“If it is not now in our power,” (say they, in their address to Governor Bernard,) “in so full a manner as will be expected, to show our respectful gratitude to the mother country, or to make a dutiful, affectionate return to the indulgence of the King and Parliament, it shall be no fault of ours; for this we intend, and hope shall be able fully to effect.”

Would to God that this temper had been cultivated, managed, and set in action!  Other effects than those which we have since felt would have resulted from it.  On the requisition for compensation to those who had suffered from the violence of the populace, in the same address they say,—­“The recommendation enjoined by Mr. Secretary Conway’s letter, and in consequence thereof made to us, we shall embrace the first convenient opportunity to consider and act upon.”  They did consider; they did act upon it.  They obeyed the requisition.  I know the mode has been chicaned upon; but it was substantially obeyed, and much better obeyed than I fear the Parliamentary requisition of this session will be, though enforced by all your rigor and backed with all your power.  In a word, the damages of popular fury were compensated by legislative gravity.  Almost every other part of America in various ways demonstrated their gratitude.  I am bold to say, that so sudden a calm recovered after so violent a storm is without parallel in history.  To say that no other disturbance should happen from any other cause is folly.  But as far as appearances went, by the judicious sacrifice of one law you procured an acquiescence in all that remained.  After this experience, nobody shall persuade me, when an whole people are concerned, that acts of lenity are not means of conciliation.

I hope the honorable gentleman has received a fair and full answer to his question.

I have done with the third period of your policy,—­that of your repeal, and the return of your ancient system, and your ancient tranquillity and concord.  Sir, this period was not as long as it was happy.  Another scene was opened, and other actors appeared on the stage.  The state, in the condition I have described it, was delivered into the hands of Lord Chatham, a great and celebrated name,—­a name that keeps the name of this country respectable in every other on the globe.  It may be truly called

            Clarum et venerabile nomen
    Gentibus, et multum nostrae quod proderat urbi.

Sir, the venerable age of this great man, his merited rank, his superior eloquence, his splendid qualities, his eminent services, the vast space he fills in the eye of mankind, and, more than all the rest, his fall from power, which, like death, canonizes and sanctifies a great character, will not suffer me to censure any part of his conduct.  I am afraid to flatter him; I am sure I am not disposed to blame him.  Let those who have betrayed him by their adulation insult him with their malevolence.  But what I do not