The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-05-09 00:00:00, page 2

themselves he was fully fatisfied, was much better qua
lified to take than he was; but he complied with their
friendly desires, encouraged by the hopes of their sup
port, and their estimation of his services not so much
by their effects as his wishes and endeavours. After
this preface, thegeneral said, it was not his intention to
take a retrofpeft in the detail of the American war.
That it has been unfortunate, we all feel. That it is
impracticable, we cannot but forefee. It has been un
paralleled for its barbarity. It has been unparalleled
for its difaflers. Let us not then, continued the general,
I beseech you, wed ourselves to desperation, but be
fore it be too late, let us retreat from that gulph in
to whch we are now blindly rulhing. I know it from
'the best authority. I have my information from almost
every officer of consequence who has been on service in
America, and returned to this country, that admini
flration has been in every refpeft deceived by the re
presentation made to them of the situation of the con
tinent. We have no friends there ; and if we ever had
any, our cruelties, our murders, our plunders, our
rapes, our abandoned vice of every fort has entirely
alienated them. What then are we contending for Ms it for
'a defart ? For it,is a defart we will have at laft,if we (hold
at last, (let me for an inflant fuppdfe it possible) prove
finally victorious. If we have any friends there, as my
lord Cornwallis has described them, they are timid. If
we have any foes (and that we have, let a seven years
unfortunate and dhgraceful war flamp with fad con
viaion on our minds) they are inveterate. Who that
refleas but an instant upon this melancholy posture of
our affairs, can hesitate (unless loft to every feeling
that gives a dignity to manhood,) to embrace any op
portunity confident with good sense, to put an end to
a wat the most singularly calamitous, that ever fell up
•n a people. Such an opportunity, I am well inform
ed, has been offered to administration. Let them be
ware how they reject it. Let past experience of such
imprudence teach them to avoid repeated fllipwreck.
There was a time, when this tremendous chasm which
has been opened in the empire, might have been closed
without all the facrifice of blood and riches which have
been made to fee it; yet Bill much as it has received,
it yawns for more. Good God! Mr. Speaker— how
miserable is our profped after all this waste of treasure?
Must th ; s depopulated country Bill bewail more pre
cious lives than have been squandered. I am well
authorifed in faying, that at no great diflance from
this town, there are persons deputed by Congress with
fufficient powers for a pacification. I would be glad
to know what hinders our embracing them ? Is it the
Lord John Cavepdifh, having on the Stir of March
moved four resolutions in the house of commons, viz.
The firfl 10 declare the 'um the war had cost this
country in the articles of army, navy, and ordnance
during its continuance; the second, to state our losses
as they really flood; the third, to fay that we were at
war ill Europe with France, Spain and Holland, with
out a single ally ; and the fourth, to declare it as the
opinion of that house, that the calamities and expences
incurred, as Bated in the three preceding resolutions,
were owing to the want of forefight and the want of a
bility I nhis majesty's ministers. These resolutions his
lordlhip juftified by a long train of reasoning ; the
three firft he said were felf-evident proportions, and
such as appeared on the papers before the house ; and
the fourth, lie conceived no man could deny the truth
of, who acknowledged that the sirs lthree were found
ed. He said, he should confine him to those refoluti
ons, and hoped, if any thing farther was done, it
would be done temperately, fairly and civilly. What
he had thought of was, ran humble address to his ma
fefty, to beg his majesty to make a new arrangement
of ministers; a mode of address that, he imagined,
could give no offence. His lordlhip concluded with
rtioviag :
“ That it appears to this house, that the m^^es
" voted for the arthy, navy and ordnance, ano the
" debts already ipcorred and laid before this house,
" since the year 1775, amount to one hundred mh
« lions."
rhe house was, after a long debate, divided, when
there appeared
For the address, - ^ - - 216
Against it, ------ 226
'Majority, 10'
'1 is Email number in favour of administration, in
duced his lordlhip (emulating general Conway's second
effort for def nfive war in America) to try the motion
once more, and we are informed by a letter, dated the
14th, from London that it was again brought up on
the 13th' oh March, by his lordlhip, in the house of
commons, when, on a division, the minister triumphed
in a majority of 22. Lord Howe voted on the occasion
in favour of the ministry.
From the ENGLISH CHRONICLE, dated Febru
ary 23, 1783.
Debates in the HOUSE of COMMONS upon the
American War.
GENERAL CONWAY entered upon the announ
ced enquiry into the mode of cond>&ing the A
merican war. He said he felt himfelf under pe
culiar circumstances of distress, whan he considered the
vast importance of the business he had undertaken, and
his own poor abilities for so greata talk, yet notwith
fiandiug the shortness of the time allowed him,to pre
pare to bring his motion'forward, and notwithftar.d
ing the slenderness of his talents, he would, at the
prefect alarming crisis, when the dearest interests cf his
country, when its very exigence was at flake, chearful
ly engage in a matter, which in a former debate, he
had been called to embark in by gentlemen whole par
tiality had honoured him with a lead, which any of
1782.
" You may rely on it there is an alliance formed
that will ailgnilh the World, and make us a happy peo
ple."
Commodore Johnflone waited on his m'ajefty at St.
James's oh the qtb of March. On his return home, he
touched at Lisbon, where, on the gift of January, he
was married t< the amiable Miss Charlotte Dee.
Short extract of a letter from London, dated March 4,
pride of conquest ? alas ! that we have been long firan
gers to. Is it the increase of our resources ? Let our
diminished funds speak. Is it the diminution of our
foes? Let our adnumerated enemies bear witness. If
their own folly does not induce due refleaion in the
minds of pur rulers, let them take a lesson of wisdom
from the Sybil's leaves. They were at firfl thought
too dear by the prince to whom they were offered for
tale. When half were burnt, be was then glad to give
what was at firft demanded for the whole. Sir, with
all the conviction in my mind which our situation im #
presses, of the necessity of a peace, I am free to con
fefs I have my apprehensions of a different opinion
prevailing in the breaf iof government; and a late
change in the ministry confirms my apprehensions. I
know, fir, that advanced in years as my right honour
able friend is*, who has been lately made secretary of
the American department, he still pofieffes all the vigour
of the most juvenal cenflitution. I know too his sen
timents on the present war, and his persevering dis
position. From this knowledge I dread, that although
the men are changed, the ministers are Bill the fame.
But fir, the fate of the motion which, without any apo
logy, I shall now submit to the house, will, I trust,
dissipate my fears, and convince me that the humane
profeffions of our amiable sovereign, in his speech at
the opening of this sessions, are meant to be carried in
to execution by his majesty's administration. Here
upon the general read his motion, which was to the fol
lowing purport:
" That this house do resolve on an humble address
to the throne, to implore his majesty to be graciously
pleased no longer to continue a war found impradica
ble, for bringing America to obedience by force, and
to represent to his majesty the zeal of his faithful Com
mons to support, to the utmost of their power, his ma
jesty's benign withes for the welfare of his people in the
attainnamt of peace."
Mr. Secretary Ellis, and lord Sheffield, as soon as
the noble feeaker fat down, were at the fame moment
on their legs ; but the former attracting the firft atten
tion of the chair, he was of course preferred to the pri
ority of delivering his fentilements. He began by apo-,
ligizing for the information which he intended to give
upon the business in debate; and said, much, he sup
posed, was expected from him; but as old a member
of that house as he was, he was yet but young in office.
Gentlemen would therefore, he trusted, make candid al
lowances for any disappointment in refped of their too
(anguine exp&tions.He would meet thequeftion fairly,
and whatever was prudent to disclose, he would unre
servedly communicate. In regard to any opinions
formerly delivered by him in parliament on the fubjed
of the war, he never pertinaciously adhered to what
had been taken up only on occasion. As the times va
ried their complexion, so did he his opinion. Sorry in
deed must that statesman be, who is guided by ab^rad
principles^ and the filly vilions of the closet. I have
formed my judgment, hitherto said Mr. Ellis, by what
I saw passing in the world. It is not upon idle theory—
upon (peculation, my political conduct has been found
ed. It has been upon the deliberate' view of things
really in existence; and upon that view I have former
ly contended for resolutions, Which the change of times
would render me ridiculous in persisting in. I pretend
not to the spirit of prophecy. I aftedfrom what I saw,
and the fame principle shall dired me in whatever I de
termine. lam free to own Mr. Speaker that the present
motion, great as my refpeft is for the right honourable
mover of it, militates most powerfully again ft the dis
position, I avow, I fee not any of those reasons which
doubtless, struck him, as grounds for such his wishes.
For my own part, I have ever thought, that every wife
nation has al waysentered upon a war for no other pur
pole than to procure itfelf a peace. And I have thought
too, that desired end was to be obtained, mot by ex
posing (as the propo ed address would do) the incapa
city to support a war, but by evincing a power and a
spirit to maintain it. Peace, doubticfs, is the most desir
able of all objects to a civilized people. But let not our
own fondnefs for that object deprive us of its possession;
or (what s worse) give it is upon such conditions, as
Britons, men fhouid not accept of. What does this
motion go to? A declaration to our enemies, that in
fad they are superior to us. Is this patriotism ? Is this
"wisdom? Is it prudence ? Is it even cunning? No, fir,
it is nothing that bears the ftmblance of intellect. It
is abje& imbecility! But gentlemen fay, do you mean
to benda people to your government against their will ?
Why, no. So extravagant a thought never entered in
to the heads of administration. We had, and have a
numerous body of friends in America, who, by the
deep-laid (cherries of rebellion, have been, unfortunate
ly for us, prevented from ading in that concert, that
must long since have put an end to the war, if happily
such concert had taken place. Many drafters have
happened—(difaflers which the wisest plans are liable
to) which were unfavourable to fucii a concert. We
must, therefore, at the present moment conform us to
the circumflances tl„t are at present. Though we have
loft much, it is but a poor argument that we must lose
more. There is a fp rit in this nation, which though
it bends with trifles, acquires eleflicity by great pref
fures. Let our history be canvassed and this portion
Bands confirmed. True it is we have a numerous foeto
deal with ; but is it not equally true that we havebad,
comparitively freaking, more powerful hoflility to com
bat, with less potent refcources. I flatter myfelf, that
there is not any man who hears me without prejudice,
will (ay that a word more need be urged against the
miserable folly of the address now fought for. Still,
however, it remains, that 1 thould answer a question
put to me from a quarter which I must always hold in
high esteem, however 1 may have the misfortune to hold
a difference in politics. It is fuggefled, that some ne
gociation for a peace has been offered by the Ameri
cans. If such an offer, or such a negociation has had
any existence before my h entrance into office, J confefs
myfelf a stranger to it. And as to any thing of that
nature since, 1 am equally unacquainted with it ; and I
am persuaded, if such matter had been agitated, it is
scarcely possible that I should not have a greater ir.ti
• Mr. Welbore Ellis.
It is a farce now to talk of, whether we Should grant
the Americans independence; they have enjoyed it
for feyeral years ; and who shall rob them of it? Great-
Britain ? No! France ? What is that to us ? No pow
er on earth would be mad enough to attempt it, ex
cept B , M , and . It is hoped
the bitter draughts they have already fwollowed, will
bring them to a true sense of the wretchedness of this
country; ruined past redemption by pride, obliinacy,
and folly.l
macy with it than my right honourable friend, who
seems to be so authoratatively €oi\yerfant with over
tures of that nature. The house will permit me to tell
them, I doubt the gentleman is not well grounded in his
information. The American revolters are now in the
hands of the French. They have been milled by a.
phantom. They have been waked from the poffeffioa
of luxurious freedom, by the embraces of meagre des
potism. There they are held faft. Their armies
are eloathed, their armies are fed, their armies are paid
with Gallic gold. The war is no longeran American—
it is a French war ; as such we are now to treat it. For
merly we conquered France in Germany, and now
(the times require it) we must conquer the fame per
fidious power in America. With refpe& to the mode
of the war, the paper lying on your table declare it.
The supplies you have granted must be a better proof
of the change intended in it, than any declaration of
a minister. They must tell you, that the war is not
to be carried on in the fame extent at land as formerly.
And why ? Your land forces are more circumscribed.
But to enter into the detail, refpe&ing its condu&, is
what, if any man were mad enough to desire, I would
be (if possible) more frantic in relating. I have now
with the utmost candour opened my mind to the house,
as far as the habit of public (peaking, in which I have
not of late much indulged myfelf, would permit me.
I have endeavoured to be as explicit as the nature of
my trust, and the extent of my (lender capacity would
permit me. I have given you my faith, and I have
given you also such reasons for it, as while they jufti
fy my past opinions, will incline you to join me in my
present one, of the impropriety and ruinous tendency
of the prefect motion.
The question was then called for, and the house di
vided Ayes, 193
NocSq 194.
Majority forcarrying on the American)
war offenfively ) '
From the (London) GENERAL ADVERTISER,
dated March 2, 1782.
PERHAPS the ministry, notwithstanding their
late defeat, think to be able to abuse the nation
by, a mock appearance of fending out some red
heeled commissioners to fee the worthies in America.
It is said they intend cajoling some of the members of
opposition to be of the party ; but it may be depended
on, that no proposals from the present men in power
will be livened to in America ; they are too well
known for duplicity, rancour, and meanefs, to delude
that brave, fuffering people- It may likewise be ob
served, that no address will be received by Congress,
unless direded to the honourable the Congress of ths
independent and United States of America.
An address to enquire, who advised his majesty to
continue in power the ministers ; who constantly de
ceived not only the nation, but his majesty.
To make a motion, after proper intelligence, to
impeach any of the cabinet counsellors, to try them
before the house of commons, and to acquit, or pun
ish them with confifeation of estates, or death, accord
ing to their demerits.
An address to remove for ever from his majesty's
councils the men who have formed the cabinet coun
cil for these last ten years; for as his.majefty can do
no wrong, and as much wrong has been done this
country, whether from ignorance or design, ftili th©
misfortunes are real, and felt by every individual;
therefore, as incapacity is as fully criminal as a wicked
intention in ministers, and as the cabinet council are
alone answerable for all our disasters, their influence
must be inevitably destroyed ; for falus populi fuprema
lex est; even kings themselves have been confined,
deposed and punished with death in this country on
that universal principle. I am your former corres
pondent under the new title of F I R M I T A S.
An address to make a ftri& enquiry why the navy
was negleded, and the army encreafed ; and the rea
sons why the nation was precipitated into a. French^
Spanish and Dutch war, when it was notorious and
felf-evident, that no success had, or probably could
attend the American war.
It is with pleasure I inform you, Mr. Printer, that
the present advantage gained over a hated ministry
will not bs loft by remiffnefe in opposition, as the mi
nistry hope, with and expert ; for the following ad
dresses to his majesty are in contemplation, to lay the
axe to the root, to cut down the trunk and deftro,
the branches of lord Boreas's administration.
An addrefsto deliver up the names of the men who
advised his majesty to treat with contempt American
petitions.; and to continue the deftrudive war so ma
ny years.
The 24th instant, at four in the morning, the ba-,
ron de Fort, aid de camp to the baron de Falkenlayne
arrived with dispatches from that general officer, an
nouncing, that on the morning of the fourth, of the
fame month, after a heavy fire during the whole
night of the 3d and 4th from the besiegers, general
Murray, commandant of the garrison, hung out the
white flag, and sent an Hanoverian lieutenant with a
letter to the due de Crillon, in which he proposed to
capitulate on the condition of being allowed the ho
nours of war, and that the garrison should be sent to
some port of England, at the expence of his Catholic
majesty. > *
An address to bring forth to public view-the plate
ners and plans of the American campaigns, on what
intelligence, and on what profpeas of success they
were founded.
P ARI S, February 26.