mean any thing personal against any man, especially the minister who might appear to be most affected by his conclusions; that he had really a personal regard for the noble lord; that he wished rather by pointing out errors, to lead to redress for the future, than to punishment for the past; yet, on the other hand, if upon the state of the enquiries, things and actions, which were connected with persons, did appear to deserve the animadversion, the censure of the House, he should adhere to what was right for the public, be the persons whomsoever, or whatsoever they may.

The honourable gentleman then opened, with infinite wit and raillery, the plan of dignity adopted by the ministers, and shewed how it was pursued through every transaction; from the proposing the new revenue act for America, to their partial repeal of it in this session. He began first with the measures taken, when the parliament was persuaded to pass an act for suspending the assembly of New York, and shewed, that instead of producing a submission from that assembly, on which the dignity of government was to be established, it produced resolutions in that assembly against both the dignity and authority of this government. The quartering bill, which this suspending act was meant to enforce, was never submitted to; and the whole effect was, that the act of parliament was now no longer in force, but the resolutions were, and have had their effect.

As the revenue acts produced in America nothing but resolutions against our power of taxing, the next step of dignity was a letter of a secretary of state, ordering, with a menace, in case of refusal, the assembly at Boston, from whence the measure of resolving first took rise, to rescind all such resolutions, and directing the governors of the other provinces, by another and circular letter, to induce their assemblies to treat the Boston resolves with the contempt they deserved. Here again our dignity was dishonoured. The Boston assembly, who would not rescind,

"

I

42

the secretary of

and the people of

more confirmed in ce inflamed, several acts is state of things, the able to carry its measures

n the aid of parliament, to a2 not govern those ungovernt was persuaded to come to mac. A sad to give back the curious sà a ending or 2 stjects of America, suspected of reased and msprison of treason, to England, under the authority of 30 quù set of Henry VIII. to be tried here. These treats never were, as it was known they never could be, carried into execution. They exposed the weakness of parlament, they rendered its power abhorred, and reduceri de dignity of government to contempt.

These great strokes of policy not succeeding, the plan wok a fermer tones and, upon an account received of some breaches of the peace, and some affrays with the creons-house officers, a fleet and an army were sent to Boston, to scare not our dignity, but government itself, as was given out. See now the issue of this: the civil magistrate, who was said to call for the aid of these troops, would neither receive nor quarter them; would not accept, nor use their aid; so that, after the parade of the terror wever, and after the ministers found they could not frighten the people, they withdrew part of this armament, and the rest are now drawn out of the town. the arches, it appears, that instead of having established the diniy of government, you have now shown, by the test you have lost the power of effect, either ay to prorogue, or even to induce the assemblies in deur resolves against your power.

So that, on

sure of crude impracticable vigour, you abvery measure of lenity, (proved to be the lenity at ireed to submit,) has brought you into con

tempt. At the very time that parliament was to be persuaded to take up the menace of Henry VIII.'s act, ministry were preparing a plan of submission; and when they found that the terms of their submission would not be accepted by the Americans, the ministers, by another circular letter, upon the plan of lenity, laid the grounds for their friends in America to negociate a reconciliation; pretending themselves, in the mean while, to hold up their heads high under the authority of parliament, which could not submit; and yet, if their friends could have carried any one point that would have served for ostensible ground to parliament, parliament was to be persuaded to repeal as they should recommend. And, lastly, although the Americans could not be induced to do even this, yet parliament was persuaded to repeal article for article, as the ministers had promised, and vowed they should, and not a jot further. So that now, not only dignity, but governpower are all brought to nought. Every instrument is gone; there is neither civil nor military. The malignity of your will is abhorred; the debility of your power is contemned—which ever has been, and is now the case of a government without wisdom.

ment and

These measures, and this state of things, do not only deserve, as we have expressed it, our most serious consideration, but so far as it shall appear, that this state of things have been brought on by those measures, the measures do surely deserve our censure; and upon this ground the honourable gentleman said he should propose resolutions of censure of the several measures which had been lately taken. Which Resolutions were as follow:

1. "That, in several of his majesty's colonies in North America, disorders have of late prevailed, prejudicial to the trade and commerce of this kingdom, and destructive to the peace and prosperity of the said colonies.

2. "That a principal cause of the disorders which have lately prevailed in North America, hath arisen from the

44 MR. BURKE'S RESOLUTIONS RELATING T

scinding; and the other assemblies treated t state's letter with contempt.

ca having been chancing certain assemblies to sit the said combinastency, and tending -subjects in America, ness of his majesty's

These wise steps of policy failing, a America growing every day more and their resolutions, and more and more in of violence broke out. Upon this crown was now, as confessedly unal into execution, advised to call in th tell parliament, that it could not able people. The parliament some threatening resolves, and advice of sending for the subj treason and misprision of t authority of an old act of These threats never wer could be, carried into ex ness of parliament, the reduced the dignity of These great strol took a firmer tor some breaches of custom-house of Boston, to secur as was given gistrate, wh would neith

...of dangerous conse"rivilege of this House, with America the inter

or of his confidential manner which may tend semblies, that such interAssarily bring on a repeal be laid, by authority of

ratory from his majesty's parliamentary deliberation, to the said assemblies, for atinuing, or not laying of,

ofore this House suggestions of ason, subsisting in America, a plan for the repressing sand misprisions of

son, or misprisions of ..d subsist, no measures or appear to have been and punishing the persons

is an audacious insult on the

..d, in its consequences, tends either

on the wisdom and justice of parlia

rage treasons and treasonable practices by rry into execution measures recommended pt."

olutions were opposed by Mr. Rice, Colonel Onslow, are, and Lord North; and supported by Mr. William e, Mr. Townshend, Mr. Wedderburn, and Mr. Grenville. he first resolution was negatived without a division. On the second, the House divided, Yeas 79: Noes 199. The remaining resolutions were negatived without a division.

ADDRESS ON THE KING'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF

THE SESSION.

November 13.

*

THIS day his majesty opened the session with the following speech to both Houses:

"My Lords and Gentlemen;

"When I last met you in parliament, I renewed to you the assurances which I had before given you, that it was my

fixed

"No change had taken place in administration during the recess; and as Lord North had successfully weathered the storms of the winter, supported by a prodigious majority, upon almost every occasion, he