VIII.

1773

CHAP. being called, the resolutions that had been already passed, in the city of Philadelphia, for obviating the arrival of tea, were referred to, and their example proposed for imitation. They were agreed to, but carried into effect with a good deal more violence than was shewn by their Pennsylvanian brothers. A committee had been appointed at Philadelphia to wait on the consignees of the tea vessel, and to request their resignation. In imitation of this proceeding, the Bostonians appointed a committee to wait upon the consignees of the tea, to know whether they would resign their appointments. This they declared not to be in their power. At a succeeding meeting of the inhabitants, it was voted, in a tumultuous manner, that the tea should not be landed, that no duty should be paid, and that it should be sent back in the samę bottoms. The meeting then appointed a military guard to watch the ship till further orders; but this guard was soon after unexpectedly withdrawn, and a numerous mob, in the disguise of Mohawk Indians, suddenly sallied forth, boarded the ships, split open the chests, and committed the contents of about 342 to the waves. Measures were adopted, in other provinces, to prevent the landing some ships were compelled to return without coming to anchor, and several cargoes were destroyed; but in no other place was such a systematic and overbearing spirit of opposition manifested as in Boston. In general, the commissioners for the sale of that commodity having been obliged to relinquish their employment, no other persons had courage to receive the cargoes which were consigned to them. From these circumstances, as well as from a sense of danger, and of the determined resolution of the people, the masters of vessels readily complied with the terms that were prescribed, of returning directly to Eng

VII.

1773

land, without entangling themselves with the cus- CHAP tom-house. At New York, tea was indeed landed, under the cannon of a man of war; but the government there were obliged to consent to its being locked up from sale. In South Carolina, some was thrown into the river, as at Boston. Such was the issue of this unfortunate scheme for raising a revenue upon tea, and for promoting the exports of the East-India company. Some disposition to these disturbances was known pretty early; but as their full result was yet unknown, parliament did not meet till after the holidays.

274

CHAP. IX.

Proceedings of the first session of parliament in 1774.... Petition heard from the legislature of Massachussets-bay.... Bill introduced for the punishment of the city of Boston.... Debates on that subject.... First great appearance of Charles Fox in his political career.... Bill of extensively restrictive nature for the government of the province of Massachussetsbay.... Petition against these bills from the city of London and from the Americans resident in London.... Debates or the same subject in parliament.... Important speech of Chatham on the latter bill, in his first appearance after retiring some time from public business.... Debates on the Canadian bill.... Proceedings in the state of Massachussets.... Their cause embraced by the whole continent of America.... Meeting of the provincial congress of Massachussets.... Meeting of a general congress of the colonies. ... Their resolutions and memorials.

CHAP.

IX.

1774.

THE

THE speech from the throne, which opened the first parliament of 1774, observed a profound silence with respect to the affairs of America; the continuance of the war on the continent was regretted, while hopes were expressed of a general tranquillity being speedily restored. Among the objects of internal regulation introduced to the notice of parliament, and chiefly recommended to their consideration, was the diminution observable in the gold coin, and the alarming progress of that inconvenience. No particular supply was demanded: the usual declaration was renewed, of a hearty concurrence in every measure that might tend to

IX.

the prosperity and happiness of the people. The CHAP. addresses were passed with the usual acknowledgments and professions.

After some discussions on the various subjects of the address, the high peace establishment of the navy, and the vast increase of expence in every branch of that department, became a source of debate in this session, as it had been in the two preceding. Twenty thousand seamen were again moved for. This motion was carried without a division; a division not having been usual for several years upon a subject of supply. The motion, which was now become annual, for shortening the duration of parliament, was again repeated by the gentleman, Mr. Alderman Sawbridge, who first introduced it, and had actually pledged himself for its renewal in every session of parliament. This motion produced no debate; but the question being called for, it was rejected by a great majority, the numbers being 221, against 94, who supported it.

On the same day, Sir George Saville's annual motion relative to the Middlesex election, was also renewed, and leave requested to bring in a bill for effectually securing the rights of the electors of Great Britain, and to secure to that house the eligibility of persons to serve in parliament. This motion brought on a considerable debate, in spite of its want of novelty, and produced a closer division than might have been expected. It was rejected upon a division in a full house, by a majority of only 59.

On the 29th of January, a privy council assembled to hear the petition from the legislature of Massachusset's bay, which they had framed the last year. Dr. Franklin, as agent for the house of representatives, was examined as a witness, and explained the illicit means by which he had obtained the letters of Governor Hutchison, in consequence of

1774.

IX.

CHAP. which he was deprived of his office of deputy postmaster general for the colonies. Wedderburn, the 1774 governor's council, inveighed in the severest terms against Dr. Franklin, of whom he wittily said, in allusion to his being known as a man of letters, that he deserved the Latin appellation, Homo trium literarum, which, among the Romans, was a delicate periphrasis for a thief.'

Feb. 25.

The utility of the late act for the trial of controverted elections, known by the name of the Grenville election, had become apparent to the greater part of the nation; yet a motion for rendering it perpetual met with an opposition in the house of commons, at the head of which stood the minister himself. In evidence of the utility of the measure, a number of members, of different political parties, offered the facts which had come under their own immediate observation. A lawyer of the first eminence (Mr. Dunning) asserted, that although election disputes had formerly afforded an inexhaustible fund of litigation in Westminster, not a single suit upon that subject had appeared in any of the law courts since the commencement of the term, nor would (he believed) during its continuance. In opposing the bill, the principal objection that was urged was, that it deprived the house of that dernier right of determining upon elections, which was said to be essential to its nature and existence. On dividing the house, the bill was found to have a majority; and, in this instance, the minister afforded a spectacle, which has generally been regarded as the prelude to dismission, being left in a minority. His present defeat, however, was attended with no farther consequences.

A few days after the Grenville bill was carried, the intelligence of the recent events in America, occasioned a message to both houses from the throne, exhorting parliament to take into serious