Thus stands the gout, in the present moment: it is indeed a changeable world, and the morrow oft disappoints the prospect of the eve; but as Milton says, who says divinely in all, "Where equal scales do arbitrate the event, My mind inclines to hope rather than fear." I am full of the beauties of our scenes around here. Your ever loving husband, W. PITT. JOHN CALCRAFT, ESQ. TO MR. PITT. DEAR SIR, Rochester, November 30, 1765. THIS is the first quiet moment I have been able to embrace, since the return of Lord Shelburne's express, which found me canvassing this city. (') Before his lordship's letter reached me, a crisis arose, that made determination necessary; in consequence, I had embarked, or your opinion should have been in this, as it will be in every instance, to me a law; but, once engaged, you would, I am sure, be the last man to advise desertion of friends, who most handsomely invited, and have since so honourably supported me, as to give the fairest prospect of success. Sir Charles Saunders, Admiral Keppel, and Sir (1) A vacancy for Rochester had occurred, by the death of Lord Parker. The result of the election was unfavourable to Mr. Calcraft; but he was returned for that city, in May, 1768. William Meredith have been sitting three days in this city, as a board, to do any Admiralty favour that could procure a vote, as well as canvass for Mr. Cooper ('), my opponent. My lord president of the council (2) has been here also; but great as these Lords are, they have left us much disappointed; the hearts of the people resisting their efforts, and continuing warm in our cause. I hope to have a good account of your health; and shall always remain, with unalterable respect and attachment, Dear Sir, Your most obedient and faithful humble servant J. CALCRAFTt. GEORGE COOKE, ESQ. (9) TO MR. PITT. SIR, Lincoln's-inn Fields, December 5, 1765. THE Duke of Newcastle sent to me this morning, and when I came to him, told me he had a message to deliver me from the present administration; (1) Mr. (afterwards Sir) Grey Cooper, secretary to the treasury; which office he held during the subsequent administrations of the Duke of Grafton and Lord North. In 1783, he was made a lord of the treasury, and in 1796, a privy councillor. He died in 1801. (2) The Earl of Winchelsea. (3) At this time member for Middlesex, and chief prothonotary in the court of common pleas; and on Mr. Pitt's return to office, in the following July, appointed joint-paymastergeneral. He died in 1768. namely, the Duke of Grafton, Lord Rockingham, Mr. Conway, and Lord Egmont; the purport of which was to desire, that I would second the address at the meeting of parliament, Lord George Cavendish being intended for the mover of it; that having some acquaintance with me, he had taken this affair on himself to mention it. This induced me to inquire a little, what those in power intended towards answering the expectations of the people: :-"In the West India affairs, a hearty resolve to determine the question about the stamp act (1) in favour of the West Indies, and exactly (1) In the month of March 1764, the ministry had deemed it necessary to contemplate America as a source of future revenue, and a series of resolutions was brought into the House of Commons, for regulating the trade, and imposing duties on certain articles of American commerce. These resolutions formed the basis of a bill, which speedily passed through both houses, and received the royal assent on the 5th of April. At the time when the resolutions upon which this act was founded were brought forward in the House of Commons, Mr. Grenville also moved, "that towards defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the British colonies and plantations in America, it may be proper to charge certain stamp duties in the said colonies and plantations." While the yell of Indian carnage was yet in their ears, and the smoke of their ruined habitations before their eyes, the rage and despair of the Americans were further inflamed by the arrival of the British act of parliament for taxing them. Perceiving in it the first appearance of a general and extensive plan of taxation, they determined not to wait for the gradual exposure of the plan to combat it by parts, but to strike at once at the basis, by denying the right of the mother-country to impose taxes on the colonies; which, not being represented in parliament, did neither really nor virtually consent to the imposition. Petitions to the King, and memorials to parliament against the measure, were transmitted to England conformable to your ideas of it; and to pay a proper and just attention in matters relative to general warrants," &c. I told his Grace, that if the seconding by several of the principal assemblies, and the clamour and indignation against it were vehement. But Mr. Grenville was not thereby deterred from persevering in his system. In the February of this year, fifty-five resolutions of the committee of ways and means were agreed to by the House of Commons, and afterwards incorporated into an act of parliament, for laying nearly the same stamp duties on the colonies in America, as were payable in England; which act passed both Houses with little opposition, except from General Conway and Colonel Barré; Mr. Pitt being at this time confined to his bed with indisposition, and totally unable to attend. "As to the fact of a strenuous opposition to the stamp act," says Mr. Burke, in his celebrated speech on American taxation, "I sat in your gallery when it was under consideration. Far from any thing inflammatory, I never heard a more languid debate in this house: no more than two or three gentlemen, as I remember, spoke against the act, and that with great reserve and remarkable temper. There was but one division in the whole progress of this bill; and the minority did not reach to more than thirty or forty. In the House of Lords, I do not recollect that there was any debate or division at all. I am sure there was no protest. In fact, the affair passed with so very, very little noise, that in town they scarcely knew the nature of what you were doing." When intelligence reached New York, that this act had received the royal assent, the feeling of indignation was universal and excessive. The act was reprinted with a death's-head affixed, instead of the royal arms, and hawked in the streets, under the title of " England's folly and America's ruin;" the guns at Philadelphia were spiked; at Boston, the colours of the shipping were hoisted half-mast high, and the church bells were muffled, and tolled a funeral knell. Associations were formed in all parts of America, for the encouragement of domestic manufactures, and against the use of those imported from Great Britain. To preclude the use of stamps, proceedings in the courts of justice were suspended. In the assembly of Virginia, such address was only a matter of form, I thought it would come better from a younger man, and of more distinction, than myself; that however, with his Grace's permission, I would consider of it, and would give my answer on Wednesday. His Grace concluded with saying, that the motive for desiring this of me, was to have the sanction of an independent man at their setting out. Now Sir, trifling as this point is in general, yet, in its consequence, it is very material to me; and therefore you will forgive my taking this advantage of the good-will you have expressed towards me, to beg your opinion, what is right to do. Firmly convinced of your abilities and integrity, I look up to you for the rule and conduct of my political life. Were you at the head of affairs, the pride of my heart would be to be known and distinguished as your devoted friend. On the other hand, as the ministry are now composed which happened to be then sitting, the subject was eagerly introduced; and one of its members, Patrick Henry*, after declaiming against the measures of the present reign, exclaimed, "Cæsar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Oliver Cromwell, and George the Third his." Upon which there was a cry of" treason!" and the speaker called him to order. In August, the storm burst with violence. Private houses and public offices were pillaged; and the proceedings were so alarming, as to occasion the resignation of those who were appointed to distribute the stamps. Such was the intelligence which reached England, a few days previous to the meeting of parliament. Patrick Henry, of Virginia, was a leading member of the American congress. |