deliberation oppressed me. I found myself a partaker in a very high trust; and,
having no sort of reason to rely on the strength of my natural abilities for the
proper execution of that trust, I was obliged to take more than common pains to
instruct myself in everything which relates to our Colonies. I was not less
under the necessity of forming some fixed ideas concerning the general policy of
the British Empire. Something of this sort seemed to be indispensable, in order,
amidst so vast a fluctuation of passions and opinions, to concentre my thoughts,
to ballast my conduct, to preserve me from being blown about by every wind of
fashionable doctrine. I really did not think it safe or manly to have fresh
principles to seek upon every fresh mail which should arrive from America.

At that period I had the fortune to find myself in perfect concurrence with a
large majority in this House. Bowing under that high authority, and penetrated
with the sharpness and strength of that early impression, I have continued ever
since, without the least deviation, in my original sentiments. [Footnote: 3]
Whether this be owing to an obstinate perseverance in error, or to a religious
adherence to what appears to me truth, and reason, it is in your equity to
judge.

Sir, Parliament having an enlarged view of objects, made, during this interval,
more frequent changes in their sentiments and their conduct than could be
justified in a particular person upon the contracted scale of private
information. But though I do not hazard anything approaching to a censure on the
motives of former Parliaments to all those alterations, one fact is undoubted--
that under them the state of America has been kept in continual agitation.
[Footnote: 4] Everything administered as remedy to the public complaint, if it
did not produce, was at least followed by, an heightening of the distemper;
until, by a variety of experiments, that important country has been brought into
her present situation--a situation which I will not miscall, which I dare not
name, which I scarcely know how to comprehend in the terms of any description.