that important country has been brought into her present fituation;-a fituation which I will not mifcall, which I dare not name; which I fcarcely know how to comprehend in the terms of any defcription.

In this posture, Sir, things stood at the beginning of the feffion. About that time, a worthy member of great parliamentary experience, who, in the year 1766, filled the chair of the American committee with much ability, took me aside; and, lamenting the present aspect of our politicks, told me, things were come to fuch a pafs, that our former methods of proceeding in the house would be no longer tolerated. That the publick tribunal (never too indulgent to a long and unfuccefsful oppofition) would now scrutinize our conduct with unusual severity. That the very viciffitudes and shiftings of minifterial measures, instead of convicting their authors of inconstancy and want of fyftem, would be taken as an occasion of charging us with a predetermined discontent, which nothing could fatisfy; whilft we accufed every meafure of vigour as cruel, and every propofal of lenity as weak and irrefolute. The publick, he faid, would not have patience to fee us play the game out with our adverfaries: we must produce our hand. It would be expected, that those who for

* Mr. Rofe Fuller,

many

many years had been active in fuch affairs fhould fhew, that they had formed fome clear and decided idea of the principles of colony government; and were capable of drawing out fomething like a platform of the ground, which might be laid for future and permanent tranquillity.

I felt the truth of what my hon. friend reprefented; but I felt my fituation too. His application might have been made with far greater propriety to many other gentlemen. No man was indeed ever better difpofed, or worfe qualified, for fuch an undertaking than myfelf. Though I gave so far into his opinion, that I immediately threw my thoughts into a fort of parliamentary form, I was by no means equally ready to produce them. It generally argues fome degree of natural impotence of mind, or fome want of knowledge of the world, to hazard plans of government, except from a feat of authority. Propofitions are made, not only ineffectually, but fomewhat difreputably, when the minds of men are not properly disposed for their reception; and for my part, I am not ambitious of ridicule; not abfolutely a candidate for difgrace.

Befides, Sir, to speak the plain truth, I have in general no very exalted opinion of the virtue of paper government; nor of any politicks, in which the plan is to be wholly feparated from the execution. But when I faw, that anger and violence prevailed

prevailed every day more and more; and that things were hastening towards an incurable alienation of our colonies; I confefs my caution gave way. I felt this, as one of those few moments in which decorum yields to an higher duty. Publick calamity is a mighty leveller; and there are occafions when any, even the flighteft, chance of doing good, muft be laid hold on, even by the most inconfiderable perfon.

To reftore order and repofe to an empire fo great and fo diftracted as ours, is, merely in the attempt, an undertaking that would ennoble the flights of the highest genius, and obtain pardon for the efforts of the meaneft understanding. Struggling a good while with these thoughts, by degrees I felt myself more firm. I derived, at length, fome confidence from what in other circumstances usually produces timidity. I grew lefs anxious, even from the idea of my own infignificance. For, judging of what you are, by what you ought to be, I perfuaded myself, that you would not reject a reasonable propofition, because it had nothing but its reafon to recommend it. On the other hand, being totally destitute of all fhadow of influence, natural or adventitious, I was very fure, that, if my propofition were futile or dangerous; if it were weakly conceived, or improperly timed, there was nothing exterior to it, of power to awe, dazzle, or delude you. You

will fee it juft as it is; and you will treat it just as it deferves.

The propofition is peace. Not peace through the medium of war; not peace to be hunted through the labyrinth of intricate and endless negotiations; not peace to arife out of univerfal difcord, fomented from principle, in all parts of the empire; not peace to depend on the juridical determination of perplexing queftions; or the precise marking the fhadowy boundaries of a complex government. It is fimple peace; fought in its natural courfe, and in its ordinary haunts. -It is peace fought in the spirit of peace; and laid in principles purely pacifick. I propofe, by removing the ground of the difference, and by reftoring the former unfufpecting confidence of the colonies in the mother country, to give permanent fatisfaction to your people; and (far from a scheme of ruling by difcord) to reconcile them to each other in the fame act, and by the bond of the fame intereft, which reconciles them to British government.

very

My idea is nothing more. Refined policy ever has been the parent of confufion; and ever will be fo, as long as the world endures. Plain good intention, which is as easily discovered at the firft view, as fraud is furely detected at laft, is, let me say, of no mean force in the government of mankind. Genuine fimplicity of heart is an healing and ce

menting principle. My plan, therefore, being formed upon the most simple grounds imaginable, may disappoint fome people, when they hear it. It has nothing to recommend it to the pruriency of curious ears. There is nothing at all new and captivating in it. It has nothing of the splendour of the project, which has been lately laid upon your table by the noble lord in the blue ribband.* It does not propofe to fill your lobby with fquabbling colony agents, who will require the interpofition of your mace, at every instant, to keep the peace amongst them. It does not institute a mag

That when the governor, council, or affembly, or gene"ral court, of any of his majefty's provinces or colonies in "America, fhall propose to make provifion, according to the condi

tion, circumfiances, and fituation, of fuch province or colony, "for contributing their proportion to the common defence (fuch pro"portion to be raised under the authority of the general court, "or general affembly, of fuch province or colony, and difpofable by parliament) and fhall engage to make provifion alfo for the fupport of the civil government, and the administration of "justice, in fuch province or colony, it will be proper, if fuch "propofal fhall be approved by his majefty, and the two houfes of par"liament, and for fo long as fuch provision shall be made accordingly, to forbear, in respect of such province or colony, to levy any duty, tax, or affeffment, or to impose any farther duty, “tax, or affeffment, except fuch duties as it may be expedient "to continue to levy or impofe, for the regulation of commerce; "the nett produce of the duties laft mentioned to be carried to "the account of fuch province or colony refpectively." Refolution moved by Lord North in the committee; and agreed to by the house, 27th Feb. 1775.

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