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And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question?
It passed in the Negative.
And the question being put, that the words "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America is referred," be inserted instead thereof?
It was resolved in the Affirmative.
Then the main question, so amended, being put,
Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred.
A Petition of the Merchants, Linen Drapers, and principal Inhabitants of the Town and neighbourhood of Belfast, in the Kingdom of Ireland, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—
That the Petitioners observe with the deepest concern, the unhappy differences which at present subsist between Great Britain and her American Colonies, and are apprehensive of the fatal consequences which may arise from them; and that, as their export trade with the American Colonies consists chiefly in the exportation of Linen Manufacture, and that of white and brown Linens only, by the Non-Importation Agreement, the Petitioners are deprived of this the only valuable branch of export they are permitted to carry on with those Colonies, and of which they already begin to feel the unhappy effects; and that, if the Linen Manufacture decays, this Kingdom must be reduced to such a state, as, from want of employment at home, to increase emigrations, reduce the value of lands, and diminish every branch of the poor remains of the trade they enjoy; and that the chief commodities which the Petitioners have liberty to import from America into this Kingdom, being Flaxseed, Lumber, Wheat, and Flour, should the Non-Exportation take place, they must necessarily be deprived of Flaxseed to raise Flax, to carry on their Linen Manufacture; of Staves for Casks to contain our Beef, Pork, and Butter, for the supply of Great Britain, his Majesty's Navy, and the West India Islands; and that this train of consequences is destructive to the landed property, manufactures, and commerce of this Kingdom, and of course must occasion a very sensible diminution of his Majesty's Revenues, from the then absolute inabilities of the inhabitants; and therefore praying that the House would take the premises into their consideration, hoping that some expedient may be found out, whereby these consequences may be prevented, harmony restored, and established upon a solid and permanent foundation.
A motion was made, and the question being proposed, that the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, and the 1st and 15th days of this instant, February, by his Majesty's command;
An amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by leaving out from the word "whom" to the end of the question, and inserting the words "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," instead thereof.
And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question? It passed in the Negative.
And the question being put, that the words "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," be inserted instead thereof?
It was resolved in the Affirmative.
Then the main question so amended, being put,
Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred.
A Petition of the Aldermen, Sheriff, principal Manufacturers, and Inhabitants of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—
That the Petitioners very sincerely lament the unhappy differences which have already arisen between Great Britain and her Colonies, and cannot, without great concern and abhorrence, reflect upon that seditious spirit which hath broken out with such violence in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, particularly in the Town of Boston, whose inhabitants, by their disobedience, have set at defiance the laws and Government of this Kingdom; and that the Petitioners having seen the very ungrateful return made by the Bostonians, for the uncommonly mild and indulgent kindness testified to them by the British Senate, in the repeal of the American Stamp Act, are much surprised to find that Petitions have been repeatedly urged in their favour to the House, and in particular by some of the manufacturing Hosiers of the Town of Nottingham; and that the Petitioners, from their intimate knowledge of the manufactory of this Town, well know that the allegations of such Petitions are highly exaggerated; and that the zeal of the Petitioners hath led them beyond the bounds of sober and important truth, representing calamities which have never yet, nor in the remotest probability ever will, be felt and experienced by the inhabitants of the said Town, in the degree stated; and that the Petitioners, from the present disposition of the Americans, apprehend that the trade and commerce of Great Britain with her Colonies, cannot be effectually restored and permanently secured, without a due and proper submission and obedience to the laws and Government of this Kingdom; and therefore beseech the House to take such measures as may seem most likely to secure and maintain the supreme authority, honour and dignity of Great Britain, enforce a due obedience to her laws, and restore subordination, order, and good Government in America.
A motion was made, and the question being proposed, that the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred;
An amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by leaving out from the word "whom" to the end of the question, and inserting the words, "it is referred to consider of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, and the 1st and 15th days of this instant, February, by his Majesty's command," instead thereof.
And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question,
It was resolved in the Affirmative.
Then the main question being put:
Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others of the City of London, concerned in the Commerce of North America, is referred.
THURSDAY, February 23, 1775.
Mr. Gascoyne, from the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, presented to the House, pursuant to their Address to his Majesty,
Copy of an Act passed in the Colony of Virginia, the 16th of April, 1684, entituled "An Act for the better preservation of the Peace of Virginia, and preventing Unlawful and Treasonable Associations."*
And the title of the said copy was read.
Ordered, That the said Copy do lie upon the table, to be perused by the Members of the House.
*An Act for the better preservation of the Peace of VIRGINIA, and preventing Unlawful and Treasonable Associations.
Whereas, many evil and ill-disposed persons, inhabitants of this his Majesty's Colony and Dominion of Virginia, contrary to their duty and allegiance, on or about the first of May, in the thirty-fourth year of his Majesty's reign, and divers other days and times tumultuously and mutinously assembled and gathered together to cut up and destroy all Tobacco Plants, and to perpetrate the same in a traitorous and rebellious manner, with force and arms entered the Plantations of many of his Majesty's good subjects of this Colony, resolving, by open force, a general and total destruction of all Tobacco Plants within this his Majesty's Dominion, to the hazarding the subversion of the whole Government, and ruin and destruction of his Majesty's good subjects,
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