us strangers to the resources of that country and its produce, are com petent judges which of their commodities can best bear the burden of taxation. Sir, those that are acquainted with Ame rica know as well as I do, that from Rhode Island northwards they have no money; that their trade is generally carried on by barter, from the most opulent merchant to the necessitous husbandman. Sir, before your fleet and armies visited their coasts, you might almost as soon have raised the dead as 100%. in specie from any individual in the province of the Massachu set's Bay. Then, Sir, let us suppose the Americans to be the most tractable, the most loyal of all the King's subjects, with every good inclination to pay obedience to the mandates of the mother country, where are their abilities to comply with your present demands? For my part, I know but one method by which you can possibly put America into a situation to assist this country; agree with her upon a fair and certain subsidy to be paid you annually; wait with patience the arrival of her merchandizes here, and the sale of them also; then, and not till then, their money will be forthcoming to pay you. Sir, such are my present sentiments with respect to the situation of our colonies at this important crisis; but I will hope for better days, and better information; cause I wish to be convinced that neither America nor this country are in danger of being undone.

be

Lord Stanley, for a young speaker, acquitted himself very decently. He expa tiated largely on the legislative supremacy and omnipotence of parliament; spoke much of treason, rebellion, coercion, and firmness; and insisted, that if we gave way to their present temper,

the

consequence would probably be, their desiring a repeal of the Navigation Act, and every other Act on our statute books that in the least degree affected them.

Mr. Adam and Mr. Innis, also spoke for the Amendment; governor Johnstone and alderman Sawbridge against it. The House divided for the Amendment 197, against it 81.

lord plume himself on actions which, of all others, were most reprehensible in this train of political absurdities. That it was unbecoming the noble lord to allege that this dangerous measure was adopted to serve the East India Company, when it was notorious the Company had requested the repeal of the 3d. per pound in America, and felt and knew the absurdity of giving a drawback here, and laying a duty there: a perfect solecism in commerce and

offered their consent, that government should retain 6d. in the pound on the exportation, if the 3d. was remitted in America. That the noble lord had been re

Mr. Burke, then, in avery severe speech, which he pointed chiefly at lord North, condemned the behaviour of administra-politics. That the East India Company tion in this business; declaring that they bad, for decency's sake, admitted the petition, yet had determined that it should never be heard. He said, he had a petition in his hand from the principal mer-quested and intreated, by the governor chants in Bristol trading to America; yet, as he found there were two committees now, the one for hearing evidence, the other for burying petitions, he plainly saw his petition would share the fate of the other, and be buried in oblivion, though not in sure and certain hopes of a joyful resurrection; that his worthy colleague (Mr. Cruger) had likewise a petition of the merchants of Bristol to present, but it would go to the silent committee, and the three, he imagined, would be left to sleep together. He concluded with asking leave to present his petition, which being granted, he made the same motion as Alderman Hayley, for its being referred to the committee on the 26th.

Lord North objected to it, as it did not desire to be heard: he observed, it could not be of any information.

himself, in his place, to remove the cause of dispute, and was foretold the consequence of persevering in error. That the noble lord had shewn, by his conduct, he was neither financier, nor politician, or infatuated with those about him. That the East India Company presented the happiest opportunity which could have offered for removing with credit the cause of difference. The noble lord himself had confessed, in repealing the other articles in the original Act, that the tea was as much an anti commercial tax as any of those which were repealed on that principle; but the authority of parliament being disputed, he could not repeal all till that was fully acknowledged. Here, then, sprung the happiest occasion of doing right, without injuring the claims on either side. The East India Company ask; their situation required the relief. It could not be alleged it was done at the instance of American discontent. But the golden bridge was refused: new contrivances were set on foot to introduce the tea into America. I know, said he, the vari Lord North said, it was impossible for ous intrigues, solicitations, and counterhim to have foreseen the proceedings in solicitations, that were used to induce the America respecting the tea; that the chairman and deputy chairman of the Comduty had been quietly collected before; pany, to undertake this rash and foolish 15, that the great quantity of tea in the ware- business. I protested against it, as conhouses of the East India Company, as ap- trary to the principles of their monopoly. peared by the Report of the Secret Com-Yet the power of ministry prevailed, and mittee, made it necessary to do some the noble lord would now cover all those thing for the benefit of the Company; facts, which are ready, from their conse that it was to serve them, that 9d. in the quences, to convulse the empire, and take pound weight drawback was allowed; that credit for them as having been done with it was impossible for, him to foretel the the most innocent intentions to serve the Americans would resist at being able to East India Company: when, on the condrink their tea at 9d. in the pound cheaper. trary, it must appear to every man, that Governor Johnstone said, he got up the glut of tea in their warehouses was merely to speak to a matter of fact; that chiefly occasioned by the impolitic and he could not sit still and hear the noble anti-commercial imposition of three-pence [N]

Mr. Burke replied, the noble lord had objected to one petition because it desired to be heard, to the other, because it did not desire to be heard: but nothing was to be expected from him but blunders and inconsistencies.

[VOL. XVIII.]

a pound in America, which deprived them, | Act in the following year removed their and still deprives them of that great vent; and that the losses they have since sustained, by sending teas on their own account to America, is likewise chargeable to administration. If this is the manner in which they serve their friends, I desire still to be counted among the number of their enemies.

A conversation now ensued concerning a point of order, whether a petition could be received concerning a petition which lay before the House, but of which they could have no possible knowledge. This lord North, Mr. Rigby, the Solicitor Geconversation lasted some time, in which neral, lord E. Campbell, and Mr. GasCommittee. coyne, were against the receiving it, comJan. 25. A Petition from the merch-plaining of the thinness of the Ilouse, and