The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-08-19 00:00:00, page 1

L O ND O N, May 15.
HOUSE OF Lor d s.
/ Tuesday, May 11.
AS soon as the Dissenters bill had passed through the
Committee, and the other ordinary business was at an
end, the Duke of Richmond moved that the order for the
Lords to be summoned might be read ; the motion having
been complied with,
The Marquis of Rockingham rose, and in a speech of
an hour's length, painted the difireffes of Ireland in very
forcible colours, aod (hewed, that if Great-Britain was
not equally deaf to the calls of humanity, and the princi
ples of justice, the would not lose a moment in affording
some relief to a kingdom so poor and oppressed, and yet
so loyal and deserving, as the filler kingdom.
'I he Marquis concluded his speech with moving,
" That this House talcing intoconfideration the diftreff
'' ed and impoverished state of the kingdom of Ireland, and
" being of opinion, that it is consonant to justice and true
" policy to remove the caufts of discontent by a redress
" of grievances, and in order to demonstrate the sense
" which this House entertains of the merits of that loyal
" and well deftrving nation, this House doth conceive it
« highly expedient, that this important business should be
1$ no longer neglected, and that an humbie address be pre
re rented to his M: jefty, that his. Majesty would be gra
ce cioufly plesfed to take the matter into his most serious
« consideration, and direst his Miniflers to prepare and
" lay before Parliament such particulars, relative to the
« trade and manu^aures of Ireland, as may enable the
" national wisdom to pursue effectual methods for pro
« moving the common strength, wealth, and commerce
<< of his Majcfly's fubjefts in both kingdoms."
Lord Viscount Weymouth rose giext, and in a fh®rt
speech declar td, that he was fully persuaded that Ireland
was in the distressed situation in which the noble Marquis
had described her to be, and that he was as ready as any
noble Lord in that House to join in endeavouring to pro
cure her every redress of grievance/, and every relief which
she could reasonably desire, or which was consistent either
with the principles of justice, or the capacity of this conn
try to afford. Ive doubted, however, whether their Lord
fllips could, with any fort of propriety, accede to the pre
lent motion ; or, whether they were yet ripe to proceed to
aft under it. Let their Lordfllips, for a moment, recollect
the import of the words with which the motion was pre
faced, " This House taking into consideration, &c."
Could the House with truth adopt that expression? Hid
•ficy taken th^ difireffes of Ireland into their consideration?
Had they considered them at all ? Where were the peti
\ins, the documents, on which they had proceeded to
rm the assertion, that the difireffes of Ireland appeared
diem to require redress ? He had not seen any; the
House had not fees any. He begged their Lordships net
tor a moment to imagine, that from what he then said,
he had any objection to afford Ireland relief, or that he
doubted that file flood in need of any ; very far from it.
He only wished that tiieir Lordships proceedings in this
case which was by no means a trivial one, should be se
rious, well-founded, and deliberate; in fa&, that they
fliould be consonant with the dignity of Parliament. He
had no other objection to the noble Marquis's motion
than what he had stat. He feared that the mode of af
iforcing relief to Ireland which it prescribed, could not be
carried into execution; exclusive of what he had stated,
possibly the other House might not relish their entering on
the business, as the bill or bills which alone could afford
relief, must of necessity originate there. Having enlarged
upon this, and again repeated that he would join in afford
ing Ireland relief in some other more practicable manner,
he declared he wished the noble Marquis would not
insist on his prefect motion, but for fear he fliould be of
a different opinion, he would move " that the motion be
not then put ;" [which is the mode of moving the previ
ous qaeflion in the House of Lords.]
The Marquis of Rockingham rose again, and replied
to the arguments of Lord Weymouth, contending that
there was not a moment to be loft in affording relief to
Ireland; that the country was grown desperate under her
oppressions; that fe had borne them hitherto with most
unexampled patience; and that it would indeed be ingra
titude in the extreme not to lighten her burthen, and take
off the injurious reftriDions under which her trade was
expiring. As an additional argument why it behoved the
King's servants to agree to this motion, his Lordship in.
ftanced trie 10,000 men now in arms in the interior parts
of Ireland, without commissions and without authority;
and asked, If Ministry avowed that they knew of them,
or if Government authorized them to bear arms? This
matter the Marquis dwelt on as a matter exceedingly no
vel, and exceedingly alarming ; and said it highly behov
ed Miniflers to investigate it. With regard to the mo
tion, he could not repress his feelings and his astonish
ment that it should meet with any objection ; he declared
he had taken particular pains to word it so, that it should
not be in any degree offenfive. It was not a perfonai mo
tion. When the motion the other day was made, by a
noble Earl, to address his Majesty to remove the Earl of
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Sandwich, he did not at all wonder at Miniflers getting
up, and faying, “ No, let his crimes be ever so great, we
do not care a farthing, he's a pleasant companion, and we
don't chufe to part with him." There was nothing fur
prizing in this; but. it was past his comprehension why
any of the King's Ministers should object to giving relief
to Ireland, for such in fall was opposing his motion, when
it was so much their interest to join heartily in the mea
sure it led to
Lord Townsend made a very animated speech in defence
of the argument that the Irish were an oppressed people,
and that it was highly incumbent on this coentry to afford
them immediate relief.
The Lord President (Lord Gower) rose next, and said,
he was equally willing with other noble Lords to afford
Ireland present relief, and as it was admitted on all sides
that her difireffes were pressing, and each noble Lord seem
ed desirous of doing something to convince her of the re
gard^nd good intentions of this country, he heartily wish
ed thata line of accomodation could be drawn between the
proposition of the noble Marquis, stated in the motion,
and the argument his noble friend, the noble Viscount,
made use of in his speech ; that their wishes were evident
ly the fame, and that they differed only as to the best mode
of effecting what was proper to be done refpe&ing Ireland
at present.
A pause here erfued, while the Lord President drew up
his amendment in a regular manner ; as soon as he had
done so, his Lordship delivered it to the Lord Chancellor,
who read it to the House as follows:
“ That an humble address be presented to his Majesty,
" that he will be pleased to take into his gracious confide.
" ration the distressed and impoverished slate of the loyal
" and well-deserving people of Ireland, and t© direct an
" account to be laid before Parliament of such particulars
" relative to the trade and manufactures of Ireland, as may
" enable the national wisdom to pursue effectual methods
" for promoring the common strength, wealth and com
-6 merce of his Majefly' sfubjeds in both kingdoms."
The Duke .f Grafton, in a short speech, talked of an
union between Ireland and England, on good and firm
principles of mutual interest and flability.
The Marquis of Rockingham did not entirely approve
of the amendment. The noble Earl had omitted toinfert
in it, that the difireffes of Ireland had been too long neg
lected ; a confeffion which Ministers ought in candour to
make, as it would be the best means of convincing that
country, that government were sincere in the business she
had begun, and seriously meant to afford Ireland substan
tial and immediate relief.
I.ord Shelburne with regret differed from his noble friend.
He said, what had.fallen from Ministers bad flruck him
very forcibly, and he thought it exceedingly handsome on
their parts, that he was glad to fee any change of con
duct, and that the imminency of the danger was such, as
rendered it necessary to look immediately to the objeCt,
and not to waste a moment in cavilling about punctilios,
or wrangling upon the former mifeondud of Ministers,
gross as their mifeondud had been refpefting Ireland, and
every other part of the Britifll peffeffibns. Mniftry had
begun at lift a good work ; it would be attended with
great difficulty and delicacy, but he wished to God they
might get fuccefsfully through it. He was very sure that
the bare knowledge of such a motion would do good in
Ireland. The people, he knew, were loyal ; and as to their
toeing in arms, there was not a man but would defend his
country against the common enemy, fliould any attempt
be madeon it. As for the associations, they could do no
harm to Great-Britain ; and upon their knowing that go
vernment and the Parliament litre intended them some re
lief, they would soon be dissolved. Besides, he would free
ly confefs, that he did not believe 4ur reftridions on their
trade were the foie cause of the di ftfeffes of Ireland ; there
were others which this motion would bring to light. With
refpe& to the manufacturers of Great-Britain, he had con
versed with many of them, in different parts of the coun
try, and had found them in general to be a wife and liber
al set of men, from whom he had received great informa
tion : They were not averse to propei indulgences being
granted to the Irish; but they had been taken by furprize,
without notice, by persons z alous in the cause of Ireland;
who had alarmed them by representing that the Irish were
to be allowed to import the raw materials for manufactures,
paying less duty on them than the English, which would
ruin the manufacturers of Liverpool, Manchester, York
shire, Norwich, and other parts of England : But as soon
as it was understood that the common interest of both
countries was to be united in the regulation of their trade
and intercourse, he was well informed they would be rea
dy to agree to any alterations in th^ trade laws of this
country, that might improve the commerce and reciprocal
advantage of both.
The Duke of Richmond would not oppose the motion,
but he wished for an indication § I something proposed to be
done, and of the time when : He was afraid to rely too
much on miniflerial general premises; he had seen the
fa ] e ° with re '^ ft to America ; and he called upon
administration to fay, Whetherthey expected to be able to
lay the accounts to be obtained by means of the motion
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ADVERTISER
PHILADELPHIA.
Extrafl of a letter from a Gentleman in France to a Mem
ber of Congress, dated Nantes, May 25, 1779.
“ I inclofe you an English paper of the i 6 th of May,
whereby you will fee the temper of the Enghih councils,
an A ai '" re ° f Prince Nassau's expedition to Jersey
However, as the troops that were defin
ed for America, under convoy of Adm. Arbuthnot, (be
ing 4000) went to Guernsey, it is provable they will be
Retained some time, and possibly it will prevent their ?o
ing out at all, as it is reported here daily that a second ex
pedition is designed for the fame place. So far this will
make in our favor.
" The English look on that expedition to be nothing
r man ^ uvr ' e , an d are greatly apprehensive that
the French have views of higher consequence; as, in Ire
land and Scot!?nd there ar€ great disorders and infurre&i
ons. There are now in the Province of Normandy
85,000 troops; and all merchant ships and vessels are tak
en into the service, but for what purpose is kept a secret.
" I am extremely happy at the notice with which the
Marquis de la, Fayette has been honored from the King,
by his giving him his own Regiment of Dragoons, which
ar , "" said, going to America with the Marquis, like
wise the Count de la Luzerne as Ambassador, in place of
who has desired a recall on account of his
J he Mar 9 uis de la Fayette has given his Majesty
and the Court an high charafter of his new allies,
r at '"' c °nfifts of 33 or 34 ships of the
behdes frigates, under the command of Count D'Or
villiers; and tis said they are to fail to-morrow, but to
what place is not known.
ft I do not recoiled any thing material to fiibicirt."
LONDO N, May 15 .-
Extrad of a tetter from Moses Corbet, Esq ; Lieutenant-
, c ' r °° r 01 Jersey, to the Lord Viscount Weymouth.
From the Heights of Ouen's Bay, attending to the motions
of the enemy. Jersey, May x, Three ofiock in the af
ternoon. '
EARL} this morning five latge vessels, and a number
O r boats (which afterwards appeared to be French) were
seen within three leagues of the coast ; from whence they
proceeded to St Ouen's Bay, in order, by a coup de
mam, to effed a landing. The cutters and small craft, in -
tended to cover their disembarkation, came so near as to
throw some grape-shot, and the boats were at hand to ef
fect their purpose, but by the spirited march of the 78th.
and the militia of the ifhnd, with some few of the artille
ry of the island which we were able to drag thro' the hea
"e' were beat off, and obliged to give up their
hostile intentions in that bay, without any other !ofs on our
fide tuan a few men wounded by the burfling of a cannon•
but the enemy remains within about a league of the coaft'-
lying to, in order, as we suppose, when the tide permits'
to make a further attempt ; in which case nothing fhali be
wanting on our part. The King's troops and militia have
already gone through great fatigue, and shew a spirit be
yond my power to describe.
, Admiralty -Office, May 1779.
IN conference of intelligence received last week of are
attack intended to be made by the French on the inlands of
Jersey and Guernsey, orders were immediately dispatched
to the commanding officers of his Majesty's ships at Portf
meuthaad Plymouth, to fend a number of frigates and.
flcops for the protection of those iftands ; since which two
letters to Mr. Stephens have been received from Admiral
Arbuthnot, of which the following are extracts.
^TA^'Y'''’ "' ''"' ^ 2 ' ^ o'clock, A. M.
HAVING this moment learnt, that the island of Ter
fey was yeftetday morning attacked by five French ship s
of war, several bomb-vessels, and fifty boats, which were
landing men at eleven .'clock. I desire you will please to
acquaint their Lordships therewith, and that I think it my
duty to give every possible relief to it ; for which purpose
I am now shaping my course thither.
, ~ , ~ Europe, at Sea, Ma,6.
I omitted in my letter of the 2d to inform their Lord
flups, that by the vessel dispatched for their information
? 1 had received of Jersey being attacked:
I had also sent a duplicate of it to Admiral Sir Thomas Pye
before Parliament this session ? If not, he apprehended the
motion might do harm, instead of good, as it would give
the Irish vague hopes, without their knowing on what
they werr to rely.
Lord Effingham and the Earl of Bristol said a few words
rather objecting to the motion ; and Lord Gower aflured
the H®ufe, that all possible dispatch should be made in pro
curing the full information required ; but it was impossible
to fay to what the papers might extend, or when they
might be compleated and arrive here ; but, at all events,
if they could not be deliberated upon this feflion, it would
be the earliest business of the next.
At length Lord Weymouth, with the consent of their
Lordships, withdrew the previous question, and the Mar
quis of Rockingham withdrew his original motion.
That motion therefore moved, as an amendment by
the Lord President, was put, and carried nemine con
traduente.
AUGUST 19, 1779.
TME