seven years. Though this sentence was sented as unconstitutional, and subversive certainly as mild as the malignant nature of their natural and positive rights. The and dangerous tendency of those two pub- same assembly discovered still stronger lications could well admit of, it furnished marks of disaffection and revolt, on hearing Wilkes with a new subject of declamation a letter read from lord Shelburne, one of the on "the harshness, the cruelty, and illegali- principal secretaries of state, to Sir Francis ties of the whole proceeding.' The minis- Bernard, the governor of the colony, which try were even charged with secretly foment- contained some very severe but just animading disturbances not only in England, but in versions on their conduct. America, in order to have a pretence for extending beyond the Atlantic the iron hand of despotism; and their unwillingness to involve the kingdom in a war with France for the relief of Corsica, was ascribed to their detestation of all freemen, as well as to their pusillanimity and impotence.

DISAFFECTION IN AMERICA.

66

Advices of all those proceedings having been transmitted to England, lord Hillsborough, the new secretary of state for the American department, wrote a circular letter to the governors of all the colonies; in which his majesty's dislike to the letter of the Massachusets assembly was expressed in the strongest terms. It was declared, SOME notice has been already taken of that he considered it as of the most dangerthe acts passed in 1767, for laying certain ous and factious tendency; calculated to induties on paper, glass, colors, teas, &c. im- flame the minds of the people; to promote ported from Great Britain into America. an unwarrantable combination; to excite an Those acts, however impolitic and ill-timed, open opposition to, and denial of, the aubefore the former ill-humors had completely thority of parliament; and to subvert the subsided, were strictly conformable to the true principles of the constitution: and that distinction admitted by the colonists them- his majesty expected, from the known affecselves between raising money as the mere tion of the respective assemblies, that they incidental produce of regulating duties, and would "defeat this flagitious attempt to disfor the direct purpose of revenue. But as turb the public peace, and treat it with the soon as the doctrine was reduced to prac- contempt it deserved, by taking no notice tice, and custom-houses were established in of it." The assemblies acted in direct con their ports for collecting those duties, they tradiction to the wishes and wholesome addisavowed their former professions, and ar- vice of their sovereign. They expressed gued in a very different strain. If," said their approbation of the conduct of Masthey, "the parliament of Great Britain has sachusets, and passed several votes and reno right to tax us internally, it has none to solves, according with the spirit of the lettax us externally; and if it has no right to ter received from Boston. Some of them tax us without our consent, it can have none returned addresses to the secretary of state, to govern, or to legislate for us without our boldly justifying such conduct, and animadconsent." This was foreseen and pointed verting on several passages, as well as on out by the strenuous opposers of the repeal the request contained in his letter. The of the stamp-act; and the conduct of the assembly of New-York went even so far as Americans fully verified their predictions. to appoint a committee of correspondence The people of Boston took the lead, as usual, to consult with the other colonies on the in plans of resistance. They began by en- measures to be pursued in the present erisis: tering into a variety of combinations highly upon which that assembly was immediately prejudicial to the commerce of the mother dissolved. country; and among other schemes for les- Another letter of the same date (April sening and restraining the use of British 22) was written by lord Hillsborough to govmanufactures, they resolved to reduce dress ernor Bernard, in which, besides the former to its primitive simplicity, to retrench the exceptions to the circular letter of the asexpenses of funerals, to bring nothing from sembly at Boston, it was very delicately inabroad which could by any means be ob-timated, that his majesty thought some untained at home, and to give particular en- fair means must have been employed to carry couragement to the making of paper, glass, such a measure, either by surprise or through and the other commodities that were liable a thin house of representatives, as it deto the payment of the new duties, upon im- parted so widely from the spirit of prudence portation. These resolutions were adopted, and respect to the constitution, that seemed or similar ones entered into by all the old to have influenced a majority of the memcolonies on the continent; and, in the be- bers, in a full house, and at the beginning ginning of the year 1768, the assembly of of the session. The governor was also diMassachusets Bay sent a circular letter to rected to require, in his majesty's name, that the other provinces, proposing a common the new assembly would rescind the resoluunion to prevent the effect, and to obtain a tion which gave birth to the offensive letter, repeal of the late acts, which they repre- and declare their disapprobation of, and dis

sent to, so rash and hasty a proceeding: but a general assembly, they drew up a long in case of their refusal to comply with his catalogue of their pretended grievances; majesty's reasonable expectation, the gov- protested against keeping an army in the ernor had orders to dissolve them immedi- province without their consent; ordered the ately, and to transmit a copy of their pro-select-men of Boston to write to the selectceedings, to be laid before parliament. These men of the several towns within the provinstructions having been communicated to ince, recommending the speedy choice of the assembly in the latter end of June, and committees (another name for representathe question put for rescinding the resolu- tives) to form a convention; appointed tion of the last house, it was negatived by a Messrs. Otis, Cushing, Hancock, and Adams, majority of ninety-two to seventeen. A their late members, to act for them in that letter was then resolved on to lord Hillsbo- capacity; and concluded their proceedings rough, containing several strictures on the with a vote for a day of public prayer and requisition made to them, which they alleged fasting, and with a requisition to the people, to be unconstitutional and without prece- under the pretence of an approaching war dent; and intermixing some affected profes- with France, to prepare arms, ammunition, sions of loyalty with the strongest remon- and every other accoutrement necessary in strances against the late laws. They were cases of sudden danger. A better comment also preparing a petition to the king for the cannot be made on these transactions than removal of their governor, when they were in the words of the inhabitants of Hatfield, suddenly dissolved. in their spirited and judicious reply to the Previous to the dissolution of the assem-circular letter of the select-men of Boston. bly, the popular ferment was greatly increas- After showing the precipitancy of the steps ed by another occurrence which took place already taken, and the inconsistency, frivoon the tenth of June. A sloop called the lousness, and insincerity of the pretences for Liberty, laden with wine from Madeira, was calling a convention, "suffer us," say they, seized under the authority of the board of "to observe, that, in our opinion, the meacustoms for a false entry; and being cut sures the town of Boston is pursuing, and from her moorings, was conveyed, by the proposing to us and the people of this provorder of the commissioners, under the guns ince to unite in, are unconstitutional, illeof the Romney, a ship of war then lying in gal, and wholly unjustifiable, and what will Boston harbor. A violent riot ensued, in give the enemies of our constitution the which the mob burned the collector's boat greatest joy, subversive of government, debefore the door of John Hancock, the owner structive of that peace and good order which of the sloop; and compelled the commis- is the cement of society, and have a direct sioners, for the security of their lives, to take tendency to rivet our chains, and deprive us refuge at first on board the Romney, and af- of our rights and privileges, which we, the terwards at Castle William, a fortress on a inhabitants of this town, desire may be sesmall island contiguous to the town. The cured to us, and perpetuated to our latest temper and conduct of the people became posterity." every day more licentious. Town-meetings

A CONVENTION.

were held, and a remonstrance was present- THE temper and good sense, which influed to the governor insolently requiring him enced the conduct of the people of Hatfield, to issue an order for the immediate departure seemed, at that moment of infatuation and of the Romney. The natural effects of such turbulence, to be confined to themselves. conduct being justly apprehended, two regi- About a hundred towns and districts in the ments were ordered from Ireland to support same province agreed to the proposal of a the civil government, and several detach- convention, and immediately appointed comments from different parts of the continent mittee-men, a great number of whom met at met at Halifax for the same purpose. Upon Boston on the twenty-second of September. the first intimations of this measure, an Their first act was a message to the goveralarm was insidiously spread amongst the nor, in which they disclaimed all pretence to inhabitants of Boston and of the whole prov- any authority whatever; but said they were ince, that their property, their liberties, and chosen by the several towns, and came freetheir lives would soon lie at the mercy of ly, at the earnest desire of the people, to the bayonet; and that no alternative would consult and advise the most effectual meabe held out to them by the invaders, but ser-sures for promoting peace and good order, vile submission or death. Under these im- as far as they lawfully might, under the very pressions, a great multitude of people of all dark and threatening aspect of public afranks crowded together at Faneuil-hall, the fairs: they then reiterated the detail of their leading incendiaries having issued a sum-grievances, and urged the absolute necesmons for such a meeting. Finding that the sity of his convening without delay a gengovernor would not, at their desire, and eral assembly, which they looked upon to be without his majesty's instructions, convene the only means of preventing the most un

:

happy consequences to the parent country new shock from the clash of those discordant and to the colonies. The governor refused principles, on which it had been framed by to receive any message from an assembly, the earl of Chatham. The duke of Grafton the legality of which he could not allow, but and lord Shelburne, though introduced into admonished them by letter, as a friend to the their respective offices as his friends and by province, and a well-wisher to the individu- his desire, were never cordially united. The als of it, to break up their meeting instantly, latter had lately taken particular offence at and to separate before they did any business. the disregard of his recommendation of lord He said, he was willing to believe that the Tankerville to succeed George Pitt as amgentlemen who had issued the summons for bassador at Turin. A marked preference this meeting were not aware of the high was shown to the duke of Bedford's applicanature of the offence they were commit- tion in favor of Sir William Lynch. Lord ting: and that those who had obeyed them Shelburne, upon this, retiring in disgust, his did not consider the penalties they should place was supplied by lord Weymouth, from incur, if they persisted in continuing their the northern department; and the earl of session at present, ignorance of law might Rochford, late ambassador at Paris, was apexcuse what was past; a step farther would pointed successor to lord Weymouth. In a take away that plea. He asserted, that a few days after, lord Chatham, who had long meeting of the deputies of the towns was been prevented by bodily infirmities from an assembly of the representatives of the attending to public business, resigned the people to all intents and purposes; and that privy-seal, which was immediately delivered the calling it a committee of convention to his friend, the earl of Bristol. could not alter the nature of the thing. At Parliament met on the eighth of Novemthe conclusion of his letter, he informed ber; and one of the first objects that were them, that, if they paid no regard to this pressed upon their notice in the speech from friendly admonition, he must, as governor, the throne, was to resume the consideration assert the prerogative of the crown in a of those great commercial interests which more public manner. This remonstrance had been entered upon before, but which the produced another message, in which they shortness of the last session of the late parattempted to justify their meeting; begged liament had prevented from being brought the governor to be sparing of his frowns to to a final conclusion. The unhappy disortheir proceedings; and desired explanations ders in the colonies were in the next place of the criminality with which they were very affectingly described. "At the close of charged. The governor repeated his former the last parliament," said his majesty, "I exrefusal to receive any message from an ille-pressed my satisfaction at the appearance gal assembly; upon which they appointed which then induced me to believe, that such nine of their number to draw up a report on of my subjects as had been misled in some the causes and express objects of their meet-parts of my dominions were returning to a ing. This report being made on the twenty- just sense of their duty; but it is with equal sixth of the same month, a letter with a concern that I have since seen that spirit of representation of their transactions and faction, which I had hoped was well-nigh grievances, in which was inclosed a petition extinguished, breaking out afresh in some to his majesty to be delivered in person, of my colonies in North America; and, in was forwarded to their agent in London; one of them, proceeding even to acts of vioand on the twenty-ninth the convention lence, and of resistance to the execution of dispersed. the law; the capital town of which colony The very day the convention broke up, appears by late advices to be in a state of the fleet from Halifax, consisting of several disobedience to all law and government; frigates and transports with two regiments and has proceeded to measures subversive and a detachment of artillery on board, ar- of the constitution, and attended with cirrived in the harbor. Quarters were procured cumstances that manifest a disposition to for the troops by contract with private per- throw off their dependence on Great Britsons; and the council, upon that footing, ain. On my part I have pursued every allowed them barrack provisions. General measure that appeared to be necessary for Gage arrived soon after, as did the two re- supporting the constitution, and inducing a giments from Ireland. The factious and due obedience to the authority of the legisdisorderly were by these means for some lature." Addresses, in perfect unison with time intimidated; the soldiers behaved with the sentiments expressed in the speech, the utmost discretion; and a tolerable har- were agreed to by both houses. They were mony seemed to subsist between them and particularly explicit on the subject of Amerthe inhabitants. ica, and declared, that though they should While things remained in this state rather be ever ready to redress the just complaints of sullen repose than of assured tranquillity of the colonies, they were nevertheless deabroad, administration at home received a termined to maintain the supreme authority

of the British legislature over every part of ment of the court of king's-bench was the British empire. Thanks were then affirmed in both sentences; and next day given for the measures already taken to the parliament adjourned to the nineteenth support the laws in the colonies, and strong of January. assurances of their ready concurrence in every regulation that appeared likely to establish the constitutional dependence of the Americans.

WILKES PETITIONS THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS.

As lord Chatham still remained confined by illness, he had not been able since his resignation to give any public proofs of his hostility to the ministry whom he had deserted; but there could be no doubt of his intending upon the recovery of his health On the fourteenth of November, a peti- to join the standard of opposition. That tion was delivered from Wilkes containing standard was now upheld by the marquis of a recapitulation of all the proceedings Rockingham, who became leader of what against him, from the time of his having was called the old whig party, in consebeen apprehended by a general warrant till quence of the duke of Newcastle's death his late commitment to prison. This produc- about the middle of November. ed an order for the proper officers to lay be- THE ROYAL ACADEMY INSTITUTED. fore the house a copy of the records of the BUT the most memorable event that disproceedings in the court of king's-bench. tinguished the close of the year 1768, was The journals and resolutions of the house in the institution of the Royal Academy, under 1763, relative to the same subject, were also the king's immediate patronage, and subexamined; and a day was appointed for ject to the direction of forty artists of the hearing the matter of the petition, of which first rank in their several professions. The notice was ordered to be given to Wilkes, great object of this institution, which will and to a great number of persons who were reflect immortal honor on the taste and muconcerned as actors, or witnesses, in those nificence of its illustrious founder, was the transactions. In the mean time, Webb, late establishment of well-regulated schools of secretary to the treasury, against whom a design, where students in the arts might very heavy charge was laid of suborning find proper instruction and the best helps and bribing with the public money one of as well as incentives to aspiring genius, withWilkes's servants, having petitioned for an out going in search of them to foreign counopportunity to vindicate himself at the bar tries. Here the pupils had the finest living of the house, and application being also models, and choice casts of the most celemade by Wilkes for leave to attend in order brated antiques to copy after. Nine acadeto support the allegations of his petition, the micians elected annually from amongst the requests of both were complied with, and forty were to attend the schools by rotation, liberty of counsel was allowed them for their to set the figures, to examine the performrespective purposes. After these prepara- ances of the students, to promote their imtory steps, the hearing of the petition, which provement, and to turn their attention toat first had been ordered to take place on wards that branch of the arts in which they the second of December, was put off to the appeared most likely to excel. Professors twelfth of the same month, and then finally of painting, of architecture, of perspective, adjourned to the twenty-seventh of January and of anatomy, were also appointed, with following. This delay could not be avoided, liberal salaries, to read annually a certain as the merits of the disputed elections, many number of public lectures in the schools; of which were violently contested, took up and the admission to these and all the other so much time, that although parliament con- advantages of the institution was made free tinued sitting almost to the eve of the holi- to every person properly qualified to benefit days, they had not leisure to attend even to by the studies there cultivated. That noany of the objects recommended to them thing might be wanting to rouse and enfrom the throne, except the renewal of the courage emulation, prizes were held out to provision-bills, to prevent a return of the those who made the nearest approaches to scarcity from which the people had been excellence; and the discourses delivered at providentially relieved. A committee of the the annual distribution of them by the pres:whole house of commons had, indeed, been dent, Sir Joshua Reynolds, were well calcuformed early in the session, for the purpose lated to fan the flame of youthful ardor, to of an inquiry into American affairs; but unfold the true principles and laws of comthis subject though of far greater importance position, to strengthen the judgment, refine than Wilkes's petition, was necessarily de- the taste, and impress upon the fancy the ferred from the same cause, want of time. strongest images of that ideal perfection, That gentleman's appeal on a writ of error which, as he himself said, it is the lot of to the house of lords, admitting of a very genius always to contemplate, and never to short and easy decision, was heard on the attain. Under such a master, whose pretwenty-first of December, when the judg- cepts were so happily illustrated by his own

practice, it is no wonder that the English could be more immediately necessary, either school soon rose to celebrity and exhibited for the maintenance of royal authority in models of beauty and grandeur which may the said province, or for guarding his mabe fairly put in competition with the most jesty's subjects there from being farther deadmired productions of any age or any coun-luded by wicked and designing men, than try. It is with unwillingness that history to bring the authors of the late disorders to turns away from such delightful objects, to condign punishment; and for this purpose, record the harsh wrangles of party, which it was earnestly requested, that governor were renewed at the meeting of parliament Bernard might be directed to transmit the after the Christmas recess. fullest information he could obtain of all treaDISCUSSIONS ON AMERICAN AFFAIRS. sons committed within his government since 1769.—THE_grand debate on American the thirtieth of December, 1767, together affairs began the twenty-sixth of January. with the names of the persons most active An infinite number of papers relating to the in the perpetration of such offences, in order troubles in the colonies had been read the that his majesty might issue a special comday before; and some resolutions and an mission for trying the offenders within this address were now produced as sent down realm, pursuant to the statute of the thirtyfrom the lords, in order to their being con- fifth of Henry VIII. in case his majesty curred in by the commons. By these resolu- should, upon receiving the said information, tions it was declared, that the acts of the see sufficient ground for such a proceeding. late assembly of Massachusets Bay, which As soon as both houses concurred in the tended to call in question the authority of proposed avowal of these sentiments, it was the supreme legislature, were illegal, un- resolved in the cabinet that a circular letter constitutional, and derogatory of the rights should be sent by lord Hillsborough to the of the crown and parliament of Great Brit- governors of the different provinces, containain: that the circular letters written by the ing an engagement, as far as the ministers same assembly to those of the other colonies of the crown could engage, to procure a reon the subject of the late import duties, peal, on the principles of commercial expestating them to be infringements of the diency, of the taxes on glass, paper, and corights of the people, and proposing combi- lors. They were in hopes, that a well-timed nations and other modes of pretended re- show of vigor in the first instance, and of dress, were of a most unwarrantable, dan- lenity and condescension afterwards, would gerous, and inflammatory nature: that the bring the colonists to a sense of their duty, town of Boston had been for some time in a and make them desist from their seditious state of great disorder and confusion, during practices. Unfortunately the event did not which the officers of the revenue had been correspond, in any degree, with these exobstructed by violence in the discharge of pectations. their duty, and their lives endangered; and that neither the council of the province, THOUGH the parliamentary strength of the nor the ordinary civil magistrates having ministry was fully demonstrated in carrying exerted their authority for suppressing such the resolutions and address by a majority of tumults, the preservation of the peace, and almost three to one, they were opposed with the due execution of the laws became im- much greater vehemence on a point, where practicable without the aid of a military they thought themselves more secure, an arforce: that all the proceedings in the town- ticle of the supplies. A message from the meetings at Boston on the fourteenth of king was delivered to the house of commons June and twelfth of September were calcu- on the last day of February, acquainting lated to promote sedition; and that the ap- them that the arrears of the civil list amountpointment of a convention, the elections of ed to five hundred and thirteen thousand deputies by the several towns and districts pounds, and expressing his majesty's relifor that purpose, and their meeting, were ance on their known zeal and affection, to daring insults offered to his majesty's au- enable him to discharge that encumbrance. thority, and audacious usurpations of the This message gave rise to a contest, which powers of government. In the address, the was kept up with uncommon warmth for greatest satisfaction was expressed in the three days successively. Several motions, measures already pursued for supporting the diversified by all the manœuvres of political constitution, and inducing a due obedience dexterity, were made for papers which might to the legislature; and the strongest as- lead to a discovery of any mismanagement surances were given of effectual concurrence or profusion in the conduct of the revenue, in such farther measures as might be found and of the royal expenses. A review was necessary to maintain the civil magistrates taken of the state of the civil list, and priin a proper execution of the laws, within vate revenues of the crown: comparisons the province of Massachusets Bay. It was were drawn between the income of the given as matter of opinion, that nothing present and of former reigns: and it was

DEBATES ON THE CIVIL LIST.