A

SHORT ACCOUNT

OF A LATE

SHORT ADMINISTRATION.

HE late administration came into employment, under the mediation of the Duke of Cumberland, on the tenth day of July 1765; and was removed, upon a plan fettled by the Earl of Chatham, on the thirtieth day of July 1766, having lafted just one year and twenty days.

In that space of time

The distractions of the British Empire were composed, by the repeal of the American ftamp act;

But the constitutional fuperiority of Great Britain was preferved, by the act for fecuring the dependence of the colonies. Private houses were relieved from the jurifdiction of the excife, by the repeal of the cyder-tax.

The perfonal liberty of the subject was confirmed, by the refolution against general warrants.

The lawful fecrets of bufinefs and friendship were rendered inviolable, by the refolution for condemning the feizure. of papers.

The trade of America was fet free from injudicious and ruinous impositions its revenue was improved, and settled

upon

upon a rational foundation-its commerce extended with foreign countries; while all the advantages were fecured to Great Britain, by the act for repealing certain duties, and encouraging, regulating, and fecuring the trade of this kingdom, and the British dominions in America.

Materials were provided and infured to our manufacturesthe fale of thefe manufactures was encreased- the African trade preserved and extended—the principles of the act of navigation pursued, and the plan improved - and the trade for bullion rendered free, fecure, and permanent, by the act for opening certain ports in Dominica and Jamaica.

That adminiftration was the first which propofed and encouraged public meetings and free confultations of merchants from all parts of the kingdom; by which means the truest lights have been received; great benefits have been already derived to manufactures and commerce; and the most extenfive profpects are opened for further improvement.

Under them, the interefts of our northern and fouthern colonies, before that time jarring and diffonant, were underftood, compared, adjusted, and perfectly reconciled. The paffions and animofities of the colonies, by judicious and lenient measures, were allayed and compofed, and the foundation laid for a lasting agreement amongst them.

Whilft that administration provided for the liberty and commerce of their country, as the true basis of its power, they confulted its interefts, they afferted its honour abroad, with temper and with firmnefs; by making an advantageous treaty of commerce with Ruffia; by obtaining a liquidation of the Canada bills, to the fatisfaction of the proprietors; by reviving and raifing from its afhes the negociation for the Manilla ranfom, which had been extinguished and abandoned by their predeceffors.

They treated their fovereign with decency; with reverence. They discountenanced, and, it is hoped, for ever abo

lished,

lished, the dangerous and unconstitutional practice of removing military officers for their votes in parliament. They firmly adhered to thofe friends of liberty, who had run all hazards in its caufe, and provided for them in preference to every other claim.

With the Earl of Bute they had no perfonal connection; no correspondence of councils. They neither courted him nor perfecuted him. They practifed no corruption; nor were they even fufpected of it. They fold no offices. They obtained no reverfions or penfions, either coming in or going out, for themselves, their families, or their dependents.

In the profecution of their measures they were traversed by an oppofition of a new and fingular character; an oppofition of place-men and penfioners. They were fupported by the confidence of the nation. And having held their offices under many difficulties and difcouragements, they left them at the express command, as they had accepted them at the earnest request, of their royal master.

These are plain facts; of a clear and public nature; neither extended by elaborate reasoning, or heightened by the colouring of eloquence. They are the fervices of a single

year.

The removal of that administration from power, is not to them premature; fince they were in office long enough to accomplish many plans of public utility; and, by their perfeverance and refolution, rendered the way fmooth and easy to their fucceffors; having left their king and their country in a much better condition than they found them. By the temper they manifeft, they feem to have now no other with, than that their fucceffors may do the public as real and as faithful service as they have done.

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