CHAP. 1773. CHAP. XII. Object of the minifter in his propofition refpecting the export of tea.--Alarm at Boston.-Discovery of the governor's letters to the English miniftry.-News arrives in Bofton,that ships laden with tea are on their way.-Riots.-Governor's proclamation is difregarded. Ships arrive at Boston.-A mob throws the cargo into the fea.--Meeting of parliament.-King's message respecting the disturbances at Boston, is discussed in parliament.-Bill for blocking up the port of Boston.-The punishment of a whole community for the acts of a part, is defended by minifters.-The principle and provifions of the bill are impugned by oppofition as unjust and unwife.-Precedents difcuffed.-Oppofition predict, that it will drive the colonies to confederate revolt.-The bill passes into a law.— Mr. Fuller's motion for repealing the duty on tea.-Mr. Burke's celebrated fpeech on American taxation.-Coërcive plan of minifters farther developed.—Bill for changing the civil government of Maffachufets.-Bill for changing the adminiftration of juftice therein.-Quebec bill.-Inquiry into the fate of prifons.-Howard.-Supplies.-Literary property afcertained by a decifion of the house of peers.—Session clofes.-Expectations and apprehenfions from the coercive meafures of the legiflature. I COME now to a part of the narrative more important than any which has hitherto been the fubject of this history. I have to trace the causes and the commencement of a war, which in its progrefs involved maritime Europe, and in its operations difplayed very frequently all the ftrength of the British character, in which, though the iffue proved unfortunate, as the counfels were not rarely unwife, and the XII. 17739 the executive condu&t not feldom dilatory and in- CHAP. decifive, yet the conteft was on the whole not inglorious. The mass of British energy was unimpaired. Military ardour and enterprise, naval fkill, courage, and ability, manifefted themfelves in all ranks. If Britain, having the whole force of her ancient foes and her recent friends and subjects to combat, did not come off victorious, yet fhe was not vanquished; she indeed lost her colonies, but did not lofe her honour. Various were the circumftances, both internal and external, in her cabinet, her fenate, her camp, and the combined efforts of her enemies, which tended to deprefs our country; but all did not effect a lafting humiliation. The national exertions, though far different in fuccefs from thofe during which Pitt had guided her councils, or Marlborough headed her troops, proved that Britain had not degenerated. Severely as the effects of the American war were immediately felt by this country, yet its diftant confequences have been moft dreadful to continental Europe, by rapidly accelerating that great revolution which now overwhelms fo large a portion of the civilized world, and has made the chief abettors of revolt fall into deftruction from the principles which that revolt cherished. Lord North, in his propofition for exporting the teas of the company without paying duty, had a twofold object in view to relieve the company, and to improve the revenue. The Americans, being informed of the act, viewed it only in the latter light. The affociations against importing tea, were still in existence; although, except in Massachusets bay, Object of the minifter in his ropacerning the export of fition con tea. XII. 1773. CHAP. bay, little regarded; and the promulgation of this scheme revived their spirit in the more moderate colonies, but in Massachusets it excited great rage and alarm. It was forefeen, that if the tea were once introduced and landed, it would be impoffible to prevent its fale and confumption, and thus the inhabitants would be obliged to pay the duty, notwithstanding all their efforts to oppofe taxation. As tea had been clandeftinely imported even to Bofton, the dealers, who were very numerous, were afraid that the trade might be taken out of their hands, and become entirely dependent on the confignees of the Eaft India company. Thefe, from the connection now fubfifting between the company and the adminiftration, were gentlemen who fa voured government, and were of course unpopular in New England. Alarm at Boston. Discovery ters to the English mi nifters. There was another circumstance also, which rendered thefe colonists more inimical than ever to government, and confequently more determined to oppofe its measures and mifconftrue its intentions. Some years before this time, the governor and deputy governor of Maffachufets had written confidential letters to official perfons in England, containing a very unfavourable view of the state of af fairs, and of the temper, difpofitions, and defigns of the leaders in that province. They alleged, that a republican spirit prevailed there, which would re fift the measures of Britain, however equitable; that to reduce the inhabitants to obedience, coër cion was neceffary; and that a confiderable change of the conftitution and fyftem of government was requifite, to insure the fubordination of the colony; and XII. 1773. and propofed, that the alteration fhould be fuch as CHA P. would abridge their liberties. By fome means not yet difcovered, doctor Franklin, agent for the province in England, got the letters into his poffeffion. Franklin was alfo deputy poft-mafter-general for America, an office which he held from the appointment of the British government; from gratitude, therefore, he might have been prefumed to be attached to his employers. Perhaps the poffeffor of the letters might, on this fuppofition, have fhewn them to him, in order to illuftrate fome opinion respecting the conduct of the Americans; but howfoever he might have discovered them, it was to be expected that he, who must have feen their nature and tendency, would not have published papers which must neceffarily embroil the governor and the colonies. Franklin, nevertheless, did make them known, by tranfmitting them to the provincial affembly then fitting at Boston. The animofity and indignation excited by their perufal were, as the informer must have foreseen, very violent. The affembly fent a deputation to inquire whether the governor acknowledged the fignatures; and the fubscription being owned, they prepared a petition and remonftrance to be presented to the king, charging the governor with betraying his truft by giving partial and false information, declaring him an enemy to the colony, and praying for his removal from office. This new fource of difcord rendered the Bostonians more open to other caufes. The confignees of the East India company were chiefly of the family and nearest connections of the governor VOL. II. L and CHAP. and deputy-governor, and were thus the more obnoxious to the hatred of the Bostonians. XII. 1773News ar rives at Bofapproach of ton of the ships laden with tea. In the month of November, intelligence was received that three fhips laden with tea were on their paffage to Boston. Tumults, violence, and riot, were excited, to frighten the confignees from acting in their intended capacity. Some of the company's agents were so intimidated as to yield to this lawless violence, and to relinquish their appointments, but others refolved to discharge their duty. Committees were appointed in different towns, to which the conftituents delegated much greater powers than justly and legally they poffeffed themfelves. They authorised the deputies to inspect the books of merchants, to impose tests, and to inflict punishment on those who refifted their tyrannical proceedings. These violent measures were not confined to the province of Massachusets, but extended to the other colonies; it was, however, at Boston that they proceeded to flagrant outrage. There the populace, with the imperious infolence of a democratical mob, commanded the agents to relinquish their appointments; but those gentlemen refused to deviate from engagements which juftice fanctioned, and law authorised; and the rioters attacked the houfes of the refractory confignees, whom they Governor's obliged to take refuge in Castle William. The gotion ; vernor iffued a proclamation, commanding the civil Riots. proclama ed. magiftrates to fupprefs the riots, and protect the peaceable and well-difpofed inhabitants *; but the is difregard- proclamation was difregarded and defpifed, and the * Stedman's Hiftory of the American War, vol. i. p. 84. fheriff |