drew his sword
against his fellow-subjects, he should first be convinced that the cause
was just. Thurlow combated this notion with indignation, asserting that
if such a doctrine was established, it must tend to a dissolution of
government. In the course of the progress of this bill petitions from
the West India merchants were presented, and council heard against it.
It was also opposed in all its stages, and several amendments were moved
in committee, but it finally passed as it was originally framed, by a
majority of one hundred and twelve against sixteen only.

The debate on this bill in the house of lords was equally warm as
that in the commons. In the face of all matter of fact, the opposition
contended that the Americans were not in a state of rebellion: they had,
it was conceded, taken up arms, but they were driven to it by violence,
injustice, and oppression. Lord Lyttleton and Denbigh denounced these
sentiments as an immoderate licence of language, and the latter peer
asserted broadly, that those who defended rebellion were little better
than rebels themselves, there being no wide difference between traitors
and those who openly or covertly aided them! During the progress of the
bill several amendments were proposed, but always ineffectually; and
a petition was presented by the merchants of Bristol, praying that its
operation might be suspended: the bill, however, was read a third time
on the 21st of December, and was passed without a division. On the third
reading it was defended, together with the whole conduct of government
towards the Americans, by Lord Mansfield. Previous to this, intelligence
had been received of the march of the two American armies to our
Canadian frontiers, so that his lordship could now make a bolder stand
against the arguments of the opposition. He remarked:--"We are now
in such a situation, that we must either fight or be pursued;" and he
illustrated his position by an anecdote related of a Swedish general,
under Gustavus Adolphus, who, pointing to an advancing enemy, observed
to his troops:--"My lads, you see those men; if you don't kill them
they will kill you." His lordship then continued:--"If we do not get the
better of America, America will get the better of us. They have begun
to raise a navy; trade, if left free to them, will beget opulence, and
enable them to hire ships from foreign powers. It is said, the present
war is only defensive on the part of America. Is the attack on