he repeal of the American Stamp Act. 2. To the
commercial regulations then made. 3. To the course of foreign
negotiations during that short period.

A person who knew nothing of public affairs but from the writings of
this author, would be led to conclude, that, at the time of the change
in June, 1765, some well-digested system of administration, founded in
national strength, and in the affections of the people, proceeding in
all points with the most reverential and tender regard to the laws, and
pursuing with equal wisdom and success everything which could tend to
the internal prosperity, and to the external honor and dignity of this
country, had been all at once subverted, by an irruption of a sort of
wild, licentious, unprincipled invaders, who wantonly, and with a
barbarous rage, had defaced a thousand fair monuments of the
constitutional and political skill of their predecessors. It is natural
indeed that this author should have some dislike to the administration
which was formed in 1765. Its views, in most things, were different from
those of his friends; in some, altogether opposite to them. It is
impossible that both of these administrations should be the objects of
public esteem. Their different principles compose some of the strongest
political lines which discriminate the parties even now subsisting
amongst us. The ministers of 1764 are not indeed followed by very many
in their opposition; yet a large part of the people now in office
entertain, or pretend to entertain, sentiments entirely conformable to
theirs; whilst some of the former colleagues of the ministry which was
formed in 1765, however they may have abandoned the connection, and
contradicted by their conduct the principles of their former friends,
pretend, on their parts, still to adhere to the same maxims. All the
lesser divisions, which are indeed rather names of personal attachment
than of party distinction, fall in with the one or the other of these
leading parties.

I intend to state, as shortly as I am able, the general condition of
public affairs, and the disposition of the minds of men, at the time of
the remarkable change of system in 1765. The reader will have thereby a
more distinct view of the comparative merits of these several plans, and
will receive more satisfaction concerning the ground and reason of the
measures which were then pursued, than, I believe, can be derived from
the perusal of those partial representations contained in