to be laid before the House, alleging, that the question now was, not about the liberty of North America, but whether we were to be free, or slaves to our colonies, and comparing Dr. Franklin to an Ambassador sent from Louis XIV. to the Doge of Genoa, &c. Lord Stair spoke after, in a bad, theatrical manner, which contributed to prejudice the House; but observed on the wildness of such language, and that humanity, commercial policy, and the public necessities (upon which he dwelt very properly, alleging the public to be little better than bankrupt in point of finance), dictated a very contrary one. Lord Dartmouth pressed to acquaint the House that it was the intention of Ministry to lay the papers in question before Parliament, and Lord Buckingham very readily withdrew his motion.
"Various measures are talked of, for altering the constitution of the government of New England, and prosecuting individuals, all tending more or less to enforcement. The opinion here is very general that America will submit, that Government was taken by surprize when they repealed the Stamp Act, and that all may be recovered. I took the liberty to tell your Lordship in the summer that the great object of my parliamentary conduct would be to prove, that if the King had continued his confidence in the sound part of his administration in 1767, the East Indies might have proved the salvation of this country, without injury to the Company, or to any individual, and that peace might have been preserved in Europe and in America: which last will appear sufficiently evident from the papers of that time, when the colonies universally agreed to the Mutiny Act, in contradiction to their own principles. I have the Attorney and Solicitor-General's opinion, for their full and satisfactory submission to the parliament; and Sir Francis Bernard acknowledges, in his letter dated January 30, 1768, that 'the House of Assembly showed a good disposition to a reconciliation with government, and had given good proof of it, having acted in all things with spirit and moderation, avoided subject,' &c., and
