IV.

CHAP. jesty's service, and the interest of the nation, so far from being obstructed, have been vasty promoted by the provincial legislatures.

"THAT we esteem our connections with, and dependance on Great Britain, as one of our greatest blessings, and apprehend that the latter will appear to be sufficiently secure, when it is considered that the inhabitants in the colonies have the most unbounded affection for his majesty's person, family and government, as well as for the mother country, and that their subordination to the parliament is universally acknowledged.

"WE therefore most humbly entreat, that the honourable house would be pleased to hear our counsel in support of this petition, and take our distressed and deplorable case into their serious consideration, and that the acts and clauses of acts, so grievously restraining our trade and commerce, imposing duties and taxes on our property, and extending the jurisdiction of the court of admiralty beyond its ancient limits, may be repealed; or that the honourable house would otherwise rélieve your petitioners, as in your great wisdom and goodness shall seem meet."

THE deputies of six only, out of the nine colonies represented at this congress, signed the proceeedings. This circumstance, calculated at first sight to convey a suspicion of distrust and division, is thus satisfactorily explained in their letter to the principal agent in London:

"THE lieutenant governor of New York prorogued their assembly from time to time, so that their house had not an apportunity of appointing members with full powers to join, and sign the address, &c. Yet the assembly of New York having, at their last meeting, appointed five of their members as a committee, not only to correspond with their agent at home, but also

during the recess of the house to write to and cor-
respond with the several assemblies or commit.
tees of assemblies on this continent, on the sub-
ject matter of the several late acts of parliament,
so grievous and dangerous to their colonies, it
was thought proper to admit this committee to
join in the conferences, and they agreed to what
was done, and promised to use their endea-
vours with their assembly to concur also whene-
ver they should be permitted to meet.

"THE South Carolina assembly, not rightly
viewing the proposal (which originally came from
the assembly of the government of the Massa-
chusetts Bay) as it was intended that the several
committees, when met, should frame and sign
an address to his majesty, and memorial and pe-
tition to the parliament, to be immediately dis-
patched by the congress, instructed their mem-
bers (Messrs. Lynch, Rutledge and Gadsden) to
return their proceedings to them for approbation.
The Connecticut assembly made the same re-
strictions in their instructions. The assembly
also of New Hampshire wrote that they had re-
solved, that notwithstanding they were sensible
such a representation ought to be made, and ap-
proved of the proposed method for obtaining
thereof, yet the present situation of their govern-
mental affairs would not permit them to appoint a
committee to attend such meeting, but should
be ready to join in any address to his majesty and
the parliament they might be honoured with the
knowledge of, probable to answer the proposed
end; and the speaker of the assembly of Georgia
wrote, that a majority of their members had ap-
plied to the governor to call their assembly, and
he did not think it expedient, which was the reason
they did not send a committee as proposed, but

CHAP.

IV.

IV.

CHAP. requested us to transmit a copy of our proceedings to them, (which will be done) and that their assembly would meet about this time, and he did not doubt but they should so act as to convince the sister colonies of their inviolable attachment to the common cause. We also understood the North Carolina, and we know the Virginia assembly was prorogued, whereby they could not have the opportunity of joining us; so that we doubt not but the colonies who have not signed, will very speedily transmit similar addresses, if their assemblies should not be hindered from meeting; and to this purpose, we hope you will soon hear from the assembly of South Carolina."*

The following estimates of the receipts and expendi tures of this virtuous body may furnish a hint to the advocates of taxes, of a national debt and splendid establishments. Justly has it been said, that the trappings of monarchy are more than sufficient to set up a republic.

An account of the disposition of the 5001. granted by ordinance, and received of the treasurer by William Murdock, Edward Tilghman, and Thomas Ringgold.

To cash paid the L. s. d.

whole expenses

of the committee

to N. York, there

By cash received of the trea

surer in gold. 500l. at 5s. 6d. per dwt, as follows: L. s. d.

409 Spanish pis

toles, at 27s. 532 3 O

5 Half johan

nes, at 57/6. 14 7 6

4 French pis

toles, at 268.

1 10

MEANWHILE a change of ministry had unexpectedly taken place in England, and hopes were entertained, not without reason. that American grievances would experience at least an unprejudiced if not favourable hearing. It was known with certainty, that a majority of the new administration was composed of whigs, who could not, it was thought, consistently with their own principles, give their sanction to measures affecting the security of their fellow subjects. Before judges such as these, reasoning from analogies, the claims of America would be listened to with admiration and sympathy, and their wrongs redressed with effect and decision. It was known, however, that particular members were avowedly hostile to the plan of American taxation in any shape.

CHAP.

IV.

In England the parliamentary debut of the Meeting of new ministers was watched with scarcely less so- parliament. licitude. It was every where regarded as the opening of a drama, whose plot had excited universal expectation, and whose denouement would operate either prosperity or disaster on the nation. Under these circumstances of anxiety and hope, of assurance and apprehension, the session was opened by a speech from the throne, from whose mild and conciliatory spirit much

to remit to Chs. Garth, esq. with the address and petitions, 1501. sterling, at 65

per cent, exchg. 247 10

Cash remaining in

band 127 pistoles

and 188. and 8d. 172 78

575 19

575 19

good was expected, both in Europe and America. It evinced a wish to recede, on the part of the administration, provided it could be effected without any derogation of the authority of parliament, or any express surrender of the rights contended for. But by the friends and partisans of the last administration, the papers relating to the disturbances in America, were represented as deliberate and concerted efforts to throw off all allegiance to the mother country, and the various remonstrances from towns, cities and corporations in that country, as the effects of ministerial artifice, to prepare the public mind for the repeal of this salutary statute. Whist the house wavered between these conflicting opinions, Mr. Pitt rose, and after some general observations, delivered his sentiments on the merits of this famous statute.

"HE pronounced every capital measure taken by the late ministers to have been entirely wrong. As to the present ministers, though he acknowledged them to be men of fair characters, and such as he was happy to see engaged in his majesty's service, he professed that he could not give them his confidence. "Confidence," said he, "is a plant of slow growth in an aged bosom ;youth is the season of credulity. By comparing events with each other, reasoning from effects to causes, methinks I plainly discover the traces of an over-ruling influence. I have had the honour to serve the crown; and could I have submitted to influence, I might still have continued to serve; but I would not be responsible for others. I have no local attachments. It is indifferent to "me, whether a man was rocked in his cradle on this side or that side of the Tweed. I countenanced and protected merit wherever it was to be found. It is my boast, that I was the first minister whe