on guard out of his turn. On July 15th, “ every thing being prepared, he led his partizans to an attack on the guard of Ivan, and having been repulsed, he brought up a piece of cannon to force an entrance to his apartment. The commanders of the guard, who conceived themselves responsible for the security of the Prince's person, finding no other way of defeating the attempt to carry him off, caused him to be put to death; and then producing his bleeding body, exposed it to the view of the conspirators, exclaiming "Here is your Emperor, let him now head you!" Struck with horror and despair, Mirowitz and his associates immediately surrendered, and he afterwards suffered death for his attempt. Of this tragedy the Empress reaped the fruit, but there seems no reason to believe that, as some suspected, it was the result of her contrivance.

The republic of Genoa finding itself unable to contend with success against the Corsican malcontents, concluded a treaty in August with the King of France, by the tenor of which seven battalions of French troops were to be sent to Corsica for four years, where they were to occupy four towns in order to secure them for the republic, but without being engaged in the war against the islanders. In November, the principal of the malcontents assembled at Bastia to deliberate on the expected arrival of these troops, when among other resolutions, Paoli was commissioned to make a respectful remonstrance to the French King, representing the injury that would be done to the Corsicans by sending over forces at the time they were on the point of expelling their enemies from the island; and also to engage other friendly powers to interpose their mediation with that King in favour of Corsica.

In December an edict was registered in the Parliament of Paris, by which the King of France for ever abolished the society of Jesuits, permitting, however, the individual members to reside in the country under subjection to their spiritual superiors, and putting a stop to all criminal proceedings against any of them. The war with the savages in America was in this

year, though not extinguished, yet greatly limited in extent. In the month of April, Sir William Johnson concluded a treaty with the Senecas, one of the hostile tribes of the Iroquois; and in the autumn, the confederate tribes between Lake Erie and the Ohio were induced to submit on the advance into their country of Colonel Bradstreet from Niagara, and of Colonel Bouquet from Philadelphia.

The East Indies presented during this year an extension of hostilities between the English Company and the native princes. Cossim Ally Cawn, who had taken shelter in Sujah Dowla's dominions, was not at first openly countenanced by that Nabob, but by his own activity and influence was enabled to bring a body of troops into the field, which cut off a small party of English. This success induced both the Nabob and the Mogul King Shah Zada, to declare in his favour, and to support his cause by bringing into the field an army of 50,000 men, with a large train of artillery. Major Adams dying about this time, Colonel Hector Munro was sent to succeed him in the command, who immediately marched with about 9000 men, of whom a small proportion were Europeans, to meet the enemy. Coming up with them at Buxar, a place about 100 miles above Patna, he attacked them on October 23d, and put them totally to the rout with the loss of 6000 left on the field, 130 pieces of cannon, and their tents and military stores. The Mogul, after this action, threw himself under the protection of the English, and signed a treaty with the Company in the camp. An attack by Major Monro on the fort of Chanda Geer having been repulsed with considerable loss, he encamped with his army under the walls of Benares, where he remained to the close of the year.

39

A.D. 1765.

YEAR OF GEORGE III. 5 & 6.

PARLIAMENT 4 & 5.

King's Speech.-Discussion on Colonial Taxation. - King's Indisposition, and Regency Bill.- Change in the Ministry.- Death of the Duke of Cumberland. Annexation of the Isle of Man. - Reception of the Stamp Tax Bill in America. Death of the Emperor of Germany. Resistance of French Parliaments to the Crown. War in the East Indies. Lord Clive's Return thither. - Treaty with Sujah Dowla. Mogul confers the Dewanee of Bengal, &c. on the English Company.- Deaths of the Dauphin of France, of Prince Frederick William, and of the Chevalier de St. George.

IN the King's speech on the opening of the Session of Parliament, January 10th, the disputes with the colonies were slightly alluded to, by expressing his Majesty's reliance on the firmness and wisdom of both Houses, "in promoting that obedience to the laws, and respect to the legislative authority of this kingdom, which is essentially necessary to the safety of the whole."

A renewed attempt was made in the same month, by the opposition in the House of Commons, to procure a resolution against the legality of general warrants, which was productive of a copious debate; but in the end, the decision of the point was eluded by the previous question.

The highly important topic of colonial taxation was brought under discussion early in the session. It has been mentioned that the resolution of laying a stamp duty on the colonies had been postponed in its effect in order to give them time to propose any other scheme of taxation which they might prefer. None of the colonies, however, had authorised their agents either to consent to a stamp tax or to offer a compensation for it; and some of them had transmitted petitions to be pre

sented to the King and both Houses of Parliament, directly calling in question the jurisdiction of the British legislature over their properties. Very warm and strenuous debates ensued in Parliament on this head; and argument was exhausted in proving on one side the reasonableness of the contribution of America to the general expences of the empire, and the natural right of a mother-country over her colonies; and on the other, the necessary connection, in a free state, of representation with taxation, and the injustice of a power of taxing others, exercised by a body whose own burthens were to be relieved in proportion to the weight of those they imposed. The point, however, was not to be decided by argument; the ministers were resolved upon carrying the Stamp Act, and it passed into a law on March 22d.

During this period his Majesty had been labouring under an indisposition, now generally understood to have been of the same nature with that which has so deeply afflicted the latter years of his reign. On his recovery he went on April 24th to the House of Peers, and made a speech to the parliament, in which he said, that "his late indisposition, though not attended with danger, had led him to consider the situation in which his kingdoms and family might be left, should it please God to put a period to his life, whilst his successor was yet of tender years." His Majesty therefore proposed to their consideration, whether it would not be expedient to vest him with the power of appointing from time to time either the queen, or any other person of the royal family, usually residing in Great Britain, to be guardian of such successor, and regent of the kingdom, assisted by a council, till the successor should come of age. In consequence of this recommendation, a bill was brought into the House of Lords, framed on the plan of the Regency Act of the 24th of the late king, in the discussion of which, a doubt arising as to the question, Who were the royal family? it was explained by the law lords to be the descendants of George II., in which construction Lord Halifax, secre,

tary of state, readily concurred, declaring it to be agreeable to the royal intention. When, however, the bill came to the House of Commons, a member, who was a confidential friend of the Earl of Bute, made a motion to insert, after the name of the queen, that of the Princess-dowager of Wales, who otherwise was excluded from the regency by the above construction. The bill passed with this amendment; but it soon appeared that the prior omission of the Princess-dowager greatly indisposed the mind of his Majesty against the ministers, and it was resolved in the secret cabinet to make overtures to some of the leaders of opposition for the formation of a new administration.

At the latter end of May, the Duke of Cumberland (the king's uncle) held a conference with Mr. Pitt and Lord Temple, in which he acquainted them that the king had determined upon changing his ministers, and wishing to engage them and their friends in his service. When conditions, however, came to be treated of, the conference proved unsatisfactory. The ministers being apprised of this hostility against them in the inner cabinet, resolved to keep no measures with the court. Mr. Stuart Mackenzie brother of Lord Bute, was dismissed, without any reason alledged, from a lucrative post which he held in Scotland; and the Duke of Northumberland, who had married a daughter of Lord Bute's, and Mr. Fox, his steady advocate in parliament, were discharged from their places. A further attempt to engage Mr. Pitt and Lord Temple having failed, the Duke of Cumberland negociated with the Duke of Newcastle the arrangements for a new administration, which were carried into effect early in July. By this disposition, the Marquis of Rockingham was made first lord of the treasury, the Duke of Grafton and General Conway secretaries of state, Mr. Dowdeswell chancellor of the exchequer, Lord Winchelsea president of the council, and the Duke of Newcastle lord privy seal. Lord Northington was continued in the post of chancellor, and Lord Egmont at the head of the admiralty. The subsequent elevation of Lord Chief Justice Pratt