and levy of duties and taxes for the regulation of trade and commerce in all the dominions to the Imperial Crown of this realm belonging.

“And, in order to remove all doubt and uneasiness from the minds of his Majesty’s subjects in the Colonies, it is hereby further enacted, that if any act of Parliament shall be hereafter made for the purpose of such regulation or trade, the produce of the duties thereby laid shall be held by the collectors, or receivers of his Majesty’s Customs, for the disposal of the General Assemblies, as if the same had been levied by the authority of the several General Assemblies in the said Colonies.

“And whereas, during these troubles, the Assemblies, or inhabitants of the said Colonies, have formed a general meeting, which said meeting was not authorized by law to make any order or resolution, or to do any other act of force, to bind his Majesty’s subjects: And whereas it may be necessary that the said Colonies should have authority to do certain acts by common consent, which should include the whole body of the said Colonies:

“Be it therefore enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for his Majesty, his heirs and successors, to give authority to his Governours in America, to require the said several Assemblies to send deputies to a general meeting, with full powers to bind their said several Provinces to all acts done by a majority of voices in the said general meeting, which meeting, and the powers thereof, shall cease and determine on . . . . . . . if not further continued by Parliament.

“And whereas, in consequence of the late troubles, several acts of Parliament have been made for the purpose of coercing and restraining the Colonies, of which an advantage has been taken to represent the same, as if a design had been formed to deprive the people of the said Colonies of several rights, benefits, and advantages of nature, and of the British Constitution, which hath greatly increased the discontents of the Colonies, and fomented the troubles in America: In order, therefore, to quiet the minds of his Majesty’s subjects in America, and to reclaim the disobedient by that lenity which ought to have the strongest operation on the minds of free subjects, Be it enacted, That an act made in the seventh year of his present Majesty, intituled “An Act for granting certain duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America, for allowing a drawback of the duties of customs upon the exportation from this kingdom of coffee and cocoa-nuts, of the produce of the said Colonies or Plantations; for discontinuing the drawbacks payable on China earthenware exported to America; and for more effectually preventing the clandestine running of goods in said Colonies and Plantations;” also, one other act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled “An Act to discontinue in such manner, and for such time, as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the Town, and within the Harbour of Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, in North-America;” also one other act, made in the fourteenth year of his present Majesty, intituled “An Act for the impartial administration of justice in cases of persons questioned for any acts done by them in the execution of the law, or for the suppression of riots and tumults in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England;” also, one other act, made in the fourteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled “An Act for the better regulating the government of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England,” be hereby severally and respectively repealed.

“And the King’s most excellent Majesty, taking into his gracious consideration the great troubles, discords, and wars, that have of late been in some of his Majesty’s Colonies in America, and that divers of his subjects are, by occasion thereof, and otherwise, fallen into, and become obnoxious to great pains and penalties,—out of a hearty and pious desire to put an end to all suits and controversies, that by occasion of the late distractions in America have arisen, or may arise, between his subjects; and to the intent, that no crime whatsoever, committed against his Majesty, shall hereafter rise in judgment, or be brought in question, against any of them, to the least endamagement of them, either in their lives, liberties, or estates, or to the prejudice of their reputations; and to bury all seeds of future discords and remembrance of the former, as well in his own breast, as in the breasts of his subjects, one towards another; is graciously pleased, that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, &c., &c.,

“That all, and all manner of treasons, misprisions of treasons, murders, felonies, offences, crimes, contempts, and misdemeanors, counselled, commanded, acted, or done, since the . . . ., by any person or persons in America, before the . . . . . by virtue or colour of any command, power, authority, commission, warrant, or instruction, from his Majesty, or from any other person or persons, deriving or pretending to derive authority, mediately or immediately, from his Majesty, or of or from any Assembly, Council, General Court, Convention, Congress, or Meeting, in any of his Majesty’s Colonies in America, called or reputed, or taking on them the name of the Assembly, Council, or General Court, of any of his Majesty’s Colonies in America, or of a General Congress, or Provincial Congress, or any other name or style whatsoever, or by virtue or colour of any writ, commission, or instruction of or from any person or persons reputed, or taken to be, or claiming or exercising the power of Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in America, or of any Provincial Army, or commander of any army, or body of troops, whatsoever, within any of his Majesty’s Colonies in America, by sea or land, or of any Magistrate or officer, within any of the said Colonies, or by any pretence, warrant, or command, whatsoever, from them, or any of them, or their, or any of their respective Council or Councils, or any member of such Council or Councils, or from any person or persons whatsoever, deriving, or pretending to derive authority from them, or any of them, be pardoned, released, indemnified, discharged, and put in utter oblivion.

“And that all and every the person and persons, acting, advising, assisting, abetting, and counselling the same, they, their heirs, executors, and administrators, be, and are hereby pardoned, released, acquitted, indemnified, and discharged from the same; and of and from all pains of death, and other pains, judgments, indictments, informations, convictions, attainders, outlawries, penalties, escheats, and forfeitures, and every of them, and all grants thereupon made, and all estates derived under the same, be, and are hereby declared and enacted to be, from henceforth null and void; extinguishing all actions, suits, demands, and prosecutions, civil or criminal, publick or private, except for the restoration or such estates as have been, or shall be, seized from the owners during the troubles; and for restoring to the said owners the mean profits of the same. Provided, that arms not taken up by his Majesty’s authority shall be laid down by our subjects in the said Provinces within . . . . .”

The Hon. R. B. Walsingham seconded Mr. Burke’s motion.

Mr. Welbore Ellis replied to Mr. Burke; and urged that the greater disposition Great Britain showed towards conciliation, the more obstinate, rebellious, and insolent America would become.

Sir George Savile supported the motion, which not only involved in it the liberties of America, but even those of Great Britain; for it would be the height of credulity and madness to expect that Britain could long retain her Constitution inviolate, if America were reduced to a state of unconstitutional subjection. The Ministers have often said they do not know what America wants, for that she is every day rising in her demands. He could very easily imagine the leading people of America, the Congress to be like the Ministry—a number of men perhaps not thoroughly united. We have the noble Lord, [North,] who is one day for conciliation; but as soon as the first word is out, he is checked and controlled, and, instead of conciliation, out comes confusion. He declared, upon his word, the noble Lord’s character and frankness ought not to be so treated. He is used as if he were meant to be made a fool of. He could suppose the people in the Congress pulling different ways, as they do here. Now, said he, suppose we are the Congress. The leading men sit there, (pointing to the Treasury Bench,) for instance; the learned gentleman, [Mr. Wedderburn,] for his quiet and temperate character, spirit of moderation, deep philosophy, love of liberty and his country, I will suppose is Dr. Franklin. I have fixed upon him, besides, as his particular friend. His neighbour, [Lord G. Germaine,) is General Putnam. His next neighbour