iation of the right itself. The second bill, he
remarked, would give the royal commissioners far more ample powers than
those formerly entrusted to Lord Howe and his brother. They would
be authorized to treat with congress as if it were a legal body, and
competent by its acts and negociations to bind all the colonies;
they would be empowered to treat with the conventions or provincial
assemblies, or colonial congresses, and with individuals in their actual
civil capacities or military commands, without any cavil as to allowing
them and addressing them by the rank they held under congress: and
they would have the power of suspending hostilities, intermitting the
operation of laws, granting pardons, rewards, and immunities,
restoring charters and constitutions, and nominating governors,
judges, magistrates, &c, till the king's pleasure should be known.
The stumbling-block of independence was removed very skilfully by Lord
North. This act declared that should the Americans make this claim at
the outset of the treaty, they would not be required to renounce it
until it was ratified by the British legislature. The commissioners were
to be instructed to negociate for a reasonable and moderate contribution
toward the common defence of the empire when reunited, but they were
not to insist even on this slight contribution as indispensable. In
conclusion, Lord North contended that these concessions ought not to be
deemed the results of defeat or weakness, since they were substantially
the same as he should offer in the hour of victory. The events of the
war, he frankly acknowledged, had not corresponded to his expectation,
but he denied that there was any truth in the representations of
a factious opposition. But for faction, England was as fertile in
resources as ever: she was in circumstances to prosecute war, raise
new armies, and to increase her navy, so as to be enabled to meet her
accumulated foes.

Burke says that on hearing these proposals the whole house was
overclouded with astonishment, dejection, and fear. This may be
exaggeration, but it is certain that the ample concessions proposed by
the minister--concessions far outstripping those which had been brought
forward by Mr. Burke and Lord Chatham, and which were opposed by
government--were highly distasteful to the country gentlemen, and to the
whole Tory party. Expressions of loud disapprobation were heard on their
side of the house, and some bitterly complained that d