LI. 1775. Then it was that Lord Chatham emerged from CHAP. his retirement. For some time past he had seen in the clearest light the urgent necessity of reconciliation with America. Not indeed that he could be blind to the manifold grounds of provocation which Massachusetts had afforded. But he felt that provocation could no longer be treated as such when it came from one united province, and when it was supported by eleven provinces more. He felt, as Burke at the same period truly and finely said, that he did not know the method of drawing up an indictment against a whole people.* There remained then only the hope, perhaps too sanguine, yet such as full success had crowned in the case of the Highland regiments, to disarm inveterate hostility by generous confidence. With these views Chatham appeared in the House of Lords on the 20th of January, without any previous notice of his precise object, having only in general terms announced a motion on American affairs. The Bar was crowded with Americans, amongst others, by Chatham's own invitation, Dr. Franklin. The other hearers comprised young William Pitt, who writing to his mother next morning gives an animated account of the debate. "No wonder," says he, " my father is lame from standing so long; his first speech lasted above an hour, and "the second half an hour,- surely the two finest 66 * Works, vol. iii. p. 69. ed. 1815. СНАР. 1775. speeches that ever were made before, unless by "himself! . . . . The matter and manner both "* were striking; far beyond what I can express.' Chatham moved an Address to the King praying that in order to open a way towards allaying the ferments and softening the animosities in America His Majesty would send orders to General Gage to remove his troops as soon as possible from the town of Boston. 66 Laying of papers on your table," he cried, "or counting "numbers in a division, will not avert or postpone "the hour of danger; it must arrive, my Lords, "unless these fatal Acts of last Session are done away; it must arrive in all its horrors. "But it is not merely repealing these Acts of "Parliament, it is not cancelling a piece of parch"ment, that can win back America to our bosom ; you must repeal her fears and her resentments, "and you may then hope for her love and gra❝titude. But now, insulted with an armed force "at Boston; irritated with an hostile array before "her eyes; her concessions, even if you could "force them, would be suspicious and insecure. But it is more than evident that you "cannot force them, united as they are, to your unworthy terms of submission. It is impossi"ble; and when I hear General Gage censured Chatham Papers, vol. iv. p. 377. A good report (good at least for that day) of these celebrated speeches was taken by Hugh Boyd and first published in 1779. It was on this occasion that Dr. Franklin used the remarkable expressions of praise which I have elsewhere cited (vol. iii. p. 20. sec. ed.) LI. 1775. "for inactivity, I must retort with indignation on CHAP. "those whose headlong measures and improvident "councils have betrayed him into his present "situation. His situation reminds me, my Lords, "of the answer of a French general in the civil "wars of France,- Monsieur de Condé opposed "to Monsieur de Turenne. He was asked how "it happened that he did not take his adversary prisoner as he was often very near him. ،، ، Because,' - replied Condé very honestly, ،، ، because I am afraid he might take me ! 66 "When your Lordships look at the papers trans"mitted us from America, when you consider "their decency, firmness, and wisdom, you cannot "but respect their cause, and wish to make it your own. For myself I must declare and avow “ that in all my reading of history, and it has "been my favourite study; I have read Thu ،، ،، cydides and have admired the master-states of "the world,-no nation or body of men can stand "in preference to the General Congress at PhilaIdelphia. All attempts to impose servitude on "such men, to establish despotism over such a ،، mighty Continent, must be vain, must be fatal. "We shall be forced ultimately to retract; let us "retract while we can, not when we must. I say "we must necessarily undo these violent oppressive “ Acts; they must be repealed; you will repeal "them; I pledge myself for it that you will in "the end repeal them. I stake my reputation on "it. I will consent to be taken for an idiot if "they are not finally repealed.-Avoid then this CHAP. 1775. Το humiliating disgraceful necessity. "conclude, my Lords, if the Ministers thus per"severe in misadvising and misleading the King, "I will not say that they can alienate the affec"tions of his subjects from his Crown, but I will "affirm that they will make the Crown not worth "his wearing; I will not say that the King is be"trayed, but I will pronounce that the kingdom "is undone." The motion of Chatham was ably supported by his friends Lords Shelburne and Camden. Lord Rockingham also said a few words in its favour. But the Ministers opposed it with much warmth; instead of recalling troops from Boston, they said it would rather behove them to send more. On a division only 18 Peers were found to vote for the motion; against it 68.-It was noticed that this small minority comprised both Lord Grosvenor and the Duke of Cumberland. His Royal Highness it may be said in passing -was not long in joining without reserve the ranks of Opposition. Once in the lobby of the House he walked up to Dr. Price to compliment him on a most vehement pamphlet in favour of the Americans which Dr. Price had lately written. "I sat up to read "it last night," said the Duke, "so late that it "had almost blinded me!"-" On the greater part of the nation," observed Dunning who was standing by, "it has had exactly the opposite "effect; it has opened their eyes!" Far from being daunted by the late division, and resolved to leave no effort untried to avert a civil LI. 1775. war, Chatham with characteristic energy forthwith CHAP. applied himself to prepare and present to the House "a Provisional Bill for settling the Troubles "in America." In the framing of this measure he sought the counsel and aid of Dr. Franklin. Already in the month of August preceding they had become acquainted, through the mediation of Lord Stanhope, who carried Dr. Franklin to Hayes. Lord Chatham had then referred to the idea which began to prevail in England that America aimed at setting up for itself as a separate state. The truth of any such idea was loudly denied by Dr. Franklin. "I assured his Lordship that having 66 more than once travelled almost from one end "of the Continent to the other, and kept a great "variety of company, eating, drinking, and con"versing with them freely, I never had heard in 66 66 any conversation from any person, drunk or "sober, the least expression of a wish for a separation, or hint that such a thing would be advantageous to America. In fine, "Lord Chatham expressed much satisfaction in my having called upon him, and particularly "in the assurances I had given him that Ame"rica did not aim at independence."* Yet these assurances, however earnest or frequently repeated, by no means expressed the true and 66 Works, vol. v. p. 7. ed. 1844. Franklin's own narrative of these conferences and negotiations was written on his voyage homewards in the form of a letter to his son, the date being March 22. 1775. |