The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-03-09 00:00:00, page 1

The honorable gentleman, after whom I rose, has also
indulged himfelf in some other fatyrical smiles on the cha
raXer of the other Commissioners. lam sure lam
much obliged to him for the tenderneG with which he has
treated me, by much the mos lconsiderable, after his toss
ing and goring so many Ministers. lam sensible I
am nothing in his hand, but I must beg leave to fav a
word for those who are absent. I believe the honorable
gentleman takes the charaXer of the noble Lord (the
Right Hon. the I arl of Carlifle) at the head of the com
mission from newspaper reports, as I once did. He well
knows that nothing is so fallacious, I have such an opini
on of his liberality and good humour, that in case he knew
that nobleman as well as I do, he would be as ready to re
traX his opinions concerning him as I was, and as willing
publicly to declare it; for a y®ung nobleman of more
worth, more honor, more dignity, or greater zeal for the
LONDO N.
Extras from the Genuine SPEECH of Governor JOHN
STONE, in the House pf Commons, at the open
ing of the Sessions.
MY honorable friend has observed, that I was very
sanguine in my expectations of success from the
commission, and remarks with an air of triumph, and his
friends join in a smile of fatisfadion, that the means which
were attempted have failed. For my part, lam sorry,
sincerely furry; and yet I am glad the attempt was made.
All men will now confefs that the Americans have a bad
and wicked cause ; that they have no just objed to con
tend for, being now united with France for the profeffed
purpose of reducing this country. All good men ought
to join most heartily to oppose them. If we saw such a
union at home, under proper Ministers, I have no doubt
the success of our cause would be certain. While we are
divided, — I pronounce with caution — it is the state of
parties at home, which makes me hesitate, not the want of
resources, or the strength of the Americans. One set of
men have loft the confidence of the people by mismanage
ment; another want to yield up all that is worth contend
ing for in the contest, without faying at what point they
will make a Hand, or tracing the consequences of the mea
sures they would recommend ; but my hopes of the success
©f the commission were never so sanguine as the honora
ble gentleman states. The House will do ine the justice
to recoiled, that I declared in my place, that I believed
the success would chiefly depend on the ratification of the
treaty with France. I pressed the departure of the Com
missioners again and again before I was a member of it;
I told you, that I believed, if they had once ratified their
treaty offenfive and defenfive with France, that they would
not recede without strong exertions; and I am happy to
knew that it has not yet been ratified in a con flitutional
manner. Why the Commiffioncrs were not sent off soon
er, is a queflion that merits enquiry. I am sure, from the
time I accepted, no time was loft on my part ; from the
moment I accepted, to the time I was on board ship, there
elapsed but ten days, and those, negleding all private af
fairs, were employed for promoting the purpose of our
mission; and I was at Portsmouth the day before the
commission was signed.
My view always was that force should accompany the
coaceflion, and that the Americans should fee a manly,
determined spirit of perseverance in this country, that they
might confider well between the evils of war, in a dubi
ous contest, and the certain advantages of immediate
peace upon the most honorable and advantageous terms.
The noble Lord, in my eye, will do me the justice to fay,
that I wrote a letter to him before my departure, expres
sive of those sentiments, recommending the regimenting
the Provincials and Canadians, giving them rank, half
pay and emoluments. The orders to Sir Henry Clinton,
which were shewn me, breathed forth a spirit of activity
and coercion; I thought, with the measures I recom
mended, the army was fufficient, I think so fill ; nay, I
am perfectly convinced of it now, and I am Imported by
the opinions of the best officers on the spot. Tnftead of
that, we secretly directed an ignominious 'retreat, after all
the preparations and expence necessary for a vigorous
campaign had been incurred. Can it be laid with justice
that I have failed in my expectations, when every thing
I was made to believe, and which I deemed necessary for
the effea, was disappointed and contradicted nay, con
cealed not only from me, but from the other Commission
ers with whom I had the honour to be joined? If I had
known Philadelphia had been ordered to be evacuated, I
would never had gone. The other Commiffiohers have
often declared the fame sentiments on the fubjeft. I re
member well the honorable gentleman seconded the noble
Lord's motion for the Conciliatory Bills ; it was what we
had been long contending for, as a right and proper mea
sure. Were we afterwards to fruftrate or impede, what
we on this fide had so long fought for, and approved
when made ? My spirit of party connexions does not lead
me to this conduX; for notwith landing the criticism of
the worthy gentleman on the words unanimity, I flill
maintain the unanimity was singular on the fubjeX of A
merican affairs. In questions of such consequence I do
not enquire what turnpike bills had passed without a ne
gative.
B^\ ^.^^N^^ A
O R
GENERAL
[Price Fifteen Pence single, One Shilling by the quantity. Publilhed every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.]
TUESDAY,
We were more employed to retrain than encourage
overt a&s, because we knew, under the secret orders, that
no assistance could be given to such efforts, which there
fore could only prove ruinous to well affected meritorious
individuals. The Hon. Gentleman founds his ideas on
what he has remarked in the proceedings of the Congress
refpefling me. I shall ever think such a proceeding to
tally unworthy of such a body. Some gentlemen have
praised it as an excellent refined stroke of policy, to get
rid of an embarrassing queflion about General Burgoyne's
troops, I again repeat, I disdain all that policy founded
on injufiice and difhonour, the more artifice to avoid fair
dea mg, the more detestable to m^ ; it is contemptible in
private li<e —where the dignity of a people is concerned,
it is abominable meanness, and must end in the deftrudi
011of those who pradife it. The spirit of their enemies is
railed by all fucn proceedings, their own is always depress
ed. Of all the mean and notorious breaches of public
faith which has ever been praflifed, of all the low chicane
which has ever been used in the depravity of the Eastern
world, to avoid a solemn agreement, the different ex
cuses offered by the American Congress, are the most dif
graceful te society. I know the most zealous for the cause
of independence disapprove of them ; but America is go
verned now as England was, under a mock parliament;
and committees of Major-Generals. lam not called up
on to fay a word on this fubjed, but I disdain difingenui
ty. The accusation slated againfl me with refpe& to Ge
neral Joseph Reed, as far as the iranfa&ion pretends hav
ing. authority from me to make the offer, is falfe and in
jurious .• it is indeed very caution/!) worded, and only
implies being done by my authority. This I deny, and
I have perfect proof in my possession that Mr. Reed never
underflood any message or writing of mine as liable to that
conftru&ion. While I fay this, Ido not mean to disavow
I have had tranfaflions where other means besides persuasi
on have been used. It was necessary: in my situation it
can be no reproach. This of Mr. Reed I deny, and I
can prove by mdifputable evidence in my poffeflion, he
did not understand any message from me in that light, at
the time, nor long fubfequent^ The conversation is said
to have passed on the twenty firft of June. The mutilated
letters that are to help out this lame tranfa&ion were be
fore the Congress —the matter had been published in news
papers at that time, but not signed by Mr. Reed, as Mr.
Almon has published, nor signed by William Henry Dray
ton. The Congress take no noti eof the business till the
nth of August; then the indignation of that virtuous as
sembly riles. At the very moment they are about to
The Commissioners were received at Philadelphia with
all the joy which a generous people could express. Why
were you so long in coming? was the general cry. Do
not abandon us, retain the army, and fend them against
Washington, and the affair is over: 10,000 men will arm
for you in this province, and 10,000 in the Lower Coun
ties, the moment you take the field, and they can get
arms. The declarations were general and notorious, and
I am persuaded, if we had been at liberty to have afted
in the field, our mod sanguine expectations would have
been fulfilled. I mixed with all ranks of men, from the
prisoners in the goal, to the firft people in the place, and
as far as I could penetrate the human mind, I believe the
sentiments of reconciliation,and a return to the happyftate
in which they formerly lived, were sincere. But gentlemen
fay, lam of an eager temper, and apt to.be deceived. It
is pohible. Ido not pique myfelf on never having been
deceiyed ; I can only fay, I never intentionally deceive.
My judgment, my opinions, may be wrong, but they
are the sentiments of my heart, and people must receive
them with all those grains of deduction for my temper,
and the weakness of my understanding. After this pre
caution, I declare that I firmly believe two-thirds of the
people of North- America wish to return to the antient
connection with Great-Britain at this moment, and that
nothing but a surrounding army, and the diffidence they
have in our support, prevents that spirit from breaking
out in aRs of hostility againf lthe Congress and Commit
tees.
public, service, and the execution of the trull committed
to him, I never knew. The other gentleman is so well
known to every Member of this House, and his reputa
tion for business 10 well established, that it stands above
my praise, or the honorable gentleman's censure.
I will now take notice what fell from another honorable
gentleman, who spoke most eloquently in this debate.
He talks of the indignant treatment the Commiffoners
met with from the Americans, and particularly points at
their behavior to me. I cannot acquiesce in this opinion ;
I make no such complaints, because I distinguish widely
between the people ®f America and the Congress, because
1 make a just diftinXion between what men do in their
political capacity and in their natural. The Congress
teem to conduct themselves with the lew cunning of an e
leXion jobber; thei proceedings are often calculated for
the mere herd of the people, who are as yet flrangers to
the impositions incident to such a conduct, and having all
the newspapers under their direction they are excellent
engines of such ignoble policy, which may serve for a
time, but never can last.
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W^^WBW
THE
ADVERTISER
Those gentlemen who vre so extremely exulting at the
ill success of this commission, and plume themselves so
much ®n their proportion for conceding independency
last year; should confider, if one or two events had suc
ceeded, the prop,ofers of conceding American Independen
cy could not have appeared with equal favour before the
public. I Ihall suppose that Admiral Keppel had aaualiv
beaten Monsieur the Count d'Orvilliers, I mean destroyed
half his fleet ; all circumflances considered, the probabili
ties that he would have done so were ten to one, from so
gallant an Admiral, and so fuperiora force. I believe the
noble Admiral himfelf will not fay the probabilities are
pot ten to one, that he would destroy the greatest part of
the fame fleet, if he was to meet them again, with the
fame proportion of force. lam persuaded it was owing
to the accidents of wind and weather; Ido not mean to
throw the fligheft inr station of blame any where. I on
ly fay, if d'Orviiliers had been deflroyed, and it was ten
to oge this would have happened, how would the pro
moters of a declaration of American independence have
looked then ? Or is there a member of tris House who be
lieves we should then have had any more agitation of that
question ? I shall suppose again, that Admiral Byron's
squadron had not met with a storm, and had arrived in
America within the ordinary time, to have joined Lord
Howe. Can any one doubt, that his Lordship would
have given a better account of Mons. d'Eftairig than is now
published ? and yet this success, and several other matters,
were quite within the probability of ordinary events;
and if any one of them had happened, I believe this fa
vourite topic of American Independence would have been
dormant in our days. Why then should we immediately
despond, give all up, and throw ourselves out of the wheel
of fortune ? Let us profit from the example of the Ameri
cans, in the low state of their affairs, before their fuccefs'
at Trenton. lam far from thinking.the matter desperate,
notwithstanding I admit that our mismanagements will
render great exertions necessary: But you must resolve,
you must risk all, and determine to persevere, before the
inhabitants of America will have reliance on you. It is
not faying I will try this campaign, and recede the next.
It must be known for the encouragement of friends, and
the terror of foes, that you will dte in the last ditch. Peo
ple who oppose my opinions, alledge, lam sanguine and
obstinate. I admit lam not easily difeouraged;' and if 1
am sure of being in the right, I know too I°am obstinate,
or firm, which ever they please to call it, and I cannot be
easily shaken.
The maxim of dying in the last ditch, after every ex
ertion has been ma^e, is what I avow to be my principle.
I do not forefee, if you recede here, at what point you
will stand. If you give up the Thirteen Provinces, will
you contend for Canada ? If it is answered yes, why then,
I reply, it is better to know the gracious refoliation of
Congress in this retped firft, left one may have the troops
to fend back, or recruit, at ten times the expence, when
they are dispersed, or when one half of them are dead. If
it is said, we will yield Canada too; then I ask, if we will
yield Nova-Scotia, and the fifheries, and Florida, and the
Weft-Indies? fir they all hang together. Besides that,
the moment you abandon New-York and Rhode-Ifland,
the American seas will swarm with privateers, and you
will not have a port to take Belter in ; fa that New-York
and Rhode-Ifland seem absolutely necessary for the pre
servation of your own commerce, as well as annoying the
e n ," y < Thc present moment seems the only proper and
just point, where the stand can be made; every other si
tuation will be an effort with the loss of reputation, and
spirit, and power, ffee no difference between fending a
° nc ' e '" ' r ? nce > an d yielding the independence
of America. To give up a principal point in difptite, to
weaken ourselves and flrengthen our enemy, and leave
him more at liberty to disturb us, seems to me, incom
prehensible policy. It it is ailedged this would not be
the consequence, I ask what reason America can have so,
not explicitly declaring her intentions of conditionally re<
nouncing her coHneaioms.with France upon our declarigi,
her Ind pendency ? or if such a tranfa&on cannot be a
vowed tin they are certain of our readiness to yield it, t
wonder tome sponsor cannot be found for America on chi;
occahon. I only fiate this to expose the absurdity of tie
system proposed ; not that I conceive this country can, 0,
ought ever to entertain such an idea. The hon. Baronet
behind me, (Sir John Wrottefley) tells you, that 50,0,0
Ruffians would not now do the business, and yet he cym,
plains of tae conciliatory proportions proposed by th&Ofh
(Fer tbs remainder fr£ti@ i#tf page.)
evade a solemn engagement, and transmit their names
with infadiy to future ages, they have the assurance to
talk of liberty and virtue, you, Sir, are well acquaint
ed with the forms of public proceedings; you know that
any declaration of Mr. Reed, of what a woman unknown
ha^faid to him, could not affed me. The Congress in
this case, were bound to have obliged Mr. Reed to have
named the lady, and nekt to have brought that lady be
fore them, to have heard her own fioryj with time, place
and circumflance; this should have been sent for my an
swer, and then they might have pronounced their solemn
judgment ; but they knew full well, that no lady what
soever would avow any authority from me, and therefore
they wifely concealed her name.
MARCH 9, i 779