quitted. But the majority thought, that where the fuperior anthorities of King and parliament had decided, it was no part of their military duty to enquire into the juftice or policy of the quarrel.

the city of Dublin, had for fome time endeavoured to obtain the concurrence of the Lord-Mayor and board of Aldermen, in a petition to the throne, against the measures purfued with refpect to the colonies; but were answered, by the latter, upon their first application, that the matter was of the highest importance, and therefore inexpedient. Upon a fubfequent occafion, however, they feem to have concurred in the measure, as a committee of fix Aldermen, with as many Commoners, and the Recorder, were appointed to draw up a petition and addrefs; this tafk, after feveral weeks preparation or delay, being at length accomplished, the petition was arrefted in its further progrefs, by a negative from the Lord-Mayor, and, Aldermen.

This conduct, however, rendered that nobleman extremely popular among those who held fimilar opinions in regard to the American measures, and who ftill compofed a numerous body in England and Ireland. This foon appeared in the city, where among the refolutions paffed in the CommonHall, on Midfummer-Day, and which were afterwards prefented to the King, public thanks were ordered to be given to the Right Honourable the Earl of Effingham, for having, confiftently with the principles of a true Englishman, refufed to draw that fword, which has been employed to the honour of his country, against the lives and liberties of his fellow-fubjects in America." And foon after, a fimilar addrefs of thanks, but in fill fuller terms, was prefented to him from the Guild of Merchants in Dublin.

This last body, who in Dublin form a corporation, prefented alfo an addrefs of thanks to the feveral Peers, who, (as they fay)" in fupport of our conflitution, and in oppofition to a weak and wicked adminiftration, protefted againft the American Reftraining Bills." This Addrefs to the Protesting Lords, (to which was affixed the corporation feal) was fent to each feparately, and a feparate anfwer accordingly given, all of which appeared at that time in the public papers.

The Sheriffs and Commons of

Upon this disappointment, the Sheriffs and Aug. 28. Commons prefaced the two following refolutions by a declaration, that "Anxious to preferve our reputations, from the odium that muft remain to all pofterity on the names of thofe, who in any wife promote the acts now carrying on in America, and feeling the most poignant grief, as well on account of the injured inhabitants of that continent, as on that of our brave countrymen, fent on the unnatural errand of killing their fellow-fubjects, have refolved, That it is the duty of every good citizen to exert his utmost abilities to allay the unhappy difputes that at prefent difturb the British empire.That whoever would refufe his confent to a dutiful petition to the King, tending to undeceive his Majefty, and from which it could

be

be hoped that the effufion of one drop of fubject blood might be prevented, is not a friend to the Britifh Conftitution."-Such was at prefent the ftate of political opinion among the merchants, and the principal proteftant inhabitants of the city of Dublin.

The inability of purchafing, and providing for, Negroes, which the prefent difputes had occafioned in our Weft-India Iflands, together with the lofs of the American market for flaves, and the impediments caused by the proclamations of council against the exportation of arms and ammunition, had, all together, nearly extinguifhed our African trade. This lofs was more particularly felt in the port of Liverpool, which had poffeffed a much greater part of that commerce than any other in the kingdom. As the Guinea fhips now arrived, they were laid up, in an uncertainty of their future difpofition, whilst their crews looked in vain for other employment. As other branches of commerce were alfo flackened in a great degree, and that the crews of the Greenland fhips, upon their return in July and the beginning of Auguft, were as ufual difcharged, the number of feamen out of employ in that town became very great, and according to fome accounts amounted to about 3000.

In this fituation, the feamen complained that an attempt was made by the merchants to lower their wages, in confequence of which a violent commotion was excited among them, in which they cut the rigging of fome fhips to pieces, affaulted tome houses, and commmitted other violences. They, however, difperfed again, and all

7

became quiet; but the feizing a number of them, and fending them to prifon, re-kindled the flame with greater violence, fo that without any extraordinary bias upon the common courfe of things in fuch circumstances, it might well have ended in the deftruction of that flourishing town. The failors immediately affembled, procured not only fire-arms, but cannon, and were proceeding to the deftruction of the prifon, when its fafety was purchased by the enlargement of their companions. But their rage was by this time too high, and they were too much inflamed by liquor, to be appeafed by reafonable conceffions. They not only proceeded to deftroy the houfes of obnoxious perfons, but they at length marched in a body to demolish the Exchange. This danger was foreseen, or probably announced by themselves, a confiderable time before the attempt, fo that the Exchange was fhut up, barricaded, and well garrifoned by the merchants and townfmen. They, however, made feveral confufed attacks, which continued through the course of a night, and part of Aug. 29th. the enfuing morning: morning during which, through their drunkenness. and diforder, they laid themselves fo open to the fire of the defendants, (who were themselves fafe under cover) that feveral of them were killed and wounded. The arrival of a detachment of lighthorfe, at length put an end to the diforder. It was then apprehended, that this would prove only a prelude to other diforders. But the affair was accidental; and sufficient employment for the feamen was foon found in the King's fervice.

About

About this time, Mr. Penn, late Governor, and one of the proprie tors of Penfylvania, arrived from thence, with a petition from the General Congrefs to the King, which he prefented through the hands of Lord Dartmouth. Du ring the short time that the fate of this petition hung in fufpence, the moft fanguine hopes were formed, by those who were earneft for peace, or friends to America, that it would have led to a happy reconciliation; more especially, as it had already tranfpired, that it contained profeffions of the greatest loyalty, and was couched in the moft moderate and humble terms. But in proportion to the extent of thefe hopes, was the greatnefs of the disappointment of thofe who eagerly wished for fo defirable an event, when they found that Mr. Penn was informed by the American minifter, that no answer would be given to the petition. The Americans had alfo laid great trefs upon the fuccefs of this final application, and are faid to have relaxed their operations confiderably upon that idea, until they heard the event.

The petition, which was fubfcribed by all the members of the Congrefs, teemed with expreffions of duty, refpect, and loyalty, to the King, and of affection to the parent fate. They attributed all the differences and misfortunes which have hitherto taken place, to a pernicious fyftem of government, adopted at the clofe of the late war, and to the evil defigns and conduct of minifters fince that time. They declare in one part, That they not only moft ardently defire, that the former harmony

between the mother country and the colonies may be restored, but that a concord may be eftablished between them upon fo firm a bafis, as, to perpetuate its bleffings, uninterrupted by any future diffenfons, to fucceeding generations in both countries. And in another, That notwithstanding the fufferings of his Majefty's loyal colonifts, during the courfe of the prefent controversy, their breasts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which they derive their origin, to request fuch a conciliation, as might in any manner be inconfiftent with her dignity or her welfare. That, thefe, related as they are to her, honour and duty, as well as inclination, induce them to fupport and advance; and the apprehenfions that now oppreffed their hearts with unfpeakable grief, being once removed, his Majefty will find his faithful fubjects on that continent, ready and willing, at all times, as they have ever been, with their lives and fortunes, to affert and maintain the rights and interefts of his Majefly, and of their mother country.

It may perhaps hereafter be a matter of doubt, when the wat and its confequences are much better remembered, than the circumftances that preceded, or the caufes that led to it, whether it was poffible that fuch fentiments could really prevail with either of the parties, at the time that fo unnatural, and fo unhappy a conteft took place between them. The particular drift and defign of this petition, diftinct from its great and general object of a restoration of harmony and peace, will be underftood by their own words in the

following

following paffage-"With all humility fubmitting to your Majefty's wife confideration, whether it may not be expedient, for facilitating thefe important purposes, that your Majefty be pleased to direct fome mode by which the united applications of your faithful colonists to the throne, in purfuance of their common-councils, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time measures be taken for preventing the further deftruction of the lives of your Majefty's fubjects, and that fuch ftatutes as more immediately diftrefs any of your Majefty's colonies be repealed."

Whatever the inward intentions of the parties were, the language was conciliatory, and the request not immoderate. Thofe who favoured the plan of pacifying by conceffion, loudly clamoured at the anfwer of Lord Dartmouth, as calculated to drive the colonies to ahe last extremities of independence and foreign connection; for this reception, they faid, of fo dutiful and decent an addrefs, amounted to no less than a renunciation of their allegiance. On the other hand, the friends of the ministry took it in a different point of view. The petition, they allowed, had a decent appearance. But did they formally admit the rights of parliament? Were they not still in arms? and in that fituation could their fincerity be relied on? They faid, that they only wanted to gain time by a negociation, until they had formed their government, and established their ftrength in fuch a manner, as would render all future efforts for their

reduction ineffectual. We had already gone far in the expences of a war; we should hot now stop fhort; but reap the benefits to government, which always arife from unfuccessful rebellion. And befides thofe great objects of punishing the obnoxious, and providing for our friends, to rivet, without leaving room for a future contest, that unconditional fubmiffion upon the Americans, which no treaty or negociation could ever obtain. While on the contrary, if amicable terms were now entered into, all our expence and preparation would be thrown away; we must fhrink from the propofals we had made to foreign Princes for hiring their troops, which would degrade us in their eyes, as our tameness in putting up with the infolence of our own people, would in thofe of all Europe; and all the buftle we had made would pafs over, without having impreffed the colonies with a fenfe of our dignity, or with the terror of our power. Befides, the nation was prepared by the language of war for the event, and it was not certain that vigorous meafures, if it fhould be found neceffary to refume them, would be fo well received as they were in the prefent temper of the nation, whofe favourable difpofition was to be carefully cultivated, and employed in the critical moment.

As the time approached for the meeting of parliament, addreffes were poured in from different quarters, fome in violent, others in more temperate language, but all condemning the conduct of the Americans, approving of all the acts of government, and in general, recommending a perfeverance

in the fame ftrong measures, until the colonies were reduced to a thorough obedience, and brought to a full fenfe both of their errors and duty. In feveral of thefe, very intemperate reflections were paffed upon thofe gentlemen who had oppofed adminiftration in the prefent American measures, who were reprefented as factious and defperate men, and ftigmatized as being not only encouragers, but in a great degree the authors of the American rebellion. This exceedingly inflamed the leaders of the minority against the procurers of those addreffes; and only ferved to irritate the fpirit of oppofition against the minifters and measures which the addreffes were intended to fupport.

As all the ancient diftinctions between Whig and Tory, had of late been unhappily revived, they now appeared in full vigour; and as Manchester took the lead in addreffes, it was faid, with great acrimony, that they were the legitimate offspring only of Tory towns, though they fprung up accidentally from the Tory party in others; while all the odium of encouraging civil war, devastation, and bloodshed, with the atrocious defign of misleading government, by giving it partial and falfe ideas of the difpofition of the nation in general, was attempted to be thrown upon them. It was faid, that distraction at home, and dif. honour abroad, were the conftant effect of the predominance of Tory councils. Thefe reproaches were laughed at on the other fide, who, Arong in the fanction of authority, turned the tables upon the Whigs, and charged them not only with a caufelefs oppofition, but with dif.

The

affection to government. writers who more openly attacked the Whigs, as fuch, and by that name, declared, that they were the perpetual enemies to government. That if they appeared to fupport it for a time, it was only because they had rendered it fubfervient to their faction; but that whenever it was put upon an independent and refpectable bottom, their eternal animofity against it could not be concealed. At this time the preachers, after a long intermiffion, entered into politics. Some of those distinguished by the name of Methodists, began to revive the doctrine of paffive obedience, nearly as it had been afferted in the last century. By degrees this mode of preaching went higher. On the other hand, fome clergymen, efpecially of the Diffenters, efpoufed the cause of liberty with great fervour.

Those who wished to be confidered as Whigs, divided amongst themfelves. They who stood with the court, reproached the oppofition with having abandoned their principles. That true Whigs were the strongest fupporters, not the mean betrayers, of the rights of parliament. That formerly Whigs oppofed the crown when it fet up prerogative in oppofition to parliament; but modern corrupt and de. generated whiggifm, maliciously and unconftitutionally oppofed the crown, because it acted in concurrence with parliament, and in fupport of its inherent rights. That thofe whom the oppofition called Tories (at a time when all toryifm was loft in general loyalty, and love of law and liberty) were much more truly deferving the appellation of Whigs, than they who now prostituted