make a common cause. They are united by the strongest ties of sentiment and interest; and will therefore, I hope, fly to support their brethren. In this most alarming and distracted state of our affairs, though borne down by a cruel disease, I have crawled to this house, my lords, to give you my best advice, which is, to beseech his majesty that orders may instantly be dispatched to General Gage to remove the troops from Boston. Their presence is a source of perpetual irritation and suspicion to those people. How can they trust you, with the bayonet at their breasts? They have all the reason in the world to believe that you mean their death or slavery. Let us then set to this business in earnest. There is no time to be lost. Every moment is big with danger. Nay, while I am now speaking, the decisive. blow may be struck, and millions involved in the dreadful consequences ! The very first drop of blood that is drawn, will make a wound perhaps never to be healed-a wound of such rancorous malignity, as will, in all probability, mortify the whole body, and hasten, both on England and America, that dissolution to which all nations are destined."

Here was a speech, sufficient, one would have thought, to stop the career of the maddest politicians.

"sit

-But neither this, nor the advice of lord Camden, nor the numerous and pathetic addresses from London, Liverpool, and Jamaica, could produce the least change in the views of the ministry. "Let the Americans," said lord Gower with a sneer, talking about their natural rights! their divine rights! and such stuff! we will send them over a few regiments of grenadiers to help their consultations!" Thus high-toned was the language of ministry, and thus stoutly bent on the submission of the AmeriIndeed, in some instances, they would not honour them so far as to give their "humble petitions" a reading; but consigned them to what the

cans.

whig opposition pleasantly called, "the committee of oblivion."

The tea-tax was, of course, at any rate to be col lected. But as there could be no tax without tea, nor tea unless it was sent, several ships of that obnoxious weed were purposely dispatched for America. Lord Fairfax happened to be at Mount Vernon when Washington received advice from a friend in London that the tea-ships were about to sail. . . . " Well, my lord," said he," and so the ships, with the gun-powder tea, are, it seems, on their way to America !"

"Well, but colonel, why do you call it gunpowder

tea."

"Why, I am afraid, my lord," replied Washington, "it will prove inflammable, and produce an explosion that will shake both countries."

The event corresponded with Washington's prediction. Looked on as sent to insult and enslave them, the ships were every where received with the heartiest curses of the people, who quickly boarded them-in some places furiously emptying their fragrant cargoes into the flashing deep; in others, sternly ordering the captains to depart, under the penalty of being instantly tucked up to the yard arms.

On the arrival of this news in England, the countenance of the minister was dark with fury; and he proceeded, without delay, to mix up for the colonies a cup of fiery indignation, of which Boston, it seems, was to have the largest dose. As that most undutiful child had always led off the dance in outrage and rebellion against the parent state, it was determined that she should pay the piper for old and new...that her purse should answer for all the tea that had been destroyed... that her luxuriant trade, which had made her so wanton, should be taken from her—and, that, in spite of her high looks and proud stomach, she should sit on the stool of repentance, until his gracious majesty, George III. should be pleased to pronounce her pardon !!

On the receipt of this intelligence at Boston, the passions of the people flew up, five hundred degrees above blood-heat! throughout the continent the fever raged with equal fury. The colonies all extolled Boston for the firmness with which she had asserted her chartered rights.... Liberal contributions were made for her relief: and this ministerial attack on her liberties, was considered as an attack on the liberties of the whole, which were now thought to be in such danger, as loudly to call for a general congress from all the colonies, to deliberate on their common interest. This most unkingly body commenced its session in Philadelphia, September 5th, 1774. They began with publishing a bill of rights, wherein they repeated "their loyalty and love to the mother country, together with an earnest wish for constitutional dependence on her. But, at the same time, they begged leave to assure her, that though she, in her excessive fondness, might suffer herself to be bound and insulted by North and Bute, and other Philistine lords, yet they, for their parts, were resolved, like true sons of British Sampsons, to rise and fight to the last locks of their heads. They asserted, and begged leave to do it pretty roundly too, as it was now high time to speak plain, that by the immutable laws of nature-by the principles of the British constitution and by their several charters, they had a right to liberty, the liberty of British subjects -that their ever honored fathers, at the time of their emigration to this country, were entitled to all the rights of freemen-and since, by such emigration they had neither forfeited nor surrendered these rights that they their children, were determined, at the risk of every thing short of their eternal salvation, to defend and to transmit them entire to their innocent and beloved offspring."

Millions of choice spirits in England, Scotland, and Ireland, cried out "that's well said! and may God's arms strike with our American brethren!"

This was coming to the point, and produced the effect that might have been expected. For, instantly all exportation of arms and ammunition to America was prohibited-large reinforcements were sent to the king's troops at Boston-and every step was taken to compel the colonies to submission. This filled up the measure of American hatred to the ministry, and called forth the most vigorous prepara tions for war. Every ounce of gunpowder was husbanded like so much gold-dust. Powder-mills and musket-manufactories were erected in most of the colonies; while others, not liking this slow way of doing things, laid violent hands at once upon all the king's arms and ammunition that could be found.

The tremendous cloud of civil war was now ready to burst and April the 19th, 1775, was the fatal day marked out by mysterious heaven, for tearing away the stout infant colonies from the longloved paps of the old mother country. Early that morning, general Gage, whose force in Boston was augmented to 10,000 men, sent a detachment of 1000 to destroy some military stores which the Americans had collected in the town of Concord, near Lexington. On coming to the place, they found the town militia assembled on the green near the road. "Throw down your arms, and disperse, you rebels," was the cry of Pitcairn the British officer; which was immediately followed by a general discharge of the soldiers; whereby eight of the Americans were killed, and several wounded. The provincials retired.

But

finding that the British still continued their fire, they returned it with good interest; and soon strewed the green with the dead and wounded. Such fierce discharges of musketry produced the effect that might have been expected in a land of freemen, who saw their gallant brothers suddenly engaged in the strife of death. Never before had the bosoms of the swains experienced such a tumult of heroic passions. Thea hrowing aside the implements of husbandry, and