XXVII.

1775.

CHAP. deplored the neceffity of renouncing their commercial connection with Ireland, from whofe parliament they had received no injury, and whofe people had ever been friendly to the rights of mankind; but on the other hand, the labours and manufactures of Ireland, like thofe of the filk worm, were of little moment to herfelf, but ferved only to give luxury to those who neither toil nor fpin; and fhould the refolutions of congrefs occafion much distress, the fertile regions of America would afford a safe afylum from poverty, and, in time, from oppreffion. In this addrefs reconciliation was mentioned as defirable, but independence was never difclaimed: on the contrary, congrefs anticipated the golden period when liberty, with all the gentle arts of peace and humanity, fhould eftablifh her mild dominion in the weftern world; and erect eternal monuments to the memory of thofe virtuous patriots and martyrs, who fought, bled, and fuffered in her caufe.

23d Aug. Proclama

THE progress of hoftilities, and the appeartion against ance of an intercourfe with the American rebellion. leaders, induced government to iffue a procla mation for fuppreffing rebellion, and preventft Sept. ing traitorous correfpondence, At this juncture Richard Penn arrived from America with a petition from congrefs, and, accompanied by Arthur Lee, a refident agent, prefented it to the king.

On the publication of this proclamation, at the royal Exchange, Wilkes fhewed his factioufnefs by caufing it to be read by one of his officers, accompanied only by the common crier; they were not allowed horfes, as ufual on fuch occafions, nor was the mace permitted to be carried the proclamation was received with a general bifs. Annual Register, 1775, p. 149.

THIS paper was drawn with great art, and CHAP. comprized many appearances of a conciliatory XXVII. difpofition; could it have been examined 1775. apart, and unconnected with the tranfactions in Petition of congrefs to America, which were fanctioned by congrefs, the king. and their declarations to the people of Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, and Jamaica, it might have afforded hopes of an amicable adjuftment. The king was addreffed in refpectful and endearing terms; and his magnanimity invoked to give the most favourable conftruction to the expreffions of the petitioners. They folemnly affured him that they moft ardently defired a restoration of harmony between the mother-country and her colonies, and the establifhment of concord on fo firm a bafis, as to perpetuate its bleflings, uninterrupted by future diffenfions, to fucceeding generations, and tranfmit his majefty's name to pofterity, adorned with the fignal and lafting glory attending the memory of thofe illuftrious perfonages, whofe virtues and abilities have extricated ftates from dangerous convulfions, and by fecuring happiness to others, erected the most noble and durable monuments to their own fame. They therefore befought his majesty to ufe his influence and authority in procuring them relief from their afflicting jealoufies and fears, and to fettle peace through every part of his dominions; with all humility fubmitting to his majesty's confideration, the expediency of directing fome mode by which the united applications of his faithful colonists to the throne, in pursuance of their common counfels, might be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time meafures

The explanation of this claufe is given by Ramfay; Hiftory of the American Revolution, vol, i. p. 213. Congress meant, he says,

that

1775

CHAP. measures might be adopted for preventing furXXVII. ther deftruction of lives, and fuch ftatutes as more immediately diftreffed the colonies might be repealed. By arrangements for collecting the united fenfe of the American people, his majefty would receive fuch fatisfactory proofs of their difpofition, that the wished for opportunity would be foon reftored, of evincing the fincerity of their profeffions, by every becoming teftimony of devotion.

4th.

Anfwer.

Effect of

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

IMMEDIATE advantage was taken of this rethe answer. pulfe, to encourage the friends of congrefs; to fix the wavering, and give refolution to the timid. Such, in fact, muft have been the view of the individual who framed, and the body who adopted the addrefs: they knew that neither the king nor parliament could acknow, ledge them as a body legally conftituted, nor could the miniftry, after the late tranfactions, recede from the meafures they thought proper

that the mother-country should propofe a plan for establishing by compact, fomething like Magna Charta for the colonies. They did not aim at a total exemption from the controul of parliament, nor were they unwilling to contribute, in their own way, to the expences of government; but they feared the horrors of war lefs than fubmiflion to unlimited parliamentary fupremacy. They wished for an amicable compact, in which doubtful, undefined points, fhould be afcertained fo as to fecure that proportion of authority and li berty which would be for the general good of the whole empire. They fancied themfelves in the condition of the barons at Runymede; but with this difference, that in addition to oppofing the king, they had alfo to oppofe the parliament. This difference was more nominal than real, for in the latter cafe the king and parlialiament stood precisely in the fame relation to the people of America, whi fubfifted in the former between the king and people of England. In both, popular leaders were contending with the fovereign for the privilege of subjects.

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

to

to enforce, without an appeal to the people CHAP. through their reprefentatives. The congrefs, XXVII. a body conftituted in defiance of the king's 1775commands, raifing armies, and levying taxes, for the exprefs purpose of oppugning his authority, and that of the British legiflature, approach the throne with the exterior of respect, 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 measures for facilitating a conference on the nature of grievances, to ufe his influence in obtaining a repeal of all statutes which diftreffed the colonies. It was not poffible to difcufs 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, conftituted as the congrefs was, glorying in the fuccefs of armed refiftance, and demanding conceffions without apology for the paft, or reciprocal engagement for the future. The rejection of this artful petition being doubtlefs anticipated, it fully anfwered the view of its authors; and lefs artifice than they poffeffed was neceffary to make it appear, that hoftile measures alone could fatisfy the pride and dignity 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 fometimes "arife in the minds of fcrupulous perfons, that

they had been too hafty in their oppofition to "their protecting parent-ftate. To fuch it was "ufual to prefent the fecond petition of congrefs to the king, obferving, that all the

"blood

XXVII. 1775

of the mea

fures of

govern

ment.

CHAP. "blood and guilt of the war, muft be charged on British, not on American counfels."d ALTHOUGH the fubfequent events, and terPopularity mination of the American contest, have afforded opportunities of repeating and enforcing the arguments ufed by the adherents of congrefs, they made, at the time, no confiderable impreffion. The caufe of the mother-country was generally popular, becaufe confidered juft; the war was not dreaded; the American arms were rarely fuccefsful, except through our own mifmanagement; and the nation repofed juft confidence in the exertions of British valour. The miniftry fhewed 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.

26th Oct. King's Speech in parlia inent.

In his fpeech from the throne, the king amply detailed to parliament the ftate of America. Thofe who had too fuccefsfully laboured to inflame the people, by grofs mifrepresentations, now openly avowed their revolt, hoftility, and rebellion. They had raifed troops, and were collecting a naval force; they had feized the public revenue, and affumed to themfelves legiflative, executive, and judicial powers, which they exercifed in the moft arbitrary manner, over the perfons and properties of their fellow fubjects; and although many might still retain

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 states this fact in a letter to Mr. Holroyd (lord Sheffield) dated 14th October 1775. He lays, "Another thing will please and "furprize, is the affurance which I received from a man, who might "tell me a lie, but who could not be mistaken, that no arts or ma❝nagement whatsoever, have been used to procure the addresses which fill the gazette, and that lord North was as much furprized at the frit that came up, as we could be at Sheffield."?