tion of all the late measures taken with America; that this general jugment could not, nor ought not to be given without the fullest information; and that a delay in forming such judgment, while the most important concerns of England and America were dependent upon it, might be fatal.

Some gentlemen, who declared themselves not attached to either side, said they would vote for the Address as moved by Lord Beauchamp; not because they would be thought to approve of the late measures against America, on the contrary, they did not consider this vote as making any engagement to approve of any measures; for they should consider themselves, notwithstanding this vote, entirely at liberty upon all future questions; but they would vote for the Address, because an Address was become a business of course.

Lord North said this was not a proper time to enter upon any discussion of the affairs of America; that however necessary and agreeable a reconciliation with America might be, yet, as no terms had been offered by America, England would not submit first; and as matters, therefore, were in a state of suspense, he hoped the noble Lord would withdraw his motion. He made some apologies for the late Parliament, which passed the Acts against America, and called it a good Parliament.

Mr. F. Montagu, in general, disapproved of the Address, and seconded the motion for the amendment very strenuously.

Governour Johnstone thought America not tenable upon the terms and principles laid down in the proposed Address. He was very glad to hear some apology made for the late Parliament; for, in his opinion, no Parliament ever stood in greater need of an apology.

Mr. Charles Fox was very pointed in his observations on the manner the gallery was cleared. He said it was a mere Ministerial trick to stifle inquiry and shorten debate; for if the gallery had been open, Administration must have been obliged to break that silence and unconcern they now affected to hold. It was extremely unfair, he said, that persons should be shut out from being present at the discussion, of a question, in the event of which they were so highly interested; and concluded by a succession of very pointed and severe animadversions.

Mr. Hartley (a new Member) entered fully into the contents of the Speech and Address, and urged strongly the necessity of the proposed amendment.

Colonel Barré was very able on the same side. He said that America had offered terms. He read a passage in Mr. Dickinson's Pamphlet, entitled "A New Essay, &c.," which, in his opinion, contained a very sufficient ground to accept and to negotiate upon. He said the scheme of reducing the Colonies by force was wild, incoherent, and impracticable; and even though it were not, that a Dominion supported by force would answer no end whatever. He said a report prevailed that General Gage was shortly to be recalled, but that would signify nothing; for send whom he might, send a second, recall him, and send a third, it would all be to no effectual or substantial purpose.

Sir George Macartney answered the Colonel, and spoke with facility and precision. He was against the amendment, and in general for spirited measures.

Lord Carmarthen entered fully into the contents of the proposed amendment, and dwelt much on the spirit of sedition, turbulence, and rebellion, which had manifested itself from one end to the other of the American Continent.

Sir William Mayne declared himself unconnected with either side of the House. He said his mind was unbiased, and his conduct should be unfettered; that on the present occasion he was against the amendment, but reserved his opinion till the question, and the information necessary to discuss and determine on it, came properly before the House. He was heard with great attention and general approbation.

General Smith was of the same opinion, observing that the present was no proper time to take so great and important a question into consideration; and that his being now against the amendment would not hereafter preclude him from giving his thoughts freely when the matter came before the House in another form.

Mr. T. Townshend was for the amendment, and was very severe on the general conduct of Administration.

Mr. Edmund Burke compared the language now artfully held to the new Members, of the Address being only a compliment, to the insinuations of a designing lover, who, under the pretence of honourable addresses, first squeezes the hand of his mistress, then asks her to take a turn in the park, next into the country, and so on, step by step, till at length he dishonours her. In the last Parliament, he said, it was the Minister's language, that the late Acts would humble America; that by punishing Boston, all America would be struck with a panick : Boston would be abandoned; all would be afraid to give any relief to Boston, lest they should share the same fate. The very contrary is the case. The cause of Boston is become the cause of all America. Every part of America is united in support of Boston. By these acts of oppression, said he, you have made Boston the Lord Mayor of America. The present situation of America he compared to a funeral; trade and commerce were pall-bearers, the merchants and traders chief mourners, the West Indian and African merchants closed the procession, and the Army and Navy, at a distance, looked on in gloomy silence at so melancholy a spectacle.

Mr. Van spoke strongly for the most firm and decisive measures.

Mr. Solicitor General Wedderburn spoke fully and ably, and endeavoured to answer every thing offered against the Address.

Then the question being put, that the words be inserted;

The House divided, Yeas, 73. Noes, 264*.

So it passed in the Negative.

Then the main question being put:

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to return his Majesty the thanks of this House for his most gracious Speech from the throne.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to draw up an Address to be presented to his Majesty, upon the said Resolution.

And a Committee was appointed of Lord Beauchamp, Lord North, Mr. De Gray, Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Wombwell, Sir George Macartney, Marquis of Carmarthen, Sir Gilbert Elliot, Mr. Stanley, Sir William Mayne, Mr. Jenkinson, Sir Charles Whitworth, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Cooper, Colonel Murray, Mr. Smith, Mr. Rice, Mr. Drake, Junior, Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Charles Townshend, Sir Philip Jennings Clarke, Mr. Rigby, Lord Stanley, or any five of them; and they are to withdraw immediately into the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That his Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament be referred to the said Committee.

TUESDAY, December 6, 1774.

The Lord Beauchamp reported, from the Committee appointed yesterday to draw up an Address to be presented to his Majesty, that the Committee had drawn up an Address accordingly, which they had directed him to report to the House; and he read the same in his place, and afterwards delivered it at the Clerk's table, where the same was read, and is as followeth, viz:

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, return your Majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious Speech from the throne.

Permit us to assure your Majesty that we receive with the highest sense of your Majesty's goodness, the early information which you have been pleased to give us of the state of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay.

We feel the most sincere concern that a spirit of disobedience and resistance to the law should still unhappily prevail in that Province, and that it has broke forth in fresh violences of a most criminal nature; and we cannot

* The great speakers in Opposition never distinguished themselves in a more striking manner than in this day's debate. The division showed that opposition had not gained any great accession of strength by the general election, and also that the temper of the House at present, with respect to America, was not essentially different from that of the late Parliament. The numbers in support of the Address, as it originally stood, were two hundred and sixty-four, and those who voted for the amendment amounted to seventy-three only.—Ann. Regis.