The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-02-15 00:00:00, page 2

^ the army climates for the year 1776, Col..
Barre arose anil laid, there werea tew particulars
or which he and niuny other members wished to
be informed, devious to any deliberations on
she Supply ; and firtt, he desired to know the.
numbers, 'date, and difpolition of the forces we
already had in America, according to the lad
accounts transmitted from thence ? ' %
Lord Barrington answered, that it was not in
his power to give the information .required;'',
'he observed at the fame time, that the 'proper
time for making this request would be on the
motion tor the Speaker to leave the chair, 'and
fiid; that, in his memory, it was unprece
dented to lay such information before Parlia
ment. As there was then no motion before the
House, Colonel Barre prepared one to the above
purport, but at the delire of Mr. Cornwall de
layed making it until Lord North came; when
it was read, Lord Barrington declared, that he
would be ,furry to establish a precedent, which
might lay a foundation for many abuses, by
publishing the State of our force in tinieof war ;
vet as he did not conceive that, it would be dan
gerous in this case he was very willing to give
the'Houfe, in his place, all the, information he*
could from some papers', which he then happen-"
fed to have about him ; by. one of thole, the
number ofc our Army in America, exgbifivt of
u;ji men then on their paffige, amounted to
B;s2, cut of which 1342' were tick and inef
\ fe&ive. $
Colonel Barre Paid,- he ' was Afprized that' go-'
vermfot had no riccounA fronf the army later
than the 19th of 'j'iily.6 He trad, he"fai& so
. great an opinion of the noble fiord's be'rasty,
tout he -would ' not Buppofe he spoke family,
or entirely ; -but he thought he I'poke' rather-
Uooiely, and as he did hot think the information
futheient, he desired to continue Kis iriotiori for
the papers to be laid beforefhe House.
Mr. F. Townsend supported the motion,
and infixed that ft was not unprecedented to
have: tucli.in formation given,td Parliament , du
ring, a war; for even Ip late as. the affair at St.
Vincent, the number and date of our forces
there had been, in consequence of a motion,
laid befanrtliat Hdufe during the war with
the Caribbs.* — 1
Mr. Charles Fox said; adminiftratibn had
loft mmy friends by debiting those who gave
-support to their measures last feffiott; that they
seemed now as little disposed as they Were lad
•year to give candid ' information t'6 their friends,
.which afforded a very famopportunity* to many
©thers/who hadheen with them,to take part With
opposition and he .thought it extraordinary add
ridiculous, that becdufe the ministry were not
. able to manage a tin.ill army; we ihould pro
. ceed immediately to entrust thetri with a large
one. He said theunembefs of the House had
a right to the information, contended' tor ;' and
more particularly in the prefect case, where
the minitiers pretend d it 'Was no^the caefe of
' the Crown, but the cause of Parliament which
gave rife to this waff. ' n, .f
Weibore Ellis was' against the ihhfi'on ;[he
, fuid, there ,wcrc many perlons who publickly
exprefled theit approbation of the rebels and
then~c©fe, thm Consequently any information
that might be or Service, to thetri, wopld in all
-likelihood, "if-brice''published in she House, be:
very foorf sent over to America." He could not
Q approve of publishing the date of dur forges
flagrant hello in she midst of the ' wtyrft 0f %dl
wars-t-aciridwar: lewis' his.wjib to, put forth
all our powers and ' oppose the colonies totis vi
ribus until they fymld, tonfefs the niftfy^ of
Parliament ; the difference, hetfrid ,/)pu,which
gentlemen were ' contending, could not be more "
than 906 or 1000 men^and +this could be no
object to direct the House hi voting a numerous -
.% ariny; :
, . Mr. Edmund Burky d^el/ fome.tTinb on the
" dollybfwith-holdingin formation froraPa&me^t .
for fear it Ihould'tyjhat.' means be carried to
the^rdvincial Camp,, as if ip we^e e;tfier to
.; fwira across the Atlantic ty^ap, than over
Mystic river, he wondered gentlemen could
think 10 poorly of a Washi ngton,>l'ur-
XAM, or a Lee, as 'to Tuppofe them unac
quainted with the Strength and, condition of
an army which they could overlook from
their tents ; he willed the, House were as well
informed of these matters as they were, and
.observed % that We" Ihould nor probably have
made so ridiculous, a campaign in America it
. .Parliament had had fi& perfect ' a state of the sot
ces on,both' tides, as the Continental Congress.
,Hc.djlearned on. the different language held By
.different gentlemen in admiuhbAfibn. Sonfe
talked of rigorouily enforcing' the aerolite
unlimited: authority of. the Britifo legilhture,
though Lor&North declared in Prj&y,riight's
debate, that he detired no more, than,to.have
all things put on the fame fefotifyin which
-they were 10 1763. He concluded with r.erfark^
; ing, that gentlemen Ihould be cautiousot giving
^ tite name of rebels to people whonrthey :may
4 by and by take by the hand ; that it wasbnly
*+ tis of extremity, when fh§£cjbbsrd Was
thrown away, that we Ihould adopt a language
which, he thought Ihouldbe fofely left to the
folly and futility of proclamations ^;.:
Lord North replied, that ' before the year
1763, the authority of the British teglffaturp was
' mot denied in Americ,. He. laid, the repeal
ing thirteen gte of parlihacntiwould irotcOn^
Tequently place usin the fame situation wechert
werfr He wished as,earnestly. as any person
to' flop, the effufion blood on both tides ; bu£
. thought it fcould orUy.be effected by fending;
over a.large army in the. Ipring, andhppoint
jng proper persons on the foot to r g+ve pardons,"
#3 mentioned in the speech,- These were the'
suly methods belaid, whichwould, in his opini
on, restore matters to that defred footing ; and,
when that period (ball arrive, he , did-not .doubt
but his conciliatory.plan would give permanency
tp,shc reconciliation, by ouraccepting a quantum
annually, in lieu of taxes. He declared himfelt
against the motion, as it would ground a pre
cedent tor future abuses; he laid, thecate of .
the Caribbs was very different from the present;
in.that,, theininifter Was accused ot fending
too many men to ununwhukrttync cliniate ; and :
behife there .wus no danger of the Caribbs
-reafagqur accounts.
,Cok>nel Bayre concluded the debate by obferv
ipg, that the conduct of the mihitterin with
holding, every proper information from the,
Hotiffy, put, him in mind of a King whaper
ceivihg one end of a Lutheran Church exceed
ing ruinous and all the rest, of it goodrand eie-,
glint, proposed to build that part sot them;
which he did in a very magnificent manner;
but when they came to aflemble there, they
found lie had taken away all the light ;,.up
on which they waited on his Majelty, think
ing* him for his favours, and also acquainting<
him with their misfortune, in not being able
to fee'at church ; upbn which 11'is Majelty. Re
plied, that it was perfectly right so; for it was
written in 'the fcriptures' .*'.BlelLd are they
that believe and da not fee." The quellion
was then put; when th'e'n'unlbefs were for'the
motion 63, against it 170,'
The House then went into a Committee
of fuppi„ Sir Charles AVhitworth in qhe
chW. ,'. r\2 ,fril ~>...,
Nov- . 8. Yeftefday A littlqbefory ti^e o'clock,
the Speaker tpok the .chair, when .the bill 'for
continuing the, duties on malt,, liiuhx, cyder and
perry, was read the firff time.
Mr. Lutte ell made a long fpeec^in which,
he considered the nature, principles,.,,And spirit
of government* in genei al, apd th^^nllitution
ot this kingdom in particular ; from which he
Concluded, that whenever the trust delegated by
the.people was unjullly or oppressively exercis
ed by the delegates, then thtetruft . Ihould natu
rally cease, and , the power retert to its firft
source, the people at forges that if this propo
rtion was allowed, it .mud also be admitted that
conventions, or general ademblies of the peo
ple were, in such cases, vgree^ble to the spirit
of the constitution ; arid he ohferved, that we
had federal inl+ances, in our history, of such af
.femblies ; that much good had been effected by
them; and,much evil prevented ; that some of
our belfpripces had .been railed to the throne,
and our.world Kings deposed bymeans aof BRI
TISH CONGRESS. He then made a moti-
ed to .treat with ANY Convention, Congress or
.Assembly, of ONE or MORE provinces, frho
may, be best fuppdfed to understand the incli
nations of the people, without enquiring into
the legality .of the manner in which they (had
been convened, in order that a speedy reconci
liation.might be effected, confident with the ho
nour and interest of Great-Britain, arid thdre
qiiilitions Qt the colonies;,"
Sir George Young said,- that in every difpaf
ifionate cdnverfatiom, which he had.,had with
Gentlemen of..either fide ot the House, |he
fourid they were^ th a .man, anxious for aYc
conciliatioh with Anierica. He was convinced
that every day's delay.made this reconciliation
more difficult; that the Congress fecmed to him
the most speedy, .as well as the mod effectual
inediuprby which it coold beattained ^ and as
he regretted every hour, that palled- without an
effort towards this happy objed, he was desirous
te adopt.this, or any other, or all propositions
calculated to promote a reconciliation.f
The quedion was theri called. .far, and the
motion' rejeaed whhodt a divifiph.
Nov. 9. Yesterday the House met at three
-o'clock, and, alter doing some private*bufinefs,
went into a Committee of Supply, Sir Charles
Whitworth in the ,chair. „....■ *
• ~ Kohl Barrington preferited the estimates, arid
-explained the difference between the present e
ffabfifyntent and that, which was, proposed for
' the erifnirig. year, by whieh.it appeared, that art
augmentation of ^,OOO men was intended, and
that by that augmentation we ihould have an ar
urty of g^gSS men, the expenceof which would
be 1,4.32,000 1. bolides , extraewdinapes. . He
observed, that his Majesty, as.Ele&or of Hano
ver, desired no retribution whatsoever, for the
troops given us by the Electorate ; but as the
eftablifhinent or Hanover.did n„ cenfift of more
than 2,600, and as,it.would be aeceflary to
raile recruits to thf number of the-troops sent
us, it was agreed with the,Ch?mcery of Hano
ver, to allow fl. 7 Sv a man by way of levy;.;
and in lieu of the arms,, acGOUtreri^nts, atW
cibathing of each fold^ b He also obferrad, th*
l as the deicers pay was very final! In thd Electo
rate, it was always cudomary to give r a fa,aft
sum to each of them whenever their corps were
obliged to move § that this sum could not-be ex
actly determined, but he believed it would not
umountto more than 600 k In the course of
. his speech, he took an opportunity of observing
that the catife in fuppott ¥ of which so burthen
fome an establishment was desired, was, in his 0-
pinion, just; andmotwithifanding the assertions
of some Gentlemen, who infilled upon the im
practicability of reducing America to obedience,
he was convinced, he faid f that if the plans of
operation were, wifely calculated, and firmly ex
ecuted, arid proper moderation ufcd in pur vic
tories, there was nothing more probable than
our success. Efe declared, that no argument a
gainst this pinion could be deduped from the
final! prowess of our army at Bolton ; and he
mentioned a.pamphlet written bya Mr. Brown,
if clergyman, at the. commencement,of the late
war, in which that gentleman painted the cala
mitous situation of Great-Britain, averted .lieE
incapacity to carry on the war, and advised her;
*0 make peace immediately on the best terms.
Ihe could; yet that this pamphlet had fcareely
on to thedollowing purport; " That the Corti
milfoners which are to be sent by his Maj^fty,
to the,different parts of America, be empower-
been jullifted, whew the British. Mrrns were
crowned with victory iitthe tour quarters ot the
globes c
- Colonchßmre made several observations upon
the ehimutes, . and aflertou that no fort of ^eco
nomy was observed in the regulations of the ar
my, which he said was , double officered. He
laid it would bavebeeh more prudent to encreafe
the number of inendh each company, than to
raise new coni panies-^complained greatly of the
- expence -incurred, by the Board of Ord
nance. As to the case of Dt. Brown, he.faid,
his Lordfliip had -purposely avoided, aligning
the cause ot the futprizing change ot affairs im
mediately after the publication of his pamphlet;
it was, he laid, achange.of niinifters that gave
that,.turn; to our aims; he censured government,
for fcndihg transports to the river St. Laurence
so late as the month of Odabery and rejoiced to :.
hear from the noble Lord, that two regiments
ot them were driven; by bad weather, into Mih
ford Haven; as he contidered them as so many,
victims devoted by ignorance to almost inevita
ble death, droni which they were happily, rescu
ed by an interposing -Providence, H'e called
loudly upon administration to inform the House,
before they granted away the money of their
constituents, what plan was to be adopted, or
ivha,military man ol character had advised any
one of their past or intended operations; and
concluded with observing, that he was forty ttw
r fay,-he believed they had no plan at all. , S
..Mn I'owis made a very sensible speech, in'
which he obferVed, that he had given his vot'e
for the navy and militia, because he thought
they were the natural hrength of the nation ;
he said he wished well to administration, and
was willing to put forth every nerve upon the
present contefl, but declared he would not go a
fiep further till they give full information to the
House, what plan theyrintended tb go upon,
he did not delire, he said, to know their intend
ed militarymperations, but their civil plan, and
the nature of the powers intended to be given
to the comriliffioriers Who were to be sent over
to America; he therefore moved, that the
chairman should leave the chair, and report the
progress of the committee.
Sir George R'obinfon seconded the motion,
and among other very pertinent remarks de
clared, he Ihould be ashamed to return into the
country without being able to tell his constitu
ents, for what purpose, and to what end they
had voted such extraordinary films, and both he
and. Mr. Powis very modestly ekpreffed their
fears, that the ministry had so plan at alb
Lord North infixed on the impropriety of
publifhi.ng.At this time, what concessions go
vermrient intended to make, as the Colonies
would take their departure from that point,arid'
proceed to ulterior demands.
. General Conway was of opinion, that it'
would be better policy for our troops to evacu-'
ate Bolton, and to. carry 011 a naval war only
with the colonies; he digm*, he said, believe
that : , ,000, the number 'of .men intended > for'"
service in America, would be Adequate to-the
end hitended.; Tut he .reprobated The war in
.general As unjust; And observed, that as the
point of taxation was.given up on rill sides, it
„was a war without an obiHf. #
Charles Jenkinfon iirtifted thrit the language
fyhich the Congress held out # in the different Adr
drelles evfacetifheir aim was irideperidehce ;..
and that id order to treat with them to any .
^perpofej we fnettbe oh- a more equal footing ;
with them; that odr power niuft be strengthen-
ed; And he contended that it would be impof
fibk to treat with them effcau/ly, without be- .
i n g.powerfully armed. .
Governor, ^ownal said that he had the heft
information froip America, and was convinced
that by A vigorous exertion of our force, We
Should not only ihfure the obedience of the qo-'
101110$ but we iNight Fbfolretely r^fe a revenue
there. He declared that the winter did not
usually set in at the river St. Lawrence till near
Chriftnas ; and that confequentfy the fending
'tranfports in that part of October was not so re
prehtrtfiblei meaftme, though it might not be
prudent to fend out a large fleet so late in the
year; and before he concluded he gave notice f
that he Would put the previous question on any'
plan or proportion which Should be brought in
to the Hobfe, by any individual, to anticipate
the plans of government.l
At half in hour after tert the 'question whs
put arid loft iri^ division ; after which the com
mittee proceeded to vote the Supplies, and the
House broke tip a little after el%en o'clock d /
. A correspondent of veracity gives us the fol
.lowing fpa%h^ authentic, Which .he took in"
Short hand on the foot ; it was spoken by no left -
man than a noble Lord, upon a late otecafion,
addrefled to the L'cicefter Jttflices; and is an'
instance, amongst many other's, what extraordi
nary talents are neceflary to qualify a man for a
Peer of the realm, a Member of the I%ivy-
Council, a Lord of his Majesty's Bed-Chamber,'
and a principal adviser in the present dispute
with America;/
" Ahy you made a very foolish order here—
can t-do it you fee—why you made an order that °
counsel Shall plead with Attorneys---you've no
right you fee—-never was such a thing done
why I have been a justice of Peace thirty years,
I never did Rich a thing---no right you fee---
can't make me h^ve a counsel—Why now sup
pose I'm ill, and want a differ, 0 1 fend for the
pothecary-.-L won't have a physician, you can't
make me you fee—no right at all—you must
refeind it you fee—New at our House (meaning
the House of Lords I suppose) we are the oreat
eft.Court in the world"—(Here one of the Ju,
slices interrupted Tis Lofdffiip, and said frou
doh t hear Attorneys, but Counsel at your h,r
d"Y ,°''' ' ", '""'* his Lordship anfwered,'
AoiW—-tliats true enough, but that'i notlrng
you fee, every,man may plead bis own cause---
Why now-Ahl ihew. a ground^-Horc's a but
cher, and there's^ cow---you bid the butcher
kill the cow—he fays he.won't—can'tmake
him you fce---you'mufb refeind' the order-no
righ at all---" FaldE(hftn&lL'ms ?
From tJie unjultifrable proceedings of Govern
ment against Mr. Sayre, and his known 'patriot
ifm, it is thought he will foou become one of
the firft bankers in Europe;
Ibe Liable Prince, Campbeff, who is arrives
at Falmouth from Philadelphia, brings advices
that the-Congress had declared, that if marte'rs
are not fettled with .the mother country before
the tpring, they will open their ports to any
foreign power that will trade with.them ; by
which time they will have a considerable num
ber of armed veffds ready to protect the trading
fliips. The above (hip, after the port was fhW
up, lay off, by leave some time; to take on boar
• some puliengers for England.
Th Earl of.CHATHAM's Motion on th 20T
.of, angary, 177 g.
^ That an humble addrets' be presented to
“ his Majesty, mod humbly to advise and be
“ feech his Majesty, that, in order to open th
“ way towards ah happy settlement of the dan
" gerous'troubles in America, by beginning tc
“ allay ferments and foften uhimofaies there
“ and above all, fob preventing, in the meax
)" time, any sudden and fatal CTartrophe atßof
“ ton, now fuffering uhder the daily irritation
“ df an army before their eyres, ported in thei.
" town, it may graciously plcafe his Maiclb.
“ that immediate, orders Fnay be dispatched r.
" General Gag€ for removing his Majertv''
“ forces fronrtthe town of Borton, as foon'a
the rigour of the season, and other circura
“ stances indifpenfible to the fafety and accora
“ modrition of the said troops, may render tie
" fame practicable'."
^ome of the Cefauences fam not anting f
above motion.
An expence of four millions incurred, or
be inclined, for 177;, on American account.
. The lives ot 10,000 of his Majesty's bi^
fubjeds loft, either by the sword, fickneb
want of necessaries.
The flower ofthe king's army, under for
Generals, most difgracefully cooped up a wh^
summer within a circumference of threb miles
by an undisciplined rabble.
Between twenty and thirty regiments red
bed to alhioft one third of their Complement'
Ninety-five , brave. Officers killed, or fine
dead of their-wounds, in conference of the a*
tion of the 17th offline last.
The very few recruits to be got either
, England or ..Ireland, by rcafon of the gener
aversion to such. an unnatural service; and :
thy fulFas great a backwardness amLnc 4
fai/ors. # °
Foreign 'mercenaries taken into pay at ne
double the expences of our own; they to ^
,majn idle, arid to eat the fat of the land, whii
our own are to be Slaughtered or ftarwd
V^r lueratifemde Aith North-America quit
Ft Stand ; that with the Weft-Indies drooping
and our manutaau^rs, mechanics arid pw
da y m ° re aird h) ° re diverted.
'A e ex pences to be incurred in 1776, ifft
lri tF':"N n goes forward, likely to b #
; double these of the present year, which can/
be Supplied without an alarming addition too
already unSupportable, burthen of debt and r
esp ^d endangering the public credit of 7
Ration.
, is talked^ with much confidence, that Lon.
Chatham, if his health permits, will certain 1 ,
cope into powei -before Chrirtmas, upon ' tH
most honourable, terms, which is looked upor
^ the firft step for. bringing about a reconcile
tion with Great Britain and her colonies.
. , A3 ' our veriest tars are. utterly averse to assist
id butchering the brave Americans, there is •
talk in the Neighbourhood, of the Admirals
that ^bbo txuffian feaffien will be hired to
ply the deficiency.
The transports with the 2 W 2n d /6th reg;
m'ents lately failed fiom Corke for Borton ^~
diove back into. Milford-Haven, after bei^
, 1( I very, fluttered. The trooper
difemßirxed there, till the vcflbls can be repa^
4 or others provided to take them on boan
three compani,are said to be miffing.
'"% 10. It is really whimsical enough
hear Some ot the members of St. Steuben'
Chapel fay, ^ Well, it is true we have bet
deceived, once, but,we ffiall not be deceived
^fn, it we do but fend all the forces we cr
"' "' m.ftke another attempt next fprino
2th ^, who were not blinded
tamiftenal dust, few clearly what would be th*
' r # ° fth f expedition ; and the ministers we'
^^ ^^ft ^ yet they tfonk^hut
a f ecbnd ^e, by fref b promifr
Which there is every reason .to think -will
as ,n f the former. Heaven grant fome m ^
favourable wmd s may disperse the cental
^h^h prevails in the political atnmfphertr
the State be cured ot its phrenzy ere it be tea
, ^H^ northern blffl s have too lon
ensured, and Britannia's fruits will all be fw<
away, unless the superior powers interfere a^
produce gentler breezes and mote propio
Several thousand pairs of worfled
and inlide flannel v^iftcoats, were Shipped ye
terday on board a v&ffel in the river, bound V
Africa for the u se o f his Majefyl trpec
during the winter. 4 -
WILLIAMSBURG, (Virginia) fa, ~
E^.^fl oja letter from Col. Bodford to the Ho
the J refa^t oftb, Qfo%fo Norfolk
• |&iz}, 1776.'
T " "f^'e had a party tbefe ten days, y po ,
I miner § Creek, who yc/terdy Md a brush wi^