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strife.
In the House of Lords,
Chatham, affirming as
he had done four years before, the subordination of the Colonies and the right of Parliament to bind their trade and industry, disclaimed the
American policy, adopted by his former colleagues when he himself was nominally the
Minister.
‘In this,’ said he, as in all the rest, “I have been disappointed and deceived.”
1 ‘The idea of drawing money from the
Americans by taxes was ill judged; trade is your object with them.
They should be encouraged; those millions are the industrious hive who keep you em ployed;’ and he invited the entire repeal of the
Revenue Act of
Charles Townshend.
On the evening of the fifth of March, the House of Commons entered seriously upon the consideration of the question.
Lord North founded a motion for a partial relief, not on the Petitions of
America, because they were marked by a denial of the right; but on one from merchants and traders of
London.
‘The subject,’ said he,
2
is of the highest importance.
The combinations and associations of the Americans for the temporary interruption of trade, have already been called unwarrantable in an Address of this House; I will call them insolent and illegal.3 The duties upon paper, glass, and painters' colors bear upon the manufactures of this country, are uncommercial, and ought to be taken off. It was my intention to have extended the proposal to the removal of the other duties; but the Americans have not deserved indulgence.
The Preamble to the Act and the duty on