refrain from the fatal loan, which they were negociating with the public. The first meature, being a favourite with government, was adopted, notwithstanding thefe reafons and propofals. If fuch were the opinions formed upon this fcheme 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 eafily feen, that if the tea was once landed and in the cuftody of the confignees, no affociations, nor other meatures, would be fufficient to prevent its fale and confumption; and nobody could pretend to imagine, that when taxation was eftablished in one inftance, 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 muft become in a great meafure dependent, if they could hope to trade at all. The East India company by the late regulations was brought intirely under the direction of government. The confignees were of courfe fuch as favoured adminiftration, and for that reason the mott unpopular people in America. Particularly at Bofton, they were of the family and nearest connections of thofe gentlemen, whofe letters, as we have obferved, had at that time kindled 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 moft obnoxious perfons, and that too for the purpose of confirming an odious tax. The fame spirit seemed to run like wildfire throughout the colonies, and without any apparent previous concert, it was every where determined to prevent the landing of the teas at all events. At the fame time, the Eaft India company became fo exceedingly odious to the people, that a mere oppofition to her interefts, abftracted from all other caufes, would have embarraffed any measure that was undertaken in her favour. The colonifts faid, that he was quitting her ufual line of conduct, and wantonly becoming the inftrument of giving efficacy to a law which they detefted: thereby involving them, as they affirmed, in the prefent dangerous dilemma, either of submiflion 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 thips for the execution of the new plan was expected, the people affembled at differ ent places in great bodies, and began to take fuch measures as seemed 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 fʊme, 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 people in different towns and provinces, whom they armed with fuch fuch powers as they fuppofed themfelves enabled to beftow. They were authorized to infpect merchants books, to propofe tefts, to punish those whom they confidered as contumacious, by the dangerous profcription of declaring them enemies to their country, and of affembling the people when they thought neceffary. In a word, their powers were as indefinite, as the authority under which they acted. In the tumultuous affemblies which were frequently held upon this occafion, numberless refolutions were paffed, extremely derogatory with refpect to the authority of the fupreme legiflature. Inflammatory hand-bills, and other feditious papers were continually publifhed; nor were the conductors of news-papers, 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 fhips 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 a VOL. XVII. gainft all perfons, who dare in any manner contribute to the introduction of thofe chains. All the colonies feemed to have inftantly united in this point. The town of Bofton, which had been fo long obnoxious to government, was the fcene 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 Caftle 'William, they would return with their cargoes to England. These 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 ftate, it was eafily feen by the people of the town, that the fhips lying fo near, the teas would be landed by degrees, notwithftanding any guard they could keep, or measures taken to prevent it; and it was as well known, that if they were landed, nothing could prevent their being difpofed of, and thereby the purpofe of eftablishing the monopoly and raising a revenue fulfilled. To prevent this dreaded confequence, a number of armed men, under the difguife of Mohawk Indians, boarded the thips, and in a few hours difcharged their whole cargoes of tea into the fea, without doing any other da mage, or offering any injury to the captains or crews. It was remarkable, that the government, civil power, garrifon of Fort William, [D] Dec. 18th, 1773. and and armed fhips in the harbour, were totally inactive upon this occafion. 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 being 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 thefe 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 NewYork 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 disturbances 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 continuance of the war Jan. 13th. on the continent was 1774. 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 meafures fhould be pursued, for the restoration and establishment of the general tranquillity. That in this ftate of foreign af-. fairs, they would have full leifure to attend to the improvement of our internal and domestic fituation; and to the profecution of fuch meafures as more immediately respected the prefervation and advancement of the revenue and commerce of this kingdom. Among these objects, the ftate of the gold coin was particularly recommended, as well on account of its very high importance, as of the peculiar advantages which the present situation of affairs afforded, of fuccefsfully carrying into execution fuch meafures, as were found expedient with refpect to that great national con cern. It was observed, that the degree of diminution with the coin had actually fuffered, and the very rapid progrefs which the mischief was daily making, were truly alarming. Much fatisfaction was expreffed, that the evil had already been in a great measure checked by the regulations made in the laft feffion; but it was trusted that they would not ftop here, nor think their duty difcharged, without using their best endeavours for putting the gold coin upon fuch a footing, as may not only compleatly remove the prefent grievance, but render the credit and commerce of the kingdom fufficiently fecure from being again expofed to the like danger. No doubt was entertained that any parts of the public fervice would efcape their attention; but, various and extenfive as these were, a felection of the most important was recommended, for immediate deliberation. No particular fupply was demanded or difclaimed; and the ufual declaration was renewed, of a hearty concurrence in every mealure measure that tended to the happinefs or profperity of the people. With regard to America a profound filence was kept. The addreffes were paffed as ufual, and contained the customary acknowledgments and profeffions. As great merit had been attributed in the fpeech, and acknowledged in the addreffes, to the late regulations of the gold coin, that subject became a matter of fome animadverfion. There are few matters which have more exercited the judgment of men verfed in commercial affairs of the most able political calculators, and first rate mathematicians, or in which they have differed more in opinion, than in what relates to the circulation of every kind of currency, whether in coin or in paper. It is even still a matter of doubt, whether the subject has ever been thoroughly underflood, or inveftigated upon right principles. This uncertainty, in a matter of fo much importance, and fo critical in its nature, has rendered statesmen in commercial countries very cautious in all meafures that affect the circulating coin, and induces them often, rather to bear with inconveniencies, the extent of which they know, than to rifque the unknown confequences of innovation. By the act of the preceding feffion, the lofs on the diminished gold, (which amounted to an enormous fum) fell upon the immediate poffeffors, and thereby principally affected the great money holders, or bankers. It was, however, feverely felt by the public in general, and as it happened at a time, when the commercial and manufacturing part of the nation were already, from other causes, very much dif treffed, and public and private credit at a low ebb, it much increafed the general diforder and confufion, and occafioned a great clamour during the recefs. The fudden manner in which it was brought in and hurried through, at the tail of an uncommonly late feffion, contributed to render it still more unpopular; although thofe who cenfured miniftry without doors, did not propofe a better plan. Within the houfe it was not made a matter of oppofition, It was acknowledged on all fides that the most effectual measures were requifite, and had been long wanted, to prevent the fraudulent diminution of the gold coin, an enormity which had been carried to the most dangerous excefs, but the time of the late act, with refpect to the particular circumftances of the commercial and manufacturing part of the nation, and the mode of its operation, as highly oppreffive and injurious to individuals, were ftrongly objected to. It was said, that the bankers, who are obliged to hold money for others, had received it at its nominal value, upon the public faith, and under the fanction of government; and that it was oppreflive and unjust, that a particular body of men thus circumftanced, fhould be obliged to make good to the public the immense lofs which they had fuftained, not more through the iniquity of those who had diminished the gold, than through the remiffnefs of government, and the flackness of the police, in not properly enforcing the laws, until the enormity fpread to fo dangerous an extent, as to be thought beyond their controul. On the other hand, the minifter was well furnished with means for [1] 2 the the defence of his measure. The dangerous extent of the evil was too well known, and the neceffity of a new coinage was not denied. With refpect to the feafon of paffing the late act, he fhewed the neceffity to have been fo urgent, as not to admit of any delay, and that the paffing it over to another feffion, would have been attended with the most fatal confequences. The charge of injuftice he denied: faid the lofs had fallen where it could beft be borne, upon those who had been gainers by the fituation which occafioned it, and who had always profited by the public money. That in fact, it was a tax upon property; but upon that part of property, which was exempt from many others. That if a general tax had been laid to make good the deficiency, it would have been a very heavy charge to the public, and have opened a door for very grofs impofitions, which was actually the cafe upon a fimilar occafion, of the calling in of the filver coin in the reign of King William, by which the nation had been put to an expence of two millions and a half. The high peace cftablishment of the navy, and the vaft increase of expence in every branch of that department, became a fource of debate in this feflion, as it had in the two preceding. Twenty thoufand feamen were again moved for, and the fame caules repeated for this large number, which were then given. The fleet from the Eaft Indies was not yet returned, and hopes were thrown out, 'that a reduction of 3,000 feamen would take place upon its arrival. The remaining peace eftablishment was, however, fill objected to, as being higher than that which had been fixed at the conclufion of the late war, which itself had been much higher than at any former period. The economy of former adminiftrations was upon this occafion recalled with praise and regret, and ftrongly contrafted with the practice of the prefent times. The abfurdity of keeping up a ruinous, permanent, peace establishment, by way of preparation for unknown and uncertain war, was again expofed; and as the late extraordinary expences, were principally attributed to the ruinous ftate in which the navy was found in the year 1771, the minifter was called upon to answer, in what manner the fupplies which had been granted for the fupport of that establishment, from the year 1763 to the latter period, had been difpofed of; for as the navy had been fuffered to rot, either a fufficiency was not demanded, or the money granted was mifapplied. On the other hand, a general change of circumftances; the fleet in the Eaft Indies, the Turkish war, floops at Falkland's Islands, with fome extra fervice in the Weft Indies, were affigned as the caufes which rendered the propofed number of feamen neceffary. As to the queftion that had been propofed with respect to the application of the former fupplies, the minifter obferved, that he had conducted public affairs, only during three years of the eight which had been fpecified, and that it could not be expected, that he fhould answer or account for the conduct of others. That, however, he was pretty certain he could affign the true caufe for the ruinous flate in which the navy was then found, without fup |