The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-05-13 00:00:00, page 2

Wed Indies, but be contended that those inconvehi
elicits were the unavoidable 1 consequences of the new
situation of tin United States, and were not imputable
to any pr ffible operation 'of the prefect bill. Among
these inconven^cCes, not the leafl, 'would be theinju
r d nd our merchants in b' e rticle of (hip-building, as
tee Americans cool'd certainly build Blips much cheap
er than Ive could. Vet the merchants in general were
desirous of having the bill passed. He laid further,
that lie, had convtrfed upon the fubjed with many re
fpcaable merchants of Glasgow, who all of them ad
mitted that certain inconvenrencies would arise, but
that heverthelefs they highly approved of the present
bill, and thought the house would be mad if they did
not pass it immediately. After urging this very point
edly, ids lordship Taid, since different gentlemen had
employed tnemfelves in manufacturing bills adapted
to the present exigency, he would produce a piece of
his own manufaHure. He had likewise prepared a
bill, and he would date what it was. He meant to
preserve the preamble of the present bill entire as it
flood, and the other alteration he should make, would
be to propose to leave out fix clauses, and to insert
one in the room of them. He then explained to the
house the reasons on which he had been induced to
adopt such an idea. In the firflplace, he laid, he
wished, above all things, to leave out every word that
tended to remind the Americans that they were inde
pendent. He had no desire to confider them other than
as hritifh fubjefts, further than in acknowledging
them independent slates; and, therefore, he would
not fuffer a syllable to remain in the bill, that tended
to fugged to the Americans that they were aliens.
This ne supported on grounds of mutual policy. He
afterwards read his, new clause; and having expatiat
ed considerably on the beneficial tendency of it, he urg
ed the propriety of going into a committee upon the
bill ; and once more advised the house to throw afid@
those fears about th® carrying trade, which, in his o
pinion, had fownneceffarily taken possession of their
minds.
Sir Robert Herrins declared, that notwithflanding
the argument of the learned lord, he was persuaded,
if the bill passed, it would produce bad consequences.
He said, he could not pretend to the powers of the
rhetoric that the learned lord possessed, but he laid
claim to common sense, and every body that knew
him, knew he had force experience in matters of trade
and commerce. If the bill passed it would prove ad
vantageous to him and some other individuals, but as
a man of honor, a good citizen, and a member of the
house, he felt himfelf bound to declare, that it would
do infinite mifehief to the country. Sir Robert then
replied to different parts of the lord advocate's speech,
and contend d that if the Americans were fuffered to
srade to the Weft Indies freely, they would get the
greatest part of the carrying trade into their own
hands. He denied that such an intercourse was in.
difpenfibly necessary, or could not be prevented. As
to the idea that the islands would be flarved, and want
lumber, unless the Americans supplied them, he po
sitively asserted the reverse of the fad, inftanciog that
the islands had fobfifted all the war without an inter
course with America, and (hewing that they might
have adequate and ample supplies from Great-Rritain
and the loyal colonies. He complimented Mr. Eden,
and said, he highly approved of the plan that gentle
man had proposed ; and particularly of his propositi
on with refpeft to the opening of certain free ports in
the Weft-India islands. Such a bill would answer
every end of ne eflary regulation, and would guard
against the dangerous consequences that he was con
vinced would attend the passing of the present bill.
Sir Robert Bated particular cases to enforce his argu
ment, and to prove, that if the bill passed, it would
throw advantages into the hands of the Americans,
that could not but be extremely detrimental to the
commercial interests of Great - Britain. It might, he
repeated it, make the fortunes of certain individuals ;
men who had made purchases in America, and sent a
gents there, and afterwards took those agents into
partnership, and thus could either remain Euglifhmen
or become Americans, just as their interest or conve
niency required. He him elf might also, fir Robert
said, profit by the bill in more than one instance.
He had a house in Barcelona, in which he had been
concerned above thirty years, and he had besides a
considerable property in houses at Oftend, both which
places must neceHarily be materially benefitted if the
bill passed ; but he should ill difeharge the duty of a
good citizen, if any personal confichration should make
him lose fight of the welfare of his county, which he
was sure would be much disadvantaged by the present
bill, and therefore, he said, he should be againftthe
speaker's leaving the chair.
Sir Grey Cooper declared, that the manufacture the
learned lord had mentioned, he had no objection to the
importation of into the committee; he wished to fee it
there, in order to examine it attentively, to improve
upon it, if improveable, and to use it as far as it
would go. In the committee would be the time and
place for its difeuffion. He therefore recommended,
that tie house go into a committee upon the bill. Sir
Grey repeated his argument of Friday, that in his o
pinion, if the prohibitory ads were repealed, the trade
would fall into its old course. With regard to what
the lord advocate had said of the American ships that
went to the We# India islands, not returning with
ballast only, fir Grey declared, that they never had,
and that most certain y they never would, while they
could get a back freight; but that formerly this trade
was retrained by certain legal checks, which no long
er existed. There were no bonds, no certificates, no
oaths to be expected from the Americans now, and
therefore the case was widely different from what it
-cent. As a proof th^ there war no ground f 6. the
fear of their injuring u in the carrying trade, leap
pealed to pall experience, and referred gentlemen back
ft a consideration of what Glare the Americans had of
the carrying trade before the w r. Having dwelt up
on this ior force tme, and argued with great earned
nefo, his lordth p admitted, that inconveniencies would
arise from rhe int r. ourfe of the Ahiericans and the
had been heretofore. Sir Grey answered that argu
ment of the lord advocate, that before the lift war
America did not injure us in the carrying trade. He
said it was true, the Americans bui\t (hips, freighted
them with tobacco, brought them to Liverpool', Hull,
or Glasgow, and there fold both hull and cargo, and
then went home passengers. They would no more
fell their Blips, their interest was altered, and they
would continue the carrying trade, certainly the most
advantageous to them. One thing the learned lord had
asserted, which, if founded, fir Grey said, he was rea
dy to bow to it, and give up all farther argument.
The learned lord had asserted, that the merchants of
Glasgow (men certainly perfectly competent to in firuH
the house, being men o high authority in all matters
of navigation and commerce) had declared that they
approved of the bill, and thought parliament would
ait madly, if it did not pass it. This was faying a
great deal; but then, how was he to reconcile the
learned lord's declaration of his intention to move in
the committee to leave out five or fix claufesof the bill
which the merchants of Glasgow m highly approved,
and which they thought it would be madness in the
house not to pass ? Sir Grey deemed this another rea
son for wishing to go into the committee, where the
bill might be difeuffed clause by clause ; and he con
cludd, with declaring, that his idea was to remove all
obstacles, and to take off the bars of the door to trade
with America, but to leave a latch on it, that a friend
might lift up.
P AR I S, March 2 .
On the sth of last month, the city of Meffina, situ
ated on the sea shore, in the vale of Demona, and five
villages that surrounded it, were all (wallowed up by
an earthquake. The citadel, the forts that command
ed the sea, the port, the superb edifices and public mo
numents, have all been overthrown. The earthquake
is attributed to a supernatural eruption of Mount ^t
na. — Some persons pretend this difafler is the conse
quence of a horrid temped, which has overturned the
order of the elements. The sea role in the different
quarters of the town upwards of four fathom. All the
houses built on the port have been (wallowed up; o
thers are left on the declivity of the precipice, which
the overflowing of the sea has filled up. Upwards of
20,000 victims have perished in the waves, and under
the ruins of their houses. [he inhabitants of Meffina
experienced, fixty-five years ago, an event almost simi
lar to this, but much less deftruHive.
Feb. 20. Four commissioners appointed by the king
are gone to Dunkirk to examine ifthat port, formerly
capable of containing 30 fail of the line, fhelte red
from all winds, can be established upon its ancient
footing.
The ministry are also going to re edablifh the port
of St. Valery, the bay of which is fu fficiently spacious
to contain at lead 300 fail of men of war.
We are assured that the marquis de la Fayette and
the prince de Naffatt, are gone to pay a visit to gene
ral Elliot at Gibraltar.
The definitive treaties of peace will not, according
to all appearance, be signed before the month of July
next.
A magazine, containing upwards of 45,0001 b. of
gunpowder, situated about three leagues from Bour
deaux, blew up 00 the 10th of February ; 39 persons
were killed and wounded by this accident; all the
windows were broke, and most of the houfes' damaged
for two leagues round.
COPENHAGE N, February 25.
We are assured that the king has appointed M. de
Walterftorf to be his minister to the United States of
North-America, and that he will reside at Philadel
phia.
HAMBURGH, February 28.
According to the last advices from Berlin, a courier
is arrived at Potsdam, with intelligence that the em
press had resolved to declare war against the Turks,
and that in consequence thereof prince Potemkin was
set off to take the command of the army. This news
merits confirmation.
HAGUE (Holland) March 4.
By the last letters from Paris we are informed that
the king has nominated the count de Vergennes presi
dent of his council of finance ; a mark of diftinclion
(the account adds) on a minister (0 universally ad
mired, which seems to give general fatisfadion.
March 5. The dates general have approved of the
choice made of mynheer Van Berkel reigning, burgo
master of Rotterdam, as envoy extraordinary from
this republic to Philadelphia.
Gen. Ross and several other members fpeke. At
length the house went into a committee, in which Mr.
Powys and others took a part in difeu ffing the bill.
Lord Newhaven moved for copies of the last dispatch
es from hr Guy Carleton, relative to the negociatiqn
between him and congress, on the fubjeft of the loy
alifis, to be laid before the honfe : which, there being
no minister present, was withdrawn.
In the result of this long dicuffion, Mr. Eden pro
posed to complete the preamble by leaving out the ob
jeHionable words, and to proceed to the body of the
bill with all convenient d fpatch on a future day ; in
the mean time he recommended a communication be
tween the different sides of the house, for facilitating
the farther progress, which was agreed to.
Lord Newhaven moved for A copy of the last dis
patches from fir Guy Carleton, in order to afeertain
what effed the influence which in the treaty with A
merica, had been promised to be used by congress in
behalf of the loyalists, had produced or was likely to
produce in their favour.
He was seconded by Mr. Rofewarne.
The chancellor of 'he exchequer rose and declared,
that the dispatches from fir Guy contained no infor
mation on the fubjeft, the preliminaries of peace not'
having reached America when the dispatches came
away.
The motion was negatived.
The treaty with the Dutch is compleatly fettled ;'
but before it can be properly announced, it must pass
the different Rates of that republic, and the provinces
must all approve of it previous to its being ratified
by the executive power. 1
March 11. The tumult among the great political
leaders is grown still warmer and more important^
The design of the cabal has been to keep the Rocking
ham party from St. James's ; and in order to effect
this, various wild and incoherent arrangements have
been formed, which have as constantly turned to no
thing, and the nation has been left for a whole fort
night without a government. At length they prevail
ed on earl Gower to take the office of prime minister,
at least for a time, until they should be able to d.ive
the temporary bills through the two houses. He con
sented, on the provision that Mr. Pitt should continue
chancel or of the exchequer, to condud the business of
the house of commons. In this shape things ft®od 011
Sunday : lord Afhburton to be chancellor; lord Thur
low to be president of the council; Mr. Jenkinfon and
lord Stormont to be secretaries. The only difficulty
to be got over was, to prevail on Mr. Pitt to join this
new body ; and yeflerday morning there were many
conferences, the results of which were, that Mr. Pitt
peremptorily refufed to aft with this sett of men, de
claring that he would make no part of an administra
tion which should take in any of the members of the
secret junto. Earl Gower then declared that he would
not accept of the premiership. The king being told
this, delivered himfelf, we underhand, with uncom
mon warmth, declaring, that he had been idly amused
by meq who had not influence in the country to form
any ministry by which the business of the nation could
be managed—and having said this, he, much ruffled
in his temper, fat off into the country, without going
near the levee. Lond Chron.
March 13. Lord North was yesterday lent for by his
majesty, and desired to form an arrangement of adminfe
flration upon as broad and permanent a basis as possible.
We are well informed that a ministry (s o long
wanted to this country) is at last formed under the
direct ion of his grace the duke of Portland, to whom
his majesty yesterday committed the office of fi r ft
lord of the treasury, and the nomination of the per
sons whom he thought most adequate to fill the other
departments of the Bate.
The new arrangement, we are informed, is as fol
lows Duke of Portland, firft lord of the treasury;
Mr Fox, and lord Fitzwilliam, or Mr. Pitt, secreta
ries of state ; Mr. Montague, chancellor of the exche
quer.
It is uncertain whether Mr. Pitt will join the above,
butit is hoped and believed he will be prevailed upon
to take a principal office.
If Mr. Pitt does not continue chancellor of the ex
chequer, lord John Cavendish is likely to succeed him.
Extract of a letter from Dublin, March 6.
" The departure of our excellent viceroy and his
lady from this kingdom and government is fixed up
on to take place between the 20th and 30th of next
month."
March 15. Two merchants of the city who were
deeply engaged in the American trade, and had very
great arrears owing to them at the commehcemtnt of
the troubles, have received letters from their corres
pondents by the way of France, within these few days,
wherein they are promised to have conliderable con
signments sent over as soon as their ports are all open
for a trade.
Our readers may rest assured, that though the fi
nal hand has not been put to the ministerial arrange
ments in all the parts of it, yet that the principal de
% partments are actually disposed of, and that the ulti
mate formation will be announced on Monday next
at the levee. The offices already filled are as follows:
the duke of Portland, sirs llord of the treasury ; Mr.
Fox and lord Stormont, secretaries of slate ; lord
North, member of the cabinet, as warden of the
cinque ports ; lord Keppel, firft lord of the admiralty;
lord Carlifle, ambassador to France; Mr. Eden, se
cretary at war ; Mr. Burke, paymafler of the forces;
Mr. Sheridan, under secretary of state; lord Foley;
pofimafter general.
The chancellorship nf the exchequer is not yet final
ly disposed of.—Englifh Cnronicle.
The commissioners of the cufloms, have demanded
of the matter of the ship lately arrived in the river from
Nantucket, eighteen (hillings duty per ton upon her
oil, with which (he is loaded, which has been refufed,
and a memorial has been presented to them in confer
quence of this very extravagant price, whereby (he is
treated as an enemy's ship, and not as an ally. Let
ministers beware how they create fiefh broils with our
American brethren.
March 8. It is said a great personage was so bar
railed on Monday last, io attempting to form a new
ministry, that he had determined to go in person to the
house, and desire them to recommend to him those
who possessed the confidence of the people, and were
capable of conduding the affairs of the nation. It
was with difficulty he was prevailed upon from put
ting his design in execution, and which he certainly
would have done, but for the danger of establishing
a precedent that interfered so materially with the roy
al prerogative.
W ARSA SV, (Poland) February 16
Ail our letters from Conflantinople, are expreiZve of
the aversion which the grand fignior entertains against
a rupture with Russia. That sovereign hearing of the
preparations carried on by the czarina, is said to have
expressed himfelf in the following words : " Before £
afeended the throne, I had passed the bed part of my
days in confinement. My only with there fore, is to
spend peaceably the few remaining years allotted to
me ; and for that purpose I would rather submit to
any conditions that equity and convenience might
point out, than enter upon a war, which in the pre
sent situation of affairs, cannot but prove of the great
est disadvantage to my empire."
LONDO N, February 15.