Meanwhile the north of Ireland, particularly the counties of Antrim, Down, Armagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone, was overrun by a turbulent and savage banditti, who, under the name of Hearts of Steel, perpetrated the greatest outrages and the blackest crimes: they were in sufficient force to keep the whole country in alarm, and were not quelled without the aid of the military. They committed violences and outrages on the property of those who were obnoxious to them, not sparing even life, when revenge, apprehension, or interest prompted the sacrifice. They were bound to each other by oaths, and inspired terror throughout the community. By the transmission of threatening letters they obstructed the collection of taxes, and their number and combination enabled them to hold the law in defiance. One of their party, charged with felony, being imprisoned at Belfast, thousands proceeded to the town, and when, for security, he was lodged in the barrack, they prepared to attack the military; but the horrors of a bloody day were averted by the prudence of a gentleman of great influence, who persuaded the military to liberate the prisoner. Had he been detained, the result would probably have been productive of no advantage to justice; for several who were taken and tried at Carrickfergus were acquitted; it may have been for want of evidence, but that is not very probable: in cases where the offences are committed in the face of day, and in the presence of multitudes, it is more likely to have arisen from fear of incurring the resentment of the insurgents, or from a partiality to their cause in the minds of the witnesses or the juries. These proceedings were recommended to the attention of Parliament by the Lord-Lieutenant, who, in his speech at the opening of the session, denounced them as destructive of commerce, and disgraceful to liberty. An act was passed for the purpose of preventing the effect of prejudice or terror in the disturbed districts, enabling the Lord-Lieutenant, in such cases, to issue a special commission to try the offenders CHAP. XXI. 1772. Hearts of Steel. CHAP. 1772. Loan nego tiated. 2nd June. Termination of the session. 9th Oct. in the county or the city of Dublin. This measure did not produce the desired effect: the Dublin jurymen probably felt that they must appear to have been selected for the execution of purposes of vengeance, and they acquitted all the prisoners who were brought before them*. The continual efforts of opposition, frequently attended with success, and the frequent insurrections in the country, not only impaired the energies of government, but diminished its pecuniary credit. The receipt of revenue was so much impeded, and the expenditure so much overcharged in consequence of popular motions, that an alarming deficiency, which had been felt for many years, and was continually increasing, was submitted to parliament. The House of Commons proposed to assist government by a loan of two millions; but men of property were not easily induced to advance the requisite sums on the slender security of tax acts, passed for two years only, while, by the efforts of opposition, the permanent revenue was incumbered to the annual amount of fifty thousand pounds, and while the turbulence of the populace was in some measure sanctioned and instigated by repeated attacks on the constitution. At the close of the session, the Viceroy expressed approbation of several acts, but complained of the smallness of supplies, and suggested the impossibility of their sufficing, unless a considerable increase in the revenue was effected. The conclusion of this speech Lord Towns had a valedictory appearance; and before the next meeting of the legislature he was recalled †, and replaced by Lord Harcourt, who was received with great joy by the Irish. Dissatisfaction was however generally prevalent, and exaggerated accounts were circulated, tending to impress a belief of emigrations, to an hend re called. 28th Nov. Lord Harcourt lordlieutenant. Plowden, vol. ii. p. 412. † Lord Townshend was not recalled under circumstances of disgrace: he was immediately appointed master-general of the ordnance. The personal rancour excited by his administration was so great, that he was obliged to fight (2nd Feb. 1773) a duel with Lord Bellamont, who was dangerously wounded in the body, but recovered. enormous and dangerous amount, from all the towns and manufacturing counties in the kingdom*. CHAP. XXI. 1771. America. The rising and widely-diffused spirit of dissatisfaction and opposition, which had already occasioned so Affairs of much embarrassment in the government of America, now assumed a more formidable aspect, and produced those events by which the separation of the parent state from its colonies was ultimately effected. The general repeal of American duties was not satisfactory; from the exception of tea, it was plausibly urged that, although Great Britain had been twice foiled in attempts to raise a revenue, the intention was not abandoned, but, the right being reserved, an opportunity alone was wanting to carry it into execution. This insinuation was frequently adverted to in periodical publications, for the purpose of exciting discontent; jealousy and alarm were thus kept alive; but although the majority of the people were not propelled to action by mere theoretical statements and surmised possibilities, cordiality was not restored : tea from Great Britain was still a prohibited article, and the inhabitants of the New England provinces assiduously cherished the sentiments of disaffection. They would not have been satisfied with a total abolition of the claim to taxation; but anxiously awaited such concession from the mother-country as would, in fact, render America independent. Massachu nor Hutchin son. The removal of the legislature from Boston to the Contest of town of Cambridge, distant about four miles, afforded set's Bay room for strenuous complaints from the House of with GoverRepresentatives to Mr. Hutchinson, Sir Francis Bernard's successor in the government. In answer to a 30th May. message requiring its reinstatement in Boston, he said he was unable to comply, unless authorized by the King, but would solicit his permission, and hoped to obtain it before another session. revenue Before the end of the existing session, however, Taxation of he found it necessary to alter this conciliatory lan- officers. guage. The establishment of a board of customs, and For these circumstances, see the accounts preserved in the periodical publications. VOL. II. C CHAP. 1771. 4th July, 1771. 5th. Address of the assembly. Remonstrance. Assembly prorogued. the powers committed to its officers, formed a more serious ground of complaint than any taxation imposed or attempted by Great Britain: and the legislators of New England, unable to make the prevention of smuggling a subject of invective, used every little art and sinister chicane to oppress the persons employed in protecting the revenue. During late years, they had introduced a practice of assessing the officers of the crown, residing among them, for the profits derived from their commissions: the governor, in consequence of representations on the subject, was expressly instructed to withhold his consent from such laws, on whatever pretence they might be founded. The legislature having passed an act, in the new form, for "apportioning and assessing a tax of £1500," the governor, in mild terms, informed them of his instructions, and stated that the general clause in the bill, empowering assessors to tax all commissions of profit, needed qualification, and should extend only to commissions peculiarly relating to the province; otherwise, any of His Majesty's servants, occasionally resident for a short term, might be taxed for profits received from their commissions and places in Great Britain, or any other part of the King's dominions. A strenuous debate ensued, and a copy of the instructions being communicated, the assembly unanimously voted an address, in which they termed the governor's reason for refusing to sanction the bill surprising and alarming. "We know of no commis"sioners of His Majesty's customs," they said, "nor "of any revenue he has a right to establish in North "America: we know, and we feel a tribute levied "and extorted from those, who, if they have property, "have a right to the absolute disposal of it." A remonstrance was also agreed to on the governor's refusal to ratify the grant of certain sums of money to Messrs. Bollan and De Bert, the colonial agents. Governor Hutchinson checked the progress of these debates, by proroguing the general court. In his speech, he said, whatever might be the rights of the legislature in matters of taxation, the crown had reserved to itself the prerogative of disallowing laws; and as the rejection of a tax act, after it was in part executed, would cause great perplexity, the King's instructions, pointing out those parts which he disapproved, afforded an unexceptionable instance of tenderness and paternal regard. He promised also to transmit his message, and their extraordinary answer, to be laid before His Majesty. CHAP. XXI. 1771. opposition. The determined spirit of opposition shewn by the Progress of assembly, and the system and perseverance with which it was prosecuted, indicated great strength of combination, and firmness of arrangement. Every measure taken by the popular party since the commencement of disputes between the mother-country and colonies, tended to give vigour, and ensure success, to their ulterior efforts. The government, when tranquillity was apparently restored, rejoiced in the absence of discontent, and banished all fear and jealousy; the opposition party, on the contrary, dreaded the abatement of public effervescence, and excited suspicion and apprehension by the revival of old topics of dispute, and the suggestion of new ones, either existing or probable. Effigies, paintings, and other imagery, were exhibited to inflame the public mind; the 14th of August was annually celebrated as a festival in commemoration of the destruction of a building, the property of the lieutenant-governor, which was demolished by a mob, on the supposition of its being designed for a stamp-office, and of the owner's being compelled to resign his office of stamp-master, under the tree of liberty. The 5th of March, the anniversary of the pretended massacre of Boston, was also marked out for the periodical delivery of orations at one of the meeting-houses; lists of imaginary grievances were continually published; the people were told that the ministry had formed a plan to enslave them, and conjured, by the duty they owed to themselves, their country, and their God, by the reverence due to the sacred memory of their ancestors, and by |