X. 1771. is not fufficiently regarded by miniflers. CHA P. and violent. Ever fince the removal of the troops, they had infulted, attacked, and abufed the cuftomhoufe officers, and other fervants of the crown; and demonftrated that nothing would restrain them from injuftice and tumult, but an armed force, Had the British miniftry accurately studied the diverfity of provincial character, and employed able, popular, and eloquent men, to court and conciliate the fouthern and middle colonies, counteract the arts of the northern emiffaries, and detach the votaries of monarchy from the abettors of republicanism, it is by no means improbable that they might have prevented the revolt from being general; and, if they had effected that great purpose, they would have had little difficulty in compelling, by vigour and decifion, the democratical agitators of Massa, chufets to perform the duties of British fubjects; but no fuch experiment was tried. Lord North appears to have formed no comprehenfive plan for the government of America; but to have fatisfied himfelf with devifing temporary expedients for removing particular discontents, as they fhewed themfelves in overt acts of fedition and violence, without investigating principles and causes, or framing any general fyftem either of conciliation or coër The difcontents in England be cion. In England, hoftility to government became lefs, violent. The city of London, indeed, perfevered in gin to fub- imperious expoftulation with the fovereign; while the king had the magnanimous patience to answer infolent rudenefs with mild politenefs, and gave a very temperate though decifive denial, including a poignant cenfure for fo frequent a repetition of fuch an X. 1771. an abfurd addrefs. The discontents of the metro- CHAP. polis, however, were diverted by a fchifm between Wilkes and fome of his late fupporters; efpecially Mr. Horne, afterwards fo noted as a politician, and eminent as a philologift. Thefe private difputes long occupied the adverse champions, and filled the prefs though their caufes and details be of no historical importance, yet their existence requires to be mentioned, fince they tended to the diminution of those inflammatory proceedings which fo long had disturbed the public peace. In other parts, the diffatisfaction became more languid in its efforts; its outrageous violence feemed to be paffed; and though in fome places it manifested a gloomy fullennefs, yet, on the whole, a dawning profpect opened of returning tranquillity. The fituation of affairs abroad contained no grounds of apprehenfion respecting the peace of Great Britain: Spain had fulfilled her engagements by restoring Port Egmont; and France continuing the scene of internal disturbance, which was heightened by the profligate and odious character of the duke d'Aguillon (now favourite and prime minifter), appeared to be without any intention of annoying her neighbours. Eastern Europe was occupied either as actors in hostile scenes, or very vigilant and interested fpectators. The year 1771 was therefore favourable to internal and colonial quiet, and threatened no interruption from abroad. Minifters acquired fresh acceflions from the party of Mr. Grenville; befides, members of other connections were now tired of opposing an administration that appeared to them firmly established. On CHAP. X. 1772. Meeting of On the 22d of January 1772, parliament affembled; and the first day's debate fhewed much less of afperity and acrimony, than the prelufive efforts parliament, to the contentions of the former feffions. The bu finefs of importance which earlieft in the feffion engaged the attention of parliament, was a motion of minifters for voting twenty-five thousand feamen for the fervice of the current year. The French, it was faid, had sent a strong fleet to India, it was therefore neceffary for England to fend thither a still more powerful force; the Spaniards had also a confiderable armament in the Weft Indies, it was requifite for this country to over-match them in that quarter; and the war between the Turks and the Ruffians rendered it proper to employ a ftronger fleet in the Mediterranean, than was wanted in the time of peace. Opposition contended, that the force was greater than the exigency of the country demanded; but they fuffered the motion to be carried without any divifion. Petition for exemption from the thirty Early in this feffion came before parliament, for the first time, a fubject which has fince been very frequently agitated, and has produced a vast variety of literary and political difcuffion. On the 6th of February, a petition was prefented to the lower houfe, fubfcribing from fome clergymen of the church of England, nine articies: certain members of the learned profeffions of law and phyfic, and others, praying to be relieved from the neceffity of subscribing the thirty-nine articles. Men had an inherent right, they faid, held from God only, and subject to no human authority, to use their own judgment in the interpretation of fcrip ture. This natural right, they affirmed, was re cognized X. 1772. cognized by the original principles of reformation. CHA P. Such a privilege, belonging to them as men and proteftants, was violated by the imposition of subfcriptions to certain articles of faith, that did not flow from Chrift and his apoftles, but were drawn up by human beings as fallible as themselves. These fubfcriptions were farther reprefented as a great hindrance to the diffufion of true religion, by difcouraging the study of the real fense of the fcriptures, and creating animofities among fellowprotestants: the diverfity of opinions held by the established clergy concerning fome of the articles caused diffenfions, and the disputes among profeffed believers encouraged infidelity. The petitioning members of the two other learned profeffions complained, that they fuffered peculiar hardships in being obliged, at their firft admiffion to the univerfity (matriculation), when fo immature in age and knowledge for deep difquifitions, to fubfcribe to a variety of theological propofitions, in order to attain academical degrees in their respective faculties, while their opinions on those subjects could be of no confequence, either to the public, or their employers in their profeffions. The fupporters of the petition argued on the advantages of extending religious toleration; and endeavoured to fhew, that the articles were in fome parts contradictory, and in others totally indefenfible. They enlarged on the principal topics fet forth in the petition itself; and concluded with obferving, that, on granting the requested relief, many of the diffenters, being no longer deterred by articles, would join the eftablished church. ; By CHAP. X. 1772. is oppofed by one clafs, on grounds of theologi cal belief; by another, on political By two claffes was this petition opposed the one confifted of the tory and high-church gentlemen, who confidered the thirty-nine articles as the bulwark of the church of England, and of chriftianity itself. In the last century, the church, and with it the state, fell, through fuch innovations. Parliament, they contended, could not grant the defired relief, because it could not annul the obligations of an oath. The king could not comply with their petition, as he was bound by oath to preserve the established church; a compliance would alfo be a breach of the articles of union, as by them it was ftipulated, that the ecclefiaftical governments of Scotland and England should continue for ever unchanged. Writings of late had appeared, inimical to the most important articles, not only of the church of England, but of the christian faith: they had denied the doctrines of the trinity, and the divinity of our Saviour; and thus endeavoured to remove the corner-ftone of our religion: by granting the petition, therefore, we should admit unitarians and other heretics to be clergymen of the church of England. A greater number of members opposed the peexpediency. tition on political grounds. They vindicated its advocates from the charge of heretical opinions; they maintained, that the legislature had ftill a control over the articles of union, and had exercised that control towards the two churches; in England, by an act against occafional conformity; and in Scotland, by an act annulling the popular elec *Parliamentary Debates, 1772. |