CHAP. XIV. Impression in Britain from the American disputes.-Dissolution of parliament. General election.—Leading characters in the new parliament.-Meeting of parliament.-King's speech-address-indecision of ministers.-Character and policy of lord North-opinions of his power and efficiency-Petitions presented from America, and American merchants, to parliament and the king-dismiss. ed without a hearing.-Lord Chatham, though loaded with infirmities, returns to the house—his introductory speech-his plan of conciliation rejected.—Conquest of America conceived by ministers to be easy-Americans asserted to be all cowards.-Mr. Fox's observations on the inspiring efficacy of liberty.⚫ Parliament declares Massachusetts Bay to be in a state of rebellion.--Message from the king, requiring an augmentation of forces.—Bill for prohibiting the New-England provinces from commerce and fishery.-Lord North's plan of conciliation-Apprehended by courtiers to concede too much, by opposition to concede too little.-Mr. Fox opposes its inconsistency.-Lord North's policy wavering and irresolute.-Dexterous retreat to satisfy the supporters of coercion. Mr. Burke's conciliatory plan, on the grounds of expediency-outlines and character-predicts civil and foreign war from the conduct of ministers.— Rejected.—Mr. Hartley's conciliatory bill-rejected. Ministers averse to all conciliatory overtures.-Bill for extending commercial prohibitions.-Loyalty of New-York province-representation from it to the commons-dismissed unheard.-Supplies-Session closes.-War unavoidable.-Literary advocates. for and against America. CHAPA WHILE the proceedings in and concerning America were so extremely important, they did not, in Britain, appear to attract the attention of the nation in proportion to their magnitude. There were, indeed, politicians and philosophers who 1774. saw them in their real aspect, and dreaded the consequences; in Britain Impression but this view was far from being general; even merchants and from the manufacturers, to whom a rupture with the colonies would be American so calamitous, seemed now lulled into equal security with the' rest of their countrymen. This inattention arose from various causes. The contests with the colonies were no longer new, but from the year 1765 they had, with very few and short intermissions, been the chief subjects of parliamentary deliberation. To those who did not minutely and critically examine the new occurrences, and the change of sentiments which were now become so general in North America, most of the topics appeared exhausted; the various arguments for taxation had been often discussed, and on the triteness of the reasoning, great numbers overlooked the new effects which the system was producing. Confederacies against the importation of British commodities had before, and recently, been violated; and the present combinations would, many XIV 1774. CHAP. trusted, be equally short lived. Disputes had been frequently carried to the verge of a rupture, and had been afterwards accommodated; some means of conciliation, they flattered themselves, would be again devised. The Americans would tire of associations, that deprived them of the chief conveniencies of life, which were rendered by habit almost necessaries; besides, ministers and their adherents had very industriously spread an opinion, that vigorous measures, with perseverance, would soon finish a contest, which nothing but former indulgence had nourished; and also, that the present administration possessed in an eminent degree the qualities requisite for honourably and advantageously terminating the dispute. Ministers, indeed, had afforded no satisfactory proofs either of their vigour or policy; but, as they had not, on the other hand, manifested either feebleness or folly, they and their friends represented the counsellors of his majesty as a body of very uncommon ability. A great part of the nation, with that unsuspecting credulity which frequently distinguishes a people otherwise so eminent for sound judgment, gave administration credit for all the talents and qualities for which they chose to take credit to themselves. For these reasons, it was not doubted that the coercive system which had been adopted and carried into execution under the direction of such men, would soon intimidate its objects from forcible resistance; but that, if it did not awe them to submission, their reduction would be speedy and certain: supported by the greater part of the country, the cabinet was the more able and determined to proceed with the plan of dictation which had coinmenced so strongly in the preceding session. Dissolution ment. Parliament was now in its seventh year. In the reign of of parlia- George II., it had generally lasted near the whole time; the first parliament of the present king had also continued seven full years. On the 30th of September 1774, about six years and a half from the former election, a proclamation was issued, for the dissolution of parliament, and the convocation of a new one, for which the writs were made returnable on the 9th of the following November. An abridgment contrary to recent custom excited great surprise among those who judged from precedent more than from present circumstances and expediency but many reasons were assigned for this unusual measure; the most probable appears to be, that, as a new state of things had arisen in America, new councils might be requisite on the part of the legislature. On the one hand, should it be found necessary to deviate from the coercive system, the old parliament might be restrained by a sense of consistency from rescinding its own laws, while a new one would be more at liberty to act according to the exigency of the case. On the other hand, as at present it was determined to persevere in coercion, and the majority of the people appeared to approve, it was probable that a parliament would be returned, favourable to the continuance of that system; and thus government would have an assurance of a long co-operation, of which it might be deprived by a change of circumstances and of public sentiment, were the election deferred till the succeeding year. CHAP. XIV. 1774. election. In London, the opposition party carried the election of all its General candidates. In Middlesex, Mr. Wilkes, now lord-mayor elect, was chosen to represent the county; and ministers were not so imprudent as again to controvert a seat which had already given government so much disturbance. A considerable change of individual members took place through the nation; but it was soon found, that there was no alteration of political sentiment, and that a great majority supported the ministerial project of coercing America. The subjects which were to occupy the deliberations of the new parliament, have rarely been equalled in importance in the legislative history of any age or country. On its counsels was to depend, whether by conciliation we should restore the reciprocally beneficial harmony that had so long subsisted between Britain and her colonies; or, by persistance in coercion, drive such valuable dependencies to a rebellion, which either would not be quelled, or, if crushed, could be reduced only by efforts which must exhaust the parent country, and destroy the provinces that she sought to render more productive and lucrative. characters For examining such momentous questions, seldom has a na- Leading tional council contained a greater assemblage of ability, than in the new the British parliament now exhibited. In the house of com- parliament. mons, among many men of considerable talents and extensive knowledge, there were ranged on the side of ministers, the financial information and accurate results of sir Grey Cooper; the perspicacious detail, solid judgment, and orderly arrangement of sir Gilbert Elliot; and the intrepid confidence and manly boldness of Mr. Rigby. In rising progression there followed the sound and vigorous understanding, the unremitting industry, the commercial, political, and diplomatic knowledge, the lucid disposition, the correct and perspicuous expression of ..Jenkinson; and the acuteness, closeness, and neat precision of Germaine. Dundas, from his first entrance into public life, exhibited those qualities by which he has been uniformly distinguished; an understanding quick, sagacious, and powerful; reasoning forcible and direct, strictly adhering to the point at issue; an expeditious despatch of difficult business; and, regarding the senate as a council for the direction of national affairs more than a theatre for the display of eloquence, he was in his language intelligible and strong, without ornament or elegance. A mind by nature penetrating, brilliant, and inventive, x Lord advocate of Scotland, XIV. 1774. CHAP. formed and refined by erudition and by literaryy society, sharp ened and invigorated by professional occupations, and enlarged by political studies and pursuits; an eloquence that he could admirably vary to the occasion, and exhibit either in argumentative force, logical subtlety and skill, or with all the ornaments of rhetoric and the graces of persuasion, rendered Wedder burne a valuable accession to any cause which he chose to support. For masculine energy of intellect, force devoid of ornament, and exhibiting itself in efforts direct, simple, and majestic, Thurlow stood eminent. Lord North was equally remarkable for pleasing and varied wit and humour, classical taste, erudition, and allusion, as for dexterity of argument and felicity of reply. On the other side were arrayed, the patriotism and solidity of Dempster and Saville; the industry and colonial information of Pownal; the coloquial pleasantry, vivacity, and classical erudition of Wilkes; the animated declamation of Barre; the quick apprehension, commercial and politi cal knowledge of Johnstone; and the constitutional principles, legal precision, readiness, acuteness, and vigour, of Dunning. Above these, rose the extensive, accurate, and multifarious knowledge, the abundant and diversified im agery. the luminous illustration and rapid invention; the reasoning, dilated or compressed, digressive or direct, disjointed or continuous, which, if not always pointedly convincing, never, failed to be generally instructive; the comprehensive views and philosophical eloquence, of a Burke. A senator was now rising to the first rank in the first assembly of the world, who must have held a very exalted situation in any convention of statesmen and orators recorded in history, this was Charles James Fox. In the twentieth year of his age he had become a member of parliament, and young as he was, distinguished himself among the many eminent members of the house, and was at first one of the ablest supporters of: administration. The facility with which he made himself master of a new question, and comprehended with such force of judgment the strength, weakness, and tendency, of a proposition or measure; his powerful argumentation, his readiness of the most appropriate, significant, and energetic language, soon rendered him conspicuous; while his daily and obvious improvement showed that his talents had not then nearly reached the pinnacle at which they were destined to arrive. Since he joined opposition, his talents and exertions appeared more potent and formidable than even had been expected.a y He was the intimate friend of Smith, Robertson, and Fergusson, and their cótemporaries, in their early years; and cultivated an acquaintance with Burke, Johnson, and other eminent scholars, in his more advanced life. z The judicial maxims and character of Wedderburne will appear in this and the succeeding volume. a A part of this account is taken with considerable variations from the life of Burke, first edition, p. 210 to 213. XIV. 1774, In the house of peers, the chief supporters of administration CHAP. were, lord Hillsborough, a nobleman of sound judgment and official experience; earl Gower, a peer of good character and extensive influence, who in the minority of the duke, headed the Bedford party; and the earl of Sandwich, acute and intelligent as a senator, but a judicious speaker rather than a splendid orator. The only peer of transcendent genius who joined ministers in the coercive system, was lord Mansfield; a personage very eminently distinguished for abilities and erudition, and for argumentative, refined, and persuasive eloquence; but the fame of this illustrious senator was principally founded upon his oratorial and judicial powers and efforts, and derived little accession from his counsels as a statesman. The most distinguished peers who were inimical to the coercive system, were the marquis of Rockingham, whom we have viewed as minister; the duke of Richmond, a nobleman of respectable abilities, active, indefatigable, and ardent; lord Shelburne, whom we have seen as secretary of state, distinguished for ex-> tent of general knowledge, and peculiarly marked for his exten-: sive views of the reciprocal relations, commercial and political, of European states; lord Camden, the great bulwark of English law, profoundly versed in our constitution, with that mild, clear, and nervous eloquence, which is the firm and efficacious instrument of wisdom; and lastly, in himself a host, the earl of Chatham. Surveying and examining the principal actors on the grand, political theatre, the reader may perceive that, both for and against ministers, there was a constellation of abilities; but, in opposition, the highest talents, and the most approved wisdom. On the 30th of November the new parliament met. His Meeting of majesty's speech stated to the houses, that a daring spirit of parliament resistance and disobedience to the laws still unhappily prevail- speech King's ed in the province of Massachusetts Bay, and had in divers parts of it broken forth in fresh violences of a criminal nature; but these proceedings had been countenanced and encouraged in others of the colonies, and unwarrantable attempts had been made to obstruct the commerce of this kingdom by unlawful combinations: such measures, however, had been employed, as were judged most effectual for carrying the acts of the preceding session into execution, protecting commerce, and restoring and preserving order and good government in the province of Massachusetts. It expressed his majesty's resolution to withstand every attempt to diminish the authority of parliament over the dominions of the crown; the maintenance of which authority b The reader will find a character of this great man in the narrative of the year 1788; for the judicial part of which I am chiefly indebted to a gentleman of high eminence for literary and legal erudition. |