from the Whiggish
spirit flourishing in that country. The spirit which now resists
your taxation in America, is the same which formerly opposed loans,
benevolences, and ship-money in England: the same spirit which called
all England on its legs, and by the Bill of Rights vindicated the
constitution; the same principle which established the great fundamental
and essential maxim of our liberties, that no subject of England shall
be taxed but by his own consent. This glorious spirit of whiggism
animates three millions in America, who prefer poverty with liberty, to
gilded chains and sordid affluence, and who will die in defence of their
rights as men--as freemen." Chatham enlarged greatly upon this glorious
spirit of Whiggism displayed on both sides of the Atlantic, asserting
that it would finally compel the ministers not only to abandon their
present measures and principles, however many noses they might count on
a division, but to hide their heads in shame. He continued: "They cannot
my lords, they cannot stir a step; they have not a move left; they are
check-mated. It is not repealing this or that act of parliament--it
is not repealing a piece of parchment--that can restore America to our
bosom; you must repeal her fears and her resentments, and you may then
hope for her love and gratitude. But now, insulted by an armed force at
Boston, irritated by a hostile array before her eyes, her concessions,
if they could be forced, would be suspicious and insecure; they will be
_irato animo_, not sound honourable factions of freemen, but dictates
of fear and extortions of force. It is, however, more than evident, you
cannot force them, principled and united as they are, to your unworthy
terms of submission. It is impossible." Having been pathetic on
General Gage in one part of his speech, Chatham now was witty upon him,
comparing him with the great General Conde, who upon being asked why
he did not capture his adversary Turenne, replied, that he was afraid
Turenne would take him. Chatham then contended that nothing was left
but to withdraw the troops from Boston, and to repeal all the acts of
parliament. This, he imagined, might satisfy the Americans, and have the
effect of binding them to an acknowledgment of our sovereignty, and our
rights to regulate their navigation and commerce. Concessions, he said,
must be made at some time or other, and they had better be made now,
when they might do it as became their dignity. He conclud