[1766.] Mr. _Grenville_ moved that the stamp act should be enforced, and was supported by 134, but opposed by 274—The merchants and manufacturers joined their efforts with ministry to obtain a repeal. They were alarmed at the non-importation agreement, and the confusions which existed, as being necessarily prejudicial to their own interests, and tending to the destruction of commerce. The ministry did not fail to encourage petitions, complaining of hardships brought on by the great decay of trade to the American colonies; and also instructions to members from the trading and manufacturing towns. The petition of congress was not admitted; the members not being called together by the authority of the crown, though a futile, was yet a prevailing argument against its admission. But the repeal was grounded on the other petitions; and after a six weeks inquiry into _American_ affairs, was moved for, with the greatest propriety, by general _Conway_, the secretary, who had opposed the stamp bill at the second reading, and denied the right of parliament to tax the Americans. The debate, which ensued, was warm, interesting and long. But, by three o’clock in the morning, “[Feb. 22.] the house, by an independent noble spirited and unexpected majority, in the teeth of all the old mercenary _Swiss_ of the state, in despite of all the speculators and augurs of political events, in defiance of the whole embattled legion of veteran pensioners and practised instruments of court, gave a total repeal to the stamp act, and (if the scheme of taxing the colonies had been totally abandoned) a lasting peace to the whole empire.”[88] The motion was carried by 275 against 167. The cyder counties supported it; for they expected a repeal of the duty on cyder, and obtained it in April. It has been said, that had not the ministry bartered the stamp act against the repeal of the cyder duty, they would not have succeeded.[89] This however must be a false charge, if the former marked paragraph is strictly true. During the debate, “the trading interests of the empire crammed into the lobbies of the house of commons, with a trembling and anxious expectation, and waited, almost to a winter’s return of light, their fate from the resolution of the house. When at length, they had determined in their favor, and the doors thrown open, showed them the figure of their deliverer, in the well earned triumph of his important victory, from the whole of that grave multitude there arose an involuntary burst of gratitude and transport. They jumped upon him, like children on a long absent father. They clung about him as captives about their redeemer, All _England_ joined in his applause. Nor did he seem insensible of the best of all earthly rewards, the love and admiration of his fellow citizens. _Hope elevated, and joy brightened his crest._”[90]