XXVII.'

the united fenfe of the American people, his majefty CHAP. would receive fuch fatisfactory proofs of their difpofition, that the wifhed-for opportunity would be foon restored, of evincing the fincerity of their profeffions, by every becoming teftimony of devotion.

1775.

To this petition the earl of Dartmouth, in the king's 4th. name, informed the agents of congrefs that no answer Answer. would be given.

aufwer.

IMMEDIATE advantage was taken of this repulfe to Effect of the encourage the friends of congrefs; to fix the wavering, and give refolution to the timid. Such, in fact, must have been the view of the individual who framed, and the body who adopted the address: they knew that neither the king nor parliament could acknowledge them as a body legally conftituted; nor could the miniftry, after the late tranfactions, recede from the measures they thought proper to enforce, without an appeal to the people through their reprefentatives. The congrefs, a body conftituted in defiance of the king's commands, raifing armies, and levying taxes, for the exprefs purpose of oppugning his authority, and that of the British legiflature, approached the throne with the exterior of refpect; but without alleging any urgent occafion for their affembly, and holding themselves fully competent, not only to treat, but even to dictate terms; for the king was required, before the adoption of meafures for facilitating a conference on the nature of grievances, to ufe his influence in obtaining a repeal of all ftatutes which dif treffed the colonies. It was not poffible to discuss fuch a propofal with hopes of ultimate fuccefs, and, without fuch a motive, it would have been bafe and feeble to fanction the acts or petitions of a body, constituted as the congrefs was, glorying in the fuccefs of armed refiftance, and demanding conceffions without apology for the paft, or reciprocal engagement for

Mr. Dickinson, author of feveral celebrated political tracts. Ramfay's Hifiory of the American Revolution, vol. i. p. 213.

the

1775.

CHAP. the future. The rejection of this artful petition being XXVII. doubtlefs anticipated, it fully anfwered the view of its authors; and lefs artifice than they poffeffed was ne ceffary to make it appear, that hoftile measures alone could fatisfy the pride and rage of the British nation. Under thefe conftructions, the rejected petition contributed to the union and perfeverance of the colonies. "When preffed by the calamities of war," an American writer obferves," a doubt would sometimes arife in the minds of fcrupulous perfons, that they had been too hafty in their oppofition to their protecting parent-state. To fuch it was usual to present the second petition of congress to the king, obferving, that all the blood and guilt of the war must be charged on British, not on American counfels "."

Popularity of the mea

fures of go

vernment.

26th Oct. King's fpeech in

ALTHOUGH the fubfequent events, and termination of the American conteft, have afforded opportunities of repeating and enforcing the arguments used by the adherents of congrefs, they made, at the time, no confiderable impreffion. The cause of the mother-country was generally popular, because considered juft; the war was not dreaded; the American arms were rarely fuccefsful, except through our own mifmanagement; and the nation repofed just confidence in the exertions of British valour. The miniftry showed a due portion of fpirit and perfeverance; the large demands attending the beginning of warfare gave energy to commerce; and loyal addreffes, unfolicited and unexpected, were fent from all parts of the kingdom".

IN his fpeech from the throne, the king amply detailed to parliament the ftate of America. Those who parliament. had too fuccefsfully laboured to inflame the people,

Ramfay's Hiftory of the American Revolution, vol. i. p. 213. The author was connected by marriage with the family of the well-known Laurens, and was from 1782 to 1786 a member of congrefs.

Gibbon ftates this fact in a letter to Mr. Holroyd (Lord Sheffield) dated 14th October 1775. He fays, "Another thing will pleafe and furprife, is the affurance which I received from a man, who might well me a lie, but who could not be mistaken, that no arts or management whatsoever have been used to procure the addreffes which fill the gazette, and that lord North was as much furprized at the first that came up, as we could be at Sheffield,

xxvii.

1775.

by grofs mifrepresentations, now openly avowed their CHA P. revolt, hoftility, and rebellion. They had raifed troops, and were collecting a naval force; they had feized the public revenue, and affumed to themselves legiflative, executive, and judicial powers, which they exercised in the most arbitrary manner, over the per fons and properties of their fellow-fubjects; and although many might still retain their loyalty, and be too wife not to see the fatal confequence of this ufurpation, and wish to refift it, yet the torrent of violence had been strong enough to compel their acquiefcence till a fufficient force fhould appear for their support. The authors and promoters of this defperate confpiracy had derived great advantage from the difference of the king's intentions and their own. They meant only to amufe by vague expreffions of attachment to the parent-ftate, and proteftations of loyalty, while preparing for a general revolt. On his part, though it was declared in the laft feffion that a rebellion existed in the province of the Maffachufet's Bay, yet even that province he wifhed rather to reclaim than fubdue. The war was become more general, and was manifeftly carried on for the establishment of an independent empire. It was now the part of wisdom, and (in its effects) of clemency, to put a fpeedy end tó fuch disorders, by decifive exertions. He had received the most friendly offers of foreign affiftance; and had fent to the garrifons of Gibraltar and Port Mahon, part of his electoral troops, that a larger por tion of the British forces might be applied in maintaining its authority; and the national militia might give a farther extent and activity to military operations. His Majefty profeffed readiness to receive the mifled and deluded multitude with tenderness, whenever they fhould become fenfible of their error; and in order to prevent inconvenience from diftance, and remove their calamities as foon as poffible, he would give a discretionary authority to perfons on the spot,

VOL. II.

to

XXVII.

1775.

CHAP. to grant general or particular pardons and indemnities, and receive the fubmiffion of any province or colony disposed to return to its allegiance. He fuggefted the propriety of authorizing the perfons fo commiffio ned to restore fuch provinces or colonies to the free exercife of trade, and the fame protection and fecurity as if they had never revolted; and informed both houses, that from the affurances received, and the general appearance of affairs in Europe, he faw no probability of impediment to his meafures, by disputes with any foreign power.

Oppofition to the addrefs.

AN amendment to the addrefs was moved by lord John Cavendish, and in the debate, the principle and conduct of the contest were feverely arraigned. The facts affumed in the speech were declared to be untrue parliament was not early convened; the Americans were not collecting a naval force; the affertion, that they meant only to amufe by vague expreffions of attachment, and fought to render themselves independent, were equally injurious to their honour, and repugnant to truth: and the confiding of two fuch important fortreffes as Gibraltar and Minorca to garri fons of foreigners, was highly improper; the idea of conqueft was equally romantic and unjust; and the addreffes did not prove the fentiments of the people, even if fairly obtained; but the contrary was ftrenu oufly affirmed. Colonel Barré expofed to fevere cenfure the whole conduct of the campaign; Mr. Fox obferved, that lord Chatham, the king of Pruffia, nay, Alexander the Great, never gained more in one year than the exifting government had loft-it had loft a whole continent. Although the Americans were not juftifiable in the extent of their proceedings, refiftance was lefs culpable than fubmiffion to the tyrannical acis of a British parliament. General Conway, though joined with the king's fervants, detefted the principle of fupporting every measure of government; repro bated the idea of conquering America; declared explicitly

XXVII.

plicitly against the right of taxation; and wifhed to fee CHAP. the declaratory law repealed, fince it had been converted to fuch bad purposes.

1775.

IN answer to these objections, the neceffity of re- Defence. gaining America by force was ftrenuously urged: during the late fummer, government, although vested by the legislature with the right of ufing the fword, had, through a love of lenity, preferred an attempt to govern by the civil power: it was now intended to fend out an ample force, fupported by a fufficient fleet, to infure fubjection. Congrefs verbally profeffed not to aim at independence; but their claims amounted to a total exemption from parliamentary authority. They had exprefsly declared, that the British legiflature had no right to intermeddle with their provisions for the fupport of civil government, or the administration of juftice, each country should, in those respects, regulate itfelf; thus they plainly claimed an exclufive authority in each colonial affembly. Not only the late acts more particularly complained of, but every other affecting their internal polity, had been treated as unjust encroachments of parliament on the rights of a legislature as independent as itfelf. In military matters, their pretenfions were equally extravagant. They denied to Great Britain the right of keeping a fingle foldier in the whole extent of their continent, without confent of the colonial legislature. With regard to revenue, parliament had declared, in words intelligible to all mankind, that they would never tax America, unless impelled by a refufal to contributė a due proportion to the common expenses of the state. They even knew, that a reasonable fum would be accepted; but would not, to gratify this country, offer the contribution of a fingle fhilling. The only particular in which they feemed inclined to admit the authority of parliament was, the regulation of trade; though even there they expreffed themfelves with fufficient caution; and in every thing elfe afferted an abfolute independence.