state.

inimical to the existence of both church and Although all Dissenters were far from having imbibed such notions, or formed such intentions; yet, as many, and especially the leading men among them, had done so, wisdom dictated a caution before unnecessary. Besides, there are states of society in which it would be proper to counteract the very opinions that it would be right to cherish in different circumstances. In the early part of this reign, the power of the executive branch of the constitution was preponderant: wisdom directed and patriotism prompted their votaries to throw their weight into the popular scale. Soon after the French revolution, doctrines prévailed, tending to elevate the popular branch much beyond its due proportion. The same wisdom directed and the same patriotism prompted its votaries to counteract that prevalence. BURKE'S CONDUCT AROSE FROM IDENTITY OF PRINCIPLE, VARYING ITS OPERATIONS IN DIVERSITY OF CIRCUM

STANCIS.

Sir Henry Houghton's motion passed through the House of Commons, but was thrown out in the House of Lords.

The discontinuance of other duties, as Burke had foreseen, was far from satisfying the Americans, whilst that on tea was reserved. They considered the relinquishment as extorted by their resistance, not as granted to their solicitations. The remaining duty on tea they thought the maintenance by -Parliament of the principle of taxation, while a more convenient opportunity was waited for extending its operation. Their distrust of the mother country continued. Associations were formed to discourage the use of tea and to resist its importation.

East India affairs, in the session of 1772, became a principal subject of parliamentary deliberation. The proceedings of the legis lature respecting India, at that time, constitute an important epoch in the history of this reign: not only for the new regulations

for the management of the East, but for bringing to a crisis our disputes with the West: they constitute also an epoch in the. life of Burke, as he now commenced the investigation of subjects which afterwards occupied so much of his labours.

The abuses of the Company's servants in India had raised an outcry in this country. Burke made accurate inquiries into the al ledged oppressions and cruelties, and, by oral testimony and written documents, açquired a very exact and extensive knowledge of the history, actual state, abuses, means of correction, and general interests of British India.

Parliament found the affairs of the Company of such complication, difficulty, and importance, that they chose a Select Committee, to inquire during the recess, into the condition of the commercial and territorial possessions. The ruling Directors, apprehensive that the full disclosure of the abuses of their servants would induce Government

to intermeddle in concerns hitherto guided by themselves and their creatures, thought of means to prevent the interference. Hoping that, by reposing unlimited confidence in a popular man, they might stop the public clamour, and also take from Government the most plausible pretext for interfering in their affairs, they proposed to send Burke to India with discretionary powers, as the head of a commission for the reform of abuses. He refused the appoints ment, determined to adhere to his párty.

Besides the plea of the misconduct of their servants, there was another reason in the finances of the India Company, for which Government proposed to take a direction in the management of their affairs. Their pecuniary concerns had, according to Ministry, become very much embarrassed. Being unable to make good their payments, they applied to Parliament for assistance, and represented that their difficulties were owing chiefly to the want of the usual market for their tea in America; in consequence of

which they had seventeen millions of pounds lying in their warehouses. Lord North alledged, that the proceedings of the Select Committee, during the recess, had been too slow for the urgency of the case; and proposed a Secret Committee, consisting of eleven meinbers. This Committee being appointed, went over the commercial and political affairs of the Company with so great dispatch, that after sitting nine days, from November 28th to December 7th, 1772, it procured such information as Lord North professed to think a sufficient ground for very important measures. The first was a bill to restrain the Company for a limited time from sending a commission of supervision to their Presidencies in India. The proposed commission was, by the supporters of the bill, represented as by far too expensive for the involved state of the Company's finances. Burke took a very extensive view of the constitution of the Com

pany, and its actual state. This speech was one of the numberless instances, paratum