A Short ACCOUNT OF A Late Short ADMINISTRATION.
[3]THE late Adminiſtration came into Employment, under the Mediation of the Duke of Cumberland, on the Tenth Day of July 1765; and was re⯑moved, upon a Plan ſettled by the Earl of Chatham on the Thirtieth Day of July 1766, having laſted juſt One Year and Twenty Days.
In that Space of Time
The Diſtractions of the Britiſh Empire were compoſed, by The Repeal of the American Stamp Act;
But the Conſtitutional Superiority of Great Britain was preſerved, by The Act for ſecuring the Dependance of the Co⯑lonies.
Private Houſes were relieved from the Juriſdiction of the Exciſe, by The Repeal of the Cyder Tax.
The perſonal Liberty of the Subject was confirmed, by The Reſolution againſt General Warrants.
The lawful Secrets of Buſineſs and Friendſhip were ren⯑dered inviolable by The Reſolution for condemning the Seizure of Papers.
[4]The Trade of America was ſet free from injudicious and ruinous Impoſitions — Its Revenue was improved, and ſettled upon a rational Foundation — Its Commerce extended with foreign Countries; while all the Advantages were ſecured to Great Britain, by The Act for repealing certain Duties, and encouraging, regulating, and ſecuring the Trade of this Kingdom, and the Britiſh Dominions in America.
Materials were provided and inſured to our Manufactures— The Sale of theſe Manufactures was encreaſed—The African Trade preſerved and extended — The Principles of the Act of Navigation purſued, and the Plan improved — And the Trade for Bullion rendered free, ſecure, and permanent, by The Act for opening certain Ports in Dominica and Jamaica.
That Adminiſtration was the firſt which propoſed, and en⯑couraged public Meetings, and free Conſultations of Merchants from all Parts of the Kingdom; by which Means the trueſt Lights have been received; great Benefits have been al⯑ready derived to Manufacture and Commerce; and the moſt extenſive Proſpects are open'd for further Improvement.
Under them, the Intereſts of our Northern and Southern Colonies, before that Time jarring and diſſonant, were un⯑derſtood, compared, adjuſted, and perfectly reconciled. The Paſſions and Animoſities of the Colonies, by judicious and lenient Meaſures, were allayed and compoſed, and the Foundation laid for a laſting Agreement amongſt them.
[5]Whilſt that Adminiſtration provided for the Liberty and Commerce of their Country, as the true Baſis of its Power, they conſulted its Intereſts, they aſſerted its Honour Abroad, with Temper and with Firmneſs; by making an advan⯑tageous Treaty of Commerce with Ruſſia; by obtaining a Liquidation of the Canada Bills, to the Satisfaction of the Proprietors; by reviving and raiſing from its Aſhes the Nego⯑tiation for the Manilla Ranſom, which had been extinguiſhed and abandoned by their Predeceſſors.
They treated their Sovereign with Decency; with Re⯑verence. They diſcountenanced, and, it is hoped, for ever aboliſhed the dangerous and unconſtitutional Practice of re⯑moving military Officers for their Votes in Parliament. They firmly adhered to thoſe Friends of Liberty, who had run all Hazards in its Cauſe, and provided for them in preference to every other Claim.
With the Earl of Bute they had no perſonal Connection; no Correſpondence of Councils. They neither courted him nor perſecuted him. They practiſed no Corruption; nor were they even ſuſpected of it. They ſold no Offices. They ob⯑tained no Reverſions or Penſions, either coming in or going out, for themſelves, their Families, or their Dependants.
In the Proſecution of their Meaſures they were tra⯑verſed by an Oppoſition of a new and ſingular Character; an Oppoſition of Place-men and Penſioners. They were ſup⯑ported by the Confidence of the Nation. And having held their Offices under many Difficulties and Diſcouragements, [6] they left them at the expreſs Command, as they had ac⯑cepted them at the earneſt Requeſt of their Royal Maſter.
Theſe are plain Facts; of a clear and public Nature; nei⯑ther extended by elaborate Reaſoning, or heightened by the Colouring of Eloquence. They are the Services of a ſingle Year.
The Removal of that Adminiſtration from Power, is not to them premature; ſince they were in Office long enough to accompliſh many Plans of public Utility; and by their Perſeverance and Reſolution, rendered the Way ſmooth and eaſy to their Succeſſors; having left their King and their Country in a much better Condition than they found them. By the Temper they manifeſt, they ſeem to have now no other Wiſh, than that their Succeſſors may do the Pub⯑lic as real and as faithful Service as they have done.