The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-07-22 00:00:00, page 2

I. ONDO N, April 6.
HOUSE of COMMONS.
Thursday, March 2.
T ; ,R. Ferment maved, “ That an account be laid be-
VI fore the House of all the fhms of war, diftingudh
ing tee r rates, that were on the Jamaica Ration, in the
yeir 1756"
Mr. T. Luttrell Seconded the motion, and observed,
that on a former occafi >n, relative to Jamaica, when a
petition from thv Planers of that Island had been laid be
fAr, he House, the noble Secretary for the American
Department bad Did, that there were then 21 fh'ps of war
for t'c° defence of the Island. This, he said, was not a
fad : for all the naval forceon that station, to his certain
knowledge, did not equal that of four (hips of the line, or
three of 4. The great comequence of that Mand was an
aggravation of the guilt of those who had negleaed to
provide fcAcitnt : y for its defence. He contended that they
were. Rd r he more culpably as a small squadron, pro
perly Rationed, would fecore it egainft the most formida
ble invrfion. Commodore Forrest had assured him, that 6
or 7 fol Hth? line, Rationed at Port Royal could save
that capital and the greatest part of Jamaica.
Lord George Germaine said, he thould have been very
unhappy if he h%d misinformed the House ; but when he
fisted the naval force of Jamaica at st ships of war, he
fpote from an official paper, which he took to be fuffici
end, authentic to secure him from the imputation of ha
ving misinformed Gentlemen. He did not mean, how
ever, that the 21 were of the line; and upon enquiry, he
was fa^sfied it would be found to be true, that so fully
wire Ministers aware of the importance of Jamaica, that,
during the prefect war, no part of his Majesty's foreign
dorr Nicus had been so much attended 10 as that Island ;
and that its defence had been as amply provided for, as
the five of our naval force would admit.
Mr. T. Luttrell admitted that there were 21 veffelson
the flation, but then the number was made up of armed
boats, cutters, &c.
The motion was then carried without any opposition.
Th* Hurtingdonihire petition was brought in by Lord
Ludlow, who declared it was finned by a majority of the
Freeholders, Landholders, &c. of the county.
Lord Hinchinbroke den i*d this, and Rated to the House
the particulars of what puffed at the meeting, flawing,
that the Sheriff declare I that there w;s a majority against
the petition . that the majority so deci red,offered to put
the matter out of dispute by a div:fi% but that those
who were advocates for the petition refused it. Hie Lord
flip Nfo read the resolutions agaioft the petition, figged
by the majority of the Freeholders.
Lord Ludlow and Lord George Cavendiffi replied, and
said the mhT.ke aiofe from the Sheriff's being exceeding
ly fhoit -lighted.
Mr. Cal and Sir George Wombwell supported the af
frrti us Qf Lord Hinchinbroke, and confirmed them, by
reciting each a findar account of the meeting.
The petition war brought up and read.
The Surry petition was then brought in by Sir Joseph
Mawbey, and a debate somewhat similar arose between
Sir Joseph and Mr Scawen fcr the petition, and Mr. On
fltv an.! Colonel Onflow for the proteftore. The petition
was laid upon the table.
Lord N^rth informed the Hcufe that he had a motion
to male, which he was then ready to fubmt to their con
sideration, if they were willing to admit it without a con
test ; if, on the contrary, the House Should he inclined
to dispute it, hewo Id orly read it as a notice of a mo
thn, which he would make on a future day. It was for
leave to bring in a bill to appoint a romm.fiion cf accounts
to irfpea the expenditure of public money, to difeover
the (peculations er embezzlements, if a*ny such exited ;
to find ent what balances were in the hands of the officers
of the cro. n„ in order to apply them to the public use,
and to /no out r earns to accelerate the making vp of ac
counts in the Exchequer.
A bill grounded upon this motion, his Lordship pre
fer ', would go a £re t ^y towards the reformation
so much defied by t;,e people of England ; it would cor
reo a. ufy n the Exchequer, and render, at least, ? efs te
die::, many moder of acccu vi g. He did not, however,
expert P A every ''Log could be remedied by it, fcr in
t e Eoc equrr tha.e were many things in their nature
abfolutel, without remedy. That gentlemen might not
take umbrage at the choice he might make of Comtniffi
cc^, I e progofd that they should not be Members cf
either House of Parliament ; —that they thould be fw^rn ;
and they should have power to examine witnesses upon
oath ; and that they thould fitthe whole year ; by which
ti ty Ih.ui I be enabled to do infinitely more buhnefs han
a Committee of that Floufe, whole fittings woul be in
terrupted by a prorogation. In a word, from a commis
sion so conPituted, he flattered himfelf that very great
benefis would arise to tkenation.
Mr. Burke (Nd he could not but oppose the motion, if
11 e Noble Lord fhoold persevere in making it then, as it
abfolu dy superseded three very eTential parts of bis bill,
the feezed reading of which was to come on that day
Lord North desired the House would take what he had
said only as a notice of, not as a motion then made.
Colonel E rre did not think that the Noble Lord had
dealt very gente-ly by him ; the thought which had gi
ven rife to the N. ble Lord's plan, had originated with
him, ^nd by him had been communicated to rhe House.
He expected to have had the honor of bringing in a bill
bimLlf on the fubjeft ; but as it had fallen into better
hands, he would not tovy the Noble Lord the honor that
might arise from it.
The Colonel then made two motions, which passed
wit out opposition. The firft, for an account of the fees
and perqwfites required by the officers of the Mint at the
late recoinage of the gold coin. The other, thatan ac
count of ah tr.e money received into the Exchequer, and
by all the subordinate colkaors and receivers of public
money through the kingdom, up to the end of the year
1778, the year ending at Michaelmas.
Lord George Gorden was of opinion that the Noble
Lord should make hie motion then, in conformity to the
prayer of the county petitioners, that r formation fh^ld
precede taxation. The honorable gentleman, who had
spoken last, had talked a good deal cf reformation ; and
what did it allendin? In an attack upon poor Mat o'
the Mint (alluding to the Colonel's motion relative to the
emcers of the Mint.) Inßead of being angry with the
Noble Lord for bringing forward his commission of ac
counts before he opened the Budget, he ought to have
thanked him. For his part, he was so anxious to have
the desire of the people complied with, that he would then
move (and did move accordingly) 'That the humble and
' judicious prayer contained in the spirited petitions of
' the good people of England, be taken into confmera
' tion on Thursday next.
Mr. J, Luttrell seconded the motion, which was not re
lished by the House. Lord George seemed determined to
divide; and when requested not to cause tbegallery, which
was very crowded, to be cleared, his Lordfllip exclaimed
warmly, 'I am determined to take the sense of the
' House. I have broken off from those with whom I used
' to volte, because I saw they were inconfi Rent, and drew
' different ways. For my part, Mr. .Speaker, as soon
' as I broke from them, I got friends all over Scotland
' and England ; and as cohfigeocy in my grand objeft,
' I w ; ll not be diverted from my purpose, as l then should
° be inconfifteat with my( If.'
The gallery was cleared, and as usual his Lordship Rood
alone, the Gentleman who had fecondtd him having
walked out of the House
When his division was over, Mr. Burke moved for the
fecund reading of his reformation bill ; and the motion
passed unanimously: but on another motion for com
mitting the hill it was opposed by Lord George Gordon,
who divided the House, with more success than he had
before, for as there was not room enough in the lobby to
contain those who were obliged to go forth on the
division, there were ninety who were obliged to re
main within, and being numbered with hi. Lordlhip
made up 91 against committing the bill, while 211 were
for it.
When the division was over, Mr. Burke moved that
the bill be committed to-morrow.
Lord Beauchamp observed, that the bill involving mat
ter of the utmost magnitude, it ought not to be hurried
through the House, but be delayed for some time, that
Gentlemen might be enabled to form a judgment, and
make up their minds upon, one of the mo(i cenfequential
bills that ever w $ laid before Parliament. His Lord
fbip concluded by moving an amendment, that instead
of the word " to-morrow," be niferted" on Wednesday
next."
Lord Nugent seconded the motion, and delivering his
opinion relative to the influence of the Crown, he said
that it had not exceeded its due bounds ; and that the
Crown wa. necessarily and constitutionally veiled with
influence, without which it was impossible that this, or a
ny other Government, could subsist ; for if the executive
power, whether veiled io a King or Senate, had not a
proper weight and influence, the whole fabric of the con
stitution must totter, and fall to pieces.
Mr. T Towefhend had no objection to the amend
ment,.if he thought the Miniher did not intend to carry
the delay beyond Wednesday.
Lord North declared that he intended no further de
lay ; and t^at he meant ba^fide to gointo the Commit
tee on Wednesday next, if the House fhouH a^ree to the
arr.endreeqt.He had been candid from Tie beginning ; he
had laid he would net give the b,ll thelaaft oppofitio],be ±
sere it (h&uld get into the Committee; and he candidly
conffffed that he ft ill had the fame ir ten io^ His Lord
ship said, he should certainly open t: e Budget on Mon
day.
Many Gentlemen spoke on both files of the House ;at
last the qneflion was put on Lord Beauchamp's amend
ment, when there appeared
For it — — 230
Against it —— 195
HOUSE ^COMMON S,
WEDNESDAY, April 5.
ALDERMAN HARLEY presented to the House, a
book containing '' a lift cf all the bills of exc aange
that have been dra,n from North America from Messrs.
Harley and Drummond, for the use of his Majefly's for
ces there, from the 29th of November, 1770 to the 2d
of February, 1780, inclusive, foecifying the dates, draw
ers names, times of payment, and to whom, together
with the exchanges ." The title was read and the ac
count ordered tolie on the table. The whole of the ac
eoim^s contained 905 pages, and were bound in one large
volume ; three other small accounts were delivered by the
said Honourable Member at the fame time.
Mr. Penruddock presented a petition from the county
of Denbigh ; Earl Verney one from the county of Bucks ;
and Sir James Lowther one Torn Cumberland.
After which Mr. Jenkirfon moved, that the eflimates
refpe ding the New Levies be referred to a Committee of
fupJy.
Sir P. Clerke objected to the motion, the whole of the
New Levies appearing to him more like a job for the be
nefit of individuals, than for the good of the public.
When,the noble Lord in the blueribbon, he said, pro
pofed+to have the milta doubled, and that neafure was
rejected by the Lords, the mode of railing men by vo
lune^r companies was proposed and adopted. Sine that
tiine, the idea of volunteers seemed to be given up ; and
regular regiments were raffed, in a manner which set
both ceconomy and juftke at dtfijnce. Infkad of add
ing new companies to old regiments, twenty-two new
corps had been appointed, and a prodigious expence had
been incurred for additional Raff and field officers: In
the cavalry, the spirit of profufion was Rid mo e remark
able. He was of opinion, that in such cases, though
the eommiffion was a nrft one, yet as it was a confident
tie promotion, the gentlemen in that predicament, who
were Members in Parliament, certainly came within that
Law, that required they should vacate their feats. Ti e
son of the noble Lord in the blue ribbon, came under
that description ; consequently his feat was vacated. Such
promotions were injurious to the army, and as a friend
to it, to which he once had the honor to belong, he would
object to the motion made by the Secretary at War.
Mr. North finding himfelf so particularly alluded to,
got up and told that gentleman, that though he had been
appointed to the command of a regiment, yet lie neither
derived any pay, nor permanent rank from his commis
sion. His corps were firnpl, in the nature of fenfibies, and
at the end of the war would be dilbendel without any
half-pay eflabiiffiment. In railing it the public had aot
fe't any expence. With refpeQ to his feat in Parlia
ment, he would inform the honorable member, that by a
clause 111 the Militia Aft passed last year, it was secured
to him ; commiffion# in corp, of fenftbles being particu
lar,y declared not to affect the feats of members of Par
liament.
The Secretary at War read over the liff of command
ers ofnew corps, from which it appeared that all the
commanders were not Scotch. He said it was no new
thing to grant rarek to gentlemen not bred to the army, and
demonstrated it from tbe prefeat General Fraser, Aon df
the late Lord Lovat. The Commander in Chief bad (he
averted) rn de it a point to break through the eftabliihed
laws of the army, in as few instances as poflf| e . and to
draw from thehalf-pay lift as many gentlemen as be could
employ, and in fact mere officers bad been advanced from
half to full pay this year, than during any ferofr year
of the war. And when he thought himfelf bound to de
viate from this rule, he had made it a point to grant high
rank only fcr a time, and to determine with the regiment
at the end of the war.
Mr. Fox also arraigned the absurdity of feme of those
promotions, and the partiality of those who had permit
ted them. To make a Comms, or Clerk a Colonel was
perkily ridiculous. He did not, however, mean to af
front an honorable gentleman by the expressions; and
he had been aftondhed to find that he had taken offence
at them, when uffl elsewhere. When ne himfelf wasa
bout nineteen years of age, Mr. Townfliend expeHed to
be made Secretary of State, and made him an effertof
the place of fir? Commit in Ns office, if he Ihould be ap
pointed. Mr. Towiilhend, he knew, instead of intend
ing him an affront, meant to confer an honor on him,
and a mark of his esteem.
T e place of Secretary to he Embassy was equally ho
norable ; but neither the one nor the other c uld qualify
a man for the command of a regiment.—Mr. Fox was
part cularl, severe on the Sc tch, and joined in opinion
with his honorable friend Mr Tow ihend, that some blow
was intended aghinft the conftitutio", which they, the
idolaters of aefpot fm, were alore fi: to Hrike: So prepo
feffed, re said he, were they ageinft iberty, that in order to
have a King who would defiroy it, they had been ready
to admit, what next to liberty t?ey hated mt ft, the Ro
man Catholics religion. He then went upon the consti
tution of the corps, and was particularly severe npop the
Colonels Fullerton and Holroyd. The latter had be^ft
raised merely as feocibles, yet, contrary to public faith,
were converted into a regular regiment, after making the
men go through the mockery of a second a-telt tion,
which they had not in view at the time of inliftiog. He
concluded by faying that he was determined not to con
sent to any prevision for these corps.
Colonel Holroyd declared himfelf of opinion, : hat had
he been of that party, which levelled their attacks against
the executive power, his regiment would have paled over
unnoticed.
A loud cry of order here enfaed, and after some con*
verfation by Mr Townfhend,
Colonel Holroyd proceeded. Unco^nefrd with, and
unknown to Ministers, he said he had thought it bis du
ty to make a tender of te s services, at a time when his
country had been threatened with dng-. He had ap
plied by letters, by post, to Lor.! Amh^rft, and to die
Secretary at War- His offers were accepted, and at a
great expence to tinudf. ^nj none to the public, he
failed his regiment At firft, indee ,he had net thought
of a lirritted fervue ; his pride woutl not fuffer him to
offer it ;he expelled to be on the <ommn footing a& to
service with the army; he engaged b.sofficers, the best
he could find, on those terms bt when he a terwards
was given to underfla^d that this regiment was to be li
mited to his country, he had applied to government in
behalf of his officers, and obtaine~for them what they
thought their due. Top m^n were then railed for home
service ; but the intentions of government navin been
changed, and the regiment defined for f regn service,
this bad determined him to propose to the men to re-
e °g^ e f° r that service -nd to raise new men if they
should refufe. They d 4 not refuse ; they wre all re
attefied except thirty. He gave rem some gratuity af
terwards, but never promised them any before. As to
the regiment he derived no permanent rank from it
though he might have obtained it; but fe mver expec
ted to be a gainer by it. The iovefyves poured on me by
the honorable gentlemen, are th, generous reward $ I re
ceive. That honorable gendemar's abilities are very
high : I have certainly had a very bad Specimen of them
tbis night. Toe honorable member ihoulo recollect that
he is in Parliament and not at Bio k^s.
Mr. Fox, Colonel Holroyd, th Lord Advocate, Lord
George Gordon, General Conway, an i Lord George
G rmaine, spoke again.
7 he queflim being then put, there appeared for refer
ring Colonel Fuharton'a regiment to the Committee, 102 ;
against it, 66.,
**<**6444*44 * s444**4**
Philadelphia, Ju T y 20, 1780.
WANTE D,
As a CLER K to the Pennsyl
vania Bank,
An Active PERSON,
That can be well recommended.
~T O B E S <)LD,
I™ OU R hundred acres of ^ood land, in an Treel?
ble neighbourhood, situated four miles fr An the
riv r Suiquehann^h, in Wickenfkiw vahry, adjoining
to Mc'lntango mountain, well watered by - lar,e ne
ver-failing spring; nfing in the mountain io high; that
it may be brought over any yart of re land, with ,eve
ral other good ffreams of water. For trms squire of
Mr. BENJAMIN HARBESON, in Market ffre t cr
to Mr. ROBERT TAGGART, near Donegal Meet
ing house, Lancaster county.
July n,