The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-04-15 00:00:00, page 2

LONDO N.
PROTEST
Of the HOUSE o, L ORD S,
Qn rfifng the motion to ex,refs the displeasure of the House,
"at the MuniJefo publijbed in America.
Die Lava, Dec. 7, 1778.
Moved,
ftp HAT an Lambie Address be presented to his Ma
, j-fly, to express 10 his Majelly the dif,leafure of
tus House, at a certain Manifeftoand Proclamation, dated
f the third day of October, 1778, and publilhed in America
under the hands and seals of the Earl of C^rliile, Sir Hen
ry Clinton, Knight of the Bath, and William Eden, Esq;
Commissioners for reßoring peace to the Colonies, and
countersigned by Adam Ferguson, Efy Secretary to the
Com^iflion; the said Maniitfto containing a declaration
of the following tenor:
« If there be any persons, who divfed of miflaken re
fitments, and uninfluenced by felfijb inlerefls, really think
it is for the benefit of the Colonies, to separate themselves
from Great Britain, and that so separated they will find a
constitution more mild, more free, and better calculated
for their prosperity, than that which they heretofore en
joyed, and which "we are impowered and disposed to renew
iuid improve; with such persons we will not dispute a po
rtion which seems to be fufficiently contradicted by the
experience they have had. But we think it right to leave
them fully aware of the change which the maintaining such
a portion mus lmake in the tubule nature and future con
duct of this war, more especially when to tnis position is
added the pretended alliance ^th the Court of France.
The policy, as well as the benevolence of Great-Britain,
have thus far checked the extremes of war, when they tend
ed to distress a people. Hill considered as our fellow fub
jefts, and to desolate a country, shortly to become a source
of mutual advantage ; but when that country profeffes the
unnatural design, not only of estranging herfelt from us,
but of mortgaging herfelf and her resources, to our ene
mies, the whole canteft is changed, and the question is,
how far Great-Britain may, by every means in tier power,
dellroy or render u/defs a connection contrived for her
ruin, and for the aggrandizement of France. Under such
circumstances, the laves 0/ fel,-preservation must direct
the conduct of Great-Britain ; and if the Bntifli Colonies
are to become an accefion to France, will direct her to ren
der that accefon 0/ as little avail as pofible to her ene
mies."
To acquaint his Mtjefty with the sense of this House,
that the said Commissioners had no authority whatsoever,
under the Aft of parliament in virtue of which they were
appointed by his Majesty, to make the said declaration,
or to make any declaration to the fame, or to the like pur
po rt, nor can this House be easily brought to believe that
the said Commiffieners derived any such authority from
his Majeßy's inftru^ions.
Humbly to beseech his Majesty, that so much of the
said Manifeftoas contains the said declaration, be forth
with publicly disavowed by his Majesty, as containing
matter inconsistent with the humanity and generous cou
rage which, at all times, have distinguished the Britßh
nation, subversive of the maxims which have been efta
blithed upon Christian and civilized communities, deroga
tory to the dignity of the Crown of this realm, tending to
debase the spirit, and subvert the discipline of his Majesty's
armies, and to expose his Majesty's innocent fubjefts, in
all parts of his dominions, to cruel and ruinous retaliati
ons.
Which being objected to, after long debate, the quelh
on was put thereon.
It was resolved in the negative.
Contents 34 7
Proxies 3]'
Non-Contents 55] x
Proxies 16] 7
Diffentient,
xft. Because the public law of nations, in affirmance of
the dilates of nature, and the precepts of revealed religi
on, forbids us to resort to the extremes of war upon our
own opinion of their expediency, or in any case to carry
on war for the purpose of defoliation. We know that the
rights of war are ohious, and instead of being extended
upon loose conftrudions and (peculations of danger, ought
to be bound up and limited by all the restraints of the
mod rigorous conftrudion. We are shocked to fee the
firft law of nature, felf preservation, perverted and abused
into a principle deftruftive of all other laws; and a rule
laid down, by which our own fafety is rendered incompa
tible with the prosperity of mankind. Those objects of
war, which cannot be compared by fair and honourable
hostility, ought not to be compassed at all. An end that
has no means, but such as are unlawful, is an unlawful
end. The Manifefto exprellly founds the charge it an
nounces from a qualified and mitigated war, to a war of
extremity and desolation, on the certainty ‘ that the pro
vinces must be independent, and must become an acceflion
to the strength of an enemy. In the midst of the calami
ties, by which our loss of empire has been preceded and
accompanied ; in the m;dft of our apprehensions for the
farther calamities which impend over us, it is a matter of
frefh grief and accumulated shame, to fee from a commis
sion under the Great Seal of this kingdom, a declaration
for defolatiug a vast continent, solely because we had not
the wisdom to retain, or the power to subdue it.
zdly. Because the avowal of a deliberate purpose of vio
lating the law of natious, must give an alarm to every
Bate in Europe. All commonwealths have a concern in
that law, and are its natural avengers. At this time, sur
rounded by enemies, and destitute of all allies, it is not
necessary to fhar,en and embitter the hostility of declared
foes, or provoke the enmity of neutral fiates. We trust
that by the natural strength of this kingdom, we are se
cured from a foreign conquest, but no nation is secured
from the invasion and incursions of enemies. And it
seems to us the height of frenzy, as well as wickedness, to
expose this country to cruel depredations, and other out
rages too (hocking to mention (but which are all contain
ed in tb@ idea of the extremes of war and desolation) by
eftablilhing a falfe, fhameful, and pernicious maxim, that
where we have no interest to preserve, we are called upon
by necessity to destroy. This kingdom has long enjoyed
a profound internal peace, and has flourished above all
others in the arts and enjoyment of that happy state. It
has been the admiration of the world for its cultivation
and its plenty ; for the comforts of the poor, the splendor
of the rich, and the content and prosperity of [all. This
situation of fafety may be attributed to the greatness of
our power. It is more becoming, and more true, that we
ought to attribute that fafety, and the power whicli pro
cured it, to the antient j^ftice, honour, humanity, and
generosity of this kingdom, wnich brought down the bless
ing of Providence on a people who made their prosperity
a benefit to the world, and interested all nations in their
fortune, whose example of mildness and benignity at once
humanized others, and rendered itfelf inviolable. In de
parting from those solid principles, and vainly trusting to
the fragility of human force, and to the efficacy of arms,
rendered impotent by their perversion, we lay down prin
ciples, and lurnilh examples of the most attrocious bar
barity. We are to dread that all our power, peace, and
opulence, Ihould vanish like a dream, and that the cruel
ties whicn we think fafe to exercise, because their immedi
ate object is remote, may be brought to the coasts, per
haps to the bosom of this kingdom.}
gdly. Because, if the explanation given in debate, be
exprelfive of the true sense of the article in the Manifeto,
such explanation ought to be made, and by as high au
thority as that under which the exceptionable article was
originally publilhed. The natural and obvious sense in
dicates, tliat the extremes of war had hitherto been check
ed ; that his Ma jelly's Generals had hitherto forborne,
(upon principles of benignity and policy) to desolate
tue country ; but that the whole nature, and future con
dud of the war, must be changed, in order to render the
American accehon of as little avail to France as possible.
This, in our apprehensions, conveys a menace ot carry
ing on the war to extremes, and to desolation, or it means
nothing. And as some fpceches in the House (nowever
palliated) and as some alls of singular cruelty, and per
fettly conformable to the apparent ideas in the Manifefto,
have lately been exercised, it becomes the more necessary,
for the honour and fafety of this nation, that this expla
nation should be made. As it is refufed, we have only to
clear ourselves to our conferences, to our country, to our
neighbours, and to every individual who may fuffer in
consequence of this attrocious menace, of all part in the
guilt, or in the evils that may become its punishment.
And we cliufe to draw ourselves out, and to diliinguifh
ourselves to poilcrity, as not being the firfl to renew, to
approve, or to tolerate the return of that ferocity and bar
barism in war, which a beneficient religion, enlightened
manners, and true military honour, had for a long time
banished from the Christian world.
Camden, Rockingham,
Abingdon, Tankerville,
Fitzwilliam, Fonfonby,
Fortefcue, Derby,
Grafton, Manchefier,
\ Craves, Portland,
J. St. Afaph, Beaulieu,
Richmond, Harcourt,
Bolton, Effingham,
Radnor, Wycombe,
Egremont, Scarborough,
Abergavenny, Cholmondeiey,
Coventry, Devenfhire,
De Ferrars, Foley,
Ferrers, Spencer.
Stanhope,
HOUSE of COMMON S.
Tharfe/ay, December 10.
Colonel Barre moved, that copies of the last general re
turns of the land forces, including the militia now serving
in Great-Britain, be laid before the House.
Mr. Jenkinfon objected to the motion for the fame rea
son, lie said, as a similar one, tending to disclose the state
of the navy, had been discharged fr@m the House but a
few days before, namely, that no dangerous difeovery
might at this very critical time be made to toe enemy.
He observed, that as the debates of the House were regu
larly printed, he conceived it would be very improper to
comply with the motion, although as the honourable
Member had Rated, the House had,' in the preceeding ses
sion, agreed to the production of the accounts now called
for.
Colonel Barre now Rated his reasons at large for the
motion he had taken the liberty to make, and which was
meant to be followed by several others of the fame nature.
It was truly curious, he said, that the honourable gentle
man who had so lately succeeded to the office of a noble
Lord, or who perhaps was only ele& to the office, should
already appear so great a proficient in the rules of that of
fice, as to deny every matter of ufeful information that
should be called for from his fide of the House. It was
Rill more curious, that a motion of so simple a nature,
that could not convey any information to the enemy which
they are not already in full pofieffon of, but which would
tend to remove that ignorance from the House which he
esteemed to be its greatest disgrace, Ihould at this iminent
and most dangerous crisis be refufed. Good God, fays the
honorable Member, how long are we to continue in igno
rance, which has already loft us half the empire! We are
refufed the communication of that which I venture to fay
every Minister and every intelligent and active officer of
France perfectly understands. Is it not a shame, and a
disgrace, that the people of France should know more of
the state of our navy and army than nine-tenths of the
gentlemen in this House. I made this motion, continues
he, for various reasons; I wilhed to afeertain the state of
defence in which this country hands at present. Last year,
to the shame and criminal conviction of the Ministry, I
proved that our national inland defence was short of 40,000
men, including the militia. The Ministry dared to dis
cover that to the French, and principally for that reason,
though he had others, did he bring in the present bill to
shew France that we were now in possession of three times
the number. Another, and also a principal reason, was
to difeover if we meant to fend any more of our regular
troops to America. He had heard that we meant Rill to
pursue that dark bloody business, that some of the best,
bravest, and most veteran regiments now in Britain were
to be sent there immediately. He intended, he said, to
follow this with some other motions ; one, to have an ac
count of the troops serving in Ireland, for the fame pur
pose as the former ; a third, to have an account of the
troops serving in the Weft-Indies. The necessity of this
motion, he was sensible, would be apparent to the House,
when they considered that, in the inßance of Dominica,
the House, as well as the nation at large, had been altoge
ther ignorant that there were but forty.@ne men in the gar
Officers commanding battalions in the militia of this
state, are desired to pay the RriHeft attention to their
men's arms and accoutrements, that they may be in th^
most perfect order. Those in want of ammunition, will
make an immediate return to the Commissary of Military
Stores at this place. It is particularly recommended to
both officers and privates to pay the greatest attention to
SIGNALS, and the ftrißeft compliance with the orders
they will receive.
We hear that Commissioners, appointed by their Ex
cellencies General Washington and Sir Henry Clinton, met
on Monday last at Perth-Amboy, in order once more to
endeavour to fettle a cartel for a general exchange of pri
soners.
rison to manage one hundred and sixty pieces ofet
and twenty mortars; and that trie Governor had evew
written home for more troops to prevent the fores in the
garrison jiorn being plundered and Jtoten. Seventy thousand
pounds had been expended on the fortifications of the har
bour, where nature had combined with art for its defence,
and having placed it in the midst of the French islands,
rendered it our vicegerent to receive suit and service from
them all as vassals. He also intended to move for the pro
per papers, to inform the Houle 01 the periods when the
regiments levied in England and Scotland by voluntary
fuolcription or gift last year, were federally compleated.
This, he said, lie did, b vaufe he conceived there were
great partialities oblerved towards the Noblemen and Gen
tlemen of the Northern part of this country, in the railing
of these regiments , and he wilhed to be informed whether
this mcalure had been etfeFtual towards the end that was
proposed. He was very well informed tuat great partiali
ties nad taken place. Fie knew not why tnat prrtuular
corner of tne King's dominions had been preserved and
deemed the mod eligible for the purpose ot levying regi
ments. But it there was any good reason for prefeiwg
tnat part of the country, and which had induces Govern
ment to treat with a degree of contempt, offers of tne fame
nature from persons in this part of the kingdom; yet he
wiilied to know wny it was permitted to those Northern
Noblemen and Gentlemen to come into the ifrects of Lon
don and Dublin, expressly against the spirit of their pro
posals, and puli off the creches o L Englishmen and Irishmen
to fill up their Highland regiments.
Mr. Stanley fyo^e next, and very warmly and pointedly
uaged inc charge of partiality against the Mimhers. He
said, the inhabitants of Liverpool and Mancuefter had
once put a continence in Administration wnich they did
not duferve; but they, as wellas all others, had, at length
tneir eyes opened [alluding to himielf, and his brother
Lord Derby.] They were no longer deceived, deluded,
or milled ; and they had the greateii cause now to lament
that they ever were.
Lord North warmly opposed the motion. The honour
able Member, he said, leaned to think himfelf intitled to
have the accounts laid on tne table, because they had beea
so at a let's iminent moment than the present. Bethought,
however, that there was no general piopofition could be
made of the productions of Rate papers , it <ould be early
regulated by the necessities of the time, and he never would
agree that a motion ot such a nature should become annual,
and pass as a matter or courle.
Colonel Murray (poke to the regiment that his nephew,
the Duke of Athoi, raued. He said it was compleat with
in seventy men, there being now one tnoufand and ten
rank and file, ot w^ch only fifteen were English and
twenty-five Irdh.
Mr. T. Towulhend warmly defended the militia ; in
veighed against the partialities that been shewn, and gave
an instance, in the Duke of Richmond, of a noble Peer, to
whom the nation looked up with confidence as to a man in
whom Rie placed the dearest dependance, and whose offer
was rejected, though it was more favourable in point of
expence, at feaft to those that were accepted.
Mr. Burke indulged for a few minutes that spirit of ge.
nuine and pointed railiery at the expence of the noGe
Lord in the Blue ribbond, which is so peculiarly his ta
lent.
Mr. Fox ludicrously remarked on the impartiality of
government, that they made no difliudion between those
who obliged them for nothing, and those who obliged
them for pay. The towns of Manchester and Liverpool
give their regiments for nothing, and Scotland gives their
regiments for a certain sum of money, and yet this is im
partial favour.
Colonel Barre, after rising to explain, with a remarka
ble degree of warmth, animated zeal, and honest ardour,
depicted the Rate of our falling empire ; —" Whether we
are to meet here another session, fays he, or whether we
are to fit the present one, I know not—but this I know,
that the times are serious—are critical —are dangerous.
Upon my word they are serious. I wish to do my duty.
I mean to do my duty. I'll fay no more. lam unequal
to the talk. There may boavever be Struggles. And @8
vengeance of the nation may yet be wreaked in those mi
niflers, whohave brought it to the lowef tebb of misery
and distress —who have dismembered it of thirteen colo
nies, and who may, ere long, add to these calamities what
1 tremble to think on.—l have done."
After some further desultory debate, the House divided
on the question, when there appeared
Against the motion 103
For it 13
The House then on the report from the Committee of
Supply of the land-tax bill, went into a short, though
warm debate, on a motion of Mr Fox's, seconded by
Lord Beauchamp, for substituting the test oath appointed
by an all of the last session, for the Roman Catholics, in
place of the oath made in the reign of King William and
Queen Mary, and to leave out a clause whereby they incur
a penalty of double taxes in case of non-conformity to
that oath. This was objected to, but on a kind of pro.
mife on the part of administration to contrive means to
bring about the business, and in the course of this session,
it was silently negatived.
PHILADELPHIA, April 15.
Extras of a letter from the Hague, December 1,, 1778.
" The States of Holland assembled yesterday. They
appointed two Committees to deliberate; the one upon
an answer to be made to the Court of France, the other
upon the frefh causes of complaint which England has
lately given."
T RENT O N, April r 4.