The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25.

Extract of a letter from London, December 14, 1767.

"We are all very quiet here at present. The Parliament are going on with the usual business, with very little interruption from the Opposition, which are by no means united. George Grenville having, on the first day of the session, and again a few days afterwards, ineffectually tried to inflame the House against North America, by offering to their perusal a paper in the Boston Gazette, which he said contained many treasonable expressions, and having likewise found that the Rockingham party never meant to join with him, but had been making a cat's paw of him all this while, intends, for the present, to lie by, and wait some future opportunity to embroil matters, until he himself gets into power again, the sole object, you know, of all opposers; and this, I have reason to believe, he will find a difficult matter, as he is really as unpopular here as he must be with you. In the mean time however, a few changes in the present Ministry will certainly take place in a few days. Lord Gower comes in, in the room of Lord Shelburne; Mr. Rigby also, and some others of the Duke of Bedford's friends, are to be taken in, which will render the present set more strong and permanent, and enable them to go on with more courage.

"Wilkes has been once more endeavouring to establish himself here, and came over incog. some weeks ago, to see if he could procure a reverse of his outlawry, and even tried (mistaken folly!) to offer himself a candidate for the city of London, against the next General Election; but having soon discovered his mistake, and justly dreading his private creditors, he set out once more for France last Sunday morning.

"Some of the changes, I have heard just now, are to be as follows: Lord Sandwich, Secretary of State, in the room of Lord Shelburne; Lord Gower, Lord Chamberlain; and Mr. Rigby, Paymaster.

The Parliament have again resumed the consideration of the affairs of the East India Company, which will terminate, it is very likely, in a restriction of their dividends to 10 per cent. for some time longer, until they have paid off great part of their debts, and made a suitable composition with the Government. Besides this nothing very material is likely to come before them this session, the scarcity and dearness of provisions only excepted. In this it is most difficult to do any thing to purpose. What the opening our ports for every sort of eatables, duty free, for a year certain, and from all quarters, will do, must soon be seen; for that will certainly take place. This may possibly be of use to our brethren in America, as I suppose they can spare us a good deal of corn, and will come seasonably enough, as a good medium for remittances; but whether it will have any great effect with us, to cure the evil complained of, I very much question."

P. S. December 19. "Nothing hath occurred, since writing the above, worth notice. The changes mentioned have not taken place, for what reason is not certainly known. Some say that Lord Chatham, who is either coming or come to town, objects to their turning out Lord Shelburne, and proposes, once more, to take upon him the guidance of the state."