The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1777-04-07 00:00:00, page 1

LONDO N, Nov. 5.
Th Speech of Mr. WILKES it th Houfi •/ Commons, on
TburJdaj last.
Mr. SPIAKER,
hr( HE honourable gentleman who spoke left, am
■ deavoursto mislead the house. It is certain
" that no prtffixg has at thia time been carried
on in the city of London, or its liberties. No prefs
gangs have dared to make their appearance in thatje
sifdi&ioa. Those lawless bands of cruel banditti ve
ry prudently chose other feeder of horror and blood
shed, of Jess danger to themselves. The city has hi
therto remained in perfis& fafety and tranquility, in a
mod happy date offscsrhr, by the vigilance, intre
pidity, and noble love of liberty, which are coafpicu
ousin its present worthy raagiftrate.
The conduit of administration, Sir, in the late if
firing of press warrants, before they had tried the ope
ration of the high bounty, is totally unjuftifiable.
The frock now in your haud, Sir, is so very pacific,
that ths l* r j, bounty of five pounds for every able,
and fifty fhulinzs for every ordinary iceman, promis
ed in left Saturday's Gazette, might fafely, for a short
time at hsit, have been irufied to, the emergency not
being thought very critical. From the minister's own
state of public affairs there was as danger in the ex
periment. Much cruelty and bloodshed had been
avoided, many valuable lives preferred.
The affair of Long Iflaad has baen-mifreprefented,
and greatly magnified to the house. The fuparierity
of numbers was very confiderabie. Gen. Howe land
ed az,ooo men. The privincials had only 6000 ef
fe&ive men on that island. They were ordered to
retreat, and 4000 did accordingly, without being at
tacked, embark for the city of New-York. There was
a real mikake of orders as to the other two thousands,
but they a&d as brave med always will aft under a
mifiake of orders ; they fought. They saw the ene
my, left their entrenchments, and attacked with spi
rit. From the faperiotity of numbers, and their flanks
being ntgleded and unguarded, they were totally de
feated. They did not however remain ina&ive, like
cowards, on an important day of battle. No such
imputation can be fixed on them. Nothing dicifive
can follow from the late fuccehful affair on Long-
I(lend, no more than from the defeat from Sullivan'a-
Island. New-York will probably fail into your hands,
but your fixation will in that case be scarcely mend
ed since the left year, for you then possessed the capi
tal of North Amrica, Bofan. Is that great and im
portant town adraaugcull, exchanged for Nsw-
Yerk ? I forgot that we stilt poffafa the fishing hamlet
of Halifax. But, Sir, we ou^ht to take a much larg
er end more comprehensive view of this interesting
feeae, which is now fully difclcf^d.
The important dispute of Great-Britsia with her
Colonies has far a considerable time fixed the attenti
on, not only of this nation, but of almofl all Europe.
The mod effeatial interims of this country, and indeed
of the greater part of the powers on the continent, are
deeply interested in the event. The facrifice of so
much blood and treafare is to every state an objed of
the highest importance ; to us, whose empire teems
mouldering away, of the nearUi concern, and I much
fear we are now brought by inextricable difficulties to
the verge ofdeftru&ion.
Since our lad meeting, Sir, th? feene, with r^fped
to America, has totally changed. lodged of aegoci
ati ^8 with colonies, or provincial affsmblies, we hxve
a war to carry on againi the Free and Independent
States if America ; a wicked war, which has been
occasioned solely by a spirit of violence, injuftic#, and
obfiiancy in our ministers, unparalleled in hiftoiy. In
the baginnig of September in the last year, a very
dutiful petition was feat from the Congress tn his Ma
jesty, in which his Maj "By was fityplicated “ to dire&
fame mode, by which the united applications of his
faithful colonies to the throne, in pursuance of com
mon council;, may be improved into a happy and per
manent reconciliation." There was not a word in
the petition but what breathed submission and loyalty,
and the official answer of Lord Dartmouth, the Secre
tary far the American department, after long deliber
ation, was te the left degree irritating. It was" that
no anf*er will be given" that is, we will not treat,
we f:era to negotiate with you, we exaft unconditi
onal fubmidion. This answer, Sir# in my opinion.
gmiQ & 7> !771l
CONNECTICUT
AND
W 1 1 K LY
Containing th# Frtfaft ADVICES,
Primted amd published by EBENEZER WATSON, near the GREAT BRIDGE.
might justly be called indignity & insult. It drove the
Americans to despair, & with the violation of the ; erfidi
ous promises in Lord Hilllb@rough's famous circular
letter, laid the real foundation of their declaration of
Independency. The Jesuits in France rifqued nothing
whan they piopheciad in i6io the death of the belt
Prince that ever reigned in Europe, within that year.
Their's was the sure word cf prophecy. They em
ployed Ravillac to assassinate their sovereign.
An honourable gentleman near me attacks the A
merican declaration of independence* a very peculiar
Banner, as a wretched compc fi ion, very ill written,
drawn up with a view to captivate the people. That,
Sir, it the very reason why I approve itmaft as a com
petition, as well as a wife, political marine, for the
people are to dicide this great controversy. If they
are captivated by it, the end is attained. The po
lilhed periods, the harmonious, happy expressions,
with all the grace, ease, and elegance of a beautiful
didiom, which we chiefly admire, captivate the peo
ple of America very little; but manly netveus fan fa
they relish, even in the most aukward & uncouth < rtfs
of language. Whatever composition produces the sf
f<d you intend in the most forcible manner, is, in my
opinion, the best, and that mode should always be
purfeed. It has the mod merit, as well as fuccafs,
on the great theatrecfthe world, no left than on the
flags, whether you mean to infpixe pity, terror, or any
other pedion.
The honourable gentlemen, Sis, who ftconded the
addrefs,fays,thcAmerican declaration of independency
was mo furprize to him-..ner I believe, Sir, to any
man of common nlhaicn, after the frantic extrava
gant career, which administration pursued, with a fall
chorus of approbation f om the majority el this house.
The speech in your hand, Sir, which an honourable
gentleman near me has well calleda speech of hypo
crisy, mentions the “ sffurances cf amity, which his
M>j:fly continues to receive fiom the feyeral courts
of Europe." At the beginning of the left riffick, the
minister gave us in the King's speech more explicit
assurances. Itwas said, 46 lam happy to add.that,
as well from the rffufancts 1 have received, as firm
the general appearance of affairs in Europe, I fee no
probability that the meafuies, which you may sdopt,
will be interrupted by disputes with any foreign pow
er." We have no fitch affurancas held out to u. this
year, that our mexfures will not be interrupted by dif
putas with any other foreign power ; but we have fill
Lffur^nces of amity, which me d&ily contradicted by
the i&menfe preparations of the neighbouring foreign
powers of France and Spam, and i; &gd cf:he whole
house cf Bourben. The accounts from Naples con
tain little but the vai tpreparations making by the
king of the two Sicilian. Are we indeed simple and
credulous enough to trust to the gcas:al vague expief
fions of politeness against the clear evidence of fedb ?
Our ministry know very well that an American priva
teer being lately ftopt at Bilbaa in Bifc&y, an express
was immediately dispatched to Madrid, which return
ed the falkft di caians for the rdc^fa of the privateer,
and frormiffion to furnish him with provisions, floras,
ammunition, in fhorr, whatever he wanted. This
faft will not be denied. Is- Spain then one of the
foreign powers, which again fc©he 3 us with thcfs ho
nied assurances of amity ? Has fate ordained, that we
are neither to peffefs capacity enough to profit ty^a
example of others, nor even by cur own experiero ?
In the very firft year of rhe prefnt teign, in Septem
ber >761, the Gazette told us, that " the Catholic
King had, at no time, been more in ent upon cul
tivating a good corrafpondence wi h England, than in
the present cerju&ura ;" a declaration received feri
cufly here, held out as part of the court Creed, and
laughed atby all the reftvf Europe. In the beginning
of the folkwir g January, without any new fads having
occared cf any moment, war was declared by E^gUnd
against Spain. Will the plausible, fmeoth-torgued
French liktwifs be able to lull us into a fatal fren ity
against the evidence of all hiftcry / Can we cxpcd to
be treated by them in any other manner then the
Spaniard, wets at the time of the famous revolt of
Portugal? The French feat whole regiments, com
pletely officered, into the fervicc cf the house of Bra
geizi. They paid them under hand the fame as their
national troops, yet all the while declared ttcir ab.
korranc# of rebellions and of rebels, issuing predama.
sis a
ismti
^4O /&^
.MBfO^^^M
ag m eg r 637,
COURANT
^4rt> ora
INTELLIGENCES
We have now been carrying on for two years a fc
vage and piratical, as well as an unjust, war. Eicct
demand of government has been complied with, and
yet the great force employed both by fta and lai d has
not hitherto recovered a single province cf all the con
federated colonies. On the contrary, the evil grows
deiperate. The left year only twelve colonies hum
bly petitioned the throne. This jeer by the acccffica
of Georgia we have fceu a faderai unicu of thirteen
fee and powerful provinces sfferting their indeptn.
deacy as high and mighty Bates, and fitting cur pow
er at defiance. This was done with circunftarc^ c f
spirit and courage, to which pofari y «ill co justice.
It was dire&y after the fife landing cf ycur whole
force. In return we have barban 1 fly plundered their
coafis, and fat fire to their open towns and def'nctlefa
villages, in a manner which difgr^ces the English
name. la the mieft of all th? difficulties, terrors, and
devaflations which follow ycur arm,, the spirit cf°th#
Americans is frill unfubw u<d, and I hope and believe
ycu never will conquer the free spirit cf the larceny
dents of Englishman, chested in sn honest cruse.
They honour, and value, the bluffing, if liberty^
They are determined tc live, and die, fret men, not
withstanding the vain efforts cf every arbitrary power
in Europe. It is a fooßflr attempt to think cf con
quering and holding the immense territory cf North-
America, when thcehclc ccuntry is united against u ,.
We argue in a trifl ng manner cn the decisive good
confequarces fir events only in the province cf New-
York. They de not prove thatwe ffiall fuldue Vir
ginia, er either of the Carlinas. Success in two cr
three battles, or feget, argues little for the final fc
cefs of a war, fa exteafive already, ano so greatly com
plicated.
As to our unanimity at home, Sir, the very idea s*
absurd, because impc ffible, while the present fyflera
of iijuftice and oppression centinnes in full vigeur,
Th^ American waris uejuft and unconfitutional in its*
firft principle, and, if peififted ir,mufi tad inourruin.
We have neither forge to conquer, nor Strength to
maintain, finch extensive cor quests, if we could fac
eted. Oar situation it become *ruely critical. Tha
conttituricn of this country is at h me sapped by bri
bery and corruption. Outhe othg, fideof the Atlan
tic it is rflailed by vialsaca end force es arms. The
too fatal fuccefi in this devoted nation very evident, bug
in the new world, I trust, as a friend of mankind, that
the demotic meafurrs of a tyrannical adminiftririoM
will prove ihcffeau&l. I is impclibh for this iflaad
teconquer and hold America, they are determined
and united. Ycur fleets may indeed every year carry
horror through all their crafts. Your armies may
possess £me fra port towns, but the numerciu and
greatly i^emfog people of the provinces will retire
into the interior parts, cf which ycu have already bed
some experience. Peaceful towns and villages win
cover the f-ui <ul plains, liberty will fix her bleft
bode among them, the unmolested,happy ixlabiunta
tion after proclamation, and recalling their defertafa
under the mart severe penalties. Sir, their is not a
power in Europe, unsubsidized by Gieat- Britain,
which does not wish feccefs to the Americans, and wig
are ccafidcred almost every where on the continent, irc
the edious light of tyrants and oppriffors.
The speech, Sir, Bates, that" if treason be fuffsred
to take root, much mikhief may grew from it to the
fafsty cfmy loyal colonies." Aas ! Sir. what we call
treafen and re bullion, and they just refinance and a
glorious resolution; has taken root, a very deep r oes
indeed, and has fpr<ad over aimed all the American
colonies. In this very fpe&h we are told of their
numbers, their wealth, their firergth by fee ard Irada
The loyal colonies are three, the fiee provinces thir
teen. In laying on the embargo, the exception tc th®
ru!e is ridiculous enough. It is as iL+reen to thre^
The GazMti f&ys, " any of my colonies in Notth-
America, except the colonies of New Hrapihir^Maf.
fschufetts-Bsy, Rhede Island, Conne&icut, New-
York, New J^fej, Pennsylvania, the three lower
counties on Delegate, Maryland, Virginia, Norths
Carolinia, South. Carolina and Georgia." Ofwhea
other colonies was his msjefty in pofieffipa at his ac
cession to the throne ? I thick the permission extends
only to the province!, which we have rot yet led, to
the two Roman Catholic provinces cf Canada and
Florida, and to Nova- Scotia.
Both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC;