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VII.

1768.

Lord Hill borough's letter.

CHA P. object, formed a striking contraft with the fluctuating measures of the British government. Sir Francis Bernard, the governor of Maffachufets, was a man, neither by conciliation fitted to diffolve their concerts, nor by vigour to counteract their schemes. He was on very bad terms with the affembly, who charged him with having misrepresented their conduct to the British government, while he reproached them with rebellious ftubbornnefs. This reciprocation of invective, refembling the angry brawlings of private litigants, rather than difcuffions befitting his majefty's reprefentative and a conftitutional affembly of his fubjects, widened the breach. Bernard fent to ministers a copy of the circular exhortation, which increased their displeasure against the New Englanders. Lord Hillsborough wrote a letter to the feveral governors of the colonies, to be laid before the respective affemblies: he condemned the conduct of Massachusets, as tending to promote an unwarrantable combination against the authority of parliament, and admonished the other colonies to difregard fuch difloyal fuggeftions. He inftructed Bernard to require the affembly to refcind the resolution which had iffued fuch an inflammatory paper; and, in cafe they should refufe, he was directed to diffolve the meeting. Not fatisfied with oppofing innovations, the Bostonians riotoufly refifted an authority acknowledged by themselves. The floop Liberty, belonging to John Hancock, had arrived in Boston harbour, laden with wine; the master of the veffel having in vain attempted to bribe a custom-house officer to let him fmuggle his cargo afhore, at laft locked him up by

force

VII.

1768.

Boston.

force in the cabin, fent the cargo afhore, and re- CHAP. laded the ship before the morning. Information of this illegal and outrageous act having been given at the custom-houfe, the collector, feizing the floop, committed her to the care of the Romney fhip of war. On perceiving this movement, a mob Outrages at affembled, buffeted and pelted the collector and controller of the customs, attacked the houses and threatened the perfons of the commiffioners, and compelled them to take refuge in Castle William, a fortrefs commanding the mouth of the harbour. The governor applied to the affembly for their advice and affiftance, but received neither: A town-meeting, fo far from discountenancing the outrage, prefented a remonftrance on the feizure of the floop. Thus both the provincial affembly and the town of Boston fhewed, that, though the acts of parliament of which they complained might be unconstitutional grievances, they had refolved to refist legitimate and conftitutional authorities. The governor perfifted in urging them to refcind the obnoxious refolution of the preceding feffion; but, as they would not comply, he, agreeably to his directions, diffolved the affembly. The British ministry, informed of the late outrages, ordered troops to Boston to aid the civil power. The Boftonians, informed of the destination of the foldiers, intreated the governor to convene the general affembly; but Bernard answered, that he had diffolved the affembly by command of his majesty, and could not call another without the king's orders. The Boftonians, difappointed in their expectation, formed the daring refolution of affembling a proC 2 vincial

CHAP. vincial convention, which body met on the 22d of

VII

1768.

Diffatisfac

tion in

England.

September, drew up a petition to the king against the late acts of parliament; but difclaimed all pretence to authority, stated the causes of their meeting, exhorted the people to pay deference to government, and promised to aid the civil power in maintaining tranquillity. Rendered more mild in their conduct by the approach of the foldiers, they diffolved their meeting the very day on which the first divifion of the troops arrived at Boston; and the tumultuous fpirit of the people being thus reftrained, quietnefs was re-established. The affembly of New York having fubmitted to the terms of the mutiny act, were reftored to their legislative functions. The other colonial affemblies, guided by the circular letter of Maffachufets, and regardless of the British minifter's admonitions, refolved to prohibit the importation of the enumerated articles, and directed the prohibition to begin from the first of January 1769.

In England, the diffatisfaction and licentiousness of the people continued to increase. Mr. Wilkes nourished the discontent, by publishing lord Weymouth's letter to the Surry magiftrates, and prefixing to it a feditious preface. A great part of the people charged all the difturbances in America to the folly and wickednefs of ministry; but there was a faction out of parliament, that proceeded to a degree of licentioufnefs which was inimical to the existence of regular government, and its most active partisans received too much encouragement from many opulent citizens in the metropolis. The oppofition in parliament ftill confifted chiefly of two parties, the adherents of Mr. Grenville, and

the

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* CHAP.

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the connections of the marquis of Rockingham who, though adverfe to each other, agreed in voting against ministry. The earl of Chatham, the founder of the prefent ministry, borne down with infirmities, and totally difapproving of the measures of his colleagues, had long withdrawn from public business, and lately refigned his office of lord privy feal. The duke of Grafton, though first lord of the treasury, had been intended to act only a fecondary and fubordinate part, as in the fame office the duke of Newcastle had done, during the fplendid period of Mr. fecretary Pitt's administration. As the health of lord Chatham rendered him unequal to the exertions of his earlier years, the duke of Grafton actually became prime minifter. The talents of this nobleman did not exceed mediocrity, nor was he mature in political experience. So qualified, he was thruft by accident, rather than exalted by defign, into a fituation, to fill which, in the distracted state of affairs, required a minifter of confummate abilities and wisdom. Lord North, while only chancellor of the exchequer, rarely exceeded his official bufinefs, or took an active fhare in the general concerns of administration. Lords Camden and Shelburne, both coinciding in the views and opinions of lord Chatham, had little connection with their colleagues in office. The other fecretaries of state were not diftinguished for

* Two Pamphlets published this year, "The prefent State of the Nation," by Mr. Grenville; and " Observations on that prefent State," by Mr. Burke; in their principles and views, manifeft the very different and oppofite opinions of the Gren ville and Rockingham parties.

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VII.

1768.

Lord

Chatham

refigns the

privy feal.

VII.

1768.

CHAP. political talents; fo that, on the whole, the present miniftry was far from poffeffing that combined ability and concert, that would have qualified them to manage with effect the manifold and complicated objects which demanded the attention of the British government. Such was the state of foreign, colonial, and domestic affairs, when the feafon ar rived for the meeting of parliament.

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