was, he defpifed ease and retirement, when he could render any fervice to the cause of freedom; he accepted the commiffion of major-general, refolved to fhed his latt drop of blood in what he thought his duty. In perfon, general Putnam is rather below the middle ftature; but, though in the 7ft year of his age, he is hearty and robuft; enured to fatigues; and poffeffing, from a life of temperance, a good conftitution. In temper he is mild, and, on every occafion, perfectly cool and prefent to himself, without the least tincture of rafhness. The Political Hiftory of Europe for the Year 1774. (Continued from p. 596.) General State of public Affairs previous to the Meeting of Parliament. Minifry. Parties. Difcontents in the Colenies; increased by various Caules. Great Heats at Buffon, occafioned by the Discovery of certain Letters. Petition for the kemoval of the Governor and Lieutenant-governor. Scheme for the Exportation of Tea by the Eaft-India Company to the Colonies, excites a gene ral Alarm throughout the Continent. Particular Caufes which operated in rendering that Meajure more generally obnoxious. Refolutions universally entered into to prevent the landing of the Teas. Tumultuous Affemblies of the People in different Colonies; Committees appointed. Three Ships laden with Tea arrive at Bofton; their Cargoes thrown into the Sea. Similar Outrages in feme other Places; meft of the Tea Ships obliged to return bome with their Car goes, and the whole Scheme rendered everywhere abortive. Parliament meets. King's Speech. Gold Coin. Debates on the Navy-Eftablishment, and on various other Parts of the Supplies. Annual Motion for Shortening the Duration of Parliament. Annual Motion relative to the Middlefex Election. WHI THILE the fate of public affairs on the continent of Europe wears a doubtful appearance, our own great national concerns unfortunately afford too much matter for ferious reflection, The recefs of parliament, indeed, was attended with nothing remarkable in affairs merely domeftic. In general, a greater quiet feemed to take place in the minds of the people, than at any time fince the commencement of the prefent parliament. The affairs of the Eaft-India company in the preceding feffion, had confiderably taken off their attention from thofe objects which were the principal fources of difcontent and jealoufy. All communities of mankind have a ftrong difpofition to hoftility with others, when there is any profpect that the contention will be attended with profit to themselves; and the hopes of leffening their own burdens, whether by the fpoils of the Eaft or the Weft, have as certain an efficacy in quieting the political fcruples of the people at large, as ambition, or any other motives, can have with refpect to their rulers. A moralift may think that fuch ideas are held out only to deceive the people, and that, while they are eagerly endeavouring to catch at an imaginary advantage, they are totally blind to the fatal precedent which they establish against themfelves. Other matters concurred to this ftate of public quiet. Those who had fo ofprefent parliament, and many others, who, ten petitioned for the diffolution of the as little fatisfied with fome of its proceedings, had notwithstanding, from various caufes, refrained from that mode of seeking relief, now consoled themselves with the reflection, that the period of its po litical exiftence approached; and were not without hopes, that, as the time grew be returned to their conftituents, and nearer when the reprefentatives would might expect, that their paft conduct would become the measure of future fupport, they would accordingly provide for that event by fome popular acts, which, if they did not immediately ftrike at the root of those measures that were deemed the moft obnoxious, would at least have given general fatisfaction in other refpects. This was the more hoped for, not only as it was confonant to former experience; but that, as the heat and bitterness of contention would have time to wear away, a calmer season of reflection, and a more undisturbed view of things, might, as oppofition thought, naturally be expected. Adminiftration had long carried every thing with so triumphant a sway, that no common event feemed capable of endangering its fecurity. The opinion of their stability was increased even by the nature of the measures which had been adopted: the more unlikely they were to fucceed, the more fplendid the fuccefs of the undertaking appeared. The minds of the people engaged by a fucceffion of new objects, were no longer quite fo pow. erfully affected by what had fo firongly agitated them for fome years paft. This remiffion in the fpirit of the people at large had given a facility for defertions of feveral from the oppofition to the court, which was liberal in rewarding those feafonable converfions. There was no very material change in the fiate of parties, except that general decline of ftrength in the oppofition. The Rockingham party ftill continued whole and unbroken, and invariably pursued its original line of public conduct. By this means, though conftantly overpowered, it notwithstanding continued in fome degree formidable. The fame differences of opinion or affections, and the fame occafional junction in others, till took place between them and that which was attached to the earl of Chatham. We have more than once had occafion to obferve, how much this appearance of a want of union blunted the edge, and weakened the force, of oppofition. While affairs were in this dormant ftate at home, fresh matter unfortunately occurred, for the blowing up into a flame those embers of discontent and difcord, which had too long been kept alive in America. The infignificant duty of three-pence per pound on tea, which had been left behind fingly in the year 1770, when all the other articles enumerated in the fame bill for the purpose of raising a revenue had been repealed, was now doomed to be the fatal bone of contention between the mother country and her colonies. We have feen that it was then too truly foretold, by thofe that 1truggled hard for the repeal of the whole, and who had always declared against every idea of an internal taxation on America, that the leaving of one duty, and the discharge of the others, could aufwer no other purpose, than the lef fening of that fcanty revenue, which was fcarcely fufficient, in its full amount, to answer the expence of its collection; that by this means, instead of profit or benefit, a new charge, to fupply the deficiency, would be thrown upon the ftate at home: while all the other evils, which were then acknowledged as the motives for a partial repeal, would be continued in their utmost extent. We have already had too many opportunities of recollecting the truth of this prediction, and have already fhewn upon different occafions, the fevere ftrictures which had been paffed at home, upon the whole fyftem of American government. The confequent difcontents, and diforders continued to prevail, in a greater or leffer degree, through all the old colonies, on the continent. The fame fpirit pervaded the whole. Even those colonies which depended most upon the mother country for the confumption of their productions, entered into fimilar affociations with the others, and nothing was to be heard of, but refolutions for the encouragement of their own manufactures, the confumption of home products, the difcouragement of foreign articles, and the retrenchment of all fuperfluities. But ftill these were only fymp toms of difcontent, which had little effect on the trade to the colonies. That trade, which had somewhat stagnated on. the late non-importation agreement, revived again, and even flourished. The article indeed of tea, was by the refolutions of feveral colonies ftrictly prohibited; but it ftill continued to be introduced both from England and other countries, and the duties were paid, though with fome fmall appearance of exterior guard and caution. In the mean time, the governors of moft of the colonies, and the people, were in a continual ftate of warfare. Affemblies were repeatedly called, and fuddenly diffolved. Their time was enployed, while fitting, in reiterating grievances, and framing remonstrances. Other matters fprang up, befides the tea duty and the cuftom houfes, to increase the general discontent. The late adopted meafure, of the governors and judges being paid their falaries by the crown, and thereby, as they were removeable at pleafure, rendered intirely dependent on that, and totally independent of the people, and provincial aflemblies, however right or neceflary in the prefent state of affairs, afforded an inexhauftible fource of ill-humour and complaint. 1772. The greateft outrage, which was committed in this ftate of diforder, happened at Providence in Rhode-ifland, where his Majelty's armed fchooner, the Gafpee, having been stationed to prevent the faiuggling, for which that place was notorious, the vigilance of the officer, who commanded the veffel, fo enraged the people, that they boarded June roth, her at midnight, to the number of two hundred armed men, and after wounding him, and forcing him and his people to go on flore, concluded this daring exploit by burning the fchooner. Though a reward of 500l. together with a pardon, if claimed by an accomplice, was offered by proclama tion for the difcovering and apprehending any of the perfons concerned in this atrocious act, no effectual difcovery could be made. An odd incident happened, which ferved to revive, with double force, all the ill temper and animosity that had long Mmmm 2 fubft fubfifted between the executive part of government and the people, in the province of Maffachusetts bay. This was the accidental difcovery, and publication, of a number of confidential letters, which had been written during the courfe of the unhappy difputes with the mother country, by the then governor and deputy governor of that colony, to perfons in power and office in England. The letters contained a very unfavourable representation of the ftate of affairs, the temper and difpofition of the people, and the views of their leaders, in that province; and tended to fhew, not only the neceffity of the moft coercive meafures, but that even a very confiderable change of the conflitution, and fyftem of government, was neceffary, to fecure the obedience of the colony. These letters indeed were in part confidential and private; but the people of the colony infifted, that they were evidently intended to influence the conduct of government, and must therefore be fhewn to fuch perfons as had an interest in preferving their privileges. Upon the death of a gentleman in whofe poffeffion thefe letters then happened, they by fome means, which are not known, fell into the hands of the agent for the colony of Maffachusetts bay, who immediately transmitted them to the affembly of that province, which was then fitting at Bolton. The indignation and animofity which these letters excited on the one fide, and the confufion on the other, neither need nor admit of description. After feveral violent resolutions in the house of reprefentatives, the letters were prefented to the council, under the ftricteft injunction from the reprefentatives, that the perfons, who were to fhew them fhould not by any means fuffer them, even for a moment, out of their own immediate hands. This affront to the governor was adopted by the council; and, upon his requiring to examine the letters that were attributed to him, thereby to be enabled, either to acknowledge them if genuine, or to reprobate them if spurious, that board, under the pretence of this reftriction, refufed to deliver them into his hands; but fent a committee to open them before him, that he might examine the hand writing. To this indig nity he was obliged to fubmit, as well as to the mortification of acknowledging the Lignature. Such a new fource of difcord was not wanting in that colony. The houfe of affembly paled a petition and remonfrance to his Majesty, in which they charged their governor and lieutenant governor with be- June 23, ing betrayers of their trufts, 1773. and of the people they governed; of giving a private, partial, and falfe information; declared them enemies to the colony, and prayed for judice against them, and for their fpeedy removal from their places. So wide was the difcontent, and fo weak the powers of government in that aflembly, that these charges, with many others, were carried through by a majority of 82 to 12. As we have juft obferved, the article of tea continued, notwithstanding the ftrong refolutions of the colonifts, to be still imported into America; yet by the advantages which foreigners had in the fale of the low priced teas, as well as the general odium attending the British teas, which, as bearing a parliamentary duty, were confidered as inftruments of flavery, the Eat India company was thought to fuffer much by the dispute with the colonies. Thus circumftanced, the minifler, in the last feilion, as fome apparent confolation to that company for the strong measures which were then pursued againft it by government, brought in a bill, by which they were enabled to export their teas, duty free, to all places whatsoever. In confequence of this meafure, the company departed in fome degree from its eftablished mode, of difpofing of its teas by public fales to the merchants and dealers, and adopted the new fyftem of becoming its own exporter and factor. Several fhips were accordingly freighted with teas for the different colonies by the company, where it alfo appointed agents for the difpofal of that commodity. The fuccefs of this fcheme, and any utility to be derived from it, if it did fucceed, were at the time much questioned: fome active members in that company, and one gentleman of great confideration amongit them, remontirated againit it, as rather calculated for the etablishment of the revenue law in America, than as a favour or service to the company. It is true, that they had then about feventeen millions of pounds of tea in their ware-houfes; but though this appeared an immenfe quantity to thofe who were not verfed in the ftate of the trade, it was faid, in reality to be only equal to about two years usual confumption, and it was always intended to have a year's flock in hand. It appears that the company was not itfelf quite fatisfied as to the utility of this measure, and accordingly confulted fome of the most eminent perfons in the tea trade upon the fubject. By fome of the most intelligent of these it was reprefented, as the wildeft fcheme that could be imagined, and the moft remote from affording the relief which they wanted. That even fuppofing it attended with all the fuccefs of which it was poffibly capable, the returns would be too flow and too precarious, to fupply in any degree the company's prefent exigencies in point of cafh; that on the other hand it would be offering the greatett injury to the merchants, who were their eltablished and never failing customers; who purchased their teas at all rifks, and paid vaft fums of money at stated times independant of them. Certain measures were allo propofed, relative to the holding of two public fales within given distances of time, by which the company would not only difpofe of all its teas, but would receive, as they fuppofed, by the firft payment, at the end only of five months, no less than 1,200,000l. in cafh: a fum fo confiderable, and to be paid in fo fiort a time, that it would probably enable them to refrain from the fatal loan, which they were negociating with the public. The fift measure being a favourite with government, was adopted, notwithstanding thefe reafons and propofals. were of the family and nearest conne&tions of thofe gentlemen, whofe letters as we have obferved, had at that time kindied fuch prodigious heats and animofities among the people. It was at an unlucky time that they thought they faw a monopoly formed in favour of the mott obnoxious perfons, and that too for the purpofe of confirming an odious tax. The fame fpirit feemed to run like wildfire throughout the colonies, and without any apparent previous concert, it every where determined, to prevent the landing of the teas at all events. At the fame time, the East India company became fo exceedingly odious to the people, that a mere oppofition to her interefts, abftracted from all other causes, would have embarraffed any measure that was undertaken in her favour. The colonifts faid, that she was quitting her ufual line of conduct, and wantonly becoming the inftrument of giving efficacy to a law which they deteited: thereby involving them, as they affirmed, in the prefent dangerous dilemma, either of fubmiffion to the establishment of a precedent which they deemed fatal to their liberties, or of bringing matters to a crifis which they dreaded, by adopting the only means that feemed left to prevent its execution. As the time approached when the arrival of the tea fhips for the execution of the new plan was expected, the people affembled at different places in great bodies, and began to take fuch measures as feemed moft effectual to "prevent the landing of their cargoes. The tea confignees, who had been appointed by the India company, were obliged in moft places (and in fome, at the peril of property, if not of life) to relinquith their appointments, and to enter into public engagements not to act in that capacity. Committees were appointed by the peopie in different towns and provinces, whom they armed with fuch powers as they fuppofed themfelves enabled to beflow. They were authorised to inspect merchants books, to propofe tefts, to punifh thofe whom they confidered as contumacious, by the dangerous profcription of declaring them enemies to their country, and of aflembling the people when they thought neceffary. In a word, their powers were as indefinite, as the autho rity under which they acted. If fuch were the opinions formed upon this scheme at home, it was univerfally confidered in the colonies, as calculated merely to circumvent them into a compliance with the revenue law, and thereby open the door to an unlimited taxation. For it was easily feen, that if the tea was once landed, and in the cuftody of the confignees, no affociations, nor other measures, would be fufficient to prevent its fale and confumption; and nobody could pretend to imagine, that when taxation was established in one initarce, it would reftrain itself in others. Befides that all the dealers both legal and clandeftine, who as tea is an article of fuch general confumption in America, were extremely powerful, faw their trade taken at once out of their hands. They fuppofed that it would all fall into the hands of the company's confignees, to whom they must become in a great meafure dependent, if they could hope to trade at all. The Eaft India company by the late regulations was brought intirely under the direction of government. In the tumultuous affemblies which The confignees were of course such as were frequently held upon this occafion, favoured administration, and for that numberless refolutions were paffed, exreason the most unpopular people in A-tremely derogatory with respect to the merica. Particularly at Bolton, they authority of the fuprene legislature Inflammate Inflammatory hand bills, and other feditious papers were continually publifhed; nor were the conductors of newspapers, nor the writers of various pamphlets, much more guarded in their conduct, or temperate in their manner. Even at Philadelphia, which had been fo long celebrated, for the excellency of its police and government, and the temperate manners of its inhabitants, printed papers were difperfed, warning the pilots on the river Delaware, not to conduct any of thofe tea thips into their harbour, which were only fent out for the purpose of enflaving and poifoning all the Americans; at the fame time, giving them plainly to understand it was expected, that they would apply their knowledge of the river, under the colour of their profeffion, in fuch a manner, as would effectually fecure their country from fo imminent a danger. At New York, in a fimilar publication, thofe fhips are faid to be loaden with the fetters which had been forged for them in Great Britain, and every vengeance is denounced against all perfons, who dare in any manner contribute to the intro duction of those chains. All the colonies feemed to have instantly united in this point. The town of Botton, which had been fo long obnoxious to government, was the scene of the first outrage. Three fhips laden with tea, having arrived in that port, the captains were terrified into a conceffion, that if they were permitted by the confignees, the board of cuftoms, and the Fort of Castle William, they would return with their cargoes to England. Thefe promifes could not be fulfilled; the confignees refufed to difcharge the captains from the obligations under which they were chartered for the delivery of their cargoes; the cuftom houfe refufed them a clearance for their return: and the governor to grant them a paffport for clearing the fort. In this fiate, it was eafily feen by the people of the town, that the hips lying fo near, the teas would be landed by degrees, notwithstanding any guard they could keep, or measures take to prevent it; and it was as well known, that if they were landed, nothing could prevent their being difpofed of, and thereby the purpose of establishing the monopoly and raining a revenue fulfilled. To prevent this dreadful confequence, a number of armed men, under the difDec. 18th. guife of Mohawk Indians, boarded the hips, and in a few hours difcharged their 1773. whole cargoes of tea into the sea, without doing any other damage, or offering any injury to the captains or crews. It was remarkable, that the government, civil power, garrison of Fort William, and armed hips in the harbour, were totally inactive upon this occasion. Some fmaller quantities of tea met afterwards with a fimilar fate at Boston, and a few other places; but in general, the commiffioners for the fale of that commodity, having been obliged to relinquish their employment, and no other perfons daring to receive the cargoes which were configned to them, the mafters of the tea veffels, from these circumftances, as well as from a knowledge of danger, and the determined refolution of the people, readily complied with the terms which were prefcribed, of returning directly to England, without entangling themfelves by any entry at the cuftom-houses. At New York it was indeed landed under the cannon of a man of war. But the government there were obliged to confent to its being locked up from ufe. In South Carolina fome was thrown into the river as at Boston. Such was the iffue of this unfortunate scheme. Some difpofition to these difturbances was known pretty early; but as their utmost extent was ftill unknown, the meeting of parliament was deferred until after the holidays. The speech from the throne contained nothing very ftriking. The Jan. 13th. continuance of the war on 1774. the continent was regretted; but it was obferved with fatisfaction, that other powers continued in the fame pacific difpofitions, which prevailed here; and the ufual affurances were given, that all due measures fhould be purfued, for the refloration and establishment of the general tranquility. That in this ftate of foreign affairs, they would have full leifure to attend to the improvement of our internal and domeltic fituation; and to the prosecution of fuch mcafures as more immediately refpected the preservation and advancement of the revenue and commerce of thi kingdom. Among these objects the flate of the gold coin was particularly recommended, as well on account of its very high importance, as of the peculiar advantages which the prefent fituation of affairs afforded, of fuccefsfully carrying into execution, fuch measures as were found expedient with respect to that great national concern. It was observed, that the degree of diminution which the coin had actually fuffered, ! |