The daily union., 1852-12-03

lis-and history must record il roundy-the American
coonsts discontened vigorously diseon,ented IKE
strong boy restrained when conscious OF growth and
poweFnot merely angry about samp-lax ana the IKE.
Mr. Bancroft has well said
"l the glory of England that the ghtfulness OF the
stamp act was in England itself subject OF dispute Ii
could have been nowhere else The King oil France
taxed the French colonies matter OF course the
King OF Spain collected a revenue by his own will in
Mexico and Peru, in Cuba and Porto Rico, and where
ever he ruled The States general OF The Netherlands
had no constitutional scruples about imposing duties on
their outlying possessions. To England exclusively
belongs the honor that between her and her colonies The
question of right could arise is still more 10 her glory
well her happiness and freedom, that IN that con-
test her success not possible Her principles, her
traditions, her liberty her constitution all forbade mat
arbitrary rule should become her CHARACTERISTIC. The
shaft aimed at her colonial policy was tipped win
feather from her own wing"
As politics and political history constitute the theme OF
at least two-thrds of this volume. we must allow
our readers to Judge for themselves how Mr. Bancroft
manages such matters He has brought the story down
the repeal OF the stamp when begin to quote from
him:
son the morning OF the 18th day OF March, the King
went state to Westminster, and gave his assent among
other bills TO what, after he regarded as the we'll
spring OF all his sorrows, the fatal repeal OF the stamp
act He returned from signing the repeal amid the
shouts and huZzas OF the applauding multitude. There
was public dinner of the friends OF America in honor OF
the event Bow bells set a-ringing and on the
Thames the ships displayed all their coloIs AL night
over the city. An express despatched TO Falmouth
with letters TO different provinces, 10 transmit The news
OF the repeal rapidly possible 10 the colonies nor
was il at that time noticed that the ministry had car
ried through the mulny bill, with the obnoxious Ameri
clauses of the last year and that the King IN CIV
ing his assent the repeal OF the stamp act had also
given his assent TO the act declaraory OF the supreme
power of Parliament America in all cases whatso
ever While swift vessels hurried with the news across
the Atlantic the cider act modified by the ministry
with the aid OF Pitt; general warrants were declared IT.
legal; and Edmund Burke, already famed for most
shining talents, and 'sangune friendship for America,
was consulting merchants and manufacturers on the
the whole empire When Grenvie, madly in ear
nest deprecated any change IN the sacred act OF rav
gauon,' Burke bitterly rdiculed him on the idea that
any act sacred il It wanted correction: Free ports
were therefore established in Jamaica and in Dominica,
which meant only that British ports were licensed to in
fringe the of navigation OF other powers Old duties
among them the plantation duties, which mad stood on
the statute. book from the time OF Charles H. mod
flied and changes were made IN points OF detail though
not in principle The duty on molasses imported into the
plantations fixed at Id. gaon thai on British co
lee was Is the hundred weight on British pmento, H.
a pound on foreign cambrlc or French lawn, 3s the
piece, TO be paid into the exchequer and disposed OF by
Parliament. Thus taxes for regulating trade were re-
newed in conformity TO former laws and the act of nav
igation puposely so ar sharpened as TO prohibit
landing enumerated goods IN Ireland. The colonial
offices did relax from their haughliness Under IN
strucons given by the former administration the goyr
enor OF Grenada claimed TO rule the island by preroga
tive and Sir Hugh Pallse at Newfoundland, arrogaied
the monopoly OF uicat
Tho strength of the ministry tested on their nIodu
cling tax on windows The English, said Gren-
VILE must now pay what the colonsS should have
paid aud the subject referred 10 committee by
diminished majority Great Britain not only gave up the
stamp tax but itself betrayed the expenses o the exper
inent out of the sinking fund The treasury asked what
be done with The stamps in those colonies where
the stamp had not akea place and they were ordered
to be returned England wheFs The curious traveller
may still see bags of them, cumberng the Office from
which they were issued.
+. rhe 10Y was, for a time, unmixsd with appre-
henson. South Carolina voted Pl a statue and Vir.
gna a statue the King. and obelisk, which were
10 be engraved the OF those who in England had
synalized themselves for freedom My thanks they
shall have cordially, said Washington, for their opposi
ton any act of oppression The consequences o. en-
forcing the stamp act, he convinced, would have
been more dreful than usually apprehended'
A bright day in May set apart Tor the display OF
the public gadness and the spot where resistance TO the
stamp began the centre OF the attraction Al one
in the morning the bell nearest Liberty tree was the first to
be Tung; at dawn, coors and pendants rose over the
house tops all around IL AMI the s,eepe o the nearest
meeting house hung with sanHers During the day
all prisoners for debt released by subscription In
the evening the town shone as though night had not
co ne an obelsk the common was brilliant with
loyal inscription; the houses round Liberty tree itself
exhibited illuminated figures, not OF the King only, but
Of Pitt. and Camden and Barre and Liberty tree was
decorated with lanterns till its boughs could hold
more"
In this paroxysm OF premature rejoicing ths volume
closes. like the curtain OF theatre, on striking sua
ton continue the story in the next act and carry for
ward the general purposes OF the book.