of all this variation, on the one fide or the other, as their feveral humours and prejudices may lead them. But things could not be otherwife; and English colonies must be had on these terms, or not had at all. In the mean time neither party felt any inconvenience from this double legislature, to which they had been formed by imperceptible habits, and old cuftom, the great fupport of all the governments in the world. Though these two legislatures were fometimes found perhaps performing the very fame functions, they did not very grofsly or fyftematically clafh. In all likelihood this arofe from mere neglect; poffibly from the natural operation of things, which left to themfelves, generally fall into their proper order. But whatever was the caufe, it is certain, that a regular revenue by the authority of parliament, for the fupport of civil and military establishments, feems not to have been thought of until the colonies were too proud to fubmit, too strong to be forced, too enlightened not to see all the confequences which must arise from fuch a system.

If ever this fcheme of taxation was to be pushed against the inclinations of the people, it was evident that difcuffions muft arife, which would let loofe all the elements that compofed this double conftitution; would fhew how much each of their members had departed from its original principles; and would difcover contradictions in each legislature,

as

as well to its own first principles, as to its relation to the other, very difficult if not abfolutely impoffible to be reconciled.

Therefore at the first fatal opening of this conteft, the wifest courfe feemed to be to put an end as foon as poffible to the immediate caufes of the difpute; and to quiet a difcuffion, not easily settled upon clear principles, and arifing from claims, which pride would permit neither party to abandon, by reforting as nearly as poffible, to the old fuccessful course. A mere repeal of the obnoxious tax, with a declaration of the legislative authority of this kingdom, was then fully fufficient to procure peace to both fides. Man is a creature of habit, and the firft breach being of very fhort continuance, the colonies fell back exactly into their antient state. The congrefs has ufed an expreffion with regard to this pacification, which appears to me truly fignificant. After the repeal of the Stamp Act, "the colonies fell," fays this affembly, “into their antient state of unsuspecting confidence 66. in the mother country.' This unfufpecting confidence is the true center of gravity amongst mankind, about which all the parts are at reft. It is this unfufpecting confidence that removes all difficulties, and reconciles all the contradictions which occur in the complexity of all antient puzzled political establishments. Happy are the rulers which have the fecret of preserving it!

The

The whole empire has reafon to remember with eternal gratitude, the wisdom and temper of that man and his excellent affociates, who, to recover this confidence, formed a plan of pacification in 1766. That plan, being built upon the nature of man, and the circumftances and habits of the two countries, and not on any vifionary fpeculations, perfectly answered its end, as long as it was thought proper to adhere to it. Without giving a rude fhock to the dignity (well or ill understood) of this parliament, they gave perfect content to our dependencies. Had it not been for the mediatorial fpirit and talents of that great man, between fuch clafhing pretenfions and paffions, we fhould then have rushed headlong (I know what I fay) into the calamities of that civil war, in which, by departing from his fyftem we are at length involved; and we should have been precipitated into that war, at a time, when circumstances both at home and abroad were far, very far, more unfavourable unto us than they were at the breaking out of the prefent troubles.

I had the happinefs of giving my firft votes in parliament for that pacification. I was one of those almost unanimous members, who, in the neceffary conceffions of parliament, would as much as poffible have preferved its authority, and respected its honour. I could not at once tear from my heart prejudices which were dear to me, and which bore

a refem.

a refemblance to virtue. I had then, and I have ftill my partialities. What parliament gave up I wished to be given as of grace, and favour and affection, and not as a reftitution of ftolen goods. High dignity relented as it was soothed; and a benignity from old acknowledged greatness had its full effect on our dependencies. Our unlimited declaration of legislative authority produced not a fingle murmur. If this undefined power has be come odious fince that time, and full of horror to the colonies, it is becaufe the unfufpicious confidence is loft, and the parental affection, in the bofom of whose boundless authority they reposed their privileges, is become eftranged and hostile.

It will be asked, if fuch was then my opinion of the mode of pacification, how I came to be the very person who moved, not only for a repeal of all the late coercive ftatutes, but for mutilating by a pofitive law, the entireness, of the legislative power of parliament, and cutting off from it the whole right of taxation? I anfwer, because a dif ferent state of things requires a different conduct. When the dispute had gone to these last extremities (which no man laboured more to prevent than I did;) the conceffions which had fatisfied in the beginning, could fatisfy no longer; because the violation of tacit faith required explicit fecurity. The fame caufe which has introduced all formal compacts and covenants among men made it ne"VOL. III. ceffary.

ceffary. I mean habits of foreness, jealousy, and diftruft. I parted with it, as with a limb; but as a limb to fave the body; and I would have parted with more, if more had been neceffary; any thing rather than a fruitless, hopeless, unnatural civil war. This mode of yielding, would, it is faid, give way to independency, without a war. I am perfuaded from the nature of things, and from every information, that it would have had a directly contrary effect. But if it had this effect, I confess that I should prefer independency without war, to independency with it; and I have fo much truft in the inclinations and prejudices of mankind, and fo little in any thing else, that I should expect ten times more benefit to this kingdom from the affection of America, though under a separate eft ablishment, than from her perfect fubmiffion to the crown and parliament, accompanied with her terfor, difgust, and abhorrence. Bodies tied toge ther by fo unnatural a bond of union, as mutual hatred, are only connected to their ruin.

One hundred and ten refpectable members of parliament voted for that conceffion. Many not prefent, when the motion was made, were of the fentiments of thofe who voted. I knew it would then have made peace. I am not without hopes that it would do fo at prefent if it were adopted. No benefit, no revenue could be loft by it; fomething might poffibly be gained by its confequences.

For