On this day 250 years ago in Parliament in London Isaac Barre delivered a prescient speech predicting the outcome of Parliament’s adoption of the Intolerable Acts:

The question now before us is, whether we will choose to bring over the affections of all our Colonies by lenient measures, or to wage war with them? I shall content myself with stating —that when the Stamp Act was repealed, it produced quiet and ease … You sent over troops in 1768, and in 1770 you were obliged to recall them … All other Colonies behaved with nearly the same degree of resistance, and yet you point all your revenge at Boston alone; but I think you will very soon have the rest of Colonies on your back … You propose, by this Bill, to make the Council of Boston nearly similar to those of the other Royal Governments; have not the others behaved in as bad a manner as Boston … Let me ask again, what security the rest of the Colonies will have, that upon the least pretence of disobedience, you will not take away the Assembly from the next of them that is refractory? … I do not know of any precedent for this Bill — I think this Bill is, in every shape, to be condemned … You are, by this Bill, at war with your Colonies … therefore, let me advise you to desist … I see nothing in the present measures but inhumanity, injustice, and wickedness; and I fear that the hand of Heaven will fall down on this country with the same degree of vengeance.

Barre also included this pointed barb in his speech: “We had been the aggressors from the beginning and like all other aggressors we shall never forgive them the injuries we have done them.”

Sources: https://allthingsliberty.com/2015/08/isaac-barre-advocate-for-americans-in-the-house-of-commons/#_edn12

https://historyofmassachusetts.org/british-react-boston-tea-party/