The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-05-20 00:00:00, page 2

conducted them with negligence, ignorance, or in
capacity- that Lord North's arguments upon this
fubied might all be collected into one point, his ex
-4 all reduced into one apology, his total ignorance.
He r&d and was disappointed, he expected a
great deal, ^ found little to answer his expediti
ons. He thought America would have submitted to
his laws, and they refilled them. He thought they
would have submitted to his armies, and they were
beaten by inferior numbers. 'He made conciliatory
propositions, and he thought tliey would fpcceed,
but they were rejected. He appointed .Commidion
ers to make peace, and he thought they had powers
but he found they could not make peace, and no
body believed that they had any powers. That he
bad said many such things, as he had thought fit in
his conciliatory proposition. He thought it a proper
method of quieting the Americans upon the affair of
taxation. If any person should give himfelf the trou
ble of reading that proposition, he would find not
one word of it correspondent to the representation
made of it by its framer. That the short account
of it was, that the noble Lord in that proposition,
assured the colonies, that when Parliament bad taxed
them as much as they thought proper, they would tax
them no more. That he would vote lor the pieient
proposition, because it was much more clear and fa
tisfa&ory, for necessity had caused him to speak
plain.
Btit if the concession should be found ample enough,
but should be found too late, what punishment will
be fufficient for those who adjourn Parliament, in
order to make a proposition of concession, and then
had neglected to do it, until France had concluded
a treaty with the Independent States of America.
That he could not answer with certainty for the truth
of his information, but it was no light matter, and
came from no contemptible authority ; he therefore
wished that the Ministry would give the House fatis
fa&ion in this interesting point, whether they knew
any thing of this treaty, and whether they had not
been informed previously of their proposition of a
treaty, which would make that proposition useless
to the peace,, as it was humiliating to the dignity of
Great-Britain.
After this it was Refolded, Nem. con. to prepare
the —
— a Philadelphia paper of the 9th infant, we have
extracted the following intelligence.
By the Porcupine Frigate arrived in the river yesterday
morning from London, cue are favoured with the fol
lowing advices.
LONDON, March 17.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.
House of Lords.
The tollowlng ^ eric menage delivered by Lord
Weymouth to the House of Lords last Tuesday:
George R.
HIS Majesty having been informed, by order of
the French King, that a treaty of amity and
commerce has been signed between the Court of France
and certain persons employed by his Majesty's revolt
ed fubjeds in North-America, has judged it necefiary
to direct, that a copy of the declaration delivered by
the French Ambassador to Lord Viscount Weymouth
be laid before the House of Lords; and at the fame
time to acquaint them, that his Majefty\ias thought
proper, in consequence of this offenfive communica
tion on the part of the Court of France, to fend or
ders to his Ambassador to withdraw from that court.
His Majesty is persuaded that the justice and good
faith of his conduct towards foreign powers, and the
sincerity of his wishes to preferVe the tranquility of
Europe, will be acknowledged by all the world ; and
his Majesty trusts that he shall not stand responsible
for the disturbance of that tranquility if he should
find hiihfelf called upon to resent so unprovoked and
so unjust an aggression on the honour of his cra&n
and the essential interests of his kingdoms, cofl|y
to the most solemn assurances, subversive of the law
of nations, and injurious to the rights of every so
vereign power in Europe.
His Majesty relying with the fifmeft confidence on
the zealous and affectionate support of his faithful
people, is determined to be prepared to exert, if it
shall become necessary, all the force and resources of
his kingdoms, which he trusts will be found adequate
to repel every insult and ,attack, and to maintain and
uphold the power and reputation of this country.
G. R.
The Lord Viscount Weymouth also (by his Ma
jesty's command) laid before the House a copy of a
paper delivered to Lord Viscount Weymouth by the
Marquis de Noailles, the 23d of March, 1778, and
translation, which is as follows:
THE under-signed Ambassador of His Most Chris
tian Majesty, has received express orders to
make the following declaration to the Court of Lon
don :
The United States of North-America, who are in
full possession of independence, as pronounced by
them on the fourth of July, 1776, having proposed
to the King, to consolidate by a formal convention,
the connection begun to be established between the
two nations, the refpeCtive Plenipotentiaries have
signed a treaty of friendfhip and commerce, design
ed to serve as a foundation for their mutual good
correfpoudence.
His Majesty 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 fubje&s, thinks it necessary to
make this proceeding known to the Court of Lon
don, and to declare at the fame time, that the con
tracting parties have paid great attention, not to sti
pulate 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, file will find
new proOfTof his Majesty's constant and iincere dis
position for peace; and that his Britannic Majesty,
animated by the lame fentimepts, will equally avoid
^every thing that may alter their good harmony ; and
that he will particularly take effectual measures to
prerMt the commerce between his Majesty's fubjeds
and the United States of North-America from being
interrupted,' and to cause all the usages received be
tween commercial nations to be, in this refpedt, ob
served, and all those rules "which can be laid to sub
sist between the two Crowns of France and Great-
Britain.
In this just confidence, the under-signed Ambassa
dor thinks it fuperfluous to acquaint the Britilh mi
nister, that the King his matter, being determined
to protect effectually the lawful commerce of his fub
jeCts, and to maintain the dignity of his flag, his
Majesty has, in consequence, taken eventual mea
sures 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 yesterday, in con
sequence of the foregoing menage:
Most gracious Sovereign,
TVE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjeCts,
the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parlia
ment assembled, return our humble thanks to your
Majesty for the communication of the paper pretent
cd to the Lord Viscount Weymouth by order of the
French King, and for acquainting us, that in conse
quence of this offenfive declaration, your Majesty
has thought proper to order your Ambassador to with
draw from the Court of France. And we beg leave
to assure your Majesty, that it is with the utmost
difficulty we can restrain the strongest expressions of
the resentment and indignation which we feel for
this uajuft and unprovoked aggression 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 Eirope.
The good faith and uprightness of your Majesty's
conduct towards foreign powers, and the sincerity of
your intentions to preserve the general tranquility,
mutt be acknowledged by all the world ; and your
Majesty cannot be considered as responsible for the
disturbance of that tranquility, if you should find
yourfelf called upon to relift the enterprizes, of that,
restless and dangerous spirit of ambition and ag
grandizement, which has so often invaded the rights
and threatened the liberties of Europe.
We should be wanting in our duty to your majesty
and to ourselves, if we did not give your majesty the
strongest Assurances of our most zealous assistance and
support. Every sentiment ofloyalty to your Majesty,
and of iove to our country, will animate us to stand
forth in the public defence, and to promote every
measure that shall be found necessary for enabling your
Majesty to vindicate the honour of your crown, and
to protest the just rights arid essential interests of these
kingdoms.
His Majesty's most gracious answer:
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 ofthejult rights ofmy crown,
and the true interests of my people. These great and
important conliderations shall ever be the immediate
object ofmy attention.
HOUSE of C O M M ON S.
On Tuesday the house read several public and
private 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 dilmiliion of the
ministers, as an amendment, which produced a very
long debate, of the fame nature and substance as that
in the Lords. It would therefore be intruding on our
readers patience to repeat arguments virtually the
fame, though differently habited.
Lord North painted the situation of this country as
much more comfortable than some persons in opposi
tion had held out. His Lordihip laid, our navy was
in a much better condition than it had been in at the
commencement of the late war ; 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 embodied, would be an
ample force for the internal fafety of the kingdom.
His Lordfllip further said, that he had, since he had
fat that day in the house, received intelligence that
every shilling of the firft deposit 011 the new fubferip
tion had been paid.
Extract of a letter from Edinburgh, March 14.
" We hear that orders are come down for a
draught of 500 men to be made from each of the regi
ments now raising in Scotland, to be fllipped for Ame
rica by the 25th of March. As two armed vessels are
arrived at Grecnock, some transports engaged there,,
and many more expected from England, it is imagined
they will embark at that port."
'' Wefhould be wanting in our duty to your Majesty,
to our conjlituents, and to ourselves, if we did not give
your Majefly theftrongeft affufemces of @ur mos zealou.
affiance and support : and we have the firmeft confidence
that ip every demonfration of loyalty k, your Majesty
and of % love of their country, your faithful fubjecls will
vie Quito each other; and that no confederations quill
divert or deter them from flanding forth in the public
defence, and from fajiaining, with a Jleady perfeve^
rance, any extraordinary burthens and expenses whico
shall be found necessary, for enabling your Majesty t
vindicate the honour of your crown and to protect the
just rights and essential interests of these kingdoms."
' I he British navy contains at this moment 152 fail
of the line, built and building, besides 192 inferior
rates and frigates ; —a marine superior to that of the
whole world besides !
The Humble Address of the House of Commons to
the King,
'' Most gracious Sovereign,
" IVE, your Majfly's most dutiful and loyal subjects,
the Commons of Great-Britain, in Parliament assem
bled, return our bumble thanks to your Majesty, for
the communication of the paper presented to the Lord
Viscount Weymouth, by the order of the French King ;
and for acquainting us, that, in consequence of this of
fenfve declaration, ,pur Majesty has thought proper to
order your ambassador to withdraw from the court of
France : and cue beg leave to assure your Majesty, that
it is with the utmofl difficulty we can restrain the
strongest exjrej/ions of the resentment and indignation
which wefeel for this unj ufl and unprovoked aggression
on the honour of your Majesty's crown, and the essential
interests of your kingdoms, contrary to the law of nati
ons, and injurious to the rights and possession of every
sovereign power in Europe.
" The good faith and uprightness of your Majesty's
conduct towards foreign powers, and the Jincerity of
your intentions to preserve the general tranquility, muje
be acknowledged b) all the world: and your Majesty
cannot be considered as responsible for the disturbance of
this tranquility, ij you should find yourfelf called upon
to refijl the enterprises of that reliefs and dangerous
spirit of ambition and aggrandizement, which has ft
often invaded the rights, and threatened the liberties of
Europe. '
Letters from Amsterdam, ofthe 13th instant, men
tion that the States-General, and the people in ge
neral of the United Provinces, publickly declare the
treachery of the French nation, on account of their
secret aids to the Provincials. —Notwithstanding the
spirit of commerce, and the thirst of gain which pre
vail in this land of republicanism, it is proved more
literal and just to its alliance with Great-Britain,
than our ariftocratical neighbours, who are always
foremoft in ads of duplicity and meanness.
March 21. The Earls of Chatham, Shelburne and
Cambden, coming immediately into office, was the
prevailing opinion yesterday in the firft political circles.
Yesterday morning His Excellency the Marquis de
Noailles, the French Ambassador, the Marchioness
and their whole suite, let off for Dover, in order to
embark for France.
Yesterday cloathing for 5000 men was flipped on
board a transport vessel at the tower, for the service
of his Majesty's troops in America.
Friday Lord Amherst was sworn of his Majesty's
molt honourable privy council, and took his place at
the council board.
Lord Viscount Stormont, our late Ambassador <t
the Court of Versailles, arrived in town last night.
Extract of a letter from Gfport, March 18.
" Last night we had a very hot press; the mel
were taken from every merchant ship and vessel, even
to the,mafter, and all the men to the outward bound
Eaft-Indiamen at the Mother-bank, and from all pre
tedions; so that many hundred men were picket
up by that means.
Several merchant Ihips which have taken in their
lading, were ready to fail, and had got protections for
their men, are now detained, their men, notwith
standing their protections, being taken away by the
press-gangs; even matters of filling vessels did not
escape them.
March 20. On Tuesday evening orders were issued
for embodying the several regiments of militia, and
for completing the regular forces to thirty thousand
effective men.
A D RE A M.
A S the other night I lay compos'd in sleep,
" Methought I heard some fellow mortal weep :
" What noise is that ? what is't ?" I quick exclaim,
A form majestic faid—"DukeWilliam is my name."
" And why? (said I) why weeps gfeat William's
ghost ?"
" Because my England, which I lov'd, is loft—
Ruin'd by Rebels, whom I once fubdu'd,
Whose hands are now in guiltless blood embru'd;
Again with justice and revenge I'm come,"
("For what?") to drive the treacherous Caledonia; .
home."
Philo-Patrie.
March 19. There was the hottest press on th
Thames on Tuesday night and yesterday morning
ever known. The gangs took a great number of
tailors, not a vessel escaped them, even those that had
protections were carried off.
From the Londen Evening Foft, of February 12,