agree to any steps for the protection of ftamped papers, or ftamp officers, though they owned there had been already fome tumults and diforder, relating to them; and likewife cautioned them against all unconftitutional drafts on the public treasury, for fear, no doubt, that the governors might endeavour to ftrengthen their hands that way without their confent.

But the general affemblies went fill farther. Inftead of barely conniving at the people's alerting their independence by tumultuous acts, they proceeded to avow it themselves in the most expreffive terms, grounding it on the fame arguments, which their friends at this fide of the water had already ufed to prove it. And, if at the fame time they came to a refolution to petition the legislature of Great Britain against the ftampact, it was in fuch terms, as ferved to exprefs weaknefs rather than acknowledge fubmiffion, and what one independent body, in cafes of great diftrefs, might ufe in applying for affiftance to another.

Confidering at the fame time, that unanimity is the chief fource of ftrength, they established committees to correfpond with each other concerning the general affairs of the whole, and even appointed deputies from thefe committees to meet in congrefs at New-York. But it feems, there already prevailed fuch harmony in the fentiments of the general affemblies of the several provinces, that the deputies, when met, had little more to do than congratulate each other upon it, and put their hands to one general declaration of their rights, and grievances they laboured under, and to one general

petition, expreffive thereof, to the king, lords, and commons, of the mother country.

At length, those invested with the fubordinate executive powers began to join the legislative. The juftices of the peace for the diftrict of Westmoreland in Virginia gave · public notice under their hands, that they had declined acting in that capacity; because, in confequence of their judicial oath, they were, they said, liable to become inftrumental in the deftruction of their country's moft effential rights and liberties. The gentlemen of the law foon after caught the fire of patriotifm to fuch a degree, that they refolved rather to give up their business than carry it on with ftamped papers.

By the 1ft of November, the time the act took place, not a sheet of ftamped paper was to be had throughout the feveral colonies of New England, New-York, NewJerfey, Penfylvania, Virginia, Maryland, or the two Carolinas, except a fmail parcel, which the governor of New-York, terrified by the threats of the enraged populace, had furrendered into the hands of the corporation of that place, on condition of their not being deftroyed like the reft; fo that all bufinefs, which could not be legally carried on without ftamps, was at once put to a ftand, except that of news printing, which the printers ftill continued, pleading in excuse, that, if they did not, the populace would ferve them as they had done the ftamp-mafters themfelves; at least thofe, who, for that purpose, made ufe of ftamped paper in Canada, where the act was received, could find no fale for their news. The [E] 3

courts

courts of justice were clofed, and the ports were thut up. Even in thole colonies, where tamps were to be had, the people of the beft fortunes fubmitted to be called in church, rather than take out licences for private marriages.

But the confequences of this ftag nation foon began to be fo feverely felt, that the inhabitants, who though probably cooled not a little by them, were yet unwilling to fubmit to the act, began to think how they could effectually elude it. To this end, fome one or another, fruitful in expedients, fent to the printers at Bofton, a thin piece of bark, on which he had written, that, it being neither paper, parchment, or vellum, he would be glad to know, if inftruments written on fuch ftuff might not be valid, though not ftamped; in which cafe, he was ready to fupply with good writing bark all thofe, whofe confciences were bound by the late aft. At last, the governors of fome of the provinces, though bound by the act to fwear to fee it obferved, under the fevereft penalties, thinking the total ftoppage of all public buiinefs of fuch bad confequence to the community, as to render lawful the non-compliance with any injunctions laid on them, or even the breach of any oath taken by them, in confequence of injunctions, merely for the fake of that community, thought proper to difpenfe with the ufe of flamps, grounding their difpenfation on the abfolute impoffibility of procuring any; and, accordingly, granted certificates of that impoffibility to all outward-bound veffels, to prote&t them from the penalties of the act in other parts of his majefty's dominions.

On this occafion, the commons houfe of affembly of South-Carolina, whofe lieutenant governor was one of those who ftill refufed their confent to the tranfacting of any public ufinefs, without ftamps, took a very proper course with him. They addreffed him to know, if the ftamp-a&t had been tranfmitted to him by the fecretaries of ftate, the lords of trade, or through any other authentic channel; and, on his anfwering, that he had received it first from the attorney-general of the province, on that gentleman's arrival from England; and fince from Mr. Boone, the governor of the province: they replied, that neither of thefe ways of receiving any act was fuch a notification thereof, as to oblige him to enforce the execution of it; as the governor, whilft out of the province, or the attorney-general, even while in it, could not, at least with regard to this communication, be confidered in any other light than private gentlemen. At the fame time they put him in mind, that there were feveral inftances of the province's having fuffered peculiar and very great hardships, and for no small length of time, even from the accidental detention or miscarriage of governmental informations, enough to prove, that certain forms were abfolutely neceffary in all matters of government, especially fuch, as related to the authentication of new laws of fuch immense confequence.

But thefe arguments feem to have made little or no impreffion on the governor or his council; and, indeed, it could hardly be expected they should, as the colonies may well be fuppofed to have fub

mitted

aitted to many laws made in the mother country, though tranfmitted through channels that were not more authentic.

The best methods, therefore, of avoiding any injury from this act, appear to be thofe which we have yet to relate. The merchants of all thofe colonies, which ventured to oppofe it openly, entered into the moft folemn engagements with each other, not only not to order any more goods from Great Britain, let the consequences be what, they would, and recall the orders they had already given, if not obeyed by the 1ft of January 1766, but even not to difpofe of any British goods fent them on commiffion, that were not fhipped before that day; or, if they confented to any relaxation from thefe engagements, it was not to take place, till the ftamp act, and even the fugar and paper-money acts, were re pealed. The people of Philadelphia likewife refolved, though not una Dimoufly, that, till fuch repeal, no lawyer fhould put in fuit a demand for money owing by a refident in America to one in England; nor any perfon in America, however indebted in. England, make any remittances there; a refolution, in fome degree, unneceffary, as by the late reftraints laid on their trade, and the almoft total ftagnation of it in confequence of their oppofition to the ftamp-act, it was almoft impoffible for the best meaning people to make any remittances. Thefe refolutions were adopted by the retailers, who unanimoufly agreed not to buy or fell any British goods hipped contrary to them.

Ireland benefited greatly by thefe proceedings, as what goods

the colonies could not poffibly do without, they took from that country in exchange for their hemp-feed and flax-feed, of which they yearly lend her very large quantities. In the mean time they omitted no methods to free themfelves even from this dependence. A fociety of arts, manufactures, and commerce, on the plan of the London fociety, was inftituted at New York, and markets opened` for the fale of home-made goods; by which it foon appeared, that neither the natives, nor the manufacturers whom the natives had for fome time paft been inviting from Great Britain by very large encouragements, had been idle. Linens, woollens, the coarfer but moft ufeful kinds of iron ware, malt fpirits, paper hangings, &c. were produced to the fociety, and, greatly approved; and, when brought to market, as greedily. bought up. At the fame time, left the new woollen manufactories fhould come fhort of materials, moft of the inhabitants came to a refolution not to eat any lamb; and, to extend the influence of their refolution to thofe who did not join them in it, not to deal with any butcher that thould kill or expofe any lamb to fale. In a word, the fpirit of industry and frugality univerfally took place of the ipirit of idlenefs and profuseness. The moft fubftantial and even fashionable people were foremost in fetting the example to their countrymen, by contenting themselves with home-fpun or old cloaths, rather than make ufe of any thing British, which they before ufed to be fo madly fond of. And fuch were the efforts of all ranks, and fo prudent their mea

[E] 4

fures,

fures, that they now began to be convinced of what they had till then thought impoffible, that the colonies would foon be able to fupply themselves with every neceffary of life.

One would be apt to imagine, that it was impoffible for the colonies to go greater lengths against the mother country. But the contrary foon appeared. A refolution began to be talked of, of ftopping the exportation of tobacco from Virginia and South Carolina to Great Britain; by which, confidering the great quan tities of that article re exported from Great Britain, and the immenfe fum fo imperceptibly raised by what the herself confumes of it, her trade, and especially her revenue, could not fail of being confiderably affected.

Such have been, according to the best accounts we have been able to procure, the principal proceedings of the fix greatest British colonies of North-America, NewEngland, New-York, New-Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia, the two Carolinas, and Maryland, in confequence of this famous act, from the time of their first hearing of its being voted proper in parliament, till they heard of the

abfolute repeal of it; an event, upon which it cannot be expected we should now enlarge. The other North American colonies, more, poffibly, from a consciousnefs of weakness, than a principle of duty, though they could by no means form the fame pretenfions to independence, as being either conquered countries, or countries fettled at the expence of the British government, thought proper to fubmit to it, but not all with equal grace. The West India plantations bowed their heads to it with

which their condition as islands feemed to require, all to the islands of St. Chriftopher's and Nevis, whofe populace fuffered themfelves to be fo far impofed on by the crews of fome New-England veffels in their harbours, as to go even greater lengths than the New Englanders themselves; particularly the populace of St. Chriftopher's, who, not content with burning the ftamped papers of their own ifland, and making those appointed to diftribute it renounce that office, went over in a body to affift their neighbours of Nevis in taking the fame riotous precautions against it.

CHRO

JANUARY.

1. BEIN

EING New-year's day, an ode written on the occafion, by William Whitehead, efq; poet-laureat, was performed before their majefty's and the royal family at the chapel royal of St. James's.

Being twelfth-day, was ob6th. served at court as a high feftival; and his majefly, after divine fervice, made the customary offering of gold, frankincenfe, and myrrh.

9th.

Six malefactors, out of nine capitally convicted at the late feffions at the Old Bailey, were executed at Tyburn. Among them was John Wefket, for robbing the house of the Earl of Harrington, who was fuffered to go to the place of execution with a white cockade in his hat.

10th. His majefty went to the houfe of peers, and opened the feflions with a moft gracious speech.

In this fpeech, which the reader will find, as ufual, amongst our State Papers, his majesty gave the parliament an account of a match, concluded between the prince royal of Denmark, and the princefs Caroline Matilda, his majefty's fecond fifter; to be folemnized as foon as their refpective ages will permit. The fame

3

was declared at the court af Denmark on the 19th; and on the 29th, being the prince's bith day, their majefties received the compliments of the nobility on the oćcafion. The prince was born on the 29th of January 1749, and the princefs the 23d of July, 1751.

His royal highnefs, the duke of Gloucefter, took the oaths and his feat in the house of peers.

Some thousands of weavers went in a body to Weftminster, and prefented petitions to both houfes of parliament, in behalf of themselves and their numerous families,moft of them now, as theyreprefented, in a ftarving condition for want of work; and begging, as a relief to their miseries, that they would, in the prefent feffion of parliament, grant a general prohition of foreign wrought filks.

11th.

Both houfes of convocation met in the Jerufalem chamber, Westminster-abbey, and further adjourned to Friday the 15th of March.

Jofeph Benedi&t Auguftus, 13th. king of the Romans, was married by proxy at Munich, to the prince's Jofepha of Bavaria; and on the 22d following, the young queen arrived at Vienna, when the royal pair were again married in perfon.

On this occafion, the princess having defired the elector of Bava

ria,