averse to their measures, the faction has employed they adherents in neighbouring Towns to join and form bodies sufficient to force them, by numbers, to sign recantations, which has been attended generally with violence and ill usage. The Town of Marshfield, with part of that of Scituate, having been lately under terrours of that kind from the threats of their neighbours, for having formed some Associations amongst themselves, applied to me for protection; and I have sent a detachment of one hundred men to their relief. It is the first instance of an application to Government for assistance, which the faction has ever tried to persuade the people they would never obtain, but be left to themselves.

"Governour Wentworth has acquainted me of a quantity of Tea burnt by the populace at Portsmouth, and that the Magistrates have not support sufficient to enable them to apprehend any of the people concerned in the attack of Fort William and Mary, or keep them safe in jail after commitment, and desires that two Regiments may be stationed at Portsmouth. No quarters are yet prepared for them, nor am I informed how they are to be quartered, and I must send an officer to the Governour to settle those matters with him, previous to the moving any Troops.

"People are waiting determinations from home, which will probably make great alterations in proceedings here.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, &c.,

"THO. GAGE."

This Letter enclosed the copy of a Petition of the Magistrates and sundry Inhabitants of Scituate and Marshfield.

Ordered, That the said Papers be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further 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, 15th, and 24th days of February last, and the 3d day of this instant, March, by his Majesty's command.

Mr. Hartley moved, that an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a copy of a Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth to Lieutenant Governour Golden, of the 10th December, 1774.—[See Folio 1035.]

Mr. Hartley said, as this Letter contained matter well worthy the consideration and attention of the House, he should be glad to have it laid before the House.

Mr. Rigby opposed this. He said Administration must always be understood to be the sole judges of what is and what is not proper to be laid before the House.

Mr. T. Townshend observed, it was a very novel and extraordinary doctrine to affirm, that when a paper was called for, and particularly described, it was in the option of the Minister to produce or withhold it at his pleasure.

Lord North contended there were many papers which a mere spirit of curiosity might prompt men to call for; but that bare curiosity, in his opinion, should not be gratified, when it might be productive of evil; that he believed it was neither novel nor extraordinary to keep many matters secret.

Mr. Fox said, the noble Lord from the beginning had taken care to lead the House blindfold, and would, he was certain, continue to do so, till he found some personal convenience in acting otherwise. He pronounced confidently, that the Bill just passed could not succeed, and desired the noble Lord to recollect his words, and at the same time not to come to Parliament telling them, though the measure miscarried, it was their measure, for if they had not framed, they had, after the fullest deliberation, approved of it. The fact was the very reverse, as his Lordship had been both the framer and approver; and by the arts of misinformation on one hand, and want of any material information on the other, Parliament were persuaded into an approbation of his measures.

The question being put on Mr. Hartley's motion,

It passed in the Negative.

The House, according to order, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the several Papers 'which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st, days of January last, the 1st, 15th, and 24th days of February last, the 3d of this instant, March, and this day, by his Majesty's command.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Sir Charles Whitworth took the Chair of the Committee,

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair;

Sir Charles Whtiworth reported from the Committee that they had made a further progress in the matters to them referred, and that he was directed by the Committee to move that they may have leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this House will, tomorrow, at twelve of the clock, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the said Papers.

THURSDAY, March 9, 1775.

Mr. Royer, from the Commissioners of the Customs in Scotland, presented to the House, pursuant to their orders,

An Account of the quantity of Corn and Flour exported from Scotland to the Sugar Colonies, for ten years, preceding Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing each year; and also,

An Account of the value of Goods exported from Scotland to Ireland, from Christmas, 1772, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; and also,

An Account of the quantity of Train Oil and Blubber imported into Scotland, from Christmas, 1772, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing the countries from which the same have been imported; and also,

An Account of the quantity of Rape Seed and Rape Oil imported into Scotland, from Christmas, 1772, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing the countries from which the same have been imported.

Ordered, That the said Accounts do lie upon the table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

A Petition of Gentlemen, Merchants, and Traders, in the Woollen Manufactory at or near Hudderfield, in the West Riding of the County of York, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—

That the Petitioners are very essentially interested in the Woollen Trade of the Northern parts of this Kingdom, and particularly in the narrow Cloths, and that the trade there has been good the last year, and is so at the present, notwithstanding the difficulties that it necessarily meets with from the conduct of the Americans, in presuming to obstruct the trade from thence to many of the Colonies in America; and that the Petitioners apprehend, that any submission to their unjust and unlawful demands, would be most prejudicial to the Petitioners, as well as to the Kingdom in genera], as it would tend to make them more insolent, and totally to overthrow the lawful authority which the King and Parliament must have over all its Dominions; but, should the Petitioners suffer a present loss, they are willing to do so, rather than a certain future one, which must involve themselves and their posterity, and consequently the whole Kingdom, in perpetual distress; and therefore praying the House will take all such measures as shall he thought advisable, to support the lawful authority of this Kingdom, and maintain the just rights and privileges thereof, in opposition to all its enemies whatsoever.

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 further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, the 1st, 15th, and 24th days of February last, and the 3d and 8th days of this instant, March, 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,