career, and the matters of fact will declare. The debates concerning domestic affairs had been fo warmly agitated, that American affairs which had been recommended in his Majefty's fpeech, had hitherto been overlooked. It was not now to be expected, confidering the temper of the miniftry with regard to affairs at home, that the colonists who were infifting up-' on the fame privileges, would find much favour. Upon the 5th of March, the minifter, however, thought proper to bring in a bill for a repeal of fo it was not corruptly fubfervient to his defigns: We complain now, that the fitting of this parliament is not interrupted, because it is corruptedly fubfervient to the defigns of your Majefty's minifters. Had the parliament under James the fecond, been as fubmiffive to his commands, as the parliament is at this day to the dictates of a minifter, inftead of clamours for its meeting, the nation would have rung, as now, with outcries for its diffolution. The forms of the conftitution, like thofe of religion, were not eftablished for the form's fake, but for the fubftanced we call; an GOD and men to witnefs, that as we do not owe our liberty to thofe nice and fubtle diftinctions, which places and penfions, and lucrative employments have invented, fo neither will we be deprived of it by them; but as it was gained by the ftera virtue of our ancestors, by the virtue of their defcendants it fhall be preferved. Since, therefore, the mifdeeds of your Majefty's minifters, in viola ting the freedom of election, and depraving the noble conftitution of parliaments are notorious, as well as fubverfive of the fundamental laws and liberties of this realm; and fince your Majefty, both in honour and justice, is obliged in much violably to preferve them according to the oath made to GOD and your fubjects at your coronation; We your Majesty's remonftrants affure ourselves, that your Majefty will reftore the conflitutional government and quiet of your people, by diffolving this parliament, and removing thofe evil minifters for ever from your councils. His Majefty's Anfwer, delivered the 14th of March, 1776. I fhall always be ready to receive the requests, and to liften to the complaints of my subjects; but it gives me great concern, to find that any of them fhould have been fo far mifled as to offer me an addrefs and remonftrance, the contents of which I cannot but confider as dif respectful to me, injurious to my parliament, and irreconcileable to the principles of the conftitution. I have ever made the law of the land the rule of my conduct, efteeming it my chiet glory to reign over a free people. With this view, I have always been careful, as well to execute faithfully the truft repofed in me, as to avoid even the ap pearance of invading any of thofe powers which the conftitution has placed in other hands. It is only by perfevering in fuch conduct, that I can either difcharge my own duty, or fecure to my fubjects the free much of the late act paffed in the feventh of the prefent reign, as related, to the impofing of a duty upon paper, painters colours, and glafs; the tax upon tea which was laid on by the fame act, being ftill to be continued. The reafons given for this repeal were, that the act had been the occafion of dangerous com repealing of the This faid little binations on the other fide of the Atlantic, and had created difcontents at home among the merchants trading to thofe parts, which made the act a matter of serious confideration. for the wisdom of the legislature, in paffing a law, which in its own nature could not but give general difcontent and commotion among the fubjects. would appear that the minifter did not intend to pur fue the principles of confiftency when he repealed only part of that act, and condemned the whole of it, as inconfiftent with true wifdom, and the character of the British legislature. The colonists had as great an objection Ee free enjoyment of thofe rights which my family were called to defend, and, while I act upon thefe principles, I fhall have a right to expect, and I am confident I fhall continue to receive, the steady and affectionate fupport of my people. BECKFORDS's Speech. Moft Gracious Sovereign, Will your vajefty be pleafed fo far to condefcend as to permit the Mayor of your loyal city of London, to declare in your royal prefence, on behalf of his fellow citizens, how much the bare apprehenfion of your Majefty's difpleafure would at all times affect their minds. The declaration of that difpleasure, has already filled them with inexpreffible anxiety, and with the deepest affliction. Permit me, Sire, to affure your Majefty, that your Majefty has not in all your dominions any fubjects more faithful, more dntiful, or more affe&ionate to your Majefty's perfon It and family, or more ready to facrifice their lives and fortunes in the maintenance of the true honour and dignity of your crown. We do, therefore, with the greateft humility and fubmiffion, moft earnestly fupplicate your Majefly, that you will not difmifs us from your prefence, without exprefling a more favourable opinion of your faithful citizens, and without fome profpect, at leaft of redrefs, Permit me, Sire, farther to obferve, that whoever has already dared, or thal! hereafter endeavour, by falfe infinuations and fuggeftions, to alienate your Majesty's affections from your loyal fubjects in general, and from the city of London in parti, ular, and to withdraw your confidence in, and regard for your people, is an enemy to your Majefty's perfon and fami ly, a violator of the public peace, and a betrayer of our happy cou fitution, as it was eftablished at the glorious revolution. objection to the authority that had laid a duty on teas, as that which laid a duty upon paper and glass. They confidered the authority, impofing fuch duties upon them without their confent, as illegal and oppreffive, and were not willing to admit a claim of the English legislature, that denied them the common rights of other fubjects. They inferred, if this claim was admitted or complied with, that a parliament which lay át fuch a distance from them, where in a great meafure ignorant of their strength, and whofe interest it was to ease themselves by oppreffing of them, would never come to an end in their requifitions, as long as they could find any thing to tax in the colonies. They therefore confidered the partial repeal of the act as no favour, while the parliament infifted upon their taxing them when they pleased. Thofe in the oppofition reafoned much upon the fame principles; but alfo added that it would be a real injury to Great Britain, and prevent the colonifts from buying our manufactures, which would bring on diftrefs at home, as well as on the other fide the Atlantic. They gave inftances how much the exports to America had fallen fhort in the space of two years; that in 1768 they had exceeded 1769 no lefs than the prodigious fum of 744,000l. they amounting in the former to 2,378,000l. and in the latter to 1,634,000. This was a convincing proof of the operation of thofe new laws that had given rife to the disturbances in the colonies. The miniftry feemed to think light of all this, and endeavoured to account for this difference upon a plan of their own, which they could not but fee was falacious and abfurd. They faid the difference was accounted for, by fuppofing that the non-importation which enfued was foreseen by the importers, and that they had laid in a double quantity of goods. This was |