and,
down to the accession of George the Third, the industrial pursuits of
the colonists, under the regulations of the Board of Trade, were
subjected to restraints and impositions which amounted to actual
oppression. The Americans often petitioned for justice, but in vain.
Continental wars continually drained the imperial treasury, and the
inventive genius of British statesmen continually planned new schemes
for the creation of a revenue adequate to meet the enormous expenditures
of government. Despite the Navigation Act and kindred measures,
sometimes enforced with rigor, and sometimes with laxity, the American
Colonies grew rich and powerful. Despite the injustice of the mother
country, they were eminently loyal. During the long war between France
and England which was waged in the wilds of America, and which called
into fierce action the savage tribes of the forests, the colonies
contributed men and money with a lavish prodigality to sustain the honor
of Great Britain, and the Gallic power on our continent was crushed,
chiefly by provincial strength. The fidelity, the generosity, the
prowess, and the loyalty of the Americans commanded the admiration of
England, and should have excited her grateful desires to reciprocate and
requite the service. On the contrary, the exhibition of the wealth and
strength of the colonies during that war, excited her jealousy, led to
greater exactions, and were made a pretense for more flagrant acts of
injustice. She seemed to regard the Americans as industrious bees,
working in a hive in her own apiary, in duty bound to lay up stores of
honey for her especial use, and entitled to only the poor requital of a
little treacle.

Relying upon the steady loyalty of the colonists, and their pecuniary
ability, the advisers of the king looked to them for unceasing and
substantial aid in replenishing the exhausted exchequer. Hitherto many
of the commercial regulations had been evaded; now a rigid enforcement
of the revenue laws was commenced. By the advice of Bute the king
determined to "reform the American charters." Secret agents were sent to
traverse the colonies for the purpose of ascertaining the temper of the
people, of conciliating men of wealth and influence, and of obtaining
such information as might be useful to ministers in preparing a plan for
drawing a portion of the surplus wealth of the Americans into the
imperial treasury. The first reform measure was the issuing of _Writs of
Assi