The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-02-24 00:00:00, page 2

HOUSE of COMMONS, Friday, November 24.
Our last paper finilhed just as the chairman of the
committee read the firft resolution, as proposed by
Mr. Jenkinfon in the following terms.
" That for the service of the year 1781, there be
employed 39666 effectives, including 4213 invalids."
Colonel Barre rose and, observed, that he could not
find the savings which had been announced for the
ensuing year. " I have examined, fait he, the esti
mates for the services of theturrent year attentively,
apd <>n comparing them with those now offered to us,
I obfi-rve an essential difference. Far from findings
even the appearance of a saving, it appears that more
men and more money are demanded from the public
flow than for thelaft year. The firft article, for ex
ample, which has been just read, puts the kingdom to
an txpence of 5000 men more than they have provided
to P y; for this part of the eftimme amounted only
to 35000 men last year. Tallow that they afterwards
grantedan augmentation, but have we not equal rea
son to expert the fame tiling will be called for this
year? Do we not hear the honourable member this
:day fay, that it will be necessary to add such and finch
a number of men for such and such a service? So that
the augmentation I refer to, will take place in equal
proportion. It were therefore to be wiffied, that be
fore we decide on this firft proposition, the honoura
ble secretary would inform us, of the extent of the
augmentation he proposes to aft<, otherwise it will be
impossible to compare the present estimates with, pre
cevding ones."
Mr. Jenkinfon answered, “ That in the course of a
war, necessarily conducted at as immense defiance
from the capital, it is impossible to forefee exactly the
number of men, which the Situation of affairs may
render indispensably necessary. That Taft year he had
alked for the augmentations which had been granted
only upon the requisitions of the commanders of his
majefly's troops, who being on the spot, were, the
best judges of the necessity of an augmentation more
or less considerable. Besides, that they must be go
v rned by the nature of the plans of operations form
ed in the cabinet: and not yet having received either
the requisitions of the generals abroad, nor informa
tion of the places of operation for the ensuing cam
paign, he could not at present aft for more than the
known situ lion and present position of affairs seemed
to require."
We have seen, that Mr. Jenkinfon demanded an
augmentation of 500 men for each of the regiments
©j colonels Humberflon and Fullarton. This prefer
ence given to these new corps over the old ones, ap
peared to Mr Townfhend to call for the animadver
sion of the house. He observed, with his usual asperi
ty, that he thought it blame worthy, and was disgust
ed at the manner of recruiting those regiments.
" Nothing, said he, is so scandalous, nothing so de
rogatory to the good of the service and to common
sense. Every thing is submitted to, that the lift of
recruits may be filled up- The worst and the vilest of
mankind is enrolled, provided he has only two arms
and two legs; here is a child, who can scarcely lift
bis gun, which is heavier than himfeif—There is an
old man, who cannot stoop to ground his arms—Be
tween these two things in uniform, we fee another be
ing ftid more disgusting ; an escape from Newgate,
who, instead of being in a halter, is enrolled, by a
sentence of a justice of the peage. And why is heaven
and earth ransacked, to complete those regiments, to
the manifeft prejudices of the old regiments, which
not offering so great emoluments are filled with infi
nite difficulty ? Of what use have these regiments been
since their creation ? We were told bast year, to juflify
their b ing raised, that they were intended for a par
ticular service, for which the antient corps were less
proper. Have they been employed in that service?
No, they are yet in England, and it will be best to
keep them there ; for corps composed, as I have just
said of new levies, taken indiscriminately from 'the
vilest ranks, of children and old men, equally weak
ani infirm, can render no service. It would be mad
ness to fend them to America or the Weft-Indies.
Experience ought to have cured government of this
imprudence. What will become of these new levies,
if they cross the sea ? What has become of those sent
to St. Lucia ? One corporal and four privates of them
are still left, who seemed to have survived only, to
bury their comrades. But the greatest inconveniences
of this odious preference of these new to the old corps
is the consequent impossibility of recruiting the last.
This is evidently the case. For in late reviews, those
regiments, which ought to consist of 900 men, had
scarcely 300 effectives. This I observed last summer
with great pain."
" The honorable gentleman (answered Mr. Jenkin
fon) is mistaken, if he thinks the new corps are pre
fered to the old ones. For my part, I know as well
asany body, the superiority of the last. lam so sen
sible of it, that I would at any time prefer one of them
to two others. But it is much more easy to procure
men fit for the new levy corps, than to recruit the
antient regiments with proper men, andthe necessities
of the war a r e exceedingly pressing. We must have
wen, and we have no choices After a continuance of
war for several years, we cannot Hatter ourselves with
hopes of finding among the volunteers who offer, such
as offered themselves at the beginning, and the diffi
culty of recruiting increases as the war proceeds."
Colonel Barre then produced calculations, by
which he meant to prove, that the number of men
YQ& lot the service of the last year, had not been
ON the loth of November the States General of
Holland having deliberated on their acceeding to
the afted neutrality, their High Mightinesses resol
ved to acceed to the fame absolutely, and without any
condition or stipulation of a guarantee, by a plurality
of the voices of the five Provinces of Holland,
Utrecht, Frieftand, Overyffel and 'Groningen, against
the other two Provinces of Guilders and Zealand,
who were for infilling on the guarantee of the posses
sions of the Republic as a previous measure. Tiiis
sefolution was announced by express to Russia and the
other courts interested in it.
“ You do well, said Mr. Wilkes, to add' amend
ment upon amendment. But it will not all answer the
purpose of reconciling this motion to the minority
in this house. The reason must be evident. You
propose thunking certain officers, who have diflin
Lord Lewifham seconded the motion, and called on
the house to be unanimous on this occasion; took no
tice, with what grief he had observed, that this so
desirable spirit of unanimity did not yet animate
the councils of the nation Made an eulogium on
those two officers—and wiihed, “ that his majesty
would confer on lord Cornwallis the vacant ribband.
At this time, said he, a^upon all occasions, I wish for
unanimity, and will therefore avoid as far as possible
mentioning the American war— a. fabjeH, which, un
happily, far from making us unanimous, which has for
merly made us refpeOable and success ful, seems now
to have banished from us all future hopes. I cannot
however avoid observing, that as long as America
continues allied to France, and to form part of a con
federation, whose object is the ruin of this country,
I hope the war will be prosecuted vigorously against
this fame America. From the attempt to reduce which,
we are so often called to desist :— c Acknowledge their
independence," fay some members ; —" withdraw your
troops from the continent," fay others. That is, in
other words, abandon alt your pofeffioris beyond the
Atlantic- Abandon the friends you have in America,
to the tyranny of Congrefs,&e. relinquish your inlands,
your commerce, and every thing that conffitutes your
political existence, to the mercy of your enemies, and
if you wish to preserve the appearance of exigence as
an independent nation, flint yourselves up within the
compass of your island, when possibly you may be
left to be in tranquility. I allow, that this advice, if
it were adopted, might be attended with some service
to pofferity. We may thereby leave a lesson to our
defeendents, and some future historian may one day
or another find materials, better adopted than any
of his predecessors may have received, to furnifh an
history of the splendor, progress, and very rapid de^
cline of a powerful empire..
" No one is more fenffble than T am, of the unhap.
py effe&s of the American war, in every point of
view to Great-Rritain. No one sighs more anxiously
for a fafe and honourable peace. But they do not at
tend (efficiently to the only means of procuring it. I
fay, " the means," because there is only one way of
doing it. “ Delenda est Carthago." This Carthago,
which must be deflroyed, is the marine -of France; as
long as this marine exists, we can have no hopes of a
peace with America- I wish to hear it from every cor
ner of this house echoed; « Delenda -est Carthago,"
and that it should be hea'd from every mouth of every
individual in the kingdom. .And that all those who
have the prosperity and honour of the Britift empire
at heart, may never cease exclaiming, “ Delenda est
Carthago." The war muff be continued, till ' the na
vy of France shall be deftroyed'.Let all those, who
wish that the sincerity and ;ood faith of Britain may
triumph over the duplicity- and insidious arts, which
characterize a certain court, exclaim with me on the
neceffiry of deflroying the mariueof France.",
" Delenda est Carthago, said Mr. Townfhend, in:
reply, is soon said. I know as well as the noble lord,
that the deftruaion of the French navy would be the
happiest event possible for us- If by repeating and
exclaiming, ' Delendreft Carthago, we , could gra
dually effeft this deftrußion, I would introduce this
expression into- every period' 1 speak. I would have it
ever in my mouth. But Fdo find either on one hand,
that to bawl incessantly, ' Defends est Carthago,'
contributes very much to thedeftruffion of the French
marine, nor that on the other hand, those words a
thsufand times repeated, has any connection- with the
motion now before the house, which is to thank cer
tain officers, who have obtained viftories in America.
Does the noble lord imagine, these victories have had
the least tendency to deflroy the French navy ?"—
Mr. Townsend then proceeded to observe, that
lord Lewifham had introduced into his motion some
expressions, which might have a bad' effect.
Lord North had' made the fame observation, and
called upon the noble lord to suppress these words
" over the rebels."' This amendment being approved,
the speaker was going to read the motion, when lord'
Beauchamp arose to take notice, th it it was neither
good policy nor decent to decree honors to feme me
ritorious officers, and mortify others who were equal
ly deferring. .Did not admiral Arbuthnot contribute
to the success at Charles-To^n ? Was he in none of
the danger ? Why shall not the commander of our
naval forces be thanked ? I propose that his name
also be inserted in the motion.
employed. " Parliament, said he, all'otted 79,000 men,
for the service of the plantations. In November, 1779,
general Clinton's army amounted to 32,000 regular
troops, and 6000 provincials. There remain therefore
4.1,000 men to be elsewhere employed. Of those 41,000
I find 10,000 at Gibraltar and Minorca. Will minis
try fay, there are 31,000 in Canada and the Weft-
Indies ?"
MONDAY, November 27.
Mr. Cooke moved, " That the thanks of the house
be given to fir Henry Clinton, &c. and to the right
honorable Charles earl Cornwallis, &c. for the great
and important services, which they have rendered- to
this country, in obtaining lately fgnal victories over
the rebels in North-America, particularly to fir Hen
ry Clinton, for his wisdom and bravery shewn in the
reduction of Charles-Town, and to Charles earl Corn
wallis, for his judgment and intrepidity in the glori
ous affair of Cambden."
" No, replied Mr. Jenkinfon, but I have observed,
the honorable member mentions neither the Ball Indi
es nor Africa, where he certainly knows we have
troops. 17,000 have been employed in the Weft-
Indies."
The colonel rallied Mr. Jenkinfon on this Ihft asser
tion, and ironically a&ed his pardon, for having for
got in his calculation one battalion now in Alia, and
about 213 men in Africa.
Finally, agreeable to the proposition 39,000 men
were voted.
" The blunders of the guides prevented a full corres
pondence in the movements of the cavalry and infarb
try, by which mistakes we- were,, in some degree, baf
fled in the important^ c®nfeqiiences which the prowefe
of therinfantry gave a right to expert
" Many were killed, few were t:ken # ; among the
former is major Irvin ; among the latter lieutenant co
lonel Campbell, commander of the garrison.
" Disposed on all occafibns to alleviate' misfortunes,
I have indulged colonel Campbell and the captured of
ficers with their paroles.
“ The legion ha^ fuffered very little on this expe
dition, one killed, two wounded and two horses dif&-
bled make up our whole loss.
“ I have the honour to be, with the most perfect re
fpea. Your rood obedient servant,
"HE NRY LE E, junior,
lieutenant colonel, commanding partizaa legion."
In confluence of the victory gained by general
Morgan on the r/th ult. lord Cornwallis, who was
then encamped at the Cross roads, leading to the Ca
tawba, immediately defiroyed all his. waggons, and.
mounting two men each on fix hundred horses, endea
voured by a rapids march to cut -off his retreat and
retake the prisoners, following, himfeif with the re
mainder of bis force, coniffting in the wholeof 2500
regulars and some tories. General Morgan crossed the
Yadkin on the firft instant in the morning, and next
evening the enemy arrived a? the fame- ford, but a
heavy rain, which fell in the intermediate time,
swelling the river, prevented his crossing ; he then
proceeded up to Shallow, ford, opposite the Morayim
towns, where he remained ' by the last advices
General Greene had removed from- Peedee, and on
the Bth instant was at Guilford courthouse, about 40
miles from the enemy. The prisoners were fafe over
Dam river, and were to arrive at Winchester, in Vir
ginia, on the fifteenth instant.
Extract of a fetter from major general Greene to Con^
grefs, dated January 31, 1781.
" 1 have the honour to enclose-the copy of a tetter
from.lieutenant colonel Lee, announcing the partial suc
cess of an enterprize against Georgetown, which does
honour to his corps. 2 *
“ S' T R,'
" I have the honour to advise you - of the compleat
furprize of the post at Georgetown, this morning), by
the infantry of the legion; captain Carnes, who con
duced this enterprize, has claims to great merit for the
address exhibited on the occasion: the officers and sol
diers under him: distinguished themselves by their gal
lantry and firmnefs - My force was inadequate to the
assault of the enemy's inclofed works, nor was the pos
session equivalent to the certain loss to be expected front
such a measure ; I therefore determined to pursue m,
principal objects by means more certain- and less de-
HrufVive to my troops- - a
Legion camp, on Sampit river,
January 25th, 1781.
The honourable major general
Greene.
By accounts from the southward we learn, that or
the twenty-fifth ult. lieutenant colonel Lee with his
legion, furprized the British post at George-Town.
Lieutenant cplonel Campbell the commander, and a
few other officers, and some privates were made prif
foners..Major Irvine and one hundred and four offi
cers and privates killed. The attack being in tie
night, the bayonet only was made use of. Lieutenant
colonel Lea's loss—one private killed, two ' wounded,
and two horses aha bled;
Philadelphia, Feb. 24.
Thursday last arrived here the ship REVOLUTION),
captain McNaughton, from the Havannah,
And yesterday arrived a prize brig, with a very- va
luable cargo, confiding of 300 pipes of Madeira wine,
&c. She is from Madeira bound to Charleftown, and
was taken by the Saratoga fibop of war, commanded
by John Young, efquire t
The Saratoga has also taken a schooner, from St 3
Augustine, with lumber, &c. and sent her to Cape
Francois.
guiffied themselves —-How !'—in a bad canfe, ma.
war that is unju ft,'wicked, and subversive of the
principles of liberty. Whatever the successes may
be, for obtaining o f which, you are about to paG a:
vote of thanks, I have ever considered the Ameri
cans as having taken arms on the fame principles,
which inspired tne people of England to arm them
selves against Charles I, This prince endeavoured to
take the money he wanted from the pockets of his
people without their consent. He violated the con
stitution. f The people vindicated their inconteftible
rights. They took up arms. You have endeavour
ed, without the consent of the Americans, to take
their money out of their pockets. They have beefy
compelled into arms ; and when fir Henry Clinton and
lord Cornwallis drew their swords against them, I
confider them as having, without provocation, shed
innocent blood. And lam the more furprized at the
part lord Cornwallis has taken, as his lordthip him
feif told me a few years ago, that he dif i pp r oved of
the American war, and that it is was his opinion, Eng
land had no right to lay rxe 3 on America. Tell me
of an officer, who has obtained a vidcry over France
or Spain—l will vote him thanks. But a vote of
thanks to officers, who (if we should grant the Ame
rican war to be just, and that rhe Americans are re
bels, have only served in a civil war, is without all
example in the annals of the world. The Romans
were always careful to throw a veil over every thing
relative to a war of that kind; Trey never decreed
the honors of a triumph to any general, for any vic
tories obtained during a civil commotion.
On the question, the motion with the two amend
ments was carried.
Published by order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON; secretary