reminded of the great effects he had predicted from the American acts.
"They were to humble that whole continent without further trouble; and
the punishment of Boston was to strike so universal a panic in all the
colonies that it would be totally abandoned, and instead of obtaining
relief, a dread of the same fate would awe the other provinces to a most
respectful submission."[352] But the address, re-echoing the Royal
Speech for coercion, was adopted by a majority of two to one.

In the Lords a similar address was passed by a large majority; but the
Lords Richmond, Portland, Rockingham, Stamford, Torrington, Ponsonby,
Wycombe, and Camden entered upon the journals a protest against it,
which concluded in the following memorable words:

"Whatever may be the mischievous designs or the inconsiderate temerity,
we wish to be known as persons who have disapproved of measures so
injurious in their past effects and future tendency, and who are not in
haste, without inquiry or information, to commit ourselves in
declarations which may precipitate our country into all the calamities
of civil war."[353]

Before the adjournment of the new Parliament for the Christmas holidays,
the papers containing the proceedings of the Continental Congress at
Philadelphia reached England. The first impression made by them is said
to have been in favour of America. The Ministry seemed staggered, and
their opposers triumphed in the fulfilment of their own predictions as
to the effects of Ministerial acts and policy in America. The Earl of
Dartmouth, Secretary of State for the Colonies, after a day's perusal of
these papers, said that the petition of the Congress to the King (of
which extracts have been given above) was a decent and proper one. He
cheerfully undertook to present it to the King; and reported afterwards
that his Majesty was pleased to receive it very graciously, and would
lay it before his two Houses of Parliament. From these favourable
circumstances, the friends of conciliation anticipated that the petition
of the Colonial Congress would be made the basis of a change of measures
and policy in regard to the colonies. But these hopes were of short
duration.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 344: The royal historian, Andrews, states:

"The delegates were enjoined, by the instructions they had received from
their constituents, solemnly to acknowledge the sovereignty of Great
Britain over them, and their willingness to pay her the fullest
o