New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-12-15
The n. Y. Lyeeum Lectures.

than BRET notice OF the Lecture OF GEoAGE
BANCROFT, Esq of Boston, las, evening, before
the New-York Lyceuna, upon the early in
auence of New-York on tbs Independence Of this
country; for it embraced a great amount Of most
valuable information which has never before been
laid before the public, and 10 which he Obtained
by that indefatigable and well-directed re-
search through which, in many other ways, he has
heretofore done such distinguished service TO the
History of America. After noticing, as worthy of
attention, the fact that for the People of New
of the other American Colonies-that they did not
come from Great Britain, and owed her 40 natural
allegiance he said that the restrictive commercial
system of England operated upon them with pecu-
liar severity; and that, in consequence of it, in
private conversation, early as the middle of the
eighteenth century the Independence of this country
was boldly and confidently predicted and in 1850,
pamphlet, written in this city, warned Sir Henry
Pelham, then Prime Minister of Great Britain, that
too much care could not be taken lest the Colonies
should be weaned from the mother country, and
sunder the bonds that kept them together. This
thought of Independence had birth in New-York {;
and in Massachusetts it was later by fifteen years.
Men in Europe foresaw it at the same time; and
Hutchinson, the greatest moral philosopher Of the
first half of that century, predicted it, because he
said, every nation had right to its independence
the good ends Of political organization.
The rapid increase of population in America too
doubling as they were seen to do in twenty years
taught observers abroad that their independence
must be speedily achieved, and called forth the
sneer of JOHNSON, who wa. hired by the Ministry
to prove Taxation no Tyranny, that the Amer-
cans increased as fast es their rattlesnakes.-
Still these feelings, that America would soon be-
come independent, Mr.. BANCROFT said, did not
grow of any idea connected with political rights
for no such were then thought of.
Mr.. BAcNRoFr then described the personal and
political characters of the prominent men in Eng
land, upon whomdevolved the conduct of American
afuirs,-Sr Henry Pelham, who always preferred
a tolerable peace to successful war, and who
would therefore, had his counsel prevailed, have
suffered rebellion of the colonists break OUT
the Duke Of Newcastle, First Secretary of State,
and thus Superintendent of the Board Of Trade,
obtaining and holding vast political influence by
his great estates, Astounding in professions extra
VACANT but worthless, destitute of pride but of in
debate-rushing boldly into embarrassment and
dismayed at the troubles in which he was thus in
volved to such hands were American interests
entrusted-to men hopelessly ignorant of American
affairs, nquiring with anxious concern on one &C.
casion "wheTe Annapolis was, and suffering whole
reams of petitions from America to liz unopened,
while they were active in extending the royal
prarogativc over the colonies. So profoundly
ignorant were they of every thing relating to Ame-
RIGA, that they seemed sometimes to believe the
country cluster of islands: and the Duke of New
castle was verify in doubt whether Jamaica was
in the Mediterranean or perchance the Baltic Sea.
Letters, said Mr.. Bancroft, were often received
addressed to the Governor of the island Of New
England!
The Duke of Newcastle was succeeded by the
Duke of Bedford-honest, but not clear-headed !;
and inhexble even to obstinacy At the head of the
Board of Trade was the Earl IF Halifax man
of moderate sense, but of great application, am
bilious and eager bring British America entirely
under his control. IL June, l749, Charles Town
send was made member of the Board young
man of unboundcd ambition, great industry, zeal
Gus for the glory of England-and careless alike
of the principles of equal justice and of civil free
dom.
These were the men who sought to subject the
AIUeTlCEu SOlOHlcS eHLlToly TOydi
Upon the peace of AK la Chapee, the CONNER
cia system, so oppressive to New.York was put
in force. The colonies had great natural wealth,
but Parliament crippled their industry They
had an abundance of pasturage, but their manu-
features were crushed Their forests supplied all
Europe with furs, and yet they we're not allowed
to make hats in one Colony to be sold in another.
Iron ore they had in abundance but their skill in
working it was not suffered to dcvelepe itself for
Charles Townsend procured the enactment of
law, which, while it allowed iron in pigs TO be
brought from America to England, prohibited in
the Colonies the erection of roliing-rnills or fur
naces for making steel. Wherever such existed
they were declared to be puisances, and By govern
ment order they we're to be a6ased. This was the
first step of the craftsmanship of Charles Towns
end
The next bore still more heavily upon New York.
She had before enjoyed large trade with the West
India Islands, in sugar and moasses, and plan
was laid and carried into effect whereby her trade
with the French, Spanish and Dutch West Indies
greatly limited, and this worked serious evil
to her interests. A still greater was sustained from
clause introduced into bill, to inhibit the issue
of Colonial paper money giving TO all royal orders
in the British colonies and the American planta-
tions the force of Statute Law Against this out
right establishment of despotism in America, New
York and other colonies loudly protested: and here
begins the first great collision between England
and her colonies, and 1t began an New York
The enforcement of this Law by the Governor of
New-York was steadily resisted by the Assembly,
and the Governor was forced to yield.
Still the purpose was not given up. Pownal
came to New-York as Governor, al the very time
when FRANKLIN, the true parent of American
Liberty, limited at union of the Colonies. The
Governor even then repeatedly told Hutchinson
that Independence al hand but the LAT
ter thought this quite impossible, though he soon