The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1777-03-10 00:00:00, page 1

. MONDA T, M^ 10, 177%.
CONNECTICUT
And
W 1 E LT
LONDON, November 8.
A PROCLAMATION.
For a General Fast.
GEORG£ R.
MX^)^^® taking it into our most furious confider
fe& '%&; ation the just & necessary measures offeree
)S( % X which we areobliged to use against our
?8l)8( ^.M rebellious fubjeds in our colonies and
^o^ IS(!C> provinces in North-America, and putting
our unit I'4 Almighty God, that he will vouchfafe a
Special bleffiag on ourarms both by sea and land ,have
resolved, and do, by and with the advice of our Privy
Council, hereby commend, That a public Fast and
Humiliation be observed throughout that part cf our
kingdom of Great Britain called England, our domi
nion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed,
upon Friday the igthday of December next ; that fj
both we and our peopt# may humble ourfelvcs before
Almighty Gad, in order to obtain pardon ©four fins ;
and ray, in the most devout and folema manner,
fend upour prayers and (applications to the Div%
Majesty, for averting those heavy judgments w dch
our manifold fins and provocations have meftjufty a^
fervad, and for imploring his intervention and bluffing
fpeediiy to deliver our loyal fabj ^s within our colo
nies and provinces in North-America from thevtolence,
injustice and tyranny, of thufe daring rebels who have
affirmed to themselves theexercife of Arbitrary Power ;
to open the eyes of those who have been deluded by
specious falftioods into aas cf teeafon and rebellion, ;
to turn the hearts of the authors of thefa calamities,
and finally to restore our people in those diftraded pro
vinces and colonies to the happy condition of ouing
free fubjedb of a free state ; under which heretofore
they flourished so long and prospered so much. And
wc do ttri&'y charge and command, That the Lid
public Fast be reverently and devoutly observed by all
our loving fubje&sin England our dominion cf Wales,
and town of Berwick upon Tweed, as they tender the
favor cf Almighty God, and would avoid his wrath
and indignation ; and upon pain of such puniihment
as we may justly iafli& upon all such as contemn and
meglea the performance of fa religionsa duty. And
for the better and more orderly falerenizi^g the fame,
we have given diraaion^ to the Molt Reverend the
Archbishops, and the Right Reverend the Biffiops cf
England, to compose aForm of Prayer Suitable to the
occasion, to be used in all churches, chapels, and pla
ces of public worffiip, and to trke care the fame be
timely dispersed thro'odt their refpe&ive Difcefes.
Given at our Court at St. James's, the 30th day of
Oftobcr, 1776, in the 17th year of our reign.
GOD fav* the KING.
LONDO N, Nov. 1.
After his Majefly had left the house of Peers Yester
day, the new-created Peers took their Oaths and their
Seats, which ceremony being over, the Earl cf
Carlifle moved an Addrsfi to his Majesty, introducing
his Motion by various Obfervatidns on the prefect
unhappy War with America; it would entirely fill
this Paper if we were to attempt to give the Particu
lars of the noble Earl's Speech, or of. those which @-
rose in consequence of his Motion for the Addrefi,
during a most animated and important Debate, we
shall therefore feled o,ly the raoft new, and the most
interfiling information refye&ing the public Welfare
of the Nation, as it fell from the Lips cf the noble
Speakers. .
The Earl of Carlifle principally remarked, that the
ground of opposition to the just measures of govern
ment in the last fiffion, was a disbelief of the Ameri
cans having a design to become independent ; but now,
added hi# Lordship, their independency being openly
avowed, I hope for unanimous concurrence in thia
Address, He enlarged on the bravery and zeal of the
King's forces, on the recovery of Canada to their far
mer obedience ; and on the infolance with which the
offers of reconciliation had been rejeded by the Con
graft, and on the neceflity of exerting ourselves to
Support the constitution of Grot Britain, now violat
ed by this daring infalt; applauded the Spirited 00-
fares of adminifotion in putting the nation into a
state of defence ; and concluded with recommending
the most grateful acknowledgments to his maj^fty for
hi# paternal care, and his kind endeavors to pre-
Live the peace cf Europe. The fabflance of th©
Containing th# Freiheft ADVICES
Printed amd published by EBENEZER WATSON, near the GREAT BRIDGE.
address is to be found in the Fing's speech, of which
it is the Shadow.
Lord Falconbridge fecondec the address, and spoke
a few words in support of it. Then Lord Rocking
ham moved an amendment, piefacing his motion with
a general condemnation of all the coercive measures
that had been taken against America fiace the dec&
ratory a&; asserted that the fatal confluences which
have happened had all along been foretold by those
Noble Lords who had conftant.y disapproved of those
measures ; they forefaw that America would be driven
to independence : he complained that no commissi
oners had been feat out to beat with them, agreeable
to the king's fpcech left year ; that so long as during
ten months after, no person was on the spot (properly
authorifed) to receive the submission of such of the co
lonies as might have been willing to return to their
allegiance.,
His Lordihip, not as an advocate for America, be,
for an empire, then recommended a reconciliation ;
peace with America at all events, and the only way
to l^ve us from impending ruin ; Great-Britain be
ing left exposed to hr natural enemies in a defence
lefs ftaie ; and it being to be feared that France and
Spain wuuld take advantage of this function, hs there
fore willed rather to give up America, to leave her to
her independency, and to embrace her as@ ally, than
to carry on so deft?naive a war. This otya and the
removal of these rainifters wh, had brought the nati
on into such a state, were the fubjsds of the proposed
amendments.
The Duke of Manchester fconded the motion for
the amendment n &^Cj op . - L .u. ground as th?
Marquis. Lord Cardiff (late Mount Stewart) warm
ly fuppofted the motion for the address, juftined eve
ry measure of administration, and particularly infix
ed on the found policy of using every exertion of this
country to get the better of this contest ; the dignity
of the cruwa ; the weight and influence of the nati
on <i^h foreign pow^r^, and ou^ commercial iatereft
all requiring it. Tubuke of Richmond rose to ,p^
pose th&addre(s, and to scmmend an immediate
reconciliation ; his Grace coafidered the colonies as
loft, if ounce war not e/Ffled by force means or other.
Ils vifod to know the honing of the preftnt arma,
meat, and why the press w^ begun ; if we had the
ftreng^fl affurasce, of the pacific disposition cf the
powers of Europe ;if it was Ls-to rely on affarance
left year, why not on this also ? He called uponAdmi
niftratioM to know what ^ate bf defence the nation
could be put in > Whether & greater parts of our
strength was not cn the other fide the Atlantic ? and
if any naval force could be got ready equal to that e
quiping ak Brest, or any thing like so fcon, g
This called up Lord Sandwich, who said he saw no
probability of a rupture whh any foreign power; bet
the reason we trailed to affarances last year was, they
were given when no armaments were making, whereas
now the French and Spaniards were arming; therefore
it become the guardians of this country to arm also ;
and to shew the Powers of Europe that we are in a fata:
of defence agrinft any attack,however improbable,th:t
might be made upon us by any foreign power. His
Lordfbip'frid, he had begun to make our naval force
formidable long before the press; he denied that the
greatest part cf ou± national strength was in America;
for our naval force was cur best defence, and the most
powerful part efit was at heme ; and added, I shall,
have a much stronger flset than any fitted out at Brest,
or elfewhare, ready to put to lea, as soon or faoner than
th*,Braft fleet.
His Lordihip seriously declared, that he thought for
the honour of this country, every drop of bleed, and
every Bribing oughttp ba parted with toforce the Ame
ricans to futrni: to the supreme authority of the crown,
Bnd cf the parliament, otherwise weftonld indeed be a
contemptible, undone people. He then jocosely men
tioned the cheap light in which the Americans held
both the ministry and the heads of opposition, from
whom they declared they expelled no more favour, if
thev were in, than from the present ministry.
. The Duke of Grafton lamented the fate cf Great-
Britain on the brink of ruin,recommended an adjourn
ment, and to go into the Bate of the nation at large
previous to the address. He considered us as an un
done people if '.'.:s was delayed an hour; and asked if
any man would assure us two months hence that
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INTELLIGENCES
France, Spain, and America were not coffered into ^
ftrick allince offerfive and defenfive.
Lord Shelburne was up an hour and an half on the
fame fide of the quefrian, and dated matters in a more
mortifying point of view for Great-Britain than anyo
ther speaker. His Lordihip said, the noble Lords for
the addrefe were going to thank the King upon falfe
principles, the fads (on which they were to ground the
address), in the speech not being ftrickly true; He
denied particularly that the measures pursued by the
ministry would produce unanimity : on the contrary
was apparent, for the Lord Mayor, on whefe amiable
charader he enlarged, icfufed to exco urge the prefling
of the seamen, which Shewed the war unpopular $
whereas if it was a war with France or Spain, he would
be pulled out of the* Mansion House, if he did not
back the warrants. He denied the pacific intentions
of the powers cf Europe 5 said he ffiould not be sur
prised if this Kingdom became a province to some fo
reign power ftox, if peace be not made with America.
His Lordfuip s&bd what frigates wshad at home; h&
always uaderftood frigates were necessary to pioti& eur
trace, to cruize after, privateers, and other ferric#,
for which line of battle ffiips were unfit; and where
are we to find rata ? 15000 fearaen are in America in
the King's service and North America, and to supply
us with 13000 here, is a deduaion es 28,000 feam*ri
from cur naval force. It could not be imagined Spain
would trump up an old quarrel with Portugal on a
difputecf aiuu years Handing at this crisis; bat know
ing th&t Great-Brit^in must protect her oid ally, an^
they be involved in a war ; that England and Ireland
defenceless were temptations fiifh and blood could not
resist. # ' i.
Lord Weymouth replied, said two of th? adminiftrl
tibn were absent through illness (Lord Gower and
Lord Weymouth) it was therefore his duty not to let
an opinion go out of the house, that we were either
inadefencekfs ft&te,or on theevu cfa war; he affected th#
contrary.The Earl of Radnor was againftthe address,
aid compared the compelling the Americans to be in
dependent, to the perfection of the primitive Christi
ans, they were put out of the protection of the law,
and so forced to it. .
The Duke cf Richmond havingcallcd for a particu
lar state of the navy, which Lord Sandwich refufed as
!>ighly improper, because any door-keeper, or othee
ft ranger, might fend it abroad. His Grace declared
the nation undone, the moment the 6 ft Lord of th#
Admiralty fhetild be ashamed to declare it, when call
ed for: This occafiond feme warmth ; erder wascall
cd: Lord Shelburne supported the Duke pfßich,
mond; and Lord Sandwich said, he would give such
intelligence to the house when called fer, but not to
any individual Lord.
The Earl of Bristol ^ow rof%aad as an able and ex
perienced feamen,gave a most fatitfiaory and cenfola
tory account of cur,naval strength : He Aid we ffiould
have forty fail of the line to put to fra by February, if
the Lord Mayor did not prevent men's going to sea,
by a^y contrivance; but he did not think i^in hi,
power,though on the night of the press go or 4c coaph
ex. cf seamen had been Lent out of town; but defied
him, and all the Lord Mayors whatever to prevent his
getting f^i^n ; he loved his country and his profef
ficn, and while h # 3had legs to Hand on, he would serve
her against all the King's enemies in his prefect capa
city, and no other.
$ O ST O.N, February 27.
The British King, it farm,, grows serious upon
American Affairs. H%has pubtiftuda Proclamation
for aFaft, through all England. We shall give our
Readers the celebrated Mr. Burke's Obfervuions
upon it,
Mr. BURKE, in the House of Commons, speak
ing on the American Contest, in which he was very
fevers against the Ministry, said, “ That, after
having been massacred, firft by the Heffian^, and then
by the Lawyers, they now talk of a Revifal of the
A&s that had been complained of seven Years ago;
after burning their Towns, and ruining their Com
merce, the Minifier cries out “ Come unto me, all
ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give
you Reft"---But what Sort of Rest ? You shall have
Magistrates not of your own chufing ; Taxes without
year Assent, and Laws made for you in England..---
Both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC: