of the Massachusetts, which will be followed with a total discouragement for the other provinces to attempt the same in future. In which case, perpetual paper money, the very negative power of riches, will be the portion of America." After remonstrating against the duties, by the most forcible arguments, to shew that they would not only ruin the colonies, as to their trade, but the best interest of England at the same time, the writer thus proceeds: "If due care be taken to confine the sale of manufactures and European goods, (except what shall be permitted,) to Great-Britain only, all the profits of the American foreign trade will necessarily centre in Great-Britain; and therefore if the first purpose be well secured, the foreign American trade, is the trade of Great-Britain. The augmentation, and diminution, the extension and restriction, the profit and loss of it all, finally comes home to the mother country." The writer pursued the subject, and endeavoured clearly to shew, that the duties, if persisted in, would ruin the commerce of America, and thus destroy the best interest of Great-Britain. Virginia petitioned the king; presented a memorial to the house of lords, and a remonstrance to the house of commons. The colonies of NewYork and Rhode-Island also, preferred their petitions : but all these availed nothing. It was said in parliament, and generally believed in England, that the colonies were rich, and lived like lords upon their estates, whilst the people of England were poor, and oppressed with taxes, to support and protect them; and the system of taxation went forward.

In February, 1765, Mr. Grenville opened the plan of the stamp bill to Mr. Franklin, and other American agents, who all opposed the measure, and urged their reasons against it; but they had no weight, the bill was introduced. In the course of the debates, Mr. George Townsend remarked, in support of the bill, Will these Americans,

children planted by our care, and nourished up by our indulgence, until they are grown up to a degree of strength, and opulence; and protected by our arms; will they grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from the weight of the heavy burthens which we lie under?" To these remarks, Col. Barre rose and made the following spirited reply: "They planted by your care! No, your oppressions planted them in America. They fled from your tyranny, to a then inhospitable country, where they exposed themselves to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable, and amongst others to a cruel savage foe, the most subtle, and I will take upon me to say, the most formidable, of any people upon the face of God's earth; and yet actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffered in their own country, from the hands of those that should have been their friends. They nourished up by your indulgence! They grew by your neglect of them. [And he might have added, will continue to grow if you will continue to neglect them.] As soon as you began to care about them, that care was exercised in sending persons to rule over them, in one department, and another, who were perhaps the deputies of deputies of some members of this house, sent to spy out their liberties, to misrepresent their actions, and to prey upon them; men, whose behaviour, in many instances, has caused the blood of those sons of liberty, to recoil within them; men promoted to the highest seats of justice; some, who to my knowledge, were glad, by going to a foreign country, to escape being brought before a court of justice in their own. They protected by your arms! They have nobly taken up arms in your defence; have exerted a valour, amidst their constant and laborious industry, for the defence of a country, whose frontier was drenched in blood, while its little interior parts, yielded all its little savings to your emolument.

And believe me; remember, I this day told you so, that same spirit of freedom which actuated these people at first, will attend them still; but prudence forbids me to explain further. God knows, I do not at this time speak from motives of party heat; what I deliver, are the genuine sentiments of my heart. However superior in general knowledge, and experience, the respectable body of this house may be; yet I claim to know more of America than most of you, having seen, and been conversant in that country. The people, I believe, are as truly loyal, as any subjects the king has; but a people jealous of their liberties, and who will vindicate them, if ever they should be violated; but the subject is too delicate-I say no more."

These were the spontaneous effusions of an honest mind, in the then British Parliament: effusions, which astonished that house, and made a deep and serious impression; but not a lasting one for although these highly impressive remarks were backed by a petition from the London merchants, against the bill, both were disregarded; the ministry openly avowed their intention, to establish the power of Great-Britain to tax the colonies. When the question was taken upon the bill, in the House of Commons, it passed by a majority as of five to one, and in the House of Lords, without a dissenting voice; and in March, the bill obtained his majesty's assent.

When the bill had passed, Dr. Franklin, (then in London,) wrote Mr. Charles Thomson,* at Philadelphia, in which he thus expressed himself" The sun of liberty is set; you must light up the candles of industry and economy." To which Mr. Thomson replied, "I fear other. lights may become necessary."

The friends of coercion in the British Parliament, having thus far secured their object, flattered themselves, that

* Afterwards Secretary to the Congress.

the riotous opposition would soon destroy itself, by the acts of its own violence, as is common to mobs in England, and that the stamp law would execute itself. By this it was understood also, that the revenue on stamps, would pay a standing army, who should keep the peace. To provide for such an army, Mr. Grenville projected another bill, authorising all military officers, stationed in the colonies of America, to quarter their soldiers upon the people in private houses. This bill, which embraced the most oppressive and abandoned principle in the whole catalogue of military despotism, was designed to awe the colonies into a compliance with the former, as well as all subsequent acts of oppression, and thus keep the peace, by passive obedience, and non-resistance, as in England. This bill failed in part; but so much of it passed, (corrupt as it was) as compelled the several legislatures in the colonies, to provide by law, for the support of such troops, at the expence of the colonies; which law continued in force after the Stamp Act was repealed. Thus the principles of despotism were unfolded at one view, and the colonies saw nothing before them, but resistance, or slavery; yes, even the slavery of Ireland, at the point of the bayonet. Those sons of the Pilgrims whose sires had subdued the forest, the savage, and the French, and planted the church in the wilderness, lost not a moment in their choice. The expression in the memorable speech of Mr. Barre, in parliament, "Sons of Liberty," fired the breast of every true born son of liberty in Massachusetts, and under this endearing appellation, they rallied round the standard of liberty, and stood forth the champions of their country's rights. Connecticut had not yet become awake to a sense of her wrongs, and Virginia was passive until the patriot souls of a George Johnston, and a Patric Henry, kindled the spark of liberty, which beamed forth in the mighty

blaze of the following Resolutions, which passed the House of Burgesses in Virginia, then in session.

"Resolved, That the first adventurers, settlers of this his majesty's colony, and dominion of Virginia, brought with them and transmitted to their posterity, and all others, his majesty's subjects, since inhabiting this his said majesty's colony, all the liberties, privileges, franchises, and immunities, that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the people of Great-Britain.

"Resolved, That by two royal charters, granted by King James I. the colonists aforesaid, are declared, and entitled to the liberties, privileges, and immunities of denizens, and natural subjects, to all intents and purposes, as if they had been born, and abiding, within the realm of England.

"Resolved, That his majesty's liege people of this ancient colony, have enjoyed the right of being thus governed by their own assembly, in the articles of taxes, and internal police; and that the same have never been forfeited, or in any other way yielded up; but have been constantly recognised by the king, and people of England.

"Resolved therefore, That the General Assembly of this colony, together with his majesty, or his substitutes, have in their representative capacity, the only exclusive right, and power, to lay taxes, and imposts upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that every attempt to vest such a power in any other person, or persons whatsoever, than the General Assembly aforesaid, is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust; and hath a manifest tendency to destroy British, as well as American liberty.

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Resolved, That his majesty's liege people, the inhabitants of this colony, are not bound to yield obedience to any law, or ordinance whatever, designed to impose any taxation, whatsoever, upon them, other than the laws, or ordinances, of the General Assembly aforesaid.