It cannot be, therefore, supposed
for one moment, that he would willingly and knowingly have aided in
lopping this fair and fruitful branch from the parent tree. In point of
fact, Franklin endeavoured, to conceal his extreme views from the public
eye; for while in private life, and to bosom friends, he stated his
unalterable resolution of procuring the independence of America, he was
openly professing to his best advocates, the leaders of the opposition
in both houses of parliament, that the wish dearest to his heart--in
common with the hearts of all honest Americans--was a continuance of the
connexion with his dear old mother country!

{GEORGE III. 1773-1775}

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST AMERICA.

At length intelligence arrived in England concerning the alarming
transactions in America. The news excited strong national resentment, so
that when the subject was brought before parliament, ministers had not
to encounter any formidable opposition to the measures they proposed
in order to meet the case. It was on the 7th of March that Lord North
introduced this subject to the house. On that day he delivered a
message to the members from the king, in which a design was intimated of
correcting and preventing such disorders, and submitted a vast mass of
documents from the governor of Boston, and other persons in authority
for their inspection. In reply to this message, a motion was made for
an address to the throne, to return thanks for it, and the gracious
communication of the papers, with an assurance that they would not fail
to exert every means in their power of effectually providing for objects
so important to the general welfare as maintaining the due execution
of the laws, and securing the just dependence of the colonies upon the
crown and parliament of Great Britain. Some few opposed this address,
although they admitted that the conduct of the Bostonians and Rhode
Islanders was exasperating in the highest degree; but the motion was
nevertheless carried without a division. Following up this address, on
the 14th of March, Lord North moved for leave to bring in a bill "for
the immediate removal of all officers concerned in the collection and
management of his majesty's duties and customs from the town of Boston;
and to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading and shipping, of
goods, wares, and merchandize at the said town of Boston, or within the
harbour thereof." This bill encountered scarcely more op