The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-08-08
LONDON. Nav u,

LONDON, MAY Fl.
7b: Earl efCHATHAm's SPEECH, zobea
be made mOtion 70, the Diholution Of the
brs(fnt Parliament.
My LORDS,
TT is not many years ince this nation was
the envy and terror of its neighbours.
Alone and unaifiled it ieemed to balance the
half of Europe. Nor was the afpea of It's
affairs abroad more Aattering than at home.
Concord and unanimity prevailed throughout
the whole extent of the BIitiff1 empire.
Whatever heats and animoGties might Gub-
fit between the grandees, the body of the
people was fatisfed. No complaints, no
murmurs were heard. No petitions, much
lefs remonfrances, for redrefs of grievances,
were carried up to the throne; nor were
hired mobs neceGary to keep the fovereign
in countenanCe by their venaI lhouts. No
thing was heard on every fidc but one general
burf of reclamation and joy. But how is
the proipea darkened How are the mighty
fallen ! On public day, the royal ears are ia
luted with hiles and boots and he fees ihels
againR bis perlon and government written
with impunity; juries foemnly acquitting
the publifhers. What greater modification
can befal monarch Yet this facrifce he
makes to his miniGers. To their falfe ffeps,
not to his own, he owes his dlGgrace. By
their intrigues the lait inglorious peace, the
origin of our evils, was effected, and approved
by parliament. though it was loudly con-
demned by the nation. BY their inlrigues
the laff fhameful convention received the
fame fanefion. Were this facri6ce of our
honour and interef abroad compensated by
the wif1om of our domefic government, it
would be iome comfort.-- But the fact is,
that Great Britain, Ireland, and America,
are equally diaatis6ed, with the miniffry.
The impoitic taxes laid upon America, and
the lyRem of violence there adopted, have
unfortunately Toured the minds of the people
and rendered them di(afeced to the prefent
parliament, if not to the King. Ireland has
various reafons to complain. An enumera-
ton of them would be tedious. You may
judge Of their number and magnitude by the
prefent fame. The mealures taken to carry
the Middefex election in favour of the court,
the deciGon of that election, the murders in
ST. Georges fields, the refUfal of the Gem
mons to enquire into theie murders, and into
the conduct of thoie who advifed his Ma
jefy to below thanks and rewards upon the
perlons Immediately concerned; the payment
ofthe irnmenie debt contracted by the crown,
without inipecfing any account; all thefe cir
Cumfiances had juRly alarmed the nation,
and made them uEcommonly attentive to the
operations of parliament'---Hence me publ
cation Of the parliamentary debates. And
where was the injury, if the members acted
upon honeR principles 4? For public aAem-
bly, to be afraid of having their deliberations
publlfhed, is monfrous, and fpeaks for itfelf.
No mortal can confrue fuch procedure to
their advantage. 1t, and the prsaice of
locking the doors, are lnfficient to open the
eyes of the blind (; they mutt fee that all is
not well within. Not fatis6ed, however,
with lhutting their doors, the Commons
would oyerturn the liberty of the prefs. The
printers had fpirit, and reiiied. The ini-
tated Commons exerted their privilege above
the laws of the land, and their fervants acted