council, who reported the charges in the petition to be groundlefs, vexatious and fcandalous, and that the petition ought to be difmiffed. It has been already obferved, that an act of parliament was paffed towards the close of the last feffion, enabling the Eaft-India Company to export teas duty-free. In confequence of which, the Company refolved upon a mode of trade which they had never before adopted, and instead of difpofing of their teas at public fale, freighted several ships for the American colonies, on their own account, and appointed agents there for the disposal of their cargoes. Many ftrong reasons were urged against this measure. It could not be expected to afford the Company any relief from their prefent embarraffments, as the returns would not be made expeditiously, nor perhaps punctually, even if the teas should find as good a market as the moft ftrenuous adviser of the measure could expect. But if the excefs of their stock of teas was difpofed of at public fale, the merchants would become purchasers to a very large amount, and the time of payment could, in that cafe, be ascertained. It was even calcuculated, that a fum of money might be raised by that means, fufficient to extricate the Company from their difficulties. A gentleman diftinguished for his abilities, and who was well acquainted with the difpofition of the Americans, as well as the interefts of the Company*, told the chairman, that the Company were criminally abfurd, because they were presenting themselves as the butt in the controverfy, where they would probably come off with the lofs of all their mer→ chandize. However, it was the favourite plan of adminiftration, that the Company fhould become their own factors. * Governor Johnstone. Notwithstanding Notwithstanding the colonies actually received their teas at d. a pound cheaper than they had formerly done, yet they were not thereby induced to purchase them. They said, that the East-India Company were quitting their usual line of conduct, and wantonly becoming the inftrument to give efficacy to an odious law. Throughout the colonies, the most violent oppofition to the landing of the teas prevailed, and without any interchange of fentiment, every port-town along that extensive coaft was actuated by the fame fpirit. When the tea-fhips were expected to arrive, the agents appointed to receive them were compelled to renounce their engagements, and folemnly bind themselves not to act: the people delegated committees in different towns and provinces, to whom they gave the most extenfive powers. Merchants were compelled to fubmit their books to the infpection of thefe regulators, who affumed the power of impofing tefts, and inflicting punishments on fuch as oppofed their proceedings. A cuftom-house officer, named Malcolm, was tarred and feathered, and in that manner led about the town of Bofton. These violent measures were not confined to those places which had fhewn the most active disposition to contend with the mother-country, the more peaceable and orderly provinces, on this occafion, departed from their former principles, and became equally violent in oppofing the landing of the teas, When three of the Company's fhips arrived at Bofton, in December, 1773, the captains, alarmed at the spirit which prevailed among the people, offered to return to England, without landing their cargoes, if they could obtain the proper discharges from the tea-confignees, the custom-house, and the governor: but though thefe officers would not ven ture ture to land the tea, yet they refufed the captains a dif charge, whilft their cargoes remained on board, for the delivery of which they were chartered by the Company. The night after the governor had given his refusal *, a number of armed men, difguifed like Mohawk Indians, went on board the fhips, and, in lefs than four hours, emptied every cheft of tea on board them fhips, amounting to three hundred and forty-two, into the fea, without the leaft damage done to the ships, or any other property; which having done, they retired. It is remarkable, that the governor, the civil power, the garrison of Fort William, and the armed fhips in the harbour, were totally inactive on this occafion †. At all the other American ports, where tea-fhips arrived, the inhabitants obliged the captains to return without breaking bulk, (as the people of Bofton were defirous of doing) except at Charles Town in South Carolina, where the teas were landed and put into a damp cellar, whereby the whole became rotten and ufelefs. On the 13th of January, 1774, his majefty opened the feffion of parliament with a speech from the throne, before the news of this outrage had arrived. In it he observed, that the state of foreign affairs afforded full leifure for the legislature to attend to the improvement of our internal and domeftic fituation, and to the prosecution of fuch measures as more immediately refpected the prefervation and advance *December 18. A letter was afterwards read in the house of Commons, from Col. Leflie, who commanded at Bofton at that time, in which he faid, that neither the governor, the council, nor any of the custom-house officer's had applied to him for affiftance. If they had, he could most certainly have put a stop to all the riots and violences, but not without bloodfhed, firing upon the town, and killing fome innocent people. ment ment of the revenue and commerce of this kingdom: among thefe objects, the ftate of the gold coin was particularly recommended to the attention of parliament. The house fat near two months before any measures were taken concerning the affairs of America, notwithstanding the alarming advices which had been received from thence foon after its affembling. At length the premier delivered a meffage from his majefty*, informing the house, "that in confequence of the unwarrantable practices carried on in North America; and particularly of the violent and outrageous proceedings at the town and port of Bofton, with a view of obstructing the commerce of this kingdom, and upon grounds and pretences immediately fubverfive of the conftitution, it was thought fit to lay the whole matter before parliament; fully confiding, as well in their zeal for the maintenance of his majesty's authority, as in their attachment to the common intereft and welfare of all his dominions; that they would not only enable him effectually to take fuch measures, as may be most likely to put an immediate ftop to these disorders, but would also take into their most serious confideration, what farther regulations and permanent provisions may be necessary to be established, for better fecuring the execution of the laws, and the just dependence of the colonies upon the crown and parliament of Great-Britain." Immediately after the delivery of this meffage, upwards of one hundred papers respecting American affairs were, brought up; they confifted of copies and extracts of letters from the different magiftrates and officers in America. The votes and refolutions of the inhabitants of Boston, with many other authentic documents. An addrefs being returned to his majesty, strongly expreffing the readiness of the house to comply with the purport of the royal message, the minister foon after* moved for leave to bring in a bill, "for the immediate removal of the officers concerned in the collection and management of his majesty's duties and cuftoms, from the town of Bofton, in the province of the Maffachufett's-bay, in North America; and to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading and shipping of goods, wares and merchandize at the faid town of Bofton, or within the harbour thereof." His lordfhip entered into a juftification of the governor's conduct, whom he described to have taken every method which difcretion dictated, or good policy authorized, for the fecurity of the Eaft-India Company's property, the fafety of the confignees, and the preferving of order and quiet in the town. The military force in the caftle, and the ships of war in the harbour, might indeed have been called in to fave the tea from deftruction; but as the leading men in Bofton had always made great complaints of the interpofition of the army and navy, and charged all difturbances of every fort to their account; he with great prudence and temperance, determined, from the beginning, to decline a measure, which would have been fo irritating to the minds of the people; and might well have hoped, that by this confidence in their conduct, and trust reposed in the civil power, he should have calmed their turbulence, and preferved the public tranquillity. He faid it was henceforth impoffible for our commerce to be fafe in the harbour of Bofton, and it was highly neceffary that fome port fhould be found for the landing of *March 14. our |