The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-03-18 00:00:00, page 2

HOUSE, OF COMMONS.
Thursday, November 20.
WHEN the Members had returned from the
Upper House, and nine gentlemen who were
ele&ed during the prorogation of parliament had
taken the oaths and their feats, the Speaker read
from the chair, a copy of his Majesty's speech de
livered from the throne.
An address, re-ecchoing each paragraph of the
speech, was then moved for. and seconded, by two
young members, Lord Hyde and Sir Gilbert Elliot.
The firft prefaced his motion by a panegyric on
the prudence of government, the necessity of the w,r,
and the good condud of our commanders, who not
withstanding some insinuations throve out lately in
the public prints, deferred our utmost confidence,
and amply juftified that hope which,his Majesty as
well as his Ministers placed in their future exertions.
He said that the enfe refeidendum was not adopted
until the views and actions of the Americans called
loudly for the measure, and that he doubted not but
the prudence of government would seize every op
portunity th put a stop to the effufion of blood, when
the honour, the dignity, or the interest of the nation
would admit of such a definable effort.
Sir Gilbert Elliot, in seconding the motion, observ
ed, that though he had not the honour of a feat in the
House when the grand objects of the present unhappy
war were under the difeuffion of parliament, yet he
was well aware that they had been already viewed
on both sides of the House, in every light wherein
they were capable of being seen. And indeed if they
had not, it was perhaps now unnecelfary to difeufs
them. The question Was not now whether America
was originally right or wrong ? but whether flie Should
or should not remain independent. And taking the
case of the Colonies as it now stands, he was aftoniPV
ed that any man, born and educated in Britain, could
stand up in that House to express a sentiment contra
ry to the spirit of the measures adopted by govern
ment, and conveyed to us in his Majesty's most gra
cious speech. He took occasion to intrude an qbfer
vation on the present state of our trade and com
merce ; averring, that so far from being diminished
by our present contest, as might reafonahly.be sup
posed, they were rather increased within the last
twelve months. He heard nothing of our artisans
being unemployed in any branch of trade in the
kingdom; and bating a little increase of luxury,
which upon the whole was rather a thriving symptom,
he believed the nation was in as flourilhing a'conditi
on as at any period in his memory.
The Marquis of Granby lamented the consequences,
which mull flow upon this nation, as well as upon the
Americans, from so unnatural a war; and expressed
the most ardent wish of employing the present mo
ment to lay at least the ground-work of ah accom
modation. The powers of Great-Britain, he said,
had been exerted during three successive campaigns,
to obtain peace 'with that continent by the point of
the sword ; flattering himfelf therefore that the pre
sent moment of uncertainty with refpedt to the suc
cess of our arms, was a most proper time for at
tempting to effect it by a measure of cordiality, he
begged leave to read an amendment which he ihould
move to be inserted in the address then before the
house. The fubftanceof this amendment was, “To
advise his Majesty to adopt some measure for accom'
modating the unhappy differences with America, by
treaty ; and for the better effectuating so definable
a purpose, to agree to a cessation of all hostilities ;
at the fame time to assure his Majesty of the deter
mination of his commons to co-operate with him in
every measure that could contribute to there-esta
blishment of peace, and the drawing such lines as
should afford Sufficient security to the terms of pa
cification."
Lord George CavendiJh arose to second Lord Gran
by's motion. He did this, he said, with the greater
readiness as he trusted it would be universally allow
ed that the propofitiod came from the purest and ,
most liberal motives ; and as the young nobleman by
whom it was offered was so circumstanced in point
of fortune, family and dignity, that it was impossible
for any cause to affect the state in general, without
having a 6milar effect with refped to him in parti
cular ; he therefore hoped the motion would be con
sidered by the House with a more serious degree of
attention. He then went into the conduct of the
war during the three last campaigns, and from the
little effect which coercion had produced, as well as
from the ties of humanity and relative duties, de
duced the expediency of adopting tire measures re
commended in the motion.
Governor fohnftone followed him, beginning upon
the fame ground, but adverting to the speech of Sir
Gilbert Elliot. He rebrobated the general and vio
lent censure thrown out by that joung Member on
those gentlemen who had maintained opinions dif
ferent from his, for several years before he came into
parliament, and who, at this day, found no reason
to alter those opinions. He profeffed himfelf one of
those whom the young Member had branded with the
appellation of a faction, and, to juftify his sentiments,
offered a variety of reasons chiefly deduced from
fads. He spoke strenuously of the merit of Admiral
Howe as a commander, not only from his condud
in the present war, but from his own personal know
ledge of him. The difficulties he must have met in
his passage from New-York to the Elk were nume
rous and immense ; yet he understood this gallant
officer, equipped as a common sailor, with a jacket
The question was now loudly called for, and the
Speaker was about to put it; 'when
Mr. Sergeant Adair flood up, and said, he had
one argument to offer on the present question, which
had not been offered by any gentleman who had
spoken before him. He was astonished that, on the
firft day of the feflion, when Parliament, particu
larly under such critical cirmunftances as the present,
should expert every information that ministry were
able to furnifh, in. order to juftify the house in
pledging itfelf to supply Government, not one,man
in administration had deigned to stand up to give
parliament the fmalluft ray of light'on the pre
sent state of affairs. It was unknown how. we
flood with refpea to France and Spain ; and it
was strongly fuftded that Portugal had acceded to
the Bourbon compact. These were circ uniftances
that should have some influence on our m'eafures,
and whatever knowledge Government had of those
-matters, ought of course to be laid before the
House ; and the withholding such information, if
any they had, was a fufficient reafqn for the House
to postpone the Address, till they should be better
inftrutled on those material fubjodts.
Lord North here getting up, said, he did not think
of troubling the House so early in the debate, but he
'thought it necessary to clear up the point darted by
the learned Serjeant refpefting the information he
hinted at ; for that, in the course of twenty years at
tendance in that House, he new • remembered it to
be the business of the Minister to give a comment on
the King's speech ; and in answer toa charge of an
other honourable member (Mr. Wilkes) it was the
firft time he heard of General Burgoyne, like Samuel,
putting man, woman, and ass to the sword, as had
thus been wantonly imputed to him. Thatthe In
dian savages in the King's service were headed by
proper officers, who had it in charge to prevent the
inhumanities complained of: that, left it be deemed
improper to have secured the Indians, it was neces
sary to inform the House that the Americans had
made overtures to gain them to their service, and
therefore it was thought prudent to engage them^ as
a means, among many others, of fappreffing the re
bellion. With refpe& to the invidious and odious
afperlion thrown on the character of that military
senator, now in his country's service, he trusted he
should fee him take his feat again in that House, when
he.had no doubt but he would be able to defend him
felf fully against any man, who would rife up, and
accuse him. As to the unhappy war itfelf, his Lord
fllip assured the House, he wiihed as heartily as any
member there for the happy moment to arrivewhen
something might be chalked out, to effed the wifhed
for accommodation ; but that happy moment, must
be the moment of victory : He had great reason to
hope for a fuccefsful end of the campaign, but con
feffed they were in the dark with refpedt to the late
operations, having received no intelligence from Sir
. William Howe since a day or two after his landing
- at the head of Elk river : lip proved the absurdity
of ordering a cessation of arms on the part of the
King's troops, as such a step would naturally imply
that their original claim would be admitted ; but
said, rthe commanding officers had a power of grant
ing a cessation whenever they deemed it expedient.
With refpeft to foreign powers, he assured the House,
that from every thing he had been able to collect, he
could not find it was the interest, nor did he believe
it was the intention of France or Spain to go to war
with us ; but as they thought proper to keep on foot
great armaments in their several ports, he deemed
it prudent to put this country inan equal state of
defence, to guard against the possibility of an attack ;
that the language of the court of France was by no
means that of war ; whenever it had been deemed
unintelligible, strong remonstrances had been made,
and redrew had been received ; that they had pub-
and trowfers, went himfelf into the boats, and with
the plumb in his hands, condu&ed'a large fleet on
Chefapeak-Bay, through shoals and obftrudions,
which it was thought by able officers were impracti
cable to be got oyer. But he denied that any real
advantage had been acquired by those great atchiev
ments ; he denied that ou? trade was in a flourifh
ing state. We had loft the Mediterranean trade, the
African trade ; and even our home trade was invad
ed, for very lately a number of French bottoms had
been employed to carry our own goods from the#
river Thames ; and as the young Member must cer
tainly be a man of learning, he ought to have known,
that a rife in the interest of money, is a certain sign
of the decay of trade.
Mr. Aiderman Wilkes after some general observa
tion on the little effectof our prowess hitherto in
arms, and the expediency of an immediate treaty,
adverted to the proclamation of General Burgoyne ;
in which, notwithstanding the profeffions of Chris
tianity with which it sets out,- there is_a spirit of
cruelty displayed, which is a disgrace to humanity.
He threatens there to let loose the Indians upon his
opponents. What is the use ? —What the usual con
duct of lavages in war? To commit every foecies of
devastation, and immolate to their infatiate fury,
Iran, woman and child. He could not compare such
sentiments to any circumstance in hiftoiy better
than the dictates of Samuel and the order of Saul,
an infamous pried, and more infamous king, " To
facrifice man and woman, infant and suckling, horses
and oxen."
JW, Aiderman Bull spoke for some time in favour
of the amendment.
L O N. D O N.
Extract of a letter from a Gentleman at Peterfburgh,
to his relation in London, Sept. 24.
" I told you in my last how difag/eeabiy I was si
tuated, and how happy I should be to be once more
in London. I little thought then of an addition to
my upealinefs, by the great national calamity that
has happened. I presume you have had accounts of
it ere now. I was very near fuffering with others;
I climbed across the ridges of houses, and with great
difficulty defeended, walked more than a quarter of
a mile, and swam occasionally. Indeed I thought I
should never have got to the water's furface, the
wind was so dreadfully high. I have been ill ever since;
indeed am now much indisposed and confut'd, Three
persons attempting to follow me on the houses, were
either killed in falling, or drowned.
" Almost all the houses in the little islands in the
mouth of the Neva, are demolished, and a conside
rable number of the inhabitants loft.
My friend Mr. Pezenas, and a young gentleman of
the corps of cadets, with the unfortunate Mr. H--e,
whom I so particularly spoke to you of in two for
mer letters, have all perished. The latter fell from
the top of a house and was daffied to pieces.
" The fortifications of this place have foftained
great damage. The rapidity of the river was beyond
all conception ; it carried every thing before it,
making a most dreadful havock, and roaring with a
noise not easily to be described.
" I saw a poor man, with his wife and two daugh
ters, getting out at a window, when a gust of wind
blew down the house, and all were killed except the
man, who survived three days.
" A poor young lady, in fixing a rope to defeend
by, was killed by the falling of the roof of another
house, and two other persons in the said house loft
their lives.
" I am exceeding fbrry to inform you that our
much valued friend Pincennier was drowned in his
bed. When you write to his filler, you'll be cau
tious in your address and expressions on so melan
choly an occasion.
" You may form some idea of the dreadful inun
dation which has visited us, when I tell you that the
great bridge of Pontons is totally borne away, and
paper-mills, elaboratories, manufadories, &c. de
molished.
" I was much shocked to fee the dead body of one
lithed the strongest declarations, forbidding any coun
tenance being Ihewn the Americans ; that two primes
carried into Nantz, under pretence of coming from
St. Euftatia, were removed to the British owners by
order of the Court ; and, in consequence of this con
dud of the French Ministry, that no depredations had
been committed 011 our coast since that period.' It
was not the interest of France and Spain now to quar
rel with us. It was a new case, and America grown
a separate empire, would of course cause such a re
volution in the political system of the world, as must
dagger the resolution of our molt enterprizing
enemies., °
Mr. Burke spoke near two hours in support of the
amendment. He apoftrophifed with a degree of en
thuhafm upon the noble spirit of Men, whom, if
they had not been rebels, he could have been lavifn'in
p. ra .i6 n .g; of Women, who, reduced by the ruin of
civil discord, to the most horrid situation of distress
and poverty, had constancy, generosity, and public
spirit, to strip the blankets, in a freezing season, from
themselves and their infants, to fend to the camp, and
preserve that army, which they had sent out to fight
lor their liberty. And shall Britons, said he, over
!°°^,|" ch virtue ? and will they persist in oppressing
it ? Shall we give them no akerhative but UNCONDI
TIONAL submission? A three years war has not
terrified them, distressed as they are, from their great
purpose. Let us try the power of lenity over those
generous bosoms.
Mr. Charles Fox was the only violent speaker. He
was remarkably severe on. Lord George Germain,
": d attributed to his administration the most capital
miftuxes of Government for the last two years.
Lord George Germain defended himfelf with tem
pei and ingenuity, said he had been invited into of
fice, and hinted to Mr. Fox that his fortune was such,
that the profits of a place could not be any great ob
ject to him.
Col. Barre fliewed the necessity of fending out full
powers torthe Commissioners, of presenting the olive
brancn to the Americans, before they became utterly
irreconcileable to Great-Britain : he complained that
his letters were opened by the orders of tie Ministers,
and that no officer from America dared to speak to
him,, as he was looked on as a prescribed perlon.
, Lord North made a short reply to. Col. Barre, and
then the question being put, there appeared
For the Address 243
Against it 86,
Majority 157
The House broke up at half past twelve.
COLOGNE, November 11.
THEY write from Caffel, that Lieut. Col. de
X Schreyvogel, of Styne's regiment, is condemned
to two years imprisonment, for having quitted the
British army without leave; and Col. Block, of the
regiment of Mirbach, who likewise returned without
permission, has received orders to go and resume his
post without delay. These two officersreturned with
General de Heister.