Then the said Amendments* being accordingly severally read a second time, were, upon the question severally put thereupon, agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be engrossed.

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a third time upon Monday morning next, if the said Bill shall be then engrossed.

Mr. Dempster moved, and the question being put, That James De Lancey, Esq., do attend this House upon Monday next, in order to be examined upon the third reading of the said Bill,

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Burke then moved, and the question being proposed, That evidence concerning the state of America, the temper of the people there, and the probable operation of an Act now depending, is unnecessary to this House, this House being already sufficiently acquainted with these matters;

An Amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by inserting at the beginning thereof these words, “That it is necessary and proper to come to a Resolution.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It was resolved in the affirmative.

Then the main question, so amended, being put, That it is necessary and proper to come to a Resolution, that evidence concerning the state of America, the temper of the people there, and the probable operation of an Act now depending, is unnecessary to this House, this House being already sufficiently acquainted with these matters,

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Burke also moved, and the question being put, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to order to be laid before this House such advices as may enable this House to judge of the present state and condition of his Majesty’s loyal and dutiful Province of Georgia, in North-America;

It passed in the negative.

Monday, December 11, 1775.

Governour Johnstone moved, “That no evidence has been produced to this House, to show that many persons in his Majesty’s Colony of Georgia have set themselves in open rebellion and defiance to the just and legal authority of the. King and Parliament of Great Britain, or have assembled together an armed force, or engaged his Majesty’s troops, or attacked his forts, or prohibited all trade and commerce with this kingdom and the other part of his Majesty’s dominions.”

He observed, that Cato and Socrates, in Athens and Rome, stood alone to oppose venal and corrupt majorities. Those celebrated Commonwealths, in their decline, were what Britain is at present,—luxury, venality, publick prostitution, and a total disregard to the interests of their country, prevailed. Majorities then, as well as now, were procured by the most base and scandalous rneans: those majorities were composed of the most worthless and profligate individuals of the community,—of gladiators, pimps, sharpers, parasites, and buffoons. Almost every man in Rome and Athens had his price; and if anything remained unsold it was only for want of a purchaser. The few who retained any sense of honour were reviled or despised. Their opposition was attributed to factious or interested motives, or they were treated as men acting under the influence of delusion and ideal perfection, and misled by impracticable schemes of policy and legislation. It was the misfortune of the times that they both fell a sacrifice to the malice of their enemies; but it was a still greater misfortune that neither of them were survived by the liberties of their country. Cato and the Roman Commonwealth perished together; the liberties of Athens were no more when Socrates fell a victim to the rage of his merciless persecutors.

He then turned to the question, and observed, that the loyal Colony of Georgia was now entered in the black catalogue. It was marked out for destruction, as well as the Province of Massachusetts-Bay; the latter for defending their liberties, which were immediately invaded; the former, because they disapproved of the inhuman measure of condemning people unheard and untried.

Mr. J. Johnstone seconded the motion, and said, he believed it was the first time it was ever heard or known that a whole Province was proscribed without some imputation of guilt. Most of the other Colonies had done something which, according to the language of that House, might be construed into resistance, or a preparation for it; but in the

* Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the said Amendment, by adding, after the word “troops,” the words “and in order that the indulgence which is by this bill denied for publick purposes to trade in general, may not be continued for the purpose of private monopoly, Be it hereby enacted, That the Collector and Searcher of each port respectively, from which such store-ships and transports shall be entered outward, shall cause the same carefully to be examined, and upon proof of neglect of the said examination, the parties so offending shall forfeit five hundred pounds; and the said Collector and Searcher, or any other officer of the Customs, or any other person or persons giving informations of any goods shipped on board any of the said vessels, other than shall be bona fide for the use of the said troops and garrisons, shall be entitled to the full advantage and benefit of the same, as if the same were his proper goods and chattles; and if any mariner on board such ship shall make such discovery, he shall, over and above the said advantages, be entitled to his immediate discharge, his wages being first paid, if he shall require the same, provided that no more than one person in one ship, he being the first informer, shall be entitled to the said discharge.”

And the question being put, That those words be there added,

It passed in the negative.

An Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 3,1. 1, by inserting after the word “Colonies,” the words “unless the said ships and vessels can be proved to belong to a person or persons who hath or have not taken up arms against his Majesty’s Government, or given any aid to those who are in arms against the said Government.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the. Bill in fo. 3, 1. 1, by inserting after the word “Colonies,” the words “who shall be proved to be concerned in the said disturbances.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 3, 1. 3, by inserting after the word “whatsoever,” the words “except any such ship or vessel shall have been driven upon the coast of America, or put into any of the aforesaid harbours by distress, or in want of stores oV provisions, for the procurement of which alone they have traded, and made no unnecessary delay.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 3,1.4, by inserting after the word “trading,” the words “within the description of the Hovering clause of the Act of the 4 George, III, cap. 15.

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo 3, 1. 4, by inserting after the word “Colonies,” the words “as shall be forcibly held out against his Majesty’s Government.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo, 3, 1. 10, by adding at the end of the clause, the words “Provided always, that nothing in this act shall extend to any Colony or Colonies, in America, of whose having set itself in open rebellion and defiance to the just and legal authority of the King and Parliament of Great Britain, no proof has yet been laid before this House.”

And the question being put, That those words be there added,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 49, I. 16, by inserting after the word “acts,” the words, “were contrary to the principles of justice made without due consideration, without hearing or citing to appear the parties affected, vesting dangerous, unexampled, and unconstitutional powers in the Crown, being utterly unfit for the purposes which they were intended to answer, and tending to bring discredit on the honour, wisdom, and justice of Parliament, and to increase, instead of extinguishing, the flames of civil war; and that right may be done to justice, and the liberties of the subjects, Be it enacted, That all Records and Proceedings of Parliament be wholly cancelled, and taken from the registers of this kingdom, or otherwise defaced and obliterated, to the intent that the same may not be visible in after ages, or brought into example, to the prejudice of any person or body corporate whatsoever.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 49, 1. 16, by inserting after the word “acts,” the words “were fitted to the state of the time in which the said acts were made, but are too severe for Colonies in declared rebellion.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill in fo. 51, 1. 8, by inserting after the word “persons,” the words “who shall return to their duty as aforesaid; and the said Commissioners shall, and are hereby required to grant the same, when such return to their duty shall be duly proved to them, the said Commissioners.”

And the question being put, That those words be inserted,

It passed in the negative.

Another Amendment was proposed to be made to the Bill, in fo. 51, 1. 8, by inserting after the word “shall,” the words “be declared before the departure of the said Commissioners for America, by his Majesty in Council.”

And the question being put, That those words be there inserted,

It passed in the negative.