the ministry and did not fail to exprefs their refentment in the frongeft terms: but the miniftry were not to be fo easily daunted, and therefore proceeded to the last Rep of their intended plan, which was to lay on flamp duties throughout the continent. Previous to this, indeed, feveral regulations were puffed in favour of the commerce of the colonies; but they had now embibed fuch unfavourable sentiments of the British miniftry, that they paid very little regard to any thing pretended to be done in their favour: or if thefe acts made any favourable impreffion, it was quickly obliterated, the news of the Stamp A&, which by laying a duty on all marked paper at the fame time forbad the ufe of any other, in public writings, whether judicial or extrajudicial.

The reafon given for this act fo exceedingly obnoxious was, that a fum might be raised fufficient for the defence of the colonies againtt a foreign enemy; but this pretence was fo far from giving any fatisfaction to the Americans, that it excited their indignation to the utmoft degree. They not only all rted that they were abundantly able to defend themselves again any foreign enemy, but denied that the British parliament had any right to tax them at all.

It would be fuperfluous to enter into any arguments used by the contending parties on this important occafion. It was evident that the matter was net to be decided by argument but by force of arms; and the British ministry, 100 confident of the authority and power of this country, determined to carry on matters with a high hand, to terrify the colonifis into an implicit fubjection, et, if that would not do, to compel them to it by force. The flamp-act, after a violent oppofition in parliament, was paffed, and its reception in America was fuch as might have been expected. The news, and the aft itself, first arrived at Boston, where the bells were muffled and rung a funeral peal. The act was firft hawked about the streets with a Death's head affixed to it, and ftyled the "Folly of England and the Ruin of America ;" and afterwards publicly burnt by the enraged populace: The ftamps themselves were feized and destroyed, unlefs brought by men of war, or kept in fortified places; thofe who were to receive the ftamp duties were compelled to refign their offices; and fuch of the Americans as fided with government on this occafion, had their houfes plundered and burnt.

Though these outrages were committed by the lowest of the multitude, they were first connived at by thofe of fuperior rank, and the principles on which they were founded afterwards openly patronized by them; and the doctrine became general and openly avowed, that Britain had no right to tax the colonies without their own confent.

It was now found abfolutely neccffary either to yield to the Americans, by repealing the obnoxious ftatutes, or to enforce them by arms. The ferment had diffused itfelf univerfally throughout the colonies. Virgi nia firft, and after that all the rest of the provinces, declared against the right of Britain to lay on taxes in America; and that every attempt to veft others with this power befides the king, or the governor of the province and his general affembly, was illegal, unconflitutional, and unjuft. Nos. importation agreements were every where entered into and it was evenrefolved into to prevent the fale of any more British goods after the prefent year. American manufactures, though dearer, as well as inferior in quality to the British, were univerfally preferred. An affociation was entered into against eating of lamb, in order to promote the growth of wool; and the ladies with cheerfulness agreed to renounce the ufe of .every species

of ornament manufactured in Britain. Such a general and alarming confederacy determined the miniftry to repeal fome of the most obnoxious itatutes: and to this they were the more inclined by a petition from the first American congrefs, held at New-York in the beginning of October.

The flap-act was therefore repealed, to the univerfal joy of the Americans, and indeed to the general fatisfattion of the English, whofe man factures had begun to fuffer very feverely in confequence of the American affociation again them. The difputes on the fubject without doors, however, were by no means filenced, but each party continued to argue the cafe as violently as ever. The celebrated Dr. Benjamin Franklin was on this occafion, examined before the Houfe of Commons; and his opinion was in in fubflance as follows:

"That the tax in queftion was impracticable and ruinous. The very attempt had fo far allienated the affection of the colonies, that they behaved in a lefs friendly manner towards the natives of England than before; confidering the whole nation as conspiring against their liberty, and the parliament as willing rather to opprefs than fupport and allift them. America, in fact, did not stand in any need of British manufactures, having already begun to conftruct fuch as might be deemed abfolutely necellary, and that with much fuccefs, has left no doubt of their arriving in a fhort time at perfection. The elegancies of drefs had already been renounced for manufactures of the American kind, though much inferior; and the bulk of the people, confifting of farmers, were fuch as could in no way be affected by the want of British commodities, as having every neceffary within themfelves. Materials of alt kinds were to be had in plenty the wool was fine; flax grew in great abundance, and iron was every where to be met with."

In

The Doctor alfo infifted, That "the Americans had been greatly mifre prefented; that they had been traduced as void of gratitude and affection to to parent flare; than which nothing could be more contrary to truth. the war of 1755 they had, at their own expence, railed an army of 25,000 men; and in that of 1739, they alfifted the British expeditions again!t South America with feveral thousand men, and had made many brave exertions again the French in North America. It was faid that the war of 1755 had been undertaken in defence of the colonies; but the truth was, that it originated from a conteft about the limits between Canada and Nova Scotia, and in defence of the English rights to trade on the Ohio. The Americans, however, would fill continue to act with their ufual fide lity; and, were any war to break out in which they had no concern, would fhew themselves as ready as ever to affift the parent ftate to the utmost of their power, and would never fail to manifeft their readiness in contributing to the emergencies of government, when called to do fo in a regular and conflitutional manner.”

The miniftry were concious, that in repealing this obnoxious act, they wielding to the Americans; and therefore to fupport, as they thought, the dignity of Great-Britain, it was judged proper to publifh a declaratory bill, fetting forth the authority of the mother country over her colonies, and her power to bind them by laws and flatutes in all cafes whatever. This much diminished the joy with which the repeal of the flamp aft was received in America. It was confidered as a proper reafon to enforce any claims equally prejudicial with the flamp-act, which might hereafter be fet up; a fpirit of jealoufy pervaded the whole continent, and a frong party was formed, watchful on every occafion to guard the fuppofed encroachments of the Bunih power.

It was not long before an occafion offered, in which the Americans manifefted a fpirit of abfolute independency; and that, inflead of being bound by the British legislature in all cafes, they would not be controlled by it in the moft trivial affairs. The Rockingham miniftry had paffed an act, providing the troops lationed in different parts of the colonies with fuch accommodations as were neceflary for them. The affembly of New-York, however, took upon them to alter the mode of execution preferibed by the act of parliament, and to fubftitute one of their own. This gave very great offence to the new miniftry, and rendered them, though compofed of thofe who had been active against the stamp-bill, iefs favourable to the colonies than in ali probability they would have otherwife been. An unlucky circumflance at the fame time occurred, which threw every thing once more into confufion. One of the new miniflry, Mr. Charles Townshend, having declared that he could find a way of taxing the Americans without giving them offence, was called upon to propofe his plan. This was by impefing a duty upon tea, paper, painters colours, and glafs imported into America. The undutiful behaviour of the New-York affembly, and that of Boften, which had proceeded in a fimilar manner, caufed this bill to meet with lefs oppofition than otherwife it would have done. As a punishment to the refractory affemblies, the legiflative power was taken from that of New-York until it fhould fully comply with the terms of the act. That of Bofton at laft fubmitted with reluctance. The bill for the new taxes was quickly paffed, and fent to America in 1768.

A ferment much greater than that occafioned by the flamp-act now took place throughout the continent. The populace renewed their outrages, and thofe of fuperior ftation entered into regular combinations against it. Circular letters were fent from Maffachufet's colony to all the rell, fetting forth the injuftice and impropriety of the behaviour of the British legiflature. Meetings were held in all the principal towns, in which it was propofed to leffen the confumption of foreign manufactures, by giving proper encouragement to their own. Continual difputes enfued betwixt the governors and general allemblies of their provinces, which were much heightened by a letter from Lord Shelburn to the governor of Maffachufets, containing complaints of the people he governed. The affembly, exafperated to the highest degree, chargelt their governor with baving milreprefented them to the court of Britain, required him to produce copies of the letters he had fent ; and, on his refufal, wrote letters to the English ininiftry, accufing him of mifreprefen tation and partiality, complaining at the fame time moft grievously of the proceedings of parliament, as utterly fubverfive of the liberties of America, and the nights of British subjects.

The governor, at a lofs how to defend himfelf, prorogued the affembly; and, in his fpeech on the occafion, gave a loofe to his refentment, accufing the members of ambitious defigns, incompatible with thofe of loyal fubjetis. To counteract the circular letter of the province of Maffachufeus. Lord Hilborough, fecretary for the American department, fent another to the governors of the different colonies, reprobating the other as fill of mifeprefentation, and tending to excite a rebellion against the authority of the parent Rate."

Matters now haflened to a crifis. The governor had been ordered to proceed with vigour, and by no means to fhew any difpofition to yield to the people as formerly. In particular, they were required to refcind that refoluon by which they had written the circular letter above mentioned; and, in

cafe of a refufal, it was told them that they would be diffolved. As this leiter had been framed by the refolutions of a former house, they defired, after a weeks cofultation, that a recefs might be granted to confult with their conflituents; but this being refufed, they came to a determination, 92 against 17, to adhere to the refolution which produced the circular letter. At the fame time a letter was fent to Lord Hitllborough, and a meffage to the governor, in juftification of their proceeding. In both, they expreffed themfelves with fuch freedom as was by no means calculated to accord with the fentiments of thofe in power. They infifted that they had a right to communicate their fentiments to their fellow fubjects upon matters of fuch importance; complained of the requifition to refcind the circular letter as unconflitutional and unjuft; and particularly infifted, that they, were reprefented as harbouring feditions defigns, when they were doing nothing but what was lawful and right. At the fame time, they condemned the late acts of parliament as highly oppreffive, and fubverfive of liberty. The whole was concluded by a lift of accufations against their governor.

Thefe proceedings were followed by a violent tumult at Bofton. A vellel belonging to a capital trader had been feized in confequence of his having neglected fome of the new regulations; and being taken under the protection of a man of war at that time lying in the harbour, the populace attacked the houtes of the commiflioners of excife, broke their windows, deftroyed the collector's boats, and obliged the Custom-Houfe officers to take refuge in Caftle William, fituated at the entrance of the harbour.

The governor now took the laft ftep in his power to put a flop to the violent proceedings of the affembly, by diffolving it entirely but this was of little moment. Their behaviour had been highly approved by the other colonies, who had written letters to them expreffive of their approbation. After the diffolution of the affembly, frequent meetings of the people were held in Boston, which ended in a remonftrance to the governor, to the fame purpofe as fome of the former; but concluding with this extraordinary requeft, that he would take upon him to order the king's hips out of the harbour.

While the dipofition of the Bostonians was in the ftate of irritation, news arrived that the agent for the colony had not been allowed to deliver their petition to the king; it having heen objected that the affembly without the governor was not fufficient authority. This did not contribute to allay the ferment; and it was further augmented by the news that a great number of troops had been ordered to repair to Boston, to keep the inhabitants in

awe.

A dreadful alarm now took place. The people called on the governor to convene a general affembly, in order to remove their fears of the military who they faid were to be affembled to overthrow their liberties, and force obedience to laws to which they were entirely averfe. The governor replied, that it was no longer in his power to call an affembly; having, in his lail inftructions from England, been required to wait the king's orders. Being thus refufed, the people took upon themfelves the formation of an affembly, which they called a convention. The proceedings and refolutions of this were conformable to their former behaviour; and circular letters were directed to all the towns in the province, acquainting them with the refolutions that had been taken in the capital, and exhorting them to proceed in the fame manner. The convention, however, thought proper to affure the governor of their pacific intentions, and renewed their request that an No. 22.

affembly might be called; but being refufed any audience, and threatened with being treated as rebels, they at last thought proper to diffolve of themfelves, and fent over to Britain a circumflantial account of their proceedingwith the reason of their having assembled in the manner already mentioned

The expected troops arrived on the very day on which the convertion broke up, and had fome houfes in the town fitted up for their reception. Their arrival had a confiderable influence on the people, and for fome time feemed to put a flop to the disturbances; but the feeds of difcord had now taken fuch deep root, that it was impoffible to quench the flame. Indeed feveral circumstances conntributed greatly to encrease it.

On the 5th of March 1770, a scuffle happened between fome foldiers and a party of the town's people. The inhabitants poured in from all quarters to the affiftance of their fellow citizens; a violent tumult enfued, during which the military fired among the mob, killing and wounding feveral of them. The whole province now rofe in arms, and the foldiers were obliged to retire to Caffle William to prevent their being cut in pieces. In other re fpects the determinations of the Americans continued, if pollible, more firm than ever, until at laft government, determined to act with vigour, and at the fame time, to behave with as much condefcention as poflible, repealed all the duties lately laid on, that of tea alone excepted. This was left on purpose to maintain the dignity of the crown; and it was thought that it could not be productive of any difcontent in America, as being an affair of very little moment, the produce of which was not expected to exceed L. 16,000 flerling, or 71,040 dollars. The oppofitions, however, were ftrenuous in their endeavours to get this tax likewife abrogated; infið ng, that the Americans would confider it only as an inlet to others; and that the repeal of all the reft, without this, would answer no good purpose. The event thewed that their opinion was well founded. The Americans oppofed the tea-tax with the fame violence that they had done all the reft and at Jaff, on the news that falaries had been fetled on the juftices of the fuperior court of Bofton, the governor was addreffed on the fubject; the measure was condemned in the strongeft terms; and a committee felected out of the feveral diftricts of the colony appointed to enquire into it.

The new allembly proceeded in the molt formal manner to disavow the fupremacy of the British legiflature; accufed the parliament of Britain of having violated the natural rights of the Americans in a number of inftances. Copies of the tranfactions of this affembly were tranfmitted to every town in Maffachufett's exhorting the inhabitants to roufe themfelves, and exert every nerve in opofition to the iron hand of oppreffion, which was daily tearing the choifell fruits from the fair tree of liberty. The difturbances were alfo greatly heightened by an accidental difcovery that Mr. Hutchinson, governor of Maffachufetts, had written feveral confidential letters to people in England, complaining of the behaviour of the province, recommending vigorous meafures against them, and, among other things, affering, that "there must be an abridgment of what is called British liberty." Letters of this kind had fome how or other fallen into the hands of the agent for the colony at London. They were immediately tranfmitted to Bofton, where the affembly was fitting, by whom they were laid before the governor, who was thus reduced to a very mortifying fituation. Lofing every idea of reIpect for him as their governor, they inflantly difpatched a perition to the king, requelling him to remove the governor and deputy-governor from

VOL. IV.

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