have been measures not practicable in | themselves in any event, nor has one step been taken to put them into execution. The account we have is, that the general is besieging and besieged; that he had cannon sent to him, but they were stolen; that he himself has made reprisals of a similar nature on the enemy; and that his straw has been burnt, and his brick and mortar destroyed. It is painful to dwell on such monstrous absurd circumstances, which can be only a subject of ridicule, if it did not lead to consequences of a very serious and alarming nature. In fine, Sir, your army is turned out to be a mere army of observation; and is of no other use but as an asylum for magistrates of your own creating. Sir William Meredith rose, and after animadverting on the last speaker's being so eager to push things to extremities, which must end in a scene of bloodshed, imputed all the present troubles to the Declaratory Act asserting the supremacy of Great Britain, at the time of the repeal of the Stamp Act. He contended that the general had answered every purpose for which he was sent. The troops, he said, were for the protection of the magistrates, the protection of the property and trade of the merchants, and the enforcing of the Acts, all which had been fully accomplished; for the persons of the magistrates were safe, no injury had been done to any property since their arrival, and the port was now blocked up. Mr. Burke rose, and complimented sir William on his great wisdom, and the sagacity of administration, in discoursing of which, if they had applied to him, he could have long since informed them. He once more returned to the asylum for magistrates. He said he had often heard of such places for thieves, rogues, and female orphans; but it was the first time he ever heard of an asylum for magistrates. As to the protection of trade, in a place where all sort of trade or commerce was prohibited, the task was a glorious, but not a difficult one. And as to the blocking up an harbour, it might be very true, but to him this mode of blockade seemed rather novel. Such an expression, it is certain, said he, might come with great propriety from me; but I must confess I never heard such a bull in my own country. At the entrance of Dublin harbour there is a north and south bull, but even there or elsewhere, such a bull as this I never heard. Mr. Cornwall rose with some warmth. He observed, that there was no question now before the committee, respecting America; that it was extremely irregular, improper, and unfair, to introduce a discourse of this kind, just at the eve of an adjournment, in such a disorderly, unparliamentary manner; that he suspected it was done on purpose to embarrass administration, by conveying to the people, through the medium of the public papers, that administration were silent, and would not, or were not able, to answer; that such conduct might be of a very bad tendency, considering the very various and contradictory opinions entertained at almost every side of the House; that pressing for an increased establishment, though it should be necessary, if complied with at this time, would be extremely imprudent, as it would spread an alarm among the merchants, on account of their property; because, from the instant such a measure was determined on, all remittances, or perhaps commercial intercourse, might possibly cease, which, if it should happen, might be productive of the most dreadful effects. He concluded by asserting, that the measures now sported with, would stand the test; and that, from any thing which had hitherto happened, there was not the most distant reason for condemning them. The question was put, and the House agreed with the committee in the Resolution of a three shillings land tax for 1775. On the 22nd, the House adjourned to the 19th of January 1775. 1775. PAPERS RELATING TO THE DISTURBANCES IN NORTH AMERICA.] January 19, 1775. Lord North presented to the House, by his Majesty's command, the Papers relating to the Disturbances in North America, of which the following are the most material: Extract of a LETTER from the Earl of The King having thought fit that you should return immediately to your command in North America, and that you should proceed directly to Boston, on board his Majesty's ship Lively, now lying at Plymouth, ready to sail with the first fair wind, I send you herewith, by his Majesty's command, a commission under the great seal, appointing you captain general and governor in chief of his Majesty's province of Massachuset's Bay, together with such instructions as have been usually given to governors of that province, for their guidance in the exercise of the ordinary and more permanent powers and authorities incident to that command. What is further necessary for your direction in the present state of disorder and commotion within that province, and for enabling you to carry into execution the measures that have been, and probably will be adopted, for reducing it to a state of obedience to lawful authority, is of a more delicate and important nature, and requires more precise and particular in your command over the King's troops, will, it is hoped, enable you to meet every opposition, and fully to preserve the public peace, by employing those troops with effect, should the madness of the people, on the one hand, or the timidity or want of strength of the peace officers on the other hand, make it necessary to have recourse to their assistance. The King trusts, however, that such necessity will not occur, and commands me to say, that it will be your duty to use every endeavour to avoid it; to quiet the minds of the people, to remove their prejudices, and, by mild and gentle persuasion, to induce such a submission on their part, to this law, and such a proper compliance with the just requisitions it contains, as may give full scope to his Majesty's clemency, and enable his Majesty to exercise the discretionary With this letter you will receive an act power given him by the Act, of again reof parliament passed in the present ses- storing to the town of Boston, these comsion, for discontinuing the loading and un-mercial privileges and advantages which it loading of goods and merchandise at the town and within the harbour of Boston; and also a Minute of the Treasury-board, containing the substance of such instructions as their lordships have thought fit to give to their officers in consequence thereof; and it is the King's command, that you do give them all proper and necessary assistance and support in the execution thereof. structions. To this end it will be expedient that you do, immediately upon your arrival, and so soon as your commission has been read and published, in the usual form, appoint a meeting either at the town, or within the castle (as circumstances shall point out) with the commander in chief of his Majesty's ships, the lieutenant governor, the commissioners of the customs, the chief justice, and the secretary of the province, in order to consider what steps it may be proper to take, for carrying the Act into execution, and for enforcing, if necessary, a due obedience thereto; and if Mr. Hutchinson should not be come away, in consequence of the leave he has obtained for that purpose, his advice and assistance, in this case, as well as in the execution of every other part of your instructions, will be of very great use and advantage to you. His Majesty trusts, that no opposition will, or can, with any effect, be made to the carrying the law into execution, nor any violence or insult offered to those to whom the execution of it is entrusted should it happen otherwise, your authority, as the first magistrate, combined with hath so long enjoyed, and which have raised it to its present state of opulence and importance. At the same time the sovereignty of the King, in this parliament, over the colonies, requires a full and absolute submission, and his Majesty's dignity demands, that until that submission be made, the town of Boston, where so much anarchy and confusion have prevailed, should cease to be the place of the residence of his governor, or of any other officer of government, who is not obliged, by law, to perform his functions there. It is therefore his Majesty's further pleasure, that so soon as the law for discontinuing the port shall have taken place, and every step has been pursued that is necessary to insure the execution of it, you do make the town of Salem the place of your residence, that you do require all officers (not included in the above exception) to attend you there; and that the general court, and all other courts and offices which are not by law fixed at Boston, be appointed and held at Salem, until his Majesty, satisfied, on your representation, that the laws of this kingdom will be duly observed, and government be again administered at the town of Boston without opposition, shall have signified his royal will and pleasure for the return of his governor to, and for holding the general court at that town. The proceedings of the body of the people at the town of Boston, in the months of November and December last, were of such a nature and criminality, as to have fixt a deep degree of guilt upon those who were the principal ringleaders and abettors of those proceedings, and the measures proper to be taken for inducing the punishment of such guilt, become a very necessary part of the present consideration, relative to the state of the province of Massachuset's Bay. The King considers the punishment of these offenders as a very necessary and essential example to others, of the ill consequences that must follow from such open and arbitrary usurpations as tend to the subversion of all government, and the rendering civil liberty unsafe and precarious; and his Majesty's subjects in the province of Massachuset's Bay in general, cannot give a better test of their love of justice, and respect for the constitution, than in their zealous endeavours to render effectual a due prosecution of such of fenders. If, however, the prejudices of the people should appear to you to be such as would in all probability prevent a conviction, however clear and full the evidence might be, in that case it would be better to desist from prosecution, seeing that an ineffectual attempt would only be triumph to the faction, and disgraceful to govern ment. The foregoing is all that I have at present in command from the King to say to you. I need not suggest to you the very great advantage that will result from your obtaining a just and perfect knowledge of the characters, inclinations and tempers of the principal people in the colony; such information must of necessity be of great benefit, and your own discretion will point out to you the use that is to be made of it. The last advices from Boston are of a nature to leave but little room to hope that order and obedience are soon likely to take place of anarchy and usurpation; his Majesty however confides in your fortitude and discretion, and doubts not that all other officers, civil and military, animated by your example, will exert themselves in such a manner, in support of the constitution, and for enforcing obedience to the laws, as will recommend them to his Majesty's royal grace and favour. COPY of a MINUTE of the TREASURY BOARD. Whitehall Treasury Chambers, 31st March, 1774.-Present, Lord North, Mr. Townshend, Lord Beauchamp, Mr. Cornwall. My lords take into consideration an Act to discontinue, in such manner, and for such time as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading and shipping of goods, wares and merchandize, at the town and within the harbour of Boston, in the province of Massachuset's Bay, in North America; and being desirous that the provisions of the said Act should be carried into execution, with all possible vigilance, dispatch and circumspection, as far as the same relate to the officers of his Majesty's customs established in the same town and province, transmit a copy of the said Act to the commissioners of the cus toms in America, and direct them forthwith to take such steps as they shall find necessary for the removal of their board from the said town of Boston to the town of Salem, in the said province of Massachuset's Bay, and that as soon as proper offices can be prepared for their reception and accommodation. Direct them, together with all the officers belonging to their board, to repair to the said town of Salem, and there to execute the duties and functions of their commission, until they shall receive further orders, respecting the future residence and establishment of their board. Direct them, at the same time, to give orders for the removal of the collector, comptroller, surveyor, and such other officers of the port of Boston as they shall judge necessary, to the town of Plymouth, or to the island of Nantricket, or to such other town or place within the limits of the said port, as shall appear to them most proper and most convenient for the trade of his Majesty's subjects; and let the said collector, and other officers, be ordered to establish themselves in the said town of Plymouth, or such other town or place as the commissioners shall appoint within the limits of the said port of Boston, and there to proceed and carry on, in the usual manner, the business of their several departments in the collection and management of his Majesty's customs, and in the execution of the laws of trade. And in as much as it may be reasonably expected, that the trade within the port of Salem and Marblehead will be considerably increased during the continuance of the said act of parliament, and may require an additional number of officers to business of the customs, be stationed at those places to transact the business of the customs, Direct the commissioners to take with them to Salem such of the tidesmen and in cidental officers, now employed at Boston, as they shall think the service at Salem and Marblehead may demand; and recommend to their particular care and attention, that clause of the said Act which relates to vessels carrying coastwise, under the restrictions therein mentioned, fuel and victual for the necessary use and sustenance of the people of the town of Boston; and direct them to give express orders to the proper officers, to be vigilant and alert in visiting and searching all such vessels laden with fuel and provisions, as aforesaid, which shall enter the harbour of Marblehead, for the purpose of obtain ing a transire, or let pass, pursuant to the late act of parliament; and, in case it shall appear to the officers employed in that service, by information, or by any probable cause of suspicion, that there are concealed on board any such vessels, any goods, wares, or merchandize, other than such fuel or victual, that then, and in every such case, such officers should be directed to oblige the master, or commander, of such vessel so informed against, or suspected, to unlade his cargo before he obtains such transire or let pass, in order to proceed to the town of Boston. Let the commissioners take care, that, after the first day of June, 1774, and during the continuance of the said Act, no officers of the customs whatsoever be suffered to reside within the town or harbour of Boston. In consideration of the losses which the collector, comptroller, and other officers upon the establishment, within the said port of Boston, must inevitably suffer by the diminution of the fees and perquisites of the respective offices, during the continuance of the said Act, My lords direct the commissioners to report to their lordships, as soon as they can form any opinion of the matter, how much it may be reasonable to allow to such officers respectively, as a compensation for such their losses. Direct them, from time to time, by every opportunity, to inform my lords of the several steps they shall have taken in the execution of the said Act, and of their lordships' orders. Acquaint them, that they, and all the officers under their authority, may depend on being supported and protected in the execution of the duties of their respective offices. Inform them, that the lords commissioners of the Admiralty have dispatched orders to the admiral, commanders, and commissioned officers of his Majesty's ships of war on that station, to use the utmost vigilance and activity in the execution of the several provisions of the said act of parliament; and in case any of the officers in any of his Majesty's ships, or sloops of war, shall see occasion to require any officer, or officers of the customs, to be put on board any of the vessels under their command, direct the commis sioners to take care that all such requisitions be duly complied with. Transmit a copy of this Minute to Mr. Stephens, for the information of the lords of the Admiralty, and to Mr. Pownal, for the information of the earl of Dartmouth. Extract of a LETTER from the hon. Governor Gage to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Boston, 19th May, 1774. [Received 22d June.] His Majesty's ship the Lively, in which I embarked at Plymouth on the 16th of April, arrived here on the 13th of this month. The late governor Hutchinson, the chief justice, the commissioners of the customs, and the consignees, were either at the castle, or dispersed in the country, not daring to reside in Boston: I went to Mr. Hutchinson, and remained with him at Castle William till preparations were made for my reception in Boston, where my commission was read and published, in the usual forms, on the 17th instant. The Act for shutting up the port, got here before me; and a town meeting was holding to consider of it, at the time of my arrival in the harbour. They determined to invite the other colonies to stop all exports and imports to and from Great Britain and Ireland, and every part of the West Indies, till the Act be repealed, and appointed persons to go to Marblehead and Salem to communicate their senti ments to the people there, and bring them into like measures; which persons were to make their report at the adjournment, on the 18th, when the meeting was again held, and, I am told, received little encouragement from Salem and Marblehead, and transacted nothing of conse quence. I do not propose laying any thing before the new assembly at their meeting, except the common business of the province, if any occurs. I hear from many, that the Act has staggered the most pre sumptuous; but minds so inflamed cannot cool at once; so it may be better to give the shock they have received, time to ope rate, and I may find the assembly in a better temper than usual, and more inclined to comply with the King's expectations at Salem, to which place they will be removed after the first of June. Extract of a LETTER from the Hon. Governor Gage to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Boston, 31st May, 1774. I wish I had met with a ready disposition to comply with the terms of the act of parliament, instead of a resolution to ask assistance from the other colonies; but I do not find there is any inclination in the rest to shut up their ports, which was not to be expected, considering what they before suffered from their non-importation agreements. If they intend, or not, to take any resolutions in behalf of Boston, farther than giving good words, is not known here. The violent party seems to break, and people fall off from them, but no means are yet adopted to comply with the Act. The assembly has shewn no disposition to begin upon it, but were hurrying the business of supplies through their house, to throw it off themselves, and to avoid meeting at Salem, by adjourning themselves when the supplies had passed their house; but receiving intelligence of their designs, I adjourned them on a sudden to the 7th of June, and then to meet at Salem. They as yet have only presented me with a petition to proclaim a day of fasting and prayer; but as they have lately had a day of the kind, according to custom, and as I saw no cause for an extraordinary day of humiliation, I have judged it best not to comply. I had a meeting with the late governor, the admiral, and commissioners of the customs, on the subject of putting the Act in force, in which, after putting some questions to the attorney general, the chief justice being absent, they appeared to agree in the manner of it. The officers of the customs remove to-morrow, when I also propose to leave Boston, and the admiral has stationed his ships. No design has appeared of opposing the execution of the Act, nor do I see any possibility of doing it with effect; but many are impatient for the arrival of the troops; and I am told that people will then speak and act openly, which they now dare not do. General Haldimand took the opportunity of a vessel in the service, to send a detachment of sixty ar[VOL. XVIII.] tillerists and eight pieces of ordnance from Dartmouth to the Hon. Govenor Since you left England, the parliament has made a very considerable progress in the American business, and I send you herewith, by the King's command, two Acts, to which his Majesty gave the royal assent a few days ago. These Acts close the consideration of what relates to the state of your government, and it is hoped that they will have the good effect to give vigour and activity to civil authority; to prevent those unwarrantable assemblings of the people, for factious purposes, which have been the source of so much mischief; and to secure an impartial administration of justice in all cases where the authority of this kingdom may be in question. The Act for the better regulation of the government of the province of Massachuset's Bay, provides, that from the first of August next, all elections of the council under the authority of the charter, shall be void, and that, for the future, the council shall be appointed by the King. In consequence of that provision, his Majesty has, with the advice of his privy council, nominated 36 persons, qualified as the Act directs, to be the council of Massachuset's Bay, from and after the time limited for the continuance of the present council; and enclosed herewith I send you his Majesty's additional instruction, under the sign manual, authorizing and requiring you to assemble the said council, and containing such further directions as are thought necessary and incident to this new establishment, and as correspond with the provisions of the Act in relation thereto. It would perhaps have been in some respects desirable, that it might have been left to the King's discretion, to have directed that, in case of the death or absence of both governor and lieutenant governor, the administration of government should have been devolved upon the senior counsellor, as in other governments, but as the Act reserves to the new council all the liberties, privileges, and immunities enjoyed by the other, except in the cases provided for, it is apprehended that such direction cannot be given, and for the [G] |