Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/337

Rh Barrington; which contains a general account of the Act. It was first suggested by the military, and intended to give a power of billeting on private houses, as was done in the war. It was altered by the merchants and agents, who substituted empty houses, provincial barracks, and barns, in their room, undertaking that the Assembly should supply them with the additional necessaries; and it passed, I believe, without that superintendence or attention on the part of Government, which is so wanted in all cases where necessity requires something different from the general principles of the constitution. I am told it was carried through by Mr. Ellis, without the entire conviction or cordial support of Mr. Grenville, who made it a separate Bill lest it might embarrass the General Mutiny Act.

"The infatuated conduct of the Assembly in refusing even present obedience to the Act, precludes I am afraid all consideration of the merits or principles of it, by involving a far greater question. I have, however, examined with all the attention possible the Mutiny Act here, and find it amazingly tender both in regard to Scotland and Ireland. That part of it only which regards the discipline extends to Ireland. It is very extraordinary that by the best information I have been able to procure, the troops are quartered there under no direct law whatever here or there, but either on account of old prerogative or custom, or the necessity of the thing being understood, it is generally submitted to.

"As things stand in America, so many considerations cross upon each other, that all the difficulties of the situation are scarce within compass to be stated. One great difficulty, however, is, that whatever the conduct of New York or even of America may be, arising from the diffidence and excess of apprehension your Lordship mentions, it were to be wished not to establish a precedent in whatever is done, which may hereafter be turned to purposes of oppression and to promote measures opposite to those general public principles upon which the Stamp Act was repealed. Another is that if these infatuated people