petition with one hand, and threw it out of the window with the other, was painted in ftrong colours. It was faid, that the matter of that petition was not merely the business of the merchants, nor even of this kingdom in particular; it was the bufinefs of the whole empire, every part of which was concerned in the event; yet this matter of fuch momentous concern was referred to a committee, called up, nobody knew why, for the framing of commercial regulations, which were neither wanted, nor applied for; while this committee did not even pretend to have the remoteft concern with thofe great points of commercial policy, which were the objects of the petition. That to compleat this fyftem, and render its wildom equally confpicuous in all its parts, the committee, to whofe confideration those objects were avowedly referred, to which the petition applied, were doomed to grope their way in the dark, without a fingle ray of information; the probable, and almoft inevitable confequence of which, must be the involving us in a most destructive and ruinous civil war. In further fupporting the motion on the merchants petition, it was obferved, that the reafon given by those who sent the petition to that committee (which was described by various appellations of mockery and derifion), for not referring them to that on American papers, was of a most extraordinary and unheard of nature; it was, that the refolutions of that committee were to be folely on the grounds of policy, and that the commercial examination would delay the meafures neceffary for the coercion of America. That this was to anti cipate and predetermine the future proceedings in a committee, as a reafon for keeping information from it; how did they know what measures would be purfued there, and on what principles? Was there any inftruction to the committee fo to confine itself? Or was it that the ministry had already not only refolved what that committee was to do, but reckoned upon it so much as a certainty, and as a matter fo juftifiable, that they did not fcruple to avow it, and to make it a ground of argument for what the Houfc ought, or ought not to have brought before its committee. This proceeding was reprefented to be of a moft alarming and unprecedented nature. It was further added, that if they meant hoftility, the reason they gave for not hearing, was the strongest for it; that as their war muft ever be dependent on their finances, and their finances must depend upon their commerce, the true ftate of that commerce was neceflary to be known, especially as colonies and commerce are infeparably connected. The arguments on the other fide were partly perfonal, partly political. In either way they did not feem to furnish reafons against hearing the merchants; and from the nature of the measure which afterwards was adopted, it did not feem very material whether it paffed a month earlier or later. It was faid, that interested and factious people had induced the merchants to fign their petitions. That they came too late, and as the merchants had confided fo long in parliament, they ought to do fo ftill. That the American trade was deftructive, unless the fupremacy of 1D13 part parliament, and the rights of fovereignty, were vigorously afferted. That if in this attempt commerce fhould be fufpended, the funds fuftain a fhock, and the landed property experience a diminution, fuch evils must be patiently fubmitted to, and the merchants must forego their intereft, for the permanent advantages which they may expect when the Americans are fubdued. It was alfo mentioned, that the merchants might be quieted, by paling a law to compel the feveral colonies to pay all the debts, which any individuals of thofe provinces owed here. All the debates on this fubject of the petitions, were attended with an unusual degree of afperity, and even acrimony on the fide of oppofition. The charges of negligence, incapacity, and inconfiftency, were rung in the ears of the minifter. The acts of the lat parliament were arraigned in the feverett terms, and faid to be framed on falfe information, conceived in weakness and ignorance, and executed with neg ligence. The minifters were told, that a bitter day of reckoning would come, when they would be convicted of fuch a chain of blunders and neglects, as would inevitably draw vengeance on their heads. A pathetic picture was drawn and deplored, of the miferies of that civil war, which must be incurred through their rafhness and blind precipitation. Trade deftroyed-The revenue impoverished-The poor ftarving Manufactures ftagnating -The poor-rate running into the land-tax, and both devouring the eftates. : The conduct alfo of the late parliament was ferutinized without mercy in the course of these debates, and its memory was treated with more than want of refpect. A gentleman, who is remarkable for a farcastic poignancy in his obfervation, in fketching, a fhort hiftory of that parliament, faid, that they began their political life with a violation of the facred right of election in the cafe of Middlefex; that they had died in the act of Popery, when they cftablithed the Roman Catholic religion in Canada; and that they had left a rebellion in America, as a legacy. In endeavouring to obviate fome of the charges brought against him, the minifter attributed the delay before the holidays, in the first place, to the want of neceffary information, and in the fecond, to his having understood from several perfons, who had means of being well informed, that a petition was on its way to the throne, from the meeting which the Americans called a continental congrefs, which was of fo conciliatory a nature, as to make way for healing and lenient measures, and for reconciling all matters in an amicable manner. As to other charges upon the Ame. rican fubject, he said, that it was impoffible for him to have foreseen the proceedings in America refpecting the tea; that the duty had been quietly collected before; that the great quantity of teas in the warehoufes of the Eaft-India Company, as appeared by the report of the Secret Committee, made it neceffary to do fomething for the benefit of the Company; that it was to ferve them that nine-pence in the pound weight draw-back was allowed; that it was impoffible for him to foretell that the Americans would refift at being able to drink their tea at nine-pence in the pound cheaper. This defence called up a gentleman of great weight in the EaftIndia Company, and who has been long celebrated for his knowledge in its affairs. He faid, that he got up merely to speak to a matter of fact; that he could not fit ftill and hear the noble Lord plume himself on actions which, of all others, were the most reprehenfible in this train of political abfurdities; that it was unbecoming to alledge that this dangerous measure had been adopted to ferve the Eaft-India Company, when it was notorious, that the Company had requested the repeal of the three-pence per pound in America, and felt and knew the abfurdity of giving a draw-back here, and laying a duty there; a meafure equally a folecifm in commerce and politics. That the Company offered their confent, that government fhould retain 6d. in the pound on the exportation, if the 3d. was remitted in America. That the gentleman himself, then fpeaking, had, in his place, requefted and intreated the noble Lord, to remove the caufe of difpute; and that he then foretold to him the confequence of perfevering in error. After fome fevere reflections, he fhewed, that the company had thus prefented the happieft opportunity which could have offered, for removing with credit the cause of difference with America. The fupporting the authority of parliament was the only caufe affigned by the minifter himself, for retaining the duty on tea; at the fame time, that he acknowledged it to be as anti-commercial a tax, as any of thofe which he had repealed upon that principle. Here, then, fprung the happielt occafion of doing right, without interfering on the claims on either fide. The Eaft-India Company afk; their fituation required the relief. It could not be alledged that it was done at the inftance of American difcontent. But the golden bridge was refused. New contrivances were fet on foot to introduce the tea into America. That various intrigues, folicitations, and counter - folicitations, were used to induce the Chairman, and Deputy Chairman of the Company, to undertake this rafh and foolish bufiness; that it had been protefted againft, as contrary to the principles of their monopoly: yet the power of miniftry prevailed, and they would, notwithstanding, cover all those facts, which are ready, from their confequences, to convulfe the whole empire, under a pretence of the pureft intentions in the world, merely of serving the Eaft-India Company. These facts were confidered as incontrovertible, as none of them were denied at that time or afterwards. The quef- Jan. 26th. tion was rejected upon a Though it was then late, a petition was offered from Mr. Bollan, Dr. Franklin, and Mr. Lee, three American agents, ftating, that they were authorized by the American continental congrefs, to present a petition from the congrefs to the King, which petition his Majefty had referred to that Houfe; that they were enabled to throw great light upon the fubject, and prayed to be heard at the bar, in fupport [D] 4 of of the faid petition. On this a violent debate arofe, partly on the fame grounds with the former, partly on different.-The miniftry alledged that the congrefs was no legal body, and none could be heard in reference to their proceedings, without giving that illegal body fome degree of countenance; that they could only hear the colonies through their legal affemblies, and their agents properly authorized by them, and properly admitted here; that to do otherwife, would lead to inextricable confufion, and destroy the whole order of colony government. To thefe arguments it was anfwered, that regular colony government was in effect deftroyed already in fome places, by act of parliament; in others, by diffolution of affemblies by governors; in fome, by popular violence. The question now was, how to restore order? That this congrefs, however illegal to other purpofes, was fufficiently legal for prefenting a petition. It was figned by the names of all the perfons who compofed it, and might be received as from individuals. I hat it was their bufinefs rather to find every plaufible reason for receiving petitions, than to invent pretences for rejecting them. That the rejecting of petitions was one principal caufe, if not the moft powerful caufe, of the prefent troubles. That this mode of conftantly rejecting their petitions, and refufing to hear their agents, would infallibly end in univerfal rebellion; and not unnaturally, as thofe feem to give up the right to government who refufe to hear the complaints of the fubject. This petition was reject ed upon a divifion by a majority of 218 to 68. The London merchants, however, did not fubmit patiently to the indignity with which they thought themfelves now treated. The fpirit which had at all times diftinguished that great commercial body was not loft; nor was the rank and confideration, which they ever held in the affairs of this country, forgotten. The day following the rejection of their fecond petition, being that on which the committee of oblivion was to hold its firft meeting, and their business of course the firit to come before it, a gentleman, one of their body, deputed by the committee of merch-. ants, in their names represented at the bar of the House, " that merchants revealing at that bar the flate of their affairs, was a measure which all would wish to avoid, unless upon fuch great occafions as the prefent, where the public weal is evidently at ftake, when their duty as good fubjects requires it of them; but when the mode of examination is fuch as totally precludes them from anfwering the great public object, which in their opinion is clearly the cafe at prefent, they beg leave humbly to fignify, that they wave appearing before the committee which has been appointed; and that the merchants are not under any apprehenfions refpecting their American debts, unless the means of remittance fhould be cut off by measures that may be adopted in Great-Britain." During this war of the petitions, one had been fent from Birmingham and prefented, entitled, a petition from the inhabitants of that town and neighbourhood, in which they they fet forth, that any relaxation in the execution of the laws, refpecting the colonies, would greatly injure the commerce of Birming ham; and frongly urging, that the Houfe would exert its utmost endeavours to fupport the authority of the laws. No other petition or addrefs had then appeared in favour of ftrong measures against America; and it was fufpected, that this had been procured by indirect practice, as moft of those who had figned the paper were perfons no ways concerned in the ftaple manufacture of the place: at leaft, fuch as were, did not export any confiderable quantity to America. Another petition, to a contrary effect, was figned and prefented by thofe, who dealt moft largely in that branch. A leading gentleman in the minority obferved, that the miniftry had frequently reproached the oppofition with unfair methods in procuring thefe petitions; that now, one place having spoken fuch different languages, they had an opportunity of discovering the truth of that matter, and of effectually difcouraging fach matters for the future: he therefore moved, that it should be an inftruction to the committee, to enquire into the manner of procoring and figning both petitions; and also, how far the perfons, feverally figning them, are concerned in the trade to North-America. The motion, as ufual, was overruled. In this manner the parties tried their feveral forces in parliament and in the nation, previous to the bringing in the grand measure, on which the ministry refled their hope of finally breaking the fpirit which gave them fo much trouble in America. It was evident, that their failure in their former plans had not in the leaft abated the readinefs fhewn by both Houfes of Parliament to adopt any others which adminiftration fhould propofe; and it was confidently believed and afferted, that when the merchants and manufacturers were deprived of all hopes of preventing the operation of force, it would then become their intereft to give all poffible effect to it. They would thus become by degrees, a principal fupport of that caufe, which they now fo eagerly oppofed. When once every thing was made to depend on war, nothing but the fuccefs of that war could give the trading body any hopes of recovering their debts and renewing their commerce: therefore, not only this opinion, of the efficacy of fuch a mode of proceeding in America, but the hopes of compelling a great body at home to concurrence, made the minifters more and more refolved to go through, and complete the coercive plan they had begun with. CHAP. |