ere not to be
convened without the consent of the governor, unless for the annual
election of certain officers. The bill, as altered, however, encountered
much opposition. In support of it Mr. Welbore Ellis asserted that it was
the duty of the legislature to alter or take away charters, if they were
abused, or found deficient; and he was supported in these views by Mr.
Charles Jenkinson and Mr. Dyson, who argued that in this case the
house proceeded, not in its judicial, but in its legislative capacity,
regulating and supplying deficiencies in charters granted by the crown.
The opposition took a different view of the measure, denouncing it as
arbitrary and likely to lead to permanent evils. Thus General Conway
could see nothing but increased exasperation, misfortune, and ruin from
the adoption of such measures; and he, with other members, asked for
more time, and demanded that the province should be heard before an act
was passed which would deprive its people of their chartered rights. The
opposition, also, argued, that the Bostonians and their neighbours had
flourished for nearly fourscore years under their democratic charter,
and that, therefore, they ought not now to be deprived of it. Some even
asked what crime and errors the New Englanders had really been guilty
of, as though they had never heard of the outrages which had been
committed. In reply to this latter question, Lord North said, with more
than his usual warmth, "I will tell you what the Americans have done:
they have tarred and feathered the officers and subjects of Great
Britain; they have plundered our merchants, burnt our ships, denied all
obedience to our laws and authority! Our conduct has been clement and
forbearing, but now it is incumbent to take a different course. Whatever
may be the consequence, we must risk something, or all is over." To
adopt such a measure as this, however, was clearly risking too much.
Governor Pownall, who said that he spoke for the last time on the
subject, warned ministers of the more than probable consequences of it,
in these terms:--"The measure which you are pursuing will be resisted,
not by force or the effect of arms, but by a regular united system. I
told this house, four years ago, that the people of America would resist
the tax then permitted to remain on them--that they would not oppose
power to power, But would become implacable. Have they not been so from
that time to this very hour? I tell you again, that they