The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal — Boston [Mass.], 1774-07-07 00:00:00, page 2

powér, not only oppose conflitutiona | principles, but even
partake of impiety. The sentence of bondage against us is
only issued by the frail OmnIpoTENCEY of Parliament.
' & Non sic infleclere fenfus :
| & Humanos edifla valint.”§ o
‘We cannot question the justice of our cause. ~This con
sideration will afford comfort and encouragement. to. our
minds. : g S
Let us therefore, in the firft place, humbling ourlelves
Vefore onr gracious Creator, devoutly beseech his divine pro=
tetion of us his affli@ed servants, most untéifonibly and
cruelly opprefied. Let us seriously reflect on our manifold ;
eranfgreffions, and by a sincere repentance, and an entire
amendment of cur lives, frive t 6 recommend “ourselves to
divine favour. ¢ 5 o 3
In the next place, let us cherish and cuitivate sentiments
of brotherly love and tenderness amongst ws. To whom
tinder the cope of Hedven, can we look for help in these
days of ¢ darkness and trouble,” but one to another ? O
my countrymen ! haye pity one on aflother---Have pity on
yourlelves, and your children. Let us---by every tender’
tie, I implore you---let us, mutually excuse and forgive*
each other our wealtneffes and prejudices; ( for who ‘ls free |
from weaknefles and prejudices ?)---and utterly abolishing
all forpter defientions and difftin€ions, wifely and kindly
unite in one firm band, in onécammon cause.
I appeal to every man of common sense, whether any
meafire will be so likely to induce administration to think
of an accommodation with us, as our unanimitys Muit nbt,
therefore, every measure impeaching the credit and weight
of this uhanimity, in the fame degree obstruct all accommo
}:uion ? Will not every such measure naturally produce
aughtinefs, perjeverance and frefb rigour in our oppressors ? -
Will not “these -still more engage us, and place us fart! v;z
from -an accommodation ? -If the proretion and peace W<
wish to derive from ouf unanimity be taken from:us, by the
imprudence of our brethren who ,break- that unanimity, or
destroy all refpeét for it in Great-Britait, and thereby en
courage-herto seize; what she will cettainly think, the lucky
opportunity for pursuing her blows, what must be the con
sequence > We: held up a shield for -our defence. - If our.
brethren have pierced it through; and rendered it useless---
their imprudence will, according te the usual course of hu
mman affairs, compel us to change the mode of defence, and
drive us into all the evils of civil discords
What advantages can they gain, that can compensate to
men of any understanding or virtue, for. the miseries occa
sioned by their bad policy. Their numbers will be too
small, in any manner whatever, to controul the sentiments
or measures of America. Their conßuét never can prevent
the exertions of these celonies in vindication of their liberty.
It may by provocations render those exertions more rath and
imprudent. . But their numbers will be {o extravagantly
exaggerated, as all faéts have been agai. {t vs, on the other
fide of the Arlantic, that Great-Britain may be deceived
and emboldened into meatures destructive to herfelf and to
ws. We are now strenuously éndeavouring in a peaccable
mannery by this single pezver---the “force’ of - unanimity
‘---to preserve our freedom. Those, who /effen that unani
mity---derrali, from its force---willgrewent its effet---and
must be, therefyre, justly chargeable with all the dreadful
consequences ta these colonies. "e pe oo
- The third important consideration I beg leave to recoms
mend to my countrymen is, to draw.fuch refle€t ons from
their situation, as will confirm their winds in that manly
noble fortitude, so absolutely neceflary for the maintenance
of those inestimable privileges, for which they are now
conitending. The man, who fears difficulties - arising in
the deferce of freedom, ‘is udwerthy of freedom. God
has given the rightand the means of aflerting-it, - We may
reasonably ask and expe his gracious afliftance in the rea
sonable employment of those means.. To look for miyicles
while we abusively negleé the powers afforded us by divine
goodness, is not only stupid but criminals We are yet free
——=Let us think Like treemens : ‘
In the laft.piace T beg leave to offér some observations
concerning the measures that may be raoft expedient in the
present emergencys . Other mations have contended in blood
for their liberty, and have judged the jewel worth the price
that was paid for it. . These colonies are not reduced to the
dreadful neceflicys So dependant is Great-Britain on us
for suppl es, that Heaven fcems o have placed ini ‘our hands
means.of an efteCtual, yet peaceable resistance, if we have
{enfe and integifty to make a proper uie of them. A ge
neral agreement between these colonies of nun-impgrtation
and non-cxportation, faithfuily obierved, would certainly be
‘attended with success. .]}L&t\is it ‘now proper to enter iDto
‘fuch an agreement » Let us confider that we are contend
ing with our antient, venerable and beloved parent country.
Let us treat her with all pofiible refpe€t and, reverence :
Though the rulers there have had no compassion upon us,
“let us have compassion on the people of that kingdom.
And if to -give weight to our supplications, and to obtain
‘relier for our fuffering brethren, it shall be judged neceflary
“to lay ourselves under some reflri€tions with regird to gur
tmports and exports, let it be done with tenderness, {o as to
convince our brethreniin Gre:t-Britain of the importaree
of a conne€tion and harmony between them and us, and
the danger of driving-us into despair. Their true interests
~and our own are the fame ; nor should we admit any no
tion of a diftintion, till we know their refulutions to be
| unalterably hostile. : b A
. lln the mean time; let us pursue the most proper methods
for colle@ing the sentiments of all the Biitifh Colonies in
DNorth-Americay, on the present situation of affairs——the
firft poict, it is apprehended, to which attention should be
paid. This may be effected in various ways. The aflemblies
just ard well managed defence ? Or aworid the ends of go
vernment be destroyed, should the wiferable condition of the
awhole people-of France, awhich hath groceeded fiom the kings .
being aljoiure, aqvaken the thoughts of the wisest heads
among theny' ard mowe them all 1o xert themselves, o as
that chose ¢nds should be better answered for :he time to
ceme.”’ Bifbop Hoadley ihid.
It wwas resolved by the boufe of commens that this Biftop,
then Mr. Hoadley and Rc&tor of Sts Peter's peor, London,
<< for bowing qﬂenﬁrenouj@juﬁiﬁed the principles, en which
bir majesty. and, the nation proceeded in their late bappy
revolutiony brd justly merited the favour and vecommendation
of ‘that boufe.” And accordingly addressed queen Afne,
;f" that fbe would be graciously pleased to befonv some digni
ty in the church on the said Myr.Hoadley for bis eminent fer
\ices both to the church and state.” i
<« Whatfoewer difbonours buman naturey difhonours the
policy of a govermment, awbhich permits it 5 and a free slate,
quhich does not communicate the natural rigbt of Titerty to all
its subjects; who have not deserved by theic crimes to lose ity
Lardly seems to be wortly of that bonourable name.”
- Lord Littleton’s biftory of Hen. 2d,
<« Without goodne(s, power would be tyranny and oppre- .
fion, and avifdom would degeneratc into craft and mifchevious
contrivances? -+ Archbifbop Tillotfon’s sermons.
<« Etiamfi now_fit molefius dominus 5 tamen est miferrimum
posses fi welis? Ciceros” Ewen if a fovercign does not ap
prefs yet it is @ most miserable condition for the fubjeéts, thatt
ihat be bas the power, if be bas the wills s
* 1 Blackstone 161. ;
§ Edicts cannot o Lend the cammon sense of buman crea
{uress % ’
t <« By jufice (faith the feripture) the throne is eftab-
Uifbeds” and iy justice a nation shall be exalted.” I re'em-
Lle justice to Nebuchadrezar’s treey shading not only tberal.
sce of the king and the boufe of noblesy but sheltering also the
oreage of the poorest beggar. Wherefore if now the blast of
wdignation batb so bruafed any of the brantbes of this tree,
Vat either our persons or goods or poffiffions bave not the [ame
Ihelter as before let us Aot therefore negle€t theé root of this
arcagtiee j but rather with all our possible means, endeavours
wind unfeigned dutiesy botk apply frejh and fertile mould unto
it w d also water it evenawirh our tears, that [ those bruised
Uvesules may be recovered and. the whdle tree again prosper
ond flourifbs” Mr. Crefkeld’s [peech in the parliament that
VLI 12 ememnm
{ that may have opportunities of meeting,nay appoint deputies
to attend a general congress, at such time and place as
1 shall be agreed on. W here assemblies cafinot meet, ﬁ_xch
of the peopleas are qualified by law to vote in eletion
of reprefenitatives may meet and appoint---or may .request
their representatives to meet and appoint. ,
~ When the inhabicdnts of this extended continent ob
serve that tegular measures are prosecuted for re-ulablif_limg‘
harmony bectween Great-Britdin and these colonies, their -
minds will grow more calm. ~Profpeéts of accommodation,
itis hoped, will engage them patiently and peaceably. to
attend the result of the public councils, and such applications
as by the joint sense of America, may be judged proper to be
made to his Majesty. and both Houses of Parliament. ¥
"% Better is a little avith righteou[nefs, than great reves
@ nues without rights” Provetbs xvis
$ In the house of Corimons, Aptil 25. © ’
94 H E order of the day for the second read
ﬂ% ing of the bill for the more impartial ad
¢ [ minifiration of justice in the province of
% T B@% MafJachufetts-Bay, in New-England,
B ~ being read, Mr. Dowde[well rose, and
%& condemned the bill in the Brongelt and most
spirited terms. He [aid, it was amode of
procedure unknowon to the conflitution or annals of this coun
trya to firip any body of men of their charter ‘.rtgbts -wztb'aut
trialy or indeedy avithout examination 5 it was in faét punifb
ing unbeardy upon evidence exparte, and [7_‘?'4” ex post fato
law.. .He irj/éd, that before they were Jripped ‘;f a single
franchife, much more of their corporate or politica capacity,
“their delinguency, j/nau?d be ;gra:veat, or the ?ﬂ'e.ntes 'wbx'rb
were [uppofed to_imply it confeffed, or the principles wbich
led to it publicly avowed and aﬂérted : ,{bat the frej'ent éz{l
avas no less than punifbing a Juppofed crime, thécut evi
dence on one Jfide, or cor}f{;fon on the other 3 and, that for Vis
part, upon.any principle of justice or precedent, be could not
possibly fee in what manner, the House could froceed to pass
Judgment,without firff hearing the party in their own defence.
Mr. D_y/‘m denied that Parliament awere confined by the
rules laid dowwn by the Honourable Gentleman who [poke be
fore bim. He contended that there was notbing new in the
present mode of proceeding 5 and, that if precedents were so
direc? us on the present occafiony the biffory of parliament
aas full of then. ;
Mr. Sawbridge said, be Jould continuc to the last to set
bis face againf} the bill 5 that it was one of the myi tyran
nic measures that could possibly be de«/z'fed & .vtbat it was dif
ficul: to decide awhich of the three bills avas the worf 5 but
the present [eemed rather to deserve the firft plqce 5 that the
title of the bill was the wery re'v\crfe of what it pr?tended s
Jor inflead of the word impartial, it Jhould be parfl?l 5 and
that the only consolation be bad was, that the pernicious and
- defiruclive designs of the present Minifiry would moss affur
- ecly be counteralted by their folly, ' s
* Colonél Barre faz}{ya feaw avords, and awas as ufualy ex
tremely pointed, [evers, rational and' convincing 5 buf-‘tbe
question being repeaiedly called fory though the debate did not
continue above three quarters of an hour, ‘the bill avas com
mitted for Friday witbout a division. ;
April 27. /4{ Jour o’clock the House avent into a Commit
tee on the Billl\for regulating the Government of Majlachu
. [etts-Bay in Nertb-America. The bill underwent a great
number of alterations in th: Committce, [eweral amendments
- being made, tnd clauses fro‘bofed,;fo;ne.qf awbich are to-be of-
Jered cgain on the third reading, At fix o'clock the boufe
Binned greatly, fothat from thence to the time the Committee
broke kp, there were bardly members fufficient to make a Foufes
_April 28, The order of the da Jor receiving the report
Srom the committee tozwbom the tig for the better regulating
the government of Maflachufetts-Bay being ready Mr. Doww
defwell offered to present a petition from William Bollan,E[g;
agent for the council of the said proviﬂc‘e",f‘ A wery warm
and well [upported debate ensued. A mation being made, that
Jaid Boilan’s petition, presented to the House the 14th of
March lass, might be read, which awas read_accordingly
and another motion being made, that. the present petition be
brought upy the queflion was put, and the I{aufe divided,
ayes 32 10 5G5.---A motion was then made, that the report
be veceived on this day four months. The combitants return
ed again to the [ame ground, and the queflion being put at 3
o'clotk it passed in the negative without a divificn.
April 2g. « At four o'clock the Foufe went into a commit
tee on the bill for the impartial adminifiration of Fufbice in
the province sf Ma/fJachufetts-Bay, in New-England, . Se
weral clause& awere offered by Mr. Wallace, aobich were re
ceivedy and several amendments were made to the bill, and
agresd to. Ordered to be reported on Monday. .
It is said, the parliament will not rife till Thur(day the
17th of Fune, at foonefi. : - ,
We bear fiom Chippenbam, that the awoollen trade there,
in the Devizes, and all the neigﬂaurbood, is very dead ;
that the journeymen clothiers and their fomilies are running
about the country in a moss miferaHe condition to feck bread,
- wlich is owing to the merchants in Briffol not making the
-usual provision for furpifbing Americas - 5 -
' -Extract of a letter from Norwith, April 23.
“ It touches my heart to [ee the misery of our poor wea
wers. There used to Le orders from the American merchants §
but those being floppedy prevent our manufaétures from be
ing able to.employ the poor workmen.”
May 6. The bill for the better providing suitable quar
ters for Officers and Soldiers in bis Majesty’s service inNurth
Amcrica reported, wwith amendments, and ordered to be en
grofled. ‘
A [cheme is in agitation for efiablifbing a mint for silver
coinage at New-York, for the better. regu;’/ztion’of American
currency, |
~ May g." The bill for procuring quarters for troops in
North-America will likewiie pals the lower house this day.
- Theorder of the day for the third reading of the bill for
the impartial adminifiration of justice, &c. in the province
of Maj]hcbufetrs-Bjy, being calle:i‘i/b/, the bill aas read,
and a wery warm debate ensued. At 6 o'clock a motion was
made that the bill do pass; the question being put, the boufe
divided, Ayes 127, Noes 2.4+
A whimsical thing happened on Friday in St. James’s
Park ; a domestic of the French Ambaflador was running
in a great hurry down the Birdcage walk. Why in that
haste ? What is the matter ? (cries a drill ferjeant, stop
ping him.) Sad news ! we are all ruined ! (cries the French
man) the King of France is cead ! You lie, you traitor,
“(returns the dri | ferjeant, and knocks him down) the king
_of France isalive and merry, God be thanked, at the end
of the mall. : v
» May 10. Yesterday the Earl of Dartmouth laid before
the upper afferably feveral.papers relative to Quebec.
Yesterday the bill for the impartial administration of
justice in the province of Maflachufetts-Bay ; the bill for
providing quarters for the troops in North-America ; the
Hull Harbour bill, and the bill for repairing Ayr road were
presented to the upper house.
~+ The whole nation begins to_be alarmed again about the
gold coin, and guineas not wanting ten-pence, nor even
eight-pence; are almost universally refafed. But from
whence springs these alarms, and what foundation is there
to ground an opinion on that none but the coin of the pre
sent king will be current after this feflion ? Certainly it is
that no such atis in agitation as is expected, and the alarm
which 'is now so general is only raised by some designing
- peoples: who, if they succeed but a few days will find the
means to ruin thousands, and enrich themfelves.® 5
© Members have been sent for from all parts of the king
dom both for and against the opposition, so that warm work
is expeted this week at Westminster.- .~ ~ =~ «
} It is said that lady North will speedily be created a baro- -
I F R O §TNQPD- Y 8
By the Captains Tittle and Merrick from Falmouthy and the
Captains Gordon, Brown and Loring, from London, ar
rived at Marblehead and Salemy we bave the Sfollowing
FRESH INTELLIGENCE.
L 0 N .D @ N \ :
nels of Creat-Britain, and that Sir William Meredith will
be honoured with an Irish peerage. .
Something is_now brewing by Col. B, Sir C""—
§e, and two or three equally great men, Whlf-}l lord
N greatly apprehends will turnout very l_ntter. =
May 11. Bya letter received from Ameiica weare in
formed, that Adams, Hancock, Row, and Mackintoth, the:‘
four leaders of the Bostonians, have got notice of the designs
formed by administration to seize their persons, and have
taken effectual methods to evade the orders sent over for tha{t
purposes : 3 : .
May 12, Yesterday a petition from several natives of
America, was presented to the upper aflembly, praying leaye
to be heard.againtt the bill for regulating the future govern
ment of Maflachufetts-Bay, and likewiie againt the bill for
the impa:tial administration of justice in the above province ;
“the fame was accordingly read, and ordered to lie ‘on the
table. - s 5 \
. Another petition was afterwards presented from Mr.
Bollan, agent for the council of Maflachufetts-Bay, pray
ing that he might be heard againt the regulating bill. A
debate then arose whether. Mr. Bollan should be called to
the bar. At last the question being put, the contents were
2.1, not contents §7. . ? i
The order F the day was then read far the bill to regu
late the futuré government, &c. to be read a third time 3/
which being - done, and the question put whether the bill
thould pass, another strong debate arose : the Duke of Rich
mond spoke firft, and was answered by Lord Sandwich, Lord
Lyttleton, Lord Shelbourn, Lord Rochford, Lord Qart
mouth, Lord Camden, Lord Mansfield, and the Marquis of
Rockingham, which closed the debate.
The question was then put and the house divided upon
the question, that the bill do pass ; contents with the prox--
ies, 92, not co. tents, with the proxies, 20, g
Strong has been the reports all this day that the great
wariour and philosopher of the north has unexpeétedly ended
his days. g >3 ' :
Evezl\ wagers are now laying in the city that the King of
Pruffiais dead. ! A
The politics of Europe are expedted to take a most sud
den change : every thing now’ bears the profpeét of war,
from the confufion into which the different interests will be
thrown. In apprehension of " this, ftocks_are expected to
have a sudden downfall. . : £y SEERS Mo
May 14. “The king and Queen’s going down to Portf{-
mouth is not as yet finally fixed on ;it depends partly upon
the motions®f parliament, which are not as yet régulated,
and partly on the French King’s death. If the latter thould
take place, the mock review may be changed into an actual
one, and Admiral Pye be fucesdded by Admiral Saunders.
It is whispered in' many places, that the death of the
King of France will be the cause of many great men losing .
their heads in that kingdom. - The Duke de Choifeul has
ventured to Paris, and is very busy ; the Duke de Auguili
ion and Madame Barre begin to find their friends falling off
-amazingly. In short Paris and Versailles arefin some mea
sure, all in confufion. The people do not hesitate to speak
their minds, and it must be a miracle that prevents a civil
war. This’is expe€ted, and if they go on as they have be
gun, it is thought arbitrary power will be very short lived |
there. :
. The produce of North-America which used te be sent 1
yearly to Great-Britain, is reckoned at about four millions ‘
sterling 3 the manufatures of Britain, and other commod
‘ities returned from hence, at mearly the fame fum’; the
debts due from peoplein America to the Britith merchants
here, at about fix millions or a year arid an half of that com~
_merce, taking the time past by that tocome; supposing,
- therefore, the Americans.to aét out ot resentment in their
present contest, as they did in that of the flamp-a&t, we
.shall then have yearly, until the final settlement of this
affair, manufattuses to, the, value of four million, flerling ‘
«left, and heaped gn the hands of our merchants and mafler
-manufa&urers, or we shall have workmen and poor people
put out of employ, and turned adrift in that proportion.-=-
'Fhefe are some of . the_difficulties and diftrefles which we
are, for the fake of a trial of {kill with our colonies, going
to bring on ourselves, and which must be perpetually mag
nifying and increasing, as long as the unnatural contest thall
continue. Sok . 34
“I'he upper aflembly yesterday, went through the bill for
regulating the government of Quebec. ;
"The present critical situation, ¢f France occupies all ton
verfation at the weft end of the town. Every runner .of
Buckingfiam House eagerly fays, before heis asked the ques
tion, the King of France is NoT dead. He fays so, because |
his employers with it. . The life of the French King was.an
infurance-oftice for peace to Great-Britain, He is noww no |
more. The infurance-office is shut., And those bewildered ‘
miscreants, who haye been imposing the falfe glare of peace,
by submitting to repeated insults ; and of pleaty, by lilen
ing to Scottith projectsy nov swallow and echo the last lie of
the hour, viz. that the King of France is alive. It is a cus
tom in France whenever the King is so extremely ill as to
be past all hope of recoverys then to bring the crown and
place it, for a few moments, upon his bed. This ceremo
ny has been performed. . The House of Bourbon never had
so favourable an opportunity for commencing a war with
Great-Britain. The colonies dismembered, Scotland insol
vent, Ireland depopulated, and England insulted. Canitbe
imagined, that .Broglio and Choifeul have not full and au
thentic intelligence of all the madness and folly of our Court ?
Another correspondent sent us information this morning,
that it may be depended upon, tbe King of France is dead.
This event, the meft knowing of the ministry fay, will pro
duce a war. 4 g 4
Lait night died his Grace the Duke of Cleveland, The
title (with the estate of eight thousand pounds per annum
which is entailed upon the title) comes to the Duke of Graf
on ; who now takes the title of Duke of Cleveland.
My Lorp, '
I with my (entimenitouching parliamentary affairs, my
T is but seldom I trouble your Lordship or the public
profeffion leads me to the pursuit of a different study, and
my attention is never engaged in any political broil,in which
those of my profeflion are not deeply concerned ; and be as
sured, ty Lord, that nothing less than the certainty of that
once honourable profeffion finking into contempt, and
bringing on it the curses of the injured innocent, and the
detestation of all men, could have induced me to take up
my pen. I revere the name, and have studied the duty of
a soldier from my infancy ; and when that duty was con
fined to the legal prote€tion and defence of the state, and
the laws of the realm, it was a pleasure as well as an hon
our to wear a cockade 3 and fuffer me to remind your Lord
ship, that in the old King’s days, a fo/dier had a friend in
every house : The fad. reverse, now alas ! only brings to
mind that we once were happy. i
- It is only within the circle of a few years past, that the
army, my Lord, could with any degree of propriety be de
fargdly branded with the epithets of military executioners
that firebrand of cruelty, that very sperm and essence of
Scottith tyranny, Lieutenant General M— —, began the
bloody tragedy, by maffacreing the people, and clipping the
ears of the civil magistrates in Canada,about the year 1761 ;
since which the fucceflion of a brutal and corrupt adminif.
tration have, with equal violence to the known laws of
God and society, made streams of innocent blood flow in the
streets of our capitals, both at home and abroad, to the dis.
grace of human nature, and the total difhonour and infamy’
of the army. '
. The time is now coming, and we hope is near at hand,
when that blood unjustly and wantonly fpilt in Great-Bri--
tain, and in America, will from the earth call out aloud for
vengeance, the perpetrators brought to condign punishment,
and the land, as well as the name of Soldier, be freed from
the curse. b v
- Youyr expedition to Boston goes on rapidly, my Lord, and
you carry your measures in parglia'mcnt with as much ease,
From the [London] MORNING POST, May 14.
To Lorp N O R T H.
“dnd with.as Nigh a hand, sis the whole pewer of legifs:
“tion and" taxation were veftedin your bosom foMy.‘%t
foftly, my. Lotd, are you fuie thoie measures will ‘take off
' the weft fide the Atla.?ﬂc'? And have you considered welf
~and recontiled yourfelf\ to the conicquences if they thould
‘not ? Perhaps your Lorditip depends upon the circumstance
of the peoyi)fé of B°ﬁ°n-.‘é}3oß in open and avowed rebelfion
© to juftify every part of your conduét :ethere, my Lotd,
3 \,d\] Wlu ﬁm‘l 70!‘[’(6“. fltally mmakw. 11‘&‘ inhabifam;s
' of that towr, and indecd d 01" thcé'wllﬁi;grovincé, a4hs
great politicians to be everdiove into a measure ofithat ps.
| fu’:c’ S?ngfpuce&vwa,«ﬁhmf ground with you, yp
on the priseipies of the Britsth constitution, and the express
" letter of theif'@harfers You hadﬁ"”%bﬁ the field, ang
now: you are'prcp@r‘ng to attack them pon rew ground—
" by cundemning them unheard, and stripping the"i:fﬂery’_
| ight dnd privilege at one stroke. How earncftly dues your
\{()rdﬂl‘lp itrive to mal%lthat brave and hardy face of men
desperate, and to force them into that rebellion the enemies
of thedtate so much with for : And how stupidly insensible
and_ regardless of the consequences, which you must know
can be nothing less than incvitabl%ﬁ’m bankruptcy on
.the trading part of this kingdom." S
" What a happy @ra for the court of Versailles, who have
long wished for a favourable moment to regain their poflef
fions in the western world ; but be that .as it may, jt is
- well worth your Lordship’s while to fefleét how contempti
ble you must appear in the opinion of every thinking and ju
dicious man, when it is made known that those very mea
sures. which you have foftered, and are now palming upon
the House of Parliament, weie planfed and formed in Bos
ton, by those enemies to mankind, Hutchinson, Flucker,
Olivcr{ Sewal, Trobridge, Mﬁu’lﬂd ﬁglﬂiytnd delivered
into your hands ready cut and dried, by Sir Francis Bernard.
~‘Thefe facts (which are known to but few peeple) I shall
-take ecafion to elucidace in my nexty and will conclude this
e widthe inuocaion of the pocd s
. e ers @rvine !- | i . 2
e férﬁmﬁz movemerts of this hetker world,
% And bring thew to mccounty ¢ iR
Coufp Lo | thfesipa
- Who, singled out by a communi 0 guard their rights,
s “amn,f/f} agrafp Mﬁ,%» paltry oﬁa,? 1
Betray them to the foes "~ WL 1 150 ‘
bn Lospahe oy Soed %1 BRAT S:O-L DIEE R,
"HOUSE of LORDS.
iirdbons Ko To B v, gl
a 1 Die Mercurij, 11° Maijy 1774.
"VHE order of the day being read for the third reading
of the billy intituled, ¢ An At for the better regu
lating the Government of the Province of the Massachusetts
‘Bay, in New=England ;™ and for the Loxds to befummoned:
The said bill was accordingly read the third time, -
Moved, “vhat the bill, with the amendments, do pass.
. Which being objected .to, ~ .
- After a long debate, e & ‘
' The question was put thereupen. ‘
It was refplyed in the affirmative.: ek :
BECAUSE this bill, forming a principal part in a system
of punithment and regulation, has been camied through the
House without a due regard to_thofe indifpenfible rules of _
public proceeding, ‘without the observance of which no re<;
gulation can be prudently made, and no punishment jufily,
infliCeds Before it can be pretended, that those rights of
the colony of Maffachufet:s-Bay, .in the ele€tion of Coun
fellors, Magistrates, and Judges, and in the return of Jurors,
which they derive from their charter, could with propriety
be taken away, the definite legal offence, by which a for=
feiture of that charter is incurred, ought te have been clearly
stated and fully proved ; motice of this adverse proceeding
ought to have been given to the parties affected ; and they
ought to have been heard in their own defence. Such a prin=
ciple of proceeding wouid have been inviclably observed inthe
Courts below. 1t is not technical formality, but fubfantial
justice. 'When therefore the magnitude of such a cause
transfers it from the cognizance of the inferior Courts, te
the high judicature of Parliament, the Lords are so far from
being authorifed to reject this equitable principle, that we
are bound to an extraordinary and religious ftri€tnefs in the
observance of it. . The fubje ought to be indemnificd by a
more liberal and beneficial justice in Parliament, fir what
he must inevitably fuffer by being deprived of many. of the
Sforms which are wifely established in the Courts of ordinary
resort for his prote@ion against the dangerous promptitude
of arbitrary discretion, : LI %
2dly. Because the ncceffity allegded for this precipitate
mode of judicial proceeding cannot exist. If the num:rous
land and marine forces,” which are ordered to aflemble in
Maftichufcts-Bay, are not fufficient to keep that single cos
lony in any tolerable slate of order, until the cause of its
charter can be fairly and equaily tried, no regulation in this
bill, or in any of those hitherto brought into the House, are
fofficient for that purpose ;. and we conceive, that the merg
cclerity of a decifioragainft the charter of that province,
will not reconcile the ‘minds of the people to that mode of
government which is to be eftablithed upon ité ruins. Y
3dly. Because Lords are not in a situation to determine
how far the regulations of which this bill is composed, agree
or disagree with those parts of the constitution of the colony
that are not altered, with the circumstance of the people,
and with the whole detail of their municipal institutions.
Neither the charter of the colony, nor any account whatso
ever of its Courts and judicial proceedings, their mode, or
the exercise of their present powers, have becn produced to
‘the House. The slightest evidence concerning any one of
the many inconveniencies, stated in the preamble of the bill
to have arisen from the present constitution of the colony
judicatures, has not been produced, or even attempteds On
the fame general allegations of a declaratory preamble, any
other right, or all the rights of this or any other public body,
‘may be taken away, and any visionary scheme of govern
ment substituted in their place. ’ Sk
" 4thlys Because we think, that the appointment of all the
members of the council, which by this bill is vested in the
crown, is not a proper. provision for preserving the equili
brium of the colony constitution. The power given to the
crown of occasionally increasing or leflening the number of
the council on the report of governors, and at the pleasure
of ministers, must make these governors and ministers maf
rg,_xs of every question in that aflfembly ; and by destroying
its freedom of deliberation, will wholly annihilate its ufg-
The intention avowed in this bill, of bringing the council
to the platform of other coloniesy is not ' likely to answer
its own end ; -as the colonies, where the council is named
by the crown, are not at all better® disposed to a submission
to the praltice of taxing for supply without their consent,
than this of Massachusetts-Bay. And no pretence of bring-
Jing it to the model of the Englith constitution can be sup
ported, as none of those American councils have the least
resemblance to the House of Peers. So that this new
scheme of a council stands upon no fort of foundation, which
the proposers of it think proper to acknowledge.
© sthly. Because the new constitution eof judicature pro
vided by this bill is improper, and incongruous with the plan
of the administration of justice in Great Britain. - All the
{u‘dges are to be henceforth nominated (not by the Crown)
ut by the Governor ; and all (except the Judgesof the
" Superior Court) are tobe removable at his pleasure, and
expressly without the consent of that very Council which
has been nominated by the Crown. s
~“The appointment of the Sheriff is by the will of the Go
vernor only, and without requiring in the person appglntﬂd
. any local or other qulification ; that Sheriff, a magistrate
of great importance to the whole adminftration and execu
. -tion of all justice, civil and criminal, and who in England
| is not removable even by. the sogal--authority, during the
Contents ¥ T 69 %
3 Proxies o Y '—_—‘-— Sk 23 9
. Not contents — 90§
+ Proxies bt o
= * Diffentient, h b LAY p i