Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-07-22

"hCh tiic uIcnviHt ADMINISTRATOR Pdsscu lte stamp
Act and il was met by Patrick Henry's Resolu-
4 tions; when the Lord North Ministry set up its
Tea-tax and it was resisted by the memorable
Boston Tea-party, stood up, and, at whatever con
sequences, (for consequences must be the care OF
those in power when by bad acts they compel
opposision,) vindcated the principles Of his coun-
trymen and animated them to resistance--a resist
ance which he held to be the common right and
duty Of all who loved English liberty, whether in
the Colonies or at home. The mighty words Of
CHATHAM flew to this land, were every where
caught up by its orators, embodied in its remon-
strances and not even the voice Of any American
patriot more contributed to the event of our ema-
cipation for which, repeat, not Ne was answer
able, (he only did his duty, but those who refused
to listen to him.
Nwere too long to quote his words that show
what liberty Of speech public exigencies often de-
mand, and what strength of expression could then
be held not disloyal to the British crown though at
first giving aid and comfort so far as words can,
to Insurrection, and though presently, when war
had begun, exceeding all the DISCOURSE printed or
spoken, to which Locofocosm has applied or is
applying its dunce-defnitions of g Moral Treason
Some remarkable passages of his speeches we must
give, either as showing the latitude Of truth which
was then in his sense, patriotic or the interpreta-
ton which his great authority fixes upon not only
the liberty but solemn duty Of the citizen to speak
his mind freely on public affairs, let the conse-
quences be what they will to such Princes and
Premiers as provoke though they dread, and would
silence instead of consulting, public debate.
In his first speech upon the passage Of the Stamp
Act G765) he said "Iti is long time, Mr.. Speaker,
since have attended in Parliament When the
resolution taken in the House to tax America,
was i'll in bed. If could have endured to be
carried in my bed, SO great was the agitation of
my mind for the consequences that / would have
solicited some kind hand to lay me down on
this floor, to bear my testimony against it,
He went on to say, II is my opinion that this
kingdom has no right TO lay tax upon the colo
nies' and ne proceeded to assert all our own Re-
volltionary doctrines as to that right, using, finally
these words " The Commons of America, repre-
sented in their several Assemblies have ever been
in possession and exercise of this their constitu-
tional right OF giving and granting their own mo-
: ney. They tcoad hare been slares if they had
not enjoyed it, This, be it noted. was after the
act had passed. and connections in this country be-
gun, in consequence of it. These commotions that
weak and Vrannical Ministry had attempted to
charge upon those who had opposed the legality Of
the measure-just as the Wings have been accused
of causing the Mexican War, by opposing Annex
alton. Well: see how, in British Parliament,
Lord CHATHAM spurns and puts down the attempt
thus to silence discussion: Gentlemen, sir, have
been charged with giving birth to sedition in Ame-
rica. They have spoken their sentiments with
freedom, against this unhappy act; and that free
dom has become their crime. Sorry am to hear
the liberty of speech in this House imputed as an
offence. But the imputaton shall not discourage
me. 1t is liberty mean to exercise. No gen.
tleman ought to be afraid to exercise it. It is a.
liberty by which the gentleman who calumniates
it (the Prime Minister) might have profted. He
ought to have desisted from his project" And
then, Immediately after, he rose to the height of
that brave and right expression, to the treason
ableness Of which nothing of Wing opposition
to the Presidents has ever approached. He
said rejoice that .dmerica has resisted Three
millions of people so deadto all the feelings of Lib
erty voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would
have been fit instruments to make slaves of the
rest" So much for the SampAc When, how
ever, the scheme of taxing America was revived in
l774, the Tea-tax laid, and determined resistance
had in l775 broken out, he not only applauded it,
in his speech of the 10th January, but plainly de-
clared that America was only defending British
freedom and would have the sympathy OF every
Wing in England. What could be filter to call up
every American in arms than such words as these
This resistance to your arbitrary system of tax
alton might have been foreseen; it was obvious
r from the nature of things and of mankind and,
above all, from the Whiggish spirit fourishing in
that country. The spirit which now resists your
taxation in America, is the same which formerly
opposed loans, benevolences, and ship-money in
England; the same spirit which called all Eng
land its legs, and, by the Bill Of Rights, vndi-
Gated the English Constitution the same spirit
which established the great, fundamental, essential
maxim Of your liberties, that no subject OF Eng
land shall be taxed but by his own consent
This glorious spirit Of Whggism animates three
millions in America who prefer poverty with
liberty to gded chains and sordid affiuence, and
who will die in defence Of their rights as men, as
free men. What shall oppose this spirit, aided
by the congenial fame glowing in the breast Of
every Wing in England to the amount Il hope)
OF double the American numbers Ireland they
have to man." II thus plain was his language,
when England, full Of confidence, expected no re-
e,c which coviJ -. .n~o I:..Iu