Let me for Jefus' truth declare, Recover, Lord, my ftrength, before CHAP. CHA P. XV. From the first paffing of the American StampAct in 1764, to the firft rife of the Proteftant Affociation in 1780. WE E are informed by a learned prelate, that the Stamp Act was paffed in 1764, by the inftigation of Lord Bute, who had laid a plan for raising a revenue upon the Americans without their confent" [they had "granted money liberally and largely; but it was with their own confent"] thereby thinking first to enslave America and then to" employ the people of it to enslave this" nation: "but the people of America oppofing it with great violence, and the merchants and manufacturers here at home having joined in strong petitions against it, Lord Bute was frightened," and the Stamp A& Act was repealed in 1766; for which the Affemblies of America fent addreffes of thanks to his majesty. and harmony again." "Thus all was peace The last mentioned lord recovered from his fright and resolved to prosecute his defign; therefore in 1767, "A new Revenue Act paffed to raise money upon the people of America, without their confent: which occafioned the Americans to seek redress by humble petitions." Governor Barnard, in his letters from Boston, fays, "they have acted in all things with temper and moderation: they have avoided fome fubjects of difpute, and have laid a foundation for removing fome causes of former altercation." But we are told, that the Governor foon "became the accufer of the people, and the incendiary between the two countries." Oo And And acted in conjunction with Governor Hutchinfon. The petitions of the Americans were rejected, and they were called "factious, feditious and rebellious." tenth 68 A learned prelate has afferted (in the page of a pamphlet, intitled, The "Rise, Progress, and present State of the Difpute between the people of America, " and the Administration,") that a merchant veffel was seized upon in the harbour of Boston, under pretence of being a fmuggler by an armed force, and carried to the man of war, which irritated the populace, and raised a mob whereupon a military force was called in against them: the troops landed at Boston in October, 1768; "and on the 5th of March 1769, they fired upon the people in the ftreets, without any provocation, killing and wounding a great many unarmed and innocent perfons. This -fo -fo incensed the inhabitants, that they flew to arms, and would have fallen upon the foldiers, but that their commanding officer ordered them to evacuate the town, and the officer who ordered them to fire, was committed to prifon. This quieted men's minds, and the people, willing to forget and forgive, acquitted the officer and foldiers, when they were tried for murder." On Thursday, December 8, 1768, the freeholders of Middlesex attended at Brentford, to chufe a proper person to represent them in parliament, when the candidates were, Sir William Beauchamp Procter, and Mr. Serjeant Glynn. It is affirmed, that when a person upon the huftings (just before the close of the poll) faw the majority were in favour of Serjeant Glynn, he made fome fignal; upon which more than five hundred ruffians, armed with large flicks, went bufily to work upon those who had voted |