Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-04-10 00:00:00, page 7

POSTSCRii x ~Du s Pennsylvania Packet. H^F No.
i) the Catlins Barber and Andrews, arrived
at HarLCbe^d Jrom fa month, aml tbeJ'E^u-
ARY Packet, arrived at yew-fork, we rave
the following advices.
LON D 0 N, January 25.
HOUSE of LORDS.
STERDAY the House of Peers
^ . ^ met pursuant to their latt adjourn
,%r YS 1 Lord Dartmouth, agreeable to the
L#^^} orders o f his Majetty, laid before the
House several papers relativeto the Americans.
Lord Chatham made a morion to address his
Majesty fora REPEALofALL the AME
RICAN ACTS, which were paid last session.
His Lordihip spoke several hours in support of the
REPEAL oftho'fe IN FAMOUS ACTS.
The ministry were never in a more critical fitu
arion than the present: They seem to be greatly
afraid left our natural enemies the French and
Spaniards should avail therafelves of the dispute
between Great-Britain and her colonies, to in
volve England in a war. If this would happen,
they know they must make a disgraceful and pre
cipitate retreat from posts which the nation will
then deem them by no means qualified to fill.
A patriotic Lord has actually obtained some re
cent and interesting intelligence from the continent,
which his Lordship intends to make use of in
Parliament.
From a late calculation in the various depart
ments of government, it appears that the SALA
RIES of the fevera' PL ICEMEN do not on an
average bear a proportion of thirty per cent, to
the perquisites of office.
In letters from France they write, that great
preparations are making there to take the rnoft
early advantages of the cod fishery on the banks of
Newfoundland. The merchants have applied for
four large frigates more to protest their tithing
ships, which were immediately granted them by
the court, who are highly pleaf^d with the pro
gress madein that fishery.
707. 31. It was proposed at the last Cabinet
Council to fend over fix more regiments to Bos
ton with all speed.
Feb. I. Yesterday the Upper AfTembly was
crowded below the bar, in expectation of Lord
Chatham's making a motion refpedting America.
He acquainted the H mfe, that he had a bill of a
conciliating nature in his hand, which he proposed
to submit to their confederation. He entered ve
ry fully into the main objeAs it had in view, he
apologized,for the rude, informal manner it was
drawn up, entreated their indulgence and assist
ance to model and bring it into form.
The bill is directed to a variety of important
objects, but the two main points on which it prin
cipally turns are the repeal of the declaratory a&
of 1767, which asserts the supremacy of the Par
liament in all cases whatsoever, and fuftitutes in
its place a supremacy directed to ads of mere le
gislation and controul only, and to make it lawful
for a Congress to meet at Philadelphia 00 the 9th
of May next, where the whole continent of Ame
rica, (the infant colonies and Quebeck excepted)
ih mid acknowledge the reftri&ca supremacy, and
grant a certain benevolence or fom of money to
his Majesty, to be under the disposal of Parlia
ment, and to be employed towards alleviating the
public burdens the Mother Country now labours
under.
Lord S opposed this strenuously ; said
he had received letters a few days since, inform
ing him,that vessels were now loading at Ainfter
dom, L Orient and R ochfort, the cargoes of which
Were intend'd for America; that all conciliating
nieafu es Were to no purpose; and that he should
therefore move, that the Did bill be rejected in the
firft inftar.ee.
A vt y able and well supported debate now en
sued, after which the question being put, there
appeared for Lord S 's motion, contents,
61, proxies 7; in all 68. Non contents 32, so
the bill was rejected by a majority of 36.
HOUSE of COMMONS, Feb. 2.
This day, a few minutes after four, Lord North
rose, and in a fpeeeh which lasted near two hours,
recapitulated the contents of the American papers
which had been read to the Houle, and pronounc
ed the province of Massachusetts Bay, and other
parts of New England, to be in a date of adlual
rebellion, and proposed a conference with the
House of Lords, that a joint address might be
carried un to the throne. He said that admini-
Rration wished to adopt concilatory measures, if
America would permit them; but at all events, in
the tirft indance, the present dep was become in
difpenlibly necessary. Among other things, his
LordCnip dated the burthens borne by Britain and
America, from which he drew this deduction,
that every person in the former, on an average,
contributed at the rate of 25 (hillings a head,
whereas the latter did not contribute fix-pence.
His Lordship likewise, in the course ofhis speech,
pointed out the measures intended to be pursued in
case the King should agree to comply with their
address. He said, he should propose a temporary
aA to put a flop to all the foreign trade of New-
England, and particularly to their fishery on the
banks of Newfoundland, till they returned to
their duty; at the fame time declaring, that when
ever the should acknowledge the supreme authori
ty of the British legislature, pay obedience to the
laws of this realm, and make a due fubmillion to
the King, their real grievances, upou their mak
ing proper application, would be redressed. His
Lordship further observed, that the other colonies
were not so culpable, and he hoped might yet be
brought to a sense of their duty to the Mother
Country by more lenient measures, and he then
concluded with a motion “ That an humble ad
dress be presented to his Majesty, to return thanks
to his Majesty for .communicating to the House
the American papers, and that he would be pleas
ed to take such measures as ~.„.; I. suitable to his
wisdom for enforcing the laws against America,
and promoting to support him in a IMI and vigo
rous execution of the fame with their livas and for
tunes.'' The merbres proposed to be taken the
better to enforce obedience in New-England were
mentioned generally, and are said to be, to fend
fourteen frigates to Boston, and 10,000 troops,
including Preston's regiment of horse; to ask a
supply of 2000 seamen more to man the fleet for
Boston, and to supply the naval establishment at
home, which falls short, because Admiral Har
land is not arrived, aS was„expeQed, with the fleet
from India.
After Lord North had finished his speech, the
motion was read by the Chairman; when Mr.
Dunning rose and spoke to the following purport:
" The noble Lord has endeavoured, by every
light into which he can throw the question, to
prove that the refinance of the Americans, though
it has gone no further than votes and resolutions,
is adual and open rebellion ; and we are to come
to a resolution declaratory of the sane idea: I
think, Mr. Speaker, that there is no difficulty in
proving the direct contrary position; that the
Americans are not in rebellion; that the votes and
resolutions of the several congrefles, both provin
cial and continental, are decent and moderate,
though firm declarations of the estimation in which
liberty ought to be held, and tempered with the
highest expressions of loyalty and duty to their
fovereigfl.—Agaiuft what is it that they rebel ?
Do they deny allegiance to his Majesty? Are they
in arms in opposing the King's troops? By what
explanation, or by what misconception their con
dust is now to be branded wit!)fo violent and f'
fatal an epithet, I cannot appr hend. You gaffe 1
afis, the last session, which, infead of governing
America, carried tyranny into th° bowels 0
America, and overturned all legal con riru ion in
one of their provinces; and you u.te ly tuned
the capital of the empire in that part of the wo Id,
by way of punishing the indolence of a mob
you executed those adis by force of arms ;, the
people of the Colonies thinking themselves tyran
nically died, and conceiving that the nature of
their dependency upon the Parliament of Great-
Britain was not well understood on either fide the
water, in order to treat with this country on such
momentous points; convened a general congress
the deputies iriet In that congress came to re
solutions declaratory of their ideas of their sub
mission unto Britain, full of duty and allegiance
to the King, and icfpe& to Parliament; but as all
free countries have licentious fubjedls, and free
dom in that country attended with licentious news
papers, we, the Parliament of Great Britain, are
to overlook the conduct of the congress, and search
for proof of rebellion among the American mobs
and colony news-papers, which have actually been
laid before us as state-papers, upon which we are
to form our resolutions; yet in the adion ofthofe
mobs, and in the expressions of these news-papers,
is not rebellion to be found."
The Attorney-General answered Mr. Dunning
with great sense and spirit. A general debate now
ensued, in which all the able speakers on both
sides Viewed their abilities.
Feb. 7. If the Americans fliould still continue
obstinate, and no other measure can be thought of
to bring them into the pale of administration, their
leaders, it is said, are to be tempted with the li
berty to open and work their mines on the fame
plan and conditions with those in Great-Brirain.
Yesterday, a refpe&able meeting of the mer
chants, trad is and 0 hers, concerned in the Ame
rican commerce, Mr. Lane took the Chair at one
o'clock, and Mr. Baker informed the company,
that, agreeable to fheirinftrudiousat the last meet
ing, the fecund petition had been prelcnted to the
House of Commons, and a motion made thereon
to refeind rhe order of Monday the yf of Janua
ry, which had referred the firft petition to the
Committee, wl ich i^ termed the Coventry Com
mittee; that, after a long debate, the House re
fafe to receive the motion, gnd the petition was or
dered to lie on the table; that, under this circuro
ftance, the committee had no alternative but to be
heard before that ineffectual committee, or to ware
appearing at the bar; and being of opinion the
latter was the molt manly conduct, they rJolved
to desire one of the committee to deliver the fol
lowing declaration, which Mr. Wooldridge ac
cordingly complied with, viz.
" I am directed by the Committee of merchants,
traders, and others, of the city of London, con
cerned in the commerce of America, to represent
to this Honourable Committee, that merchants
revealing at this bar the state of their affairs, is a
measure which all would with to avoid, unlei's
upon such great occasions as the present, when
the public weal is evidently at stake, when their
duty as good fubjeds requires it of them ; but
when the mode of examination is such as totally
precludes them from answering the g"eat public
object (which, in their opinion is clearly the case
at present) they beg leave humbly to fignify, that
they wave appearing before the Committee which
has been appointed, and that the merchants are
not under any apprehensions refpeCiingtheir Ame
rican debts unless the means of remittance fliould
be cut off, by measures that may be adopted in
Great-Britain."
That the Committee trusting in the propriety of
themeafure, audit being in point of time, not in
their power totake the sense of a general meeting
they hoped for the general approbation. He ad
ded, that their petitions were not withdrawn, or
placed in any unfavourable filiation, than when
they were presented. He made some judicious
and pertinent remarks oh Lord North's motion on
Friday last, and observed that the Americans
ought to expert something more than indulgence,
as expressed in the motion, when they were con
tending only for their just rights and unalienable
privileges.
The proceedings of the Committee being gene
rally approved, a motion was made and Second
ed to return them thanks for their conduct there
on, and 'to Mr. Wodldridge, for his firm and
manly conduct at the bar. Mr. Baker then inti
mated that it was the opinion of the Commiree,
that a petition fliould be forthwith presented to
the House of Lords, which being universally ap
pioved, a draft of one was produced, and being
three times read, agreed to, and signed by a con
siderable number, on the spot; and agreed to re
main ar the King's Arms for that purpose, this
day until 12 o'clock.
House of Commons, Feb. 8.
Lord North rose and informed the House that
he had intended to have moved some propo
rtions refpeCling the measures to be pursued to
wards America, but his Majesty having lignified
his pleasure, that he would that day receive the
address of both Houses, and that it would be dif
ficult to procure a full House as many of the mem
bers would not probably return, when the order
of the day came to be read, for the House to go
into a Committee on the American papers; he
gave this timely notice, that he should move to
postpone the further consideration of the papers till
Friday.
Mr. Fox observed, that the noble Lord was all
hurry till he had effected the measures for refeu
ing General Gage outof the very dangerous situ-
Ation he was in ; that he now imagined he had got
him into a state of security, he meant to proceed
more cooly and deliberately, because lie dreaded
that the defeat and deftrhaion of that General
and his troops would be solely attributed to his
Lordships negligence and rashness. He contrast
ed his Lordihip' scondufl refpe&ing the several
pe rions presented by. the American merchants,
remaking that Administration would not wait a
tingle day to hear the complaints of so refpeftable
a body; but now, that his favourite measure was
carried, he seemed to proceed with caution and
deliberation. He concluded by observing, that
he understood the measure Iris Lordship had next
in contemplation to carry into execution was the
nioft extraordinary that ever entered into the head
< f an Eng ifh Minister, to prevent the New-Eng
lacd provinces from fishing on the banks of New
foundland.
Lord North replied with great warmth to these
charges. He said, it was impossible for him to
escape the cenlure ofthat Honourable Gentleman,
let him aft as he mi^ht. Ifhe had proposed any
nieafure to the consideration of Parliament this
day or to morrow, hurrying matters precipitatley
would be imputed to him ; now that he has given
the House a respite of one day to consider and de
liberate, he was charged with procrastination,
and to what motive was this delay attributed ?
because (Jen. Gage was in fafet'y. For his part,
he did m t fee how any refolutian of either House
of Parliament, could be a means of immediate
Security to that Gentleman, if he were indanger.
He was sure he was not, but was at present in all
imaginable fafety and fecutity. Asto the petiti
ons he levied that the House refufed to hear them ;
nei her weethey withdrawn, but were still pro
perly under the contideration of the House. As
to the petition of the Weft-India merchants, they
might have presented it ifthey pleased ; they might
fh'i prefentit if they thought fit; nor upon any
ground could the information of one day, upon
a fubjetd so bast anJ exiecfive, be of any material
Service.
The address of the other House being read,
Lord Dartmouth accordingly moved, that the
blank therein mould be filled up with the words,
" Lords Spiritual and Temporal," referring him
felf to speak to the question at large in the course
of the debate. The Marquis of Rockingham
next rose, and informed the House that he had two
petitions to present, relative to the contents of the
said address: bat as the motion now stood in
the way it was impoflible to bring them under the
consideration of the House, but by the postponing
of the question • that as the matter contained in
the said petition was of the highest national import
ance, and directly connected with rhe fubjetl of
the address, he thought it his indispensable duty
to do every thingin his power, to bring it under
the confederation of the House, and that he fliould
therefore move the previous question.
At forty minutes after one, the previous questi
on was put, that the question be now put, con
tents 90 ; proxies 14. Total 104. Non con
tents 29.
The main question was then put for filling up
the blanks in the address with the words, " Lords
Spiritual and 1 cmporal. Contents 87 ; non con
tents 27.
Two protests against the above proceedings
were yesterday entered, on? against their Lord
ships not going into the merits of either petition,
and,the other against the impropriety of the ad
dress agreed to by the House. The protests are
signed by the following Right Hon. Members :
R—d, C—n, ']' —n, A—r, S—e, C—y, R—m,
W—e, A—n, C—n, E—m, P— 7, A—y, S—h,
c—y, F-d, T-le.
House of Commons, Feb. 9.
I.ord North acquainted the Houle that he had
a message from his Majesty, which he read in his
place, delivered in at the table and is as follows:
G. R.
" His Majesty being determined, in confequencc
of the address of both Houses of Parliament, to
take the mod speedy and effectual measures for sup
porting the just rights of his crown, and the two
Houses of Parliament; think it proper to acquaint
this House, that additions to his forces by sea and
A petition was presented froth the manufactu
rers, traders, and ether inhabitants of the town
and neighbourhood of Nottingham, of the fame
tenor of those presented from London, Bristol, Li
verpo d. &c. It was referred to the Coventry
Commi, tee.
land will be neceffiry for that purpose, and does
not doubt but his faithful Commons, on whole
zeal and ?r fe^i< n!e entirely relies, will enable
him to make Such an augmentation to his forces,
as on the present occasion Shall be thou: ' pro
per."
Ordered, that his Majesty's said meflage be re
ferred to the consideration of the Committee offup
p'y-
Feb. : to. A noble L—d the other night in a de
bate assured the H—, that after the various servi
ces in the Mediterranean, Weft-Indies, Leeward
Islands, and North-Amcrica, the naval force for
home prote&ion would consist of Seventeen men ®f
war of the line, besides frigates, 7200 Seamen,
and 800 marines ; that after the peace of Aix
la Chapelle in 1748,0ur w^ole naval establishment
did not exceed that now reserved for the chanel
alone, 8000 seamen. including marines, being only
voted; and that he would pledge him^S to an
swer al! the demands, and co-operate with the in
tentions of Administration, with only a n augmen
tation of 2000 men. He added further on the
fame head, that we had a fleet superior to any
that the combined force of France and Spain could
fit out ; that our ships were all clean, well provi
ded, rigged, and ready to proceed to sea on a few
days notice ; and that we had a supply of season
ed timber in our yards equal to three years con
sumption.
Feb. 11. The following motion was made by
Mr. Saxby, and seconded by Mr. Aid. Kirkman,
'• 1 hat the thanks of this Court be given to the
Right Hon. the Earl of Chatham for having offer
ed the House of Lords a plan for conciliating the
differences which unfortunately fubfilt between the
Mother Country and the Colonies ; also to those
Noblemen who supported the fame,"
Mr. Alderman Harley opposed the motion
On the question being put, it was carried without
one diffentient, except the Right Honorable Gen
tleman.
Mr. Saxby next made the following motion,
which was also seconded by Mr. Ald. Kirkman,
“ That the thanks of this Court be given to such
of the Members of the House of Commons as h^ve
defended the Americans in the Cause of Freedom.
This motion was opposed by the Aid. Harley,
Rawlinson, Hopkins, and Thomas, Mess. Jones
Mafkall, and White. On the question being put,
it was carried in the affirmative by the whole
Court except the above fix Gentlemen.
The Court entered upon the consideration of
the present situation of affairs between this King
dom and the Colonies, but no final determination
basing taken place,—another Court is summoned
to meet on Monday next, in order to reconsider
the matter, and to determine what steps the Court
can with propriety take therein,
We hear that previous to the commencement
of any hostilities in America, a manifefto will be
distributed amongst all the provinces, setting forth
at large the claims of government on one fide, and
the expected concession ®f America on the other.
Fhurfday a Board of Admiralty wae held,
when, itis said, iwo ships of the line, three sloops,
and seven cutters, were ordered to be put in com
mission immediately.
A letter from Kilkenny in Ireland, dated the
ift instant, fays, "Orders are come down from
government for the 6jd regiment of foot, quar
tered here, and at Cafhel, Dung^rvon, &c to
be in readiness to embark at Cork on theist of
March next, together with the 17th of light dra
goons, and 35th and 49th of foot, in order to
reinforce the troops under General Gage at Boston.
Those who are willing to throw all things into
confufion, they who would maintain a ridiculous
sovereignty over America, or rather they who
would at all events maintain the undue influence
of the Crown, and stretch the prerogative bounds,
even to the verge of despotism, are for rigoroufy
enforcing the late ads of parliament against the
Colonies.
Mr. Vice Chamberlain presented his Majesty's
Answer to the Address of Both Houses of Rt;n
ment, which was as follows: (For the <ddeef &
our Supplement published yesterday morning.)
Bly Lords and Gentiemen,
" I thank you for this very dutiful and loyal
address, and for the affedionate and solemn as
surances you give me of your support in maintain
ing the just rights of my crown, and of the two
Hemes of Parliament; and you may depend upon
my taking the most speedy and effedual meafmes
for enforcing due obedience to the laws and au
thority of the supreme legislature.
“ Whenever any of my colonies fha!l make a
proper and dutiful application, I fhallbe readv
to concur with you in affording theni e ery jefe
and reasonable indulgence; and it is my ardc:
wish, that this difpofirion may have a happy e -
fedt on the temper and conduct of my Subjects in
America.".
His Majesty's answer was referred to the com
mittee of supply, which was adjourned to Monday.
The Houle went into a committee on the /.me
rican,papers, and Lord North moved for leave to
bring in a bill for preventing, the Americans from
fifhing at Newfoundland and St. John's, and for
prohibiting them from carrying on any commerce,
either by way of export or import, but witli
Great-Britain, Ireland, and the Weft-Indies.
'I his produced a very warm debate, in which Mr.
Attorney and Mr. Solicitor Gen-ral, Mr. Sum
ley, and Mr. Cornwall, bore a part on one tide
and Mr. Dunning, Mr. Recorder of Lotrd.on, ar,d'
Mr. Fox on the other.
The principal arguments used in favour of the
proposed augmentation, were as follows: That
the House justly refoived the contumacy and defi
ance of the legislative power in the Americans to
be rebellious, and having addressed his Majc-fty
that he would be pleased to take such m afu.es us
he should find neccEary for enforc ng the laws, it
was, upon a mature consideration, deterjuiged