beginning now became more intemperate. In a committee from the house of representatives the month of May, 1769, the Virginia house of remonstrated with the governor, complaining of burgesses, which held its meetings at Williams- an armament investing their metropolis, of the burg, the old capital of that colony, voted a military guard, of cannon pointed at the door of series of strong resolutions, followed by an ad- their state-house, and requesting his excellency, dress to the king. Lord Bottetourt, the governor, as his majesty's representative, to give effectual hastened to dissolve them; but they repaired orders for the removal of the ships and troops. forthwith to the Raleigh Tavern, and in a room, Governor Bernard, who had certainly become which bore the name of "Apollo," they entered less courteous since the arrival of the armament, into the articles of the agreement, or, as it was replied drily, "Gentlemen, I have no authority now termed, "the association," by which they over his majesty's ships in this port, or over his pledged their honour not to import British mer- troops within this town." A few days after, the chandise so long as the acts of parliament for house declared that the use of the military power raising a revenue in America remained unre- to enforce the execution of the laws was inconpealed. Among the eighty-eight signatures to sistent with the spirit of a free constitution, and this Virginia association were those of George that they would not do any business, surrounded Washington, Peyton Randolph, Patrick Henry, as they were with an armed force, threatening Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and others, their privileges and their personal security. The who afterwards took the lead in the great strug- governor thought to remove the latter strong gle. On returning to their respective counties, objection by adjourning the assembly to Camall these Virginia members were re-elected for bridge, a town in which there were no troops, sethe next assembly; and the small minority who parated from Boston by a narrow arm of the sea. had opposed the resolutions were rejected to a But they were not likely to be more compliant man. The gentlemen and merchants of Mary- at Cambridge than they had been at Boston. land and South Carolina followed the example They voted "That the establishment of a standof Virginia, and signed the association. Trade ing army in this colony in time of peace is an with the Rhode Islanders and the Georgians was invasion of natural rights; that a standing army broken off, and those colonies were put under a is not known as a part of the British constitution; kind of ban and interdict "for having acted a that sending an armed force into the colony, weak and infamous part from the beginning of under a pretence of assisting the civil authority, the present struggle for the preservation of Ame- is highly dangerous to the people, unprecedented, rican rights." The Georgians made haste to re- and unconstitutional." They refused to make nove this excommunication and joined the non- any provision for the troops, and they were theremporting association. The Rhode Islanders and upon prorogued by the governor, to meet at he people of North Carolina soon followed; and, Boston in the month of January, 1770. The artly through conviction, partly through coer- king, to testify his approbation, created General ion, the merchants of all the other colonies and Bernard a baronet, and took upon himself the owns, with the single exception of Portsmouth, whole expense of passing the patent. Sir Francis he sole seaport in New Hampshire, joined and left the colony on the 1st of August, as poor as gned the bond. It must be confessed that a when he came there eleven years before, and foleal of tyranny was exercised in sowing these lowed by very few regrets. Before his departure eds of liberty. The houses of the merchants an affray took place in a coffee-house between ho refused compliance were surrounded by Mr. Robinson, one of the board of commissioners, rganized mobs, who threatened destruction, not and Mr. Otis, one of the patriots, or leaders of the aly to house and goods, but also to life or limbs. opposition, in the assembly. In consequence of a hese threats, not always unattended with actual newspaper attack, the commissioner attempted to eeds of violence, generally drove the merchants pull the patriot's nose- -the patriot knocked the the committees; and they signed the agree- commissioner down-friends interfered on either ent and gave up trade rather than risk every-side, and a combat with fists and canes became ing by selling British goods. The "Daughters Liberty "— for the American ladies had taken eir part of Colonel Barre's compliment-entered to associations among themselves proscribing e use of tea. Meanwhile the storm thickened at Boston. At e end of May, the assembly being called together, The Life of Thomas Jefferson, with Parts of his Correspondence, before published. By George Tucker, Professor of Moral losophy in the University of Virginia. London, 1837. general. It may be fancied that the excise party proved the weaker-Robinson and his friends were compelled to retreat by a back door. If a few soldiers had chanced to pass at the time there would probably have been bloodshed. Meanwhile smuggling went on in spite of troops, ships, and commissioners; and the Bostonians had adopted the practice of tarring and feathering all informers, or all who attempted to assist the government in any way. The process was to strip the obnoxious person naked, tar him all over, roll him in feathers, and then drive him out into the streets. The brutal operation was often attended with violence that destroyed health or life! Shortly after the rising of the English parliament (on the 9th of May, 1769) Lord Hillsborough had written a circular letter to the colonies, stating that in the very next session the duties upon glass, paper, and painters' colours would be taken off, as contrary to the true principles of commerce. But this would leave the duty upon tea; and his lordship said nothing about repealing the odious clauses in the mutiny act. Moreover, the colonists complained that his letter spoke of commercial expediency, and not of the right they claimed to pay no taxes whatever without their own consent. Various other causes are stated to show how Lord Hillsborough's letter failed of producing any tranquillizing effect, and to demonstrate that it ought so to have failed. It will perhaps be sufficient to say, that the storm had now risen too high to be calmed by a little oil thrown upon its waves.' The city of London was scarcely more tranquil or more contented than Boston. From the prorogation of parliament in May to its tardy re-assembling in January, little was seen or heard but noise, strife, faction, and confusion. The Earl of Chatham was no stranger to the movements; the Earl of Temple gave most of them his open countenance and assistance, and did not disdain to make use of John Wilkes as a bugbear to the court, and as a model patriot to the people. Liberal subscriptions were made to pay Wilkes' fines, and to provide for his subsistence when his imprisonment should expire." Dinners, attended by Burke, Thomas Pitt, Alderman Beckford, Lord Clive, Lord John Cavendish, Colonel Barré, Admiral Keppel, Mr. Byng, and many other parliament men of rank and consideration, were held at the Thatched-house Tavern, where, among other toasts, was drunk-" May future administrations not be so remarkable for incapacity as the present." Allen, the father of the unfortunate youth killed in St. George's Fields, was sent up to St. James's with a petition, demanding 1 Gordon, Hist. American Revolution; the History of the Origin, Progress, and Termination of the American Wars, by C. Stedman, who served under Sir W. Howe, Sir H. Clinton, and the Marquis Cornwallis; Tucker, Life of Jefferson. 2 As early as the 20th of February (three days after the last declaration of the commons that Wilkes was incapable of being a member), a large and respectable meeting was held at the London Tavern, and was attended by many of the opposition members. A subscription was set on foot, and the sum of £3340, subscribed on the spot. A paper was widely distributed, and a committee was appointed to carry on the subscription throughout England. On the 7th of March the society called the "Supporters of the Bill of Rights" had a meeting at the London Tavern, and sent Wilkes £20) for his immediate necessities, and instituted an inquiry into the state of his debts. On "justice upon the cruel murderers of his beloved child, whose blood cried aloud for vengeance." To keep the odium alive, a tombstone, with long and exciting inscriptions, was placed over the youth's grave. On the 24th of May a petition was presented to the House of Commons from 1565 freeholders of the county of Middlesex, who criticized all public measures since his majesty's accession, and who asked nothing less than the immediate dismission of ministers as enemies to freedom everywhere, and traitors to their country. The city of London was only a few days behind the county of Middlesex, and their petition, which was presented in full levee, was equally violent. Westminster contented herself with de manding an immediate dissolution of parliament and her petition served as a model for many counties, cities, and towns throughout the king dom. So much vehemence and discontent had no been witnessed in England for nearly a century A new enemy, too, terrible and mysterious-i some respects far more bitter and dangerous tha John Wilkes-had taken the field. This was th anonymous author of Junius's Letters, who indee "shot his arrows in darkness," and passed to th grave undetected. The first of these celebrate letters appeared in the columns of the Public A vertiser at the beginning of the present year, 176 The extraordinary force of the style, the appare familiarity with all public affairs and pul men, as well as with all court and cabinet secre the sharpness of the invective, the uncomprom ing boldness of the attack, harmonized with temper of the times, and produced a fresh exci ment. But the impression became much dee when government laid its actions for libel, a when Sir William Draper, the classical captor Manilla, entered the field against Junius champion for his friend or patron, the Duke Grafton. The letters were then sought a and perused by all classes with astonishing dity, and they became the political text-book o inconsiderable part of the nation. Many tru in them were palpable and undeniable, and falsehoods and exaggerations were made to like truth in the eyes of the multitude, who no means of examining the secret passage the 6th of June, at another meeting of the same society, i reported that Wilkes' debts amounted to £17,000, £70 which had been already compromised; and a circular lette agreed upon to forward the subscription. On the same da opening the will of a country gentleman, there was for legacy of £2000 "to that true Englishman and patriot Wilkes, Esq." On the 23d of October the * supporters of th of rights' ordered £300 to be carried by Mr. Oliver to Mr. W in the King's Bench Prison. Patriotism was not an unprot calling. From first to last, John Wilkes is said to hay more than £30,000 of public subscription money, besides considerable sums levied in a more private manner. 3 Mr. John Taylor's ingenious pamphlet, entitled, Jenissi fied with a distinguished Living Character, and first publish 1816, has fully convinced us that Sir Philip Francis was the at In the month of November, Mr. Calcraft, a most busy go-between, was deputed by Chatham to confer with the Marquis of Granby, and evidently with the intention of weakening the cabinet by inducing that nobleman to resign. Granby said that his retiring now would look like skulking to Junius, who had dealt him some of his heaviest blows, or might be considered as an admission on his part that he was what Junius de courts and cabinets, and who are generally disposed to take for true the story which is best told, and most exciting. From the sovereign and his mother-from the prime minister down to the meanest courtier and meanest clerk in office-from the head of the church and the head of the law down to the last-made chaplain or practising barrister, few escaped the scourge of this powerful and invisible flagellant. The king was impatient and resentful; the Duke of Graf-clared him to be-unfit for the command of the ton writhed under the infliction, and complained, not without reason, of the envenomed falsehoods aimed at his character and public conduct, which, if far from faultless, was still farther from the black iniquity depicted by Junius. It is said that Grafton was thrown into a perfect agony by these productions, and that their effect on his mind at times utterly incapacitated him, for days together, for the ministerial duties of his office.' In the month of July, to the astonishment of most present, the Earl of Chatham stalked into the drawing-room at St. James's, and, after the levee, had twenty minutes' private conversation with the king. Of what passed we know nothing, except that his reception was most flattering, and the king all condescension and goodness. We may guess, however, that the interview did not satisfy Chatham, or in any way tend to soften the violence of opposition. Some weeks after, Temple and the rest of the Grenvilles got up a grand meeting at Aylesbury, and voted a remon-paign; but ministerial troubles were growing on strance and petition. "The ardent eagerness," every side. Ireland, never well governed, and says Temple, "which was expressed for the union never tranquil, had now been in a very turbulent of the three brothers (that is Chatham, George state for years, split into factions, and overrun Grenville, and himself), and the applause with by bands of Levellers and White Boys, Oak Boys which my assurances that it did exist in the and Hearts of Steel, who were bound together by highest degree was received, did indeed give me secret oaths and a detestation of tithes. And a inexpressible delight. In short, all things passed financial encroachment attempted by his mainexpressibly well; and I hear the holy flame jesty's ministers this year roused a terrible storm has catched in Dorsetshire, where I suppose I in the Irish parliament. Even the silly pageantry shall find it ready to blaze by the time I get of my lord-mayor's day in the city of London was there, which will be by the end of next week." a spectacle of woe to the cabinet; for Mr. Beckford, the friend of Chatham, the wealthiest commoner in England, ascended, for a second time, the civic throne, in spite of all the efforts made by ministers and their city friends to prevent it. army. Calcraft saw that Granby was looking up to Lord Chatham, but was not very cordial with Temple and George Grenville. Granby told him that he never knew why Chatham had resigned; that he would advise the king to send for Lord Chatham; and that he would certainly recommend a dissolution of parliament as the only measure likely to quiet people's minds, now that they were so inflamed. This was on the 6th of November. Calcraft waited again on Lord Granby on the 25th; and on the 26th his lordship went down to Hayes, where it appears that Chatham advised him "not to go to a place where it rained snares"-that is to say, not to attend a meeting of the council on the following Monday upon American affairs. During the same month of November, Calcraft, who was living at Shooter's Hill, busied himself in getting up meetings, petitions, and addresses from the men of Kent! All this seemed to denote a fierce parliamentary cam 993 Sir N. W. Wraxall, Historical Memoirs of his Own Time. Letter from Earl Temple to Chatham, in Chatham Corresndence: Letter from Horace Walpole to General Conway. 3 Letter to the Countess of Chatham, in Chatham Cor. CHAPTER IV.-CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY.-A. D. 1770. GEORGE III. George III. opens parliament-His strange intimation-Chatham's formidable eloquence in the House of LordsHis defence of the American malcontents-Violent debate in the House of Commons-Appearance of Charles James Fox-The Lord-chancellor Camden dismissed-The great seal repeatedly rejected, and put in conmission-Offices resigned-Resignation of the Marquis of Granby-Lord Chatham's speech on the national difficulties-His proposals for reform in parliamentary representation-Lord North becomes premier by the resignation of the Duke of Grafton-New ministerial appointments-Account of Lord North-Debate in the lords on the judicative right of the commons in elections-Resolution passed confirmatory of the right of the House of Commons-Rejection of Wilkes from parliament confirmed-Motion for an increase of seamen in the royal navy-Chatham's complaints of royal favouritism-Effects of his speech on the popular mind--City petition for the redress of grievances-Its rejection by the king-It is brought before parliament-Its language disapproved of Mr. Horne Tooke's popular attacks on the Rockingham party-Question of controverted elections-Grenville's bill for its settlement passed-Debate on American taxation-The duty on tea retained -Wilkes liberated-Bill for his reposition in parliament-A keen debate-The bill rejected-American affairs -Care to exclude reporters from the house-Chatham's motion on the American disorders, and proposal for the dissolution of parliament-The motion negatived-Parliament prorogued-Beckford, mayor of Londen, presents a civic petition to the king-The mayor's unpalatable conduct on the occasion-Death of BeckfordRevolutionary meetings at Boston-The first life lost in the American commotion-Unwarrantable proceedings of the Boston patriots-Quarrels between them and the soldiers-Attack on the military by the mob-leath of Attucks, the mulatto ringleader-The citizens demand the removal of all the troops from Boston-Their threats in the event of a refusal-The troops withdrawn-The people of Boston resolve to abstain from teaLeaders of the American revolt-The affair of the Falkland Islands-It threatens to produce a war between Britain and Spain-It is brought before parliament in the king's opening speech-Chatham's speech on the subject-Peaceful close of the negotiation with Spain-Political movements during the Christmas recess. P ARLIAMENT did not assemble till | Carlisle and March having refused the unthankthe 9th January, 1770. His majesty ful office. It was as general and unmeaning as commenced his speech by deploring the speech from the throne. Chatham presenti an unfortunate distemper which had rose, and after a little talk about his own age and broken out among-horned cattle: infirmities, and his respect and duty to the crown, and he assured the lords and com- he spoke in thunder. He said that there never mons that he had used his best endeavours to was a period which called more forcibly than the stop the progress of the contagion! And this present for the serious attention and consideration was solemnly uttered from the throne when the of that house; and that at a crisis of such importland was full of wicked wits and scoffers, when ance and danger, when discontent, distress, and inJunius was writing, and Wilkes making his juries were universal, it was the bounden duty of bons-mots! It rained, it poured, it deluged jokes their lordships to lay before the sovereign the true and repartees in newspapers, pamphlets, and state and condition of his subjects. After indulgmagazines. The session was nick-named "the ing in a quiet sneer at the care of the council for horned-cattle session ;" the king's love of farming horned cattle, he said he was extremely glad to was turned against him, and he was represented hear what he owned he did not expect when he as looking after cows, stalls, dairies, and farms, came into the house, that the king had reason to when his empire was breaking to pieces, and his believe that his endeavours to secure the peace people every where misgoverned and discontented. of his country would be successful. Circumstances And now, too, the great Chatham was in his place and views had changed. Chatham no longer in the House of Lords, vigorous and more elo- called the colonists madmen, but thought that quent than ever, like a giant refreshed by sleep, the measures of government-measures which in or like Samson bursting his bonds at the cry that good part had been framed by a cabinet in which the Philistines were upon him. Among Chat- he himself held a place-had driven them into ham's Philistine foes he now counted his recent excesses which he could not quite justify: he no colleague, friend, and nominee, the Duke of longer asked what demon blew the coals; and, in Grafton, who had consented to remain in office a brief process of time, this demon of discord at his earnest prayer. The address was moved changed form and colour, and was converted in in the upper house by the Duke of Ancaster, his tropes and impersonations into an angel of and seconded by Lord Dunmore, the Earls of light and liberty. In his present speech he ownesi This to dismiss the virtuous and independent lord who sat on the woolsack, and to supply his place with some obsequious lawyer who would do as he was commanded." Lord Shelburne said nearly the same thing, and added, "that after the dismissal of the present worthy chancellor the seals would go a-begging; but he hoped there would not be found in the kingdom a wretch so base and meanspirited as to accept of them on the conditions on which they must be offered." In the House of Commons the address was moved by Sir George Osborne. At first it had been resolved by the opposition not to meddle with the address in that house; but Lord Chatham expressed very strongly to Lord Temple that this plan, if followed, would have every possible ill consequence. Temple was convinced of this, and hastened from Hayes to London, and carried the same conviction to his brother, George Grenville, who thereupon changed his tactics, and sent word to the Thatched - house, where there was a meeting of opposition, "to try to muster spirits to come down to parliament, where words of amendment were to be moved." Ac he had a natural partiality for America, and was | but his amendment was negatived, and the oriinclined to make allowance for her excesses. He ginal address was carried. Lord Pomfret then ernfessed, at the same time, that he was entirely moved an adjournment for some days. gnorant of the present state of America; but then called up Lord Temple, who said, "that the house he said that he feared a noble duke was as igno- well knew for what purpose the ministry wanted rant as himself, and had been taking dangerous an adjournment: it was to settle the disordered steps in the dark, without stopping to inquire his state of the administration, which was now shatway; and one false step would lead him to an-tered in a most miserable manner, and in all likeother, till he would be lost in an inextricable laby-lihood would soon fall to pieces: and particularly rinth. He objected to the word unwarrantable, as applied, in the proposed address, to the proceedings of the colonists. Unwarrantable, he said, must mean illegal; and how could their lordships decide that proceedings which had not yet been stated to them in any shape were contrary to law? He proposed substituting the word dangerous. He told them they must look for other remedies; that the discontent of 2,000,000 of people could only be removed by removing the causes of it. After reminding the house that their privileges, however transcendent, however ppropriated to them, stood, in fact, upon the igoad bottom of the people, and after reading 'hem a lesson or a warning from the fate of the Tandees of Castile out of Robertson's History of Charles V., he proclaimed that the liberty of the subject had been invaded not only in our provinces, but here at home. Hence, he said, had arisen universal complaints and demands of redress. "I have," said he, "considered the mater with the most serious attention; and, as I have not in my own breast the smallest doubt hat the present universal discontent of the nation arises from the proceedings in the House of Com-cordingly Mr. Dowdeswell moved for the insermons upon the expulsion of Mr. Wilkes, I think tion into the address of words intimating the newe ought in our address, to state that matter to cessity of immediately inquiring into the causes the king." He concluded by submitting an amend- of the unhappy discontents which prevailed in ment. He was followed by the lord-chancellor, every part of his majesty's dominions. The deCamden, who, upon his patron's resignation of bate which ensued lasted twelve hours, and was the privy seal, had declared that Lord Chatham attended with great violence, and other circumshould still be his polar star-that he reluctantly stances more extraordinary. The Marquis of consented to retain the great seal, and "to hold Granby powerfully expressed his regret for havon a while longer with this crippled administra- ing in the preceding session voted with ministers tion." Since then, Camden and Chatham had on the question of the disqualification of Mr. been in amicable communication, and Caleraft Wilkes. "That vote," said he, "I shall always had been employed in coming and going between lament as the greatest misfortune of my life. I them. The chancellor now startled the uninitiated see that I was in error, and I am not ashamed to with a speech as strong as that just delivered by make this public declaration of it, and give my Chatham. It was strange language from one hold- vote for the amendment." It was expected that ing the great seal. On the other side Lord Mans- General Conway, who had gone out of the house eld, in opposing the amendment, said, that he to avoid voting on the Wilkes question, would would never deliver an opinion as to the legality have followed the example of Granby; but Conof the proceedings in the House of Commons in way stood up to oppose the amendment, and the Middlesex election. He had his opinions, spoke with great warmth in defence of ministers, but was determined to keep them secret, and and in approbation of the disqualifying vote. wished to avoid speaking on the subject. He | Lord North declared he would never consent to acknowledged that the nation was in a distracted annul that vote; Sir Fletcher Norton said that state, but was happy to affirm that this was not owing to him. Chatham rejoined at great length; 1 Letters from Chatham to Calcraft, and from Calcraft to Chatham. |