members of the house of
commons, but also other strangers, to hear the debates of the upper
house. This put an end to a bitter contention which had existed between
the lords and commons for four years.

CHAPTER VI.

{GEORGE III. 1775-1776}

Debates on America..... Pacific Measure of Lord North.....
Burke's Plan of Conciliation..... Close of the Session.....
Petition of the City of London..... Departure of
Franklin..... Proceedings of the Americans..... Expedition
to seize Stores at Salem..... Affair at Lexington, etc......
Meeting of the Assemblies and General Congress..... Battle
of Bunker's Hill..... General Washington..... Expedition
against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, etc,..... Expedition
against Canada..... Disposition and Revolt of the
Virginians..... Conduct of Congress towards New York,
etc...... Proceedings in England..... Prosecution and Trial
of Home Tooke, etc...... Meeting-of Parliament..... Changes
in the Ministry..... The Militia Bill..... The Navy and
Land Estimates..... Petition of Nova Scotia..... Petition
of Congress..... Motions of the Duke of Grafton..... The
Land-tax increased..... Burke's Second Conciliatory
Motion..... Lord North's Prohibitory bill.

{A.D. 1775}

DEBATES ON AMERICA.

During the Christmas recess, ministers had received more alarming
intelligence from America, coming down to the seizure of Fort William
and Mary by the people of New Hampshire, as previously recorded. When
parliament again met, therefore, which was on the 20th of January, the
affairs of America became the prominent subject of discussion. Before
that day it had been concerted between the Earl of Chatham and his
friends that he should make one of his grand displays on the subject in
the house of lords. After the minister had laid some important
documents respecting the state of the colonies before the house, Chatham
accordingly rose. He commenced by condemning all that the ministers had
done, and by reproving them for their tardiness in communicating the
American papers. He then congratulated their lordships upon the fact
that the business was at last entered upon, by the noble lords laying
these papers before them, and expressing a supposition that their
contents were well known, he next made this motion: "That an humble
address be presented to his majesty, to desire and beseech that, in
order to open the