Sir George Yonge moved, as an amendment: “That it appears to this House, that the granting the power to the Colony of Nova-Scotia of providing for the supply of the future exigencies of Government, by the mode of requisition formerly used in America, was the condition on which the said Colony did make the offer of granting the revenue in their Petition expressed.”

Mr. Burke seconded this motion. He said it was almost in vain to contend, for the country gentlemen had abandoned their duty, and placed an implicit confidence in the Minister. But that should neither now nor hereafter prevent him from performing his duty; for, let the noble Lord be in or out of office when the measures which he was hurrying the nation wildly and inconsiderately into, were fatally proved to be destructive in their consequences to the most important interests of this country, his Lordship might depend on it that he would be made responsible for measures he had carried into execution under the sanction of such a confidence.

Mr. Fox spoke in favour of the amendment. He said, an opposition to it by Administration, appeared to him scandalous and disgraceful. He was astonished how the House could agree to such a solemn mockery of all Parliamentary order and decorum.

Sir Grey Cooper said he was surprised that the gentlemen on the other side, when they were objecting to the resolutions, never said a syllable relative to the very dutiful expressions contained in the petition, in which they acknowledge the supremacy of the Legislature of this country.

Mr. Anthony Bacon said he could venture to speak with some confidence, as the matter concerned trade; and he was convinced a bill brought in pursuant to the resolutions now reported, would have the most salutary effects, both in point of revenue and commerce.

It passed in the negative.

The second Resolution being agreed to, Mr. Burke proposed the following amendment to the third Resolution:

“That although the terms of the resolution of this House, of the 27th February, 1775, relative to the Colonies in America, do seem literally to require that the offer therein mentioned should be made by the Governour, Council, and Assembly, or General Court of any Province, the true intent and meaning of the same do not require anything more, in order to be accepted by this House, than that it should be made by the House of Representatives of such Province; and also, though the said resolution seems to require that the said offer should be a proportion according to the condition, circumstances, and situation of such Province, yet that the true meaning of the said resolution doth purport that any duties which this House shall approve, will be accepted as a compliance with the said resolution, although no grounds for determining the said proportion be laid before this House; and also, although the said resolution does seem literally to require that they should engage to make provision for the support of the civil government and administration of justice in such Province, the same doth not require that any other provision for civil government should be made than what such Province hath been accustomed to make.”

It passed in the negative; and the third Resolution was then agreed to.

Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the said Resolutions; and that the Lord North, Lord George Germaine, Mr. Charles Toivnshend, the Lord Beauchamp, Mr. Cornwall, Mr. Attorney-General, Mr. Solicitor-General, Sir Grey Cooper, and Mr. Robinson, do prepare and bring in the same.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Thursday, October 26, 1775.

The House, being informed that one of the Sheriffs of the City of London attended at the door, he was called in; and, at the bar, presented to the House, “A Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London, in Common Council assembled.”

And then he withdrew.

And the said Petition was read, setting forth, That the said Court, having taken into its most serious consideration the present distressed situation of our fellow-subjects in America, are exceedingly alarmed for the consequences of those coercive measures which are pursuing against them; measures that must (notwithstanding the great uncertainty of their success) eventually be productive of new and more burdensome taxes, the increase of an enormous national debt, and, finally, we fear, the loss of the most valuable branch of our commerce, on which the existence of an infinite number of industrious manufacturers and mechanicks entirely depends; and that his Majesty having been graciously pleased, in answer to a late humble and dutiful address and petition to the Throne, praying a cessation of hostilities with America, for the purpose of obtaining time, and thereby giving an opportunity for a happy and lasting reconciliation with his Majesty’s American Colonies, to declare that he shall abide by the sense of his Parliament, the said Court conceive it to be their indispensable duty, thus early in the session, in the most respectful manner, to apply to the House to adopt such measures for the healing of the present unhappy disputes between the mother country and the Colonies, as may be speedy, permanent, and honourable.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the table.

Thursday, November 2, 1775.

A Petition of the Merchants and Traders of the Town and County of Poole, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That it has been represented to the Petitioners that the West-India Merchants intend to apply to Parliament for leave to export provisions and other necessaries from Great Britain to the West-India Islands: And therefore the Petitioners pray, that they may also be permitted to export from Great Britain, provisions and other necessaries for the use of the British Fishery carried on at Newfoundland, and the places adjacent, as the American sources are stopped, and to give them such other indulgences for the benefit of that trade, as to the House shall seem meet.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the table.

A Petition of the Merchants of Dartmouth, in the County of Devon, engaged in, and carrying on, a trade and fishery to, and at the Island of Newfoundland, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That the unhappy differences now subsisting between Great Britain and her American Colonies, having occasioned the latter to withhold the usual supplies of bread, flour, and other provisions, which they have hitherto afforded to the inhabitants of Newfoundland, and to the great numbers of seamen and fishermen annually engaged in catching and curing fish at that Island, and on the banks,—the prices of those necessaries of life have been this season enhanced near three times their usual rate, to the ruin of many, and the great loss of all those who are obliged to purchase such articles in Newfoundland; and that the quantities of bread, flour, and pease, allowed by law to be exported from the Port of Dartmouth for Newfoundland, being very inadequate to the necessary consumption of those articles, it will be impossible for the Petitioners to carry on any trade and fishery to that Island the ensuing season, unless they have power for exporting such quantities of those articles as may be sufficient for supporting not only the people immediately employed by them in their respective trades, but also great numbers of inhabitants of that Island, and others who annually resort thither to cany on the fishery; and that the Petitioners cannot, with any degree of precision, ascertain what quantities of each of the said articles may be necessary for those purposes, but they conceive great disadvantages may possibly arise from their being stinted, and no inconveniences likely to accrue from their having liberty to export to the said Island such quantities as their future advices therefrom may make them judge necessary: And therefore praying, that they may have liberty to export from the Port of Dartmouth for the Island of Newfoundland, any quantities of bread, flour, and pease, without stint, or to give the Petitioners such other relief in the premises as may be judged necessary.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the table.

Friday, November 3, 1775.

A Petition of the Merchants trading to the West-Indies, whose names are thereunto subscribed, on behalf of themselves and others, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That the inhabitants of the Sugar Colonies in

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