of the former, in thofe fentiments, ⚫ declarations, and charges, which were confidered as most obnoxious. Among thofe expreffions that were the least exceptionable, they defire his Majefty to confider, "what "the fituation of his people here " muft be, who have nothing now " to expect from America, but Gazettes of blood, and mutual lifts of their flaughtered fellow"fubjects." In other refpects, they paffed the fevereft and harfheft cenfures upon the Grand Council and Reprefentative of the nation, as alfo upon minifters and fecret advifers; and they conclude with a prayer for the diffolution of parliament, and a difmiffion for ever of the prefent minifters and advifers.

A refolution was paffed at the fame time, that this addrefs fhould not be prefented, unless it was received fitting on the throne; and the Sheriffs having accordingly waited on the King to know when he would be pleased to receive it, they were informed, that it would be accepted the next day at the levee, to which one of the Sheriffs replied, that the Livery in Common-Hall had refolved that their addrefs fhould not be prefented, unless it was received on the throne, the King immediately put an end to farther application by the following words: "I am ever ready to receive addreffes and petitions; but I am the judge where,'

July 4th. failure with respect to In confequence of this the petition, another CommonHall was held in a few days, when the proceedings of the Sheriffs, and the King's anfwer, being reported to them, the latter was or

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dered to be entered in the cit books; after which they refolved, That the King is bound to hear the petitions of his people, it being the undoubted right of the fubject to be heard, and not a matter of grace and favour.-That the late anfwer was a direct denial of the right of that court to have their petitions heard.-That fuch denial renders the right of petitioning the throne, recognized and eftablifhed by the Revolution, of no effect.-And that the adviser, directly or indirectly, of the refufal, was equally an enemy to the happinefs and fecurity of the King, and to the peace and liberties of the people.

They then ordered that their remonftrance, which was refufed to be heard on the throne, fhould be printed in the public papers, and figned by the Town Clerk; that the Sheriffs, attended by the Remembrancer, fhould wait on the King, and deliver, in their name, into his hand, a fair copy of their refolutions, both on Midfummerday, and the prefent, figned by the Town Clerk; and that they fhould be alfo printed in the public, papers. The refolutions were accordingly prefented, and received without any answer.

The Common-Hall then paffed an inftruction to their reprefentatives in parliament, directing that they fhould move immediately at the next meeting, for an humble addrefs from the Commons to his Majefty, requefting to know who were the advifers of thofe fatal meafures, which had planted popery and arbitrary power in America, and had plunged us into a moft unnatural civil war, to the fubverfion of the fundamental prin

çiples

ciples of English liberty, the ruin of our most valuable commerce, and the deftruction of his Majefty's fubjects; alfo to know who were the advisers of the prefent measure of refufing petitions; and then to move for an impeachment of the authors and advisers of all thofe measures, that by bringing them to public juftice, evil counfellors might be removed from before the King, his throne eftablished, the rights of the people vindicated, and the whole empire reftored to the enjoyment of peace, liberty, and fafety.

Notwithstanding this heat of refentment in the Common-Hall, which, with the refufal on the other fide, feemed to cut off all communication, in the way of petition, between the city and the throne, a very moderate and temperate application of that nature, under the title of an hum15th. ble Addrefs and Petition, was, within a few days after, moved for, and carried by a majority, after confiderable debate, in the body corporate, confifting in the court of Lord-Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council. In this petition, they deplored the grievous diftractions in America, lamented those measures whofe deftructive principles had driven their brethren there to acts of defperation, and strongly afferted their loyalty and affection, notwithftanding those acts, justifying their conduct upon that love of liberty which actuates ali the members of the empire; they applied to the humanity of the Sovereign to heal the miferies of his people; hoped that the former conduct of the Americans, their free gifts and

ready fervice, in both of which they fprung far beyond, not only demand, but expectation, would procure a liberal and favourable conftruction of their prefent actions, and plead powerfully for granting them every reafonable opportunity of giving as freemen, what they feemed refolutely determined to refufe, under the injunction of laws made independent of their own confent. They concluded with the most pathetic fupplications, that the prefent opera tions of force might be fufpended; and that the Americans, uncontrouled by a reftraint incompatible with a free government, might poffefs an opportunity of tendering fuch terms of accommodation, as, they did not doubt, would approve them worthy of a diftinguished rank among the firmest friends of this country.

This petition was received upon the throne, and his Majesty faid in anfwer, That he was always ready to liften to the dutiful petitions of his fubjects, and ever hap. py to comply with their reasonable requests; but while the conftitu. tional authority of this kingdom was openly refiited by a part of his American fubjects, he owed it to the reft of his people, of whofe zeal and fidelity he had fuch conftant proofs, to continue, and enforce, thofe meafures by which alone their rights and interefts could be afferted and maintained.

Previous to thefe city tranfactions, a letter was received from the Committee of New York, addreffed to the Lord-Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council, containing, together with a copy of their affociation, a recital of moft

of

of thofe grievances and complaints, which we have fo often been under a neceffity of repeating. In this piece they rejected, and commented with feverity upon, the terms included in the minifter's conciliatory propofition; they declared the willingness of the colonies, in the ancient form of requifition, and upon fuitable emergencies, to contribute to the fupport of the empire; but they muft, contribute of their voluntary gift as Englifhmen; they teftified their fidelity and inviolable loyalty, with their affection to this country; ftated the great danger at prefent, of further irritation with refpect to the colonies; declared the unanimity of their citizens in defending their rights at all rifques; and truft in the most vigorous exertions of the city of London, towards reftoring union, mutual confidence, and peace to the whole empire.

The Earl of Effingham, whofe military genius had led him when a youth into the army, and had fince prompted him to ripen theory into experience wherever real fervice was to be found, by acting as a volunteer in the war between the Ruffians and Turks, had fince his return, as a peer in parliament, uniformly oppofed the whole fyftem of mealures pursued against the Americans, and finding, at length, that the regiment in which he ferved was intended for the American fervice, thought it in confiftent with his character, and unbecoming of his dignity, to enforce meatures with his fword, which he had fo utterly condemned in his legislative capacity. He accordingly wrote a letter of refig5

nation to the Secretary at war, in which having declarad the chearfulness with which he would facrifice life and fortune in fupport of the fafety, honour, and dignity, of his Majefty's crown and perfon, he obferved, that the fame principles which had infpired him with thefe unalterable fentiments of duty and affection to the King, would not fuffer him to be inftrumental in depriving any part of his people of thofe liberties, which form the beft fecurity for their fidelity and obedience to his government. He expreffed the deepest regret, and greateft mortification, at being obliged to quit a profeffion which had been that of his anceftors for many ages, to the ftudy and practice of which from childhood his paft life had been applied, and his future intentionally dedicated; and that as he waved the advantage which the cufton of the fervice entitled him to, the right of felling what he had bought, he intreated, that he might be allowed to retain his rank in the army, that whenever the envy or ambition of foreign powers fhould require it, he might be enabled to ferve his Majefty and his country in that way, in which of all others he thought himfelf beft calculated to do it with effect.

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This nobleman's refignation, or rather the caufe from which it ceeded, gave great offence, and the request of retaining his rank in the army, we believe, was not complied with. Some officers had not fhewn the fatisfaction in going upon that fervice, which they would have done upon any other. A few, indeed, who could not conquer their repugnance to it had

quitted.

quitted. But the majority thought, that where the fuperior authorities of King and parliament had decided, it was no part of their military duty to enquire into the juftice or policy of the quarrel.

This conduct, however, rendered that nobleman extremely popular among thofe who held fimilar opinions in regard to the American measures, and who ftill compofed a numerous body in England and Ireland. This foon appeared in the city, where among the refolutions paffed in the CommonHall on Midfummer-day, and which were afterwards prefented to the King, public thanks were ordered to be given to "the Right Honourable the Earl of Effingham, for having, confiftently with the principles of a true Englishman, refused to draw that fword, which has been employed to the honour of his country, against the lives and liberties of his fellow-fubjects in America." And foon after, a fimilar addrefs of thanks, but in ftill fuller terms, was prefented to him from the Guild of Merchants in Dublin.

This laft body, who in Dublin form a corporation, prefented alfo an addrefs of thanks to the feveral Peers, who, (as they fay) "in fupport of our conftitution, and in oppofition to a weak and wicked adminiftration, protefted againft the American Restraining Bills." This addrefs to the Protesting Lords, (to which was affixed the corporation feal) was fent to each feparately, and a feparate answer accordingly given, all of which appeared at that time in the public papers.

The Sheriffs and Commons of

the city of Dublin, had for some time endeavoured to obtain the concurrence of the Lord-Mayor and board of Aldermen, in a petition to the throne, against the meafures purfued with refpect to the colonies; but were answered by the latter, upon their firft application, that the matter was of the highest importance, and therefore inexpedient. Upon a fubfequent occafion, however, they feem to have concurred in the measure, as a committee of fix Aldermen, with as many Commoners, and the Recorder, were appointed to draw up a petition and addrefs; this tafk, after feveral weeks preparation or delay, being at length accomplished, the petition was arrefted in its further progrefs, by a negative from the Lord-Mayor and Aldermen.

Upon this difappointment, the Sheriffs and Aug.28. Commons prefaced the two fol'lowing refolutions by a declaretion, that Anxious to preferve our reputations, from the odium that must remain to all pofterity on the names of thofe, who in any wife promote the acts now carrying on in America, and feeling the most poignant grief, as well on account of the injured inhabitants of that continent, as on that of our brave countrymen, fent on the unnatural errand of killing their fellow-fubjects, have refolved, That it is the duty of every good citizen ta exert his utmoft abilities to allay the unhappy difputes that at prefent difturb the British empire. That whoever would refufe his confent to a dutiful petition to the King, tending to undeceive his Majesty, and from which it could

be

be hoped that the effufion of one drop of fubject blood might be prevented, is not a friend to the Britifh Conftitution."-Such was at prefent the state of political opinion among the merchants, and the principal proteftant inhabitants of the city of Dublin.

The inability of purchafing, and providing for, Negroes, which the prefent difputes had occafioned in our Weft-India iflands, together with the lofs of the American market for flaves, and the impediments caufed by the proclamations of council against the exportation of arms and ammunition, had, all together, nearly extinguished our African trade. This lofs was more particularly felt in the port of Liverpool, which had poffeffed a much greater part of that commerce than any other in the kingdom. As the Guinea fhips now arrived they were laid up, in an uncertainty of their future difpofition, whilft their crews locked in vain for other employment. As other branches of commerce were alfo flackened in a great degree, and that the crews of the Greenland fhips, upon their return in July and the beginning of Auguft, were as ufual difcharged, the number of feamen out of employ in that town became very great, and according to fome accounts amounted to about 3000.

In this fituation, the feamen complained that an attempt was made by the merchants to lower their wages, in confequence of which a violent commotion was excited among them, in which they cut the rigging of fome ships to pieces, affaulted fome houfes, and committed other violences. They, however, difperfed again, and all

became quiet; but the feizing a number of them, and fending them to prifon, re-kindled the flame, with greater violence, so that without any extraordinary bias upon the common courfe of things in fuch circumftances, it might well have ended in the deftruction of that flourishing town. The failors immediately affembled, procured not only fire-arms, but cannon, and were proceeding to the deftruction of the prifon, when its fafety was purchafed by the enlargement of their companions. But their rage was by this time too high, and they were too much inflamed by liquor, to be appeafed by reasonable conceffions. They not ony proceeded to destroy the houfes of obnoxious perfons, but they at length marched in a body to demolish the Exchange. This danger was foreseen, or probably announced by themfelves, a confiderable time before the attempt, fo that the Exchange was fhut up, barricaded, and well garrisoned by the merchants and townfmen. They, however, made feveral confufed attacks, which continued through the course of a night, and part of the enfuing morning; during which, through their drunkenness and diforder, they laid themselves fo open to the fire of the defendants, (who were themfelves safe under cover) that feveral of them' were killed and wounded. The arrival of a detachment of lighthorfe, at length put an end to the diforder. It was then apprehended, that this would prove only a prelude to other diforders. But the affair was accidental; and fufficient employment for the feamen was foon found inthe King's fcrvice.

Aug.29th.

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