ain, from the trade of the colonies, through all its branches, is two millions a year. This is the fund that carried you triumphantly through the last war. The estates that were rented at two thousand pounds a year, threescore years ago, are at three thousand at present. These estates sold then from fifteen to eighteen years purchase; the same may be now sold for thirty. You owe this to America. This is the price that America pays you for her protection. And shall a miserable financier come, with a boast, that he can fetch a pepper corn into the exchequer to the loss of millions to the nation?"

"A great deal has been said without doors," added Mr. Pitt, "of the power, of the strength of America. It is a topic that ought to be cautiously meddled with. In a good cause, on a sound bottom, the force of this country can crush America to atoms. I know the valor of your troops, I know the skill of your officers. There is not a company of foot, that has served in America, out of which you may not pick a man of sufficient knowledge and experience, to make a governor of a colony there. But on this ground, on the stamp act, where so many here, will think it a crying injustice, I am one who will lift up my hands against it. In such a cause, your success would be hazardous. America, if she fell, would fall like the strong man. She would embrace the pillars of the state, and pull down the constitution along with her. Is this your boasted peace? Not to sheath the sword in its scabbard, but to sheath it in the bowels of your countrymen? Will you quarrel with yourselves, now the whole house of Bourbon is united against you? While France disturbs your fisheries in New Foundland, embarrasses your slave trade to Africa, and withholds from your subjects in Canada, their property, stipulated by treaty; while the ransom for Manillas is denied by Spain, and its gallant conqueror basely traduced into a mean plunderer, a gentleman, (Sir W. Draper,) whose noble and generous spirit would do honor to the proudest grandee of the country. The Americans have not acted, in all things, with prudence and temper. They have been wronged. They have been driven to madness, by injustice. Will you punish them for the madness

you have occasioned? Rather let prudence and temper come first from this side. I will undertake for America, that she will follow the example. There are two lines, in a ballad of Prior's, so applicable to you and your colonies, that I cannot help repeating them :

"Be to their faults a little blind :
Be to their virtues very kind."

"Upon the whole, I will beg leave to tell the house, what is really my opinion. It is that the stamp act be repealed, absolutely, totally, and immediately. That the reason for the repeal be assigned, because it was founded on an erroneous principle." "At the same time, let the sovereign authority of this country over the colonies, be asserted in as strong terms, as can be devised, and be made to extend to every point of legislation whatsoever. That we may bind their trade, confine their manufactures, and exercise every power whatsoever, except that of taking their money out of their pockets, without their consent."*

The declaratory bill, and the bill repealing the stamp act, went hand in hand, in the house, and on the 5th of March, were sent to the house of Lords. The latter was finally carried, in the house 250 to 122.

It met with great opposition, in the house of lords; but was supported by the powerful talents of Lord Camden. He denied the right of parliament to tax America, because unrepresented. "Taxation and representation," he declared, " were inseparably connected. God has joined them, no British parliament can separate them; to endeavor to do it, is to stab our vitals." It passed in that house 105 to 71, and on the 18th March, both bills received the royal assent. The declaratory act contained two clauses, one, in the words of the resolution, that parliament could bind the colonies, in all cases whatsoever; the other declared and enacted, that the votes and resolutions of assemblies in America, derogatory to the rights and power of the British parliament, be null and void. The preamble disclosed the reasons for its

* Prior Documents, pp. 60-64.

passage. "Whereas several of the houses of representatives, in his majesty's colonies and plantations in America, have, of late, against law, claimed to themselves, or to the general assemblies of the same, the sole and exclusive right, of imposing duties and taxes, upon his majesty's subjects, in the said colonies and plantations; and have, in pursuance of such claim, passed certain votes, resolutions, and orders, derogatory to the legislative authority of parliament, and inconsistent with the dependency of said colonies and plantations, upon the crown of Great Britain." The act repealing the stamp duties, declared, "the continuance thereof, would be attended with many inconveniences, and might be productive of consequences, greatly detrimental to the commercial interest of Great Britain."

CHAPTER VII.

Repeal of Stamp Act, a joyful event in America-Ministry seem well disposed towards the Colonists-Compensation to those, who suffered by disturbances in consequence of the Stamp Act, required-Massachusetts delays granting the compensation-New York refuses to furnish all the articles required by the Mutiny Act-This offends the Ministry-New Administration-Duties imposed on glass and other articles in the Colonies-Board of Custom House Officers established in AmericaLegislature of New York prohibited from passing laws, until a compliance with the Mutiny Act-Massachusetts among the first to oppose the new duties-Circular letter of the House of Representatives of that Province-Disapproved by the Ministry-The House directed to rescind its vote-Other Colonies required to disregard the Circular of Massachusetts-The House refuses to rescind-Other Colonies unite with Massachusetts-Spirited conduct of New York and Maryland-Disturbances at Boston-Troops sent there-Convention of the people in Massachusetts-Troops quartered in Boston-Conduct of Massachusetts censured by Parliament-King authorized to bring offenders in the Colonies to Great Britain for trial-Proceedings of Virginia-Disputes in Massachusetts in relation to the troops-The new duties repealed, except the duty on Tea-This not satisfactory to the Colonists-Royal provision for Governor's salary in Massachusetts-Declared a dangerous innovationDestruction of the Gaspee in Rhode Island-Disputes between Governor Hutchinson and the Assembly of Massachusetts concerning the supremacy of ParliamentCommittees of correspondence between the Colonies appointed-Private Letters of Governor Hutchinson published-Occasion a petition for his removal-East India Company send tea to America-Destroyed at Boston-Boston port bill-Alteration of Massachusetts Charter-These acts resisted in the Colonies.

THE news of the repeal of the stamp act, was received with unbounded joy, in America. The house of representatives in Massachusetts, passed a vote expressing their gratitude to the king, for assenting to the repeal, and giving their thanks to Mr. Pitt, the Duke of Grafton, and many others, for their generous efforts in favor of the colonies. In Virginia, a bill passed the house of burgesses, for erecting a statue to the king, and an obelisk, to commemorate those in England, who had distinguished themselves, in favor of American rights.

The colonists seemed only to view their release from present evil; without much regard to the extensive, and inadmissible principles of the declaratory act. They considered this act as a VOL. I.

28

salvo for national honor, and believed it would remain, a dead letter, in the statute book. The ministry were disposed, to draw a veil over the late transactions in the colonies, provided compensation was made to those who had suffered by them.

Secretary Conway, in his circular of the 31st of March, informed the governors of the colonies, that the king and parliament, "seemed disposed, not only to forgive, but to forget those most unjustifiable marks, of an undutiful disposition, too frequent in the late transactions of the colonies ;" but at the same time required them, strongly to recommend to the assemblies, to make full and ample compensation to those, who had suffered "for their deference to the act of the British legislature.

The transactions referred to in the secretary's letter, were those which took place, in Boston and New York, in the summer of 1765. In June 1766, this letter of the British secretary, was laid before the assembly of Massachusetts, by governor Bernard. In communicating it to the assembly of that province, the governor says," the justice and humanity of this requisition," as he called it," is so forcible, that it cannot be controverted; the authority with which it is introduced, should preclude all disputation about it."

This language on the part of the royal governor, was considered, by the house of representatives, as interfering with the freedom of deliberation in that body, and was one of the causes, which produced delay, in complying with the wishes of the king and parliament on this subject. In their answer to this communication, the house observed, "that it was conceived in much higher and stronger terms in the speech, than in the letter of the secretary. Whether in thus exceeding, your excellency speaks by your own authority, or a higher, is not with us to determine. However, if this recommendation, which your excellency terms a requisition, be founded on so much justice and humanity, that it cannot be controverted; if the authority, with which it is introduced, should preclude all disputation, about complying with it, we should be glad to know, what freedom we have in the case."

* Prior Documents, p. 90.