The Freeman's journal, or, New-Hampshire gazette — Portsmouth, N.H., 1778-06-02 00:00:00, page 2

YORK-TOWN, May 13.
From a Philadelphia Paper, of May 9, 1778.
printed by James Humphreys, junr. we
have extradied the following.
By the Porcupine Frigate arrived in the River
Yelierday Morning from London, we are
favoured with the tollowing Advices,
LONDON, March r 7.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE OF LORDS.
The following is the message delivered by Lord
Weymouth to the Houje of Lords la/l Tuesday.
George R.
HIS Majesty having been informed, by or
der of the French King, that a Treaty
of Amity and Commerce, has been signed be
tween the court of France & certain perlons
employed by his Majesty's revolted fubjedls in
North- America, has judged it necessary todi
redt, that a copy of the declaration delivered
by the French ambassador to Lord Viscount
Weymouth,be laid before theHoofe 01 Lords;
ind at the fame time to acquaint thtm,th^t
his Majefly has tho't proper, in consequence
of this offenfive communication on the part of
the court of France, to fend orders to his am
bassador to withdraw from that court.
HisMajefty is persuaded that the justice and
good faith of his conduct towards foreign pow
ers,and the sincerity of his wiflies to preserve
the tranquility of Europe,will be acknowleg
ed by all the world ; and his Majesty trulls
that he shall not stand responsible for the dis
turbance of that tranquility, if he should find
himfelf called upon to resent so unprovoked
and unjust an aggression on the honor of his
crown, and the essential interests of his king
doms, contrary to the most solemn assurances,
subversive of the law of nations,and injurious
to the rights of every sovereign power in
Europe.
His Majesty relying with.the firmed confix
dence on the zealous and affe&ionate support
of his faithful people,is determined to be pre
pared to exert, if it shall become necessary,
ALL the force and resources of his kingdoms,
which he trusts will be found adequate to re
pel every insult and attack, and maintain and
uphold the power & reputation of this coun
try. G. R.
firclrOTdV.Weymouth alfo(by hisMajefty's
command, laid before the House, a copy of a
paper delivered to Lord Viscount Weymouth,
by theMarquis de Noailles the 13th of March
1778, and translation, which is as follows.
The under signed embaffador of his Most
Chfiftian Majesty, has received express orders
to make the following declaration to the court
of London :
" The United States of North-America,
who are in full pofleffion of Independence, as
pronounced by them on the 4th of Ju1y,1776,
having proposed to the King, to consolidate
by a formal convention the connexion begun
to be established between the two nations,the
refpe&ive Plenipotentiaries have signed a
treaty of friendfhip and commerce, designed
to serve as a foundation for their mutual good
correspondence.
His Mijelly being determined to cultivate
the good understanding subsisting between
France and Great-Britain, by every means
compatible with his dignity, and the good of
his fubjeds, thinks it necessary to make this
proceeding known to the court of London,&
to declare at the fame time,that the contrast
ing parties have paid great attention, not to
flipulate any exclusive advantages in favour
of the French nation ; and that the United-
States have reserved the liberty of treating
with every nation whatever, upon the fame
footing of equality and reciprocity.
In making this communication to the court
of London, the King is firmly persuaded, she
will find new proofs of his Majesty's constant
and sincere disposition for peace ; & that his
&itannic Majesty, animated by the fame fen
will equally avoid everything that
.er their g>od harmony ; and that he
: ,f^,articularly take effedhial measures to
^r/ent the commerce between his Majesty's
cbje^s & the United -States of North-Ama
|fica from being interrupted ; and to cause all
the usages received beween commercial na
tions to be in this refpe& observed, and all
those riles which can be said to subsist be
tween the two crowns of France & G.Britain.
In thisjuft confidence,the under-signed am
bassador thinks it fuperfluous to acquaint the
British minister, that the King his mailer,be
ing determin'd to proted effectually the law
ful commerce of his fubjefts ; & to maintain
the dignity of his flag,his Majesty has, in con
sequence,taken eventual measures in concert
with the United-States of North-America. •
Signed, Le. M. DE NOAILLES.
London, March 13. 1778.
The following is the humble Address of the
House of Lords, presented to his Majesty yester
day, in consequence of the foregoing Message ;
Molt gracious Sovereign,
WE your Majesty's mod dutiful and loyal
fubjeds the Lords spiritual and tempo
ral,in Parliament assembled, return our hum
ble thanks to your Majesty for the communi
cation of the paper presented to Lord Vit
count Weymouth by order of the French
King, andfc acquainting us, that in confe
qncm€ ol%T^ Wenfive declaration, yourMa
jelly has thought proper to order your ambaf
lador to withdraw from the court ofFrance.
And we beg leave to assure your Majefty,that
it is with the utmost difficulty we can reflrain
the strongest expressions of the resentment &
indignation, which we feel for this unjust and
unprovoked aggrefllon on the honour of your
Majesty's crown, and the essential interests of
your kingdoms,contrary to the law of nations,
and injurious to the rights and possessions of
every sovereign power in Europe.
The good faith and uprightness of you:
Majesty's conduct towards foreign powers, &
the sincerity of your intentions to preserve the
general tranquility, mud be acknowledged
by all the world ; and your Majesty cannot be
considered as responsible for the diftuibanct
of that tranquility,if, you should find yourfeb
called upon to resist the enterprizes of that
reliefs and dangerous spirit of ambition and
aggrandizement, which has so often invaded
the rights & threatned the liberties of Europe.
We should be wanting in our duty to your
Majesty and ourselves, it we did not give your
Majesty the strongest assurances of our mod
zealous assistance and support. Every senti
ment of loyalty to your Majesty, -nd of love
to our country,will animate us to fland forth
in the public defence, and to promote every
measure that shall be found necessary for en
abling your Majesty to vindicate the honour
of your Crown, and to protect the just rights
and essential interests of these kingdoms.
His MAJESTY'S most gracious Anfw'er.
My LORDS,
I thank you for this loyal and affectionate
address. Nothing shall be wanting on my
part, that may tend to the effectual support
of the just rights of my Crown, and the true
interests of my people. These great and im
portant considerations shall ever be the im
mediate object of my attention.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
[The Address of the House of Commons, being
almost verbatim with that o' the Lords, we omit,]
On Tuesday the House read federal public and pri
vate Bills.
Lord North, agreeable to his intimation, delivered
his Majesty's message, literally the fame as in the Up
per House. Mr. Baker moved the difmiffion of the
Ministers, as an amendment, which produced a very
long debate of the fame nature and substance as that in
the Lords.
Lord North painted the fixation of this country a<
much more comfortable than some persons had held
out His Le:d% ^U our navy was in a much better
condition than it had been at the commencement of the
war, and that the new levies were nearly filled ; that
we should speedily have 30,000 men in arms, which
added to the militia, who would forthwith be embo
died, would be an ample force forihe internal fufety
of the kingdom. His Lordship further said that he had
since he had fat that day in the house, received intelli
gence that every shilling of the firft deposition the new
subscription had been paid.
March 19. There was the hetteft press on the Thames
on Tuesday night and yeflerday morning ever known.
The gangs took a great number of sailors ; not a veffcl
escaped them, even those that had protections were
carried off.
Several merchant (hips, which have taken in their
lading, were ready to fail, and had got protections for
heir men, are now detained, their men, notwithfiand
ing their protections, being taken away by the press
gangs ; QVGA matter of filing ve£b did not escape
them.
March 20'. Oa Tuesday evening orders were issued
for the embodying the several regiments of Militia,aid
for compieating the regular forces to 30,000 affective
men.
March 21. The Earls of Chatham. Shelburne and
Cambden coming immediately into office,was Te pre
vailing opinion yesterday in the fiift political circles.
Stocks fell again yetlerday upwards of two per cent,
it is an alarming fad, and mult awaken the public to a
proper attention to the horrid mcafu e: pursuing by the
present Minifies, that public credit is declining so ra
pidly. Since the 18 h of November lull flecks have
fallen no less than TEN per cent. Every ration in the
known world is rejoicing at our folly in carrying on this
mad war with oshelves, in America Every man of
sense and difeernment in E g'and is against it ; but the
Ministry and the Scotch are for it.
" Col. Parker, a gentleman of rank, was
thrown into a common goal in Boflon,covered
over with wounds, where he perished unpiti
ed, fcr want of the common comforts which
his situation and humanity required.
" Col. Ethen Allen was dragged,in chains,
from Canada to England, from England to
Ireland, from Ireland to Carolina, and from
thence to New-York; at a time when the
officers taken from you, in the fame expedi
tion, were treated not only with lenity but 9
every possible indulgence.
" The barbarous treatment of Mr. Loyel,
in Boston, has no parallel. Of the Prisoners
A letter from Manchefler has the following article:
—Our m'nifterial gentry have been very liberal in
fubferibing a large sum of money to raise icoo men
to*ferve his Maj sty in America ; but they so got the
main point, where these men were to come from. All
the farmers and manufadurers ftror^ly oppose tie
fch^ne, calling it a deftru&ive one. Hands are much
wanted already in the farming bufmehs so many hav
ing been enticed ia;o his Majesty's service, and sent to
America, and not one of them have ficce been heard
of; nor do any young men that I know of, seem will
ing to enter into a ferviewhere there is neither honor
nor profit ; so that I bsli^^e thy „4lf not be able, in
a twelve month's time, to raise icoo men in the whole
county of I ancafhire
From the London Evening-Poll, oj Jan, 27•
The following is an authentic Copy of the
Letter which was lent to .Lord North, by the
Plenipotentiaries of the UNITED STAT ES
OF AMERICA.
To the Right Hon. LORD NORTH, First
Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exche
quer, and Principal Minifies of the King of
Great- Britain.
MY LORD,
FROM motives of duty, and an earnest de
tire of mitigating the calamities of war,
we proposed near a year since, to the King of
Great Britain's Ambassador here,an exchange
of prisoners in Europe. The answer we re
ceived mull have been made known to your
Lordthip,& the world will judge of it's decen
cy. It would have been honourable for that
noble Lord, and happy for thousands, who
have since fuffered unneceffariiyjf he h-'rcn.,
tidered that moderation is the mark of wisdom
and humanity an ornament to the higeft Na
tion. These are the sentiments at least which
have governed the Cengrefs and people of the
United States. They have wished that this
war,into which they enter'd with reluctance,
might be dihirguifhed by the humanity with
which it was conduced ; and that companion
might heal the wounds that were inflic
ted. The records of Congress, my Lord,are
filled with proofs of tender care and attenti
on, not only to the wants, but to the comfort
and accommodation of their prisoners.
" We have wished in vain to find such in
flances in the a&s of the British government,
for unhappily all we have seen on this fub
je& is, the public declaration of the Gover
nor and General, who was chosen to com
mence this war, that the American officers
and soldiers should be treated with equal in
dignity, and all devoted without diftinaion,
to the raoll ignominious fate,in terms too low
for us to repeat. We have never heard of this
proceeding having been censured by the go
vernment from which he derived his autho
rity. Neither has the invitation to the Indi
an savages, at a public treaty, to drink the
blt,, # d,and feail upon the body of those whom
you called your fubjedis, been ever disavowed.
"Itis an universal complaint,that the prac
tices 01 those in authority under you, have
been conformable to the principles of these
public a&s.