him, the Parliament was adjourned to the day after the state of the Nation was to be taken into consideration; all inquiry was at an end, and the Nation left to shift for itself.

The Duke at Manchester lamented, in a very sensible manner, the present situation of affairs, and the dangerous consequences of a civil war, which he feared would terminate as the social war among the Romans did, in the inevitable destruction of the whole Empire. Pie was moderate, patbetick, and drew the attention of every side of the House. He did not pretend to determine on the contents of the present Bill, nor adopt it throughout; all he wished was, that one sober view should be taken of the great question, before, perhaps, we blindly rushed into a scene of confusion and civil strife, the event of which it was impossible to foresee.

Earl Temple said that he had never given, in publick or private, a decided opinion whether it was wise or not to pass the Stamp Act; but that he was abundantly convinced that all the evils and distractions now complained of were derived from the fatal repeal of it; that the Bills of last year were more exceptionable as to the mode than as to the matter. He said nothing with regard to the contents of the Bill which had been read, and finished with expressing his disapprobation of rejecting in so harsh and unprecedented a manner a Bill designed for the most salutary purposes, and presented to their Lordships by a hand so truly respectable as that of his noble friend and relation; this reason alone deciding upon his vote.

The question upon Lord Sandwich's motion was then put: Contents 61; Non-Contents 32.

It was resolved in the Affirmative.

Ordered, That the said Bill be rejected.

List of the Minority.

DUKES.—Cumberland, Richmond, Devonshire, Portland, Manchester, Northumberland.

MARQUISS.—Rockingham.

EARLS.—Stamford, Abingdon, Scarborough, Cholmondeley, Stafford, Tankerville, Stanhope, Effingham, Fitzwilliam, Temple, Radnor, Spencer, Chatham.

LORDS.—Abergavenny, Ferrers, Craven, Romney, King, Fortescue, Ponsonby, Lyttelton, Wycombe (Earl of Shelburne,) Sondes, Milton, Camden.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, January 19, 1775.

The Lord North presented to the House; by his Majesty's command, the following Papers.—[See Folio 1489.]

And a list of the said Papers was read.

Mr. Burke observed, there were no letters from Maryland, and desired the noble Lori would inform the House whether any had been received, or whether they were kept back for political reasons; and whether these papers contained all the intelligence the Ministers had received from America.

Lord North replied, that he had brought the papers, but had not examined them; neither did he know whether there were any letters from Maryland, or not; that if there were any, they should be laid before the House. As to the papers containing all the intelligence from America, he would not undertake to say they did, as those he had brought were extracts, containing only the facts in the original letters; that the authors' opinions were not mentioned, it having been frequently found that the private opinions of people in office being made publick, had been attended with bad consequences, therefore his Majesty's servants had determined, for the future, never to mention the private opinion of any person.

Mr. Burke said, that in some cases it might be proper to keep secret the private opinion of a person; yet, in so critical and alarming affair as that of America, the opinion of a man in power, on the spot, must be of great service; he therefore was of opinion that the whole of the information received from America ought to be laid before the House, and not extracts of particular letters, such as suited the Ministers' purpose.

Lord North moved that the said Papers be referred to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House, on the 26th.

Ordered, That the said Papers be referred to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House.

Resolved, That this House will, upon this day seven-night, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider of the said Papers.

MONDAY, January 23, 1775.

Mr. Alderman Hayley said he had a Petition from the Merchants of the City of London concerned in the commerce to North America, to that Honourable House, and desired leave to present the same; which being given, it was brought and read, viz:

To the Honourable the Commons of GREAT BRITAIN, in Parliament assembled:

The humble Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of LONDON, concerned in the Commerce of NORTH AMERICA, sheweth:

That your Petitioners are all essentially interested in the trade to North America, either as Exporters or Importers, or as Venders of British and foreign Goods for exportation to that country.

That your Petitioners have exported, or sold for exportation, to the British Colonies in North America, very large quantities of the Manufactures of Great Britain and Ireland; and in particular the staple articles of Woollen, Iron, and Linen; also those of Cotton, Silk, Leather, Pewter, Tin, Copper, and Brass, with almost every British Manufacture; also large quantities of foreign Linens, and other articles imported into these Kingdoms from Flanders, Holland, Germany, the East Countries, Portugal, Spain and Italy, which are generally received from those countries in return for British Manufactures.

That your Petitioners have likewise exported, or sold for exportation, great quantities of the various species of Goods imported into this Kingdom from the East Indies, part of which receive additional manufacture in Great Britain.

That your Petitioners received returns from North America to this Kingdom, directly, Pig and Bar Iron, Timber, Staves, Naval Stores, Tobacco, Rice, Indigo, Deer and other Skins, Beaver and Furs, Train Oil, Whalebone, Beeswax, Pot and Pearl Ashes, Drugs and Dying Woods, with some Bullion; and also Wheat, Flour, Indian Corn, and salted provisions, when (on account of scarcity in Great Britain) those articles are permitted to be imported.

That your Petitioners receive returns circuitously from Ireland (for Flax-seed, fee, exported from North America) by Bills of Exchange on the Merchants of this City trading to Ireland, for the proceeds of Linens, &c, imported into these Kingdoms. From the West Indies (in return for Provisions, Lumber, and Cattle exported from North America for the use and support of the West India Islands) by Bills of Exchange on the West India Merchants for the proceeds of Sugar, Molasses, Rum, Cotton, Coffee, and other produce imported from those Islands into these Kingdoms. From Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Flanders, Germany, Holland, and the East Countries, by Bills of Exchange, or Bullion, in return for Wheat, Flour, Rice, Indian Corn, Fish, and Lumber exported from the British Colonies of North America for the use of those countries.

That your Petitioners have great reason to believe, from the best information they can obtain, that on the balance of this extensive commerce, there is now due from the Colonies in North America, to this City only, two millions sterling, and upwards.

That by the direct commerce with the Colonies, and the circuitous, trade thereon depending, some thousands of Ships and Vessels are employed, and many thousands of Seamen are bred and maintained, thereby increasing the Naval strength and power of Great Britain.

That in the year 1765 there was a great stagnation of the commerce between Great Britain and her Colonies in consequence of an Act of Parliament, entituled "An