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old friend Sir Joshua Chre, a gront friend to Americn, tliouoh no 

 patriot; a rnnn who had written i^etter on trade than any other man 

 living, and who km^w nior(> ot America; and Sir Josliua (ihee says, if 

 ever the people of 'Sew England should aim to set up f()r themselves, 

 we must do the very things we are now doing — restrain their trade 

 and prohibit them iiom the fishery, and we shall soon bring them to 

 their senses. 



Mr. Fox renewed his opposition in terms of lofiy indignation. 

 He was followed bv Governor Pownall, who declared that he con- 

 sidered the measure as simply one of commercial regulation, and that 

 it should have his support. 



Mr. Dundas, as on a former occasion, closed the debate. Mr. Hart- 

 ley's amendment was rejected by a very large majoi-ity; whereupon 

 the House " resolved that the bill do pass;" and that "Mr. Cooper 

 carry the bill to the Lords and desire their concurrence." 



The subject was immediately considered in the House of Lords, and 

 an early day was assigned for final action upon it. Witnesses were 

 examined on the 15th of March. Lord Townsend asked Mr. Jenkins 

 "whether the Nantucket fishermen, after their business was interrupted 

 by the operation of the l)ill, would not emigrate to Nova Scotia?" The 

 Quaker, in his plain way, answered "No," as he had done when ques- 

 tioned in the Commons. "Why not?" inquired his lordship. "Be- 

 cause," said Jenkins, "it is a barren country, and the government, 

 thev think, is military." From these and similar inquiries made of 

 other witnesses, it seems quite evident that the lords who supported 

 the ministry hoped, with their political friends in the lower house, that 

 the fishermen of New England would abandon their homes rather than 

 suflfer and remain idle. \Vhile they elicited nothing to encourage the 

 design of thus increasing the fisheries of the loyal colony to which 

 their thoughts were direetcnl, they were told by Mr. Lystcr and Mr. 

 Davis, who were engaged in the Newfoundland fisliery, that the fish 

 hitherto sent to foreign markets fiom New England could be supplied 

 by themselves and others. Among the other persons examined were 

 two f()rmer governors of Newfoundland, Admiral Shuldham and Sir 

 Hugh Palliser. The f<)rmer spok(^ in terms ot" contempt and disparage- 

 ment of" Massachusetts and the other northern colonies; and the latter, 

 besides indulging in similar remarks, expressed the opinion, that whether 

 the restraints proposed by the bill were temporary or perpetual, they 

 would prove advantageous to Great Britain. 



On the IGth of March the bill was taken up as the order of the day 

 The debate upon its merits and consecjuences was long and animated. 

 The Manjuis of" Rockingham opposed it as op[)r(^ssive and tyrannical 

 throughout, and said that he dissented from every syllable of its con- 

 tents. The Earl of Carlisle expressed himself surprised at tlie senti- 

 ments of the noble marquis, and averied ilmt the object of"lhe ministry 

 was merely to draw America to her duty by the most lenient measures. 

 Tlie Duke of Manchester spoke of the l)ill as indisciiminati-ly cruel, as 

 presaging nothing i)nt evil, and as bearing the marks of denpotism. 

 Tile Earl ol" Denbigh defended the administration Iiom the charges 

 preferred against it, and called upon his Grace of Manchester to ex- 

 plain, which he did. Viscount Dudley obsfTvcd tiiat when *he inter- 

 lU 



