The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-11 00:00:00, page 5

SUPf LE M ENT to the 'Pen^hama l^ueft Pefl. [Num. 152.
DEBATES in the HOUSE of CO M MON S.
[Continued from page 20.]
TC R R. CORNWALL acknowledged that there had been
^/r mifmanagemeht femewhere; but whether by the
A. T ^. parliament in not granting a Sufficient force; by the
Miniffry in not properly applying the forces granted ;or by the
officers who had the command of them, in not exercising them
effectually, he would not then aflert, but probably might one
day afford matter for inquiry in that House. However, he could
not avoid faying thus much in favour of Administration, that
a Minifterin this country, though he may fee much farther into
future events than the rest of his countrftnen, cannot take any
great flep without having the cry of the people with him ; had
government demanded forty thousand men the last session to
fend to America, the people would have thought them mad,
but now that the people were with them, he did not doubt of
success. He censured thole members very severely, who had
voted last session with Administration, and exprefled' themselves
very differently in this debate. He alluded particularly to Mr.
Ch. Fox, who, he laid; as well as himfelf, had been raided to
very important' offices in the state at too early an age
Mr. FOX, in reply, protected that he had been deceived by
the Ministry; he had been taught to believe'that government
had so many friends in America that the appearance of a few
regiments there would give them* Security in avowing them
selves, Secure obedience to our laws, and irifure peace'; that
upon this principle he had voted for fending ever the for
ces last session ; peace was his obje&. in that measure, but now
that the Minister declared himfelf for war, he could not but
object to his proceedings.
• The Lord Advocate of Scotland said it would be ridicu
lous in Administration to recede at present, or to listen to con
ciliatory mealures, whilst America was making so effectual, a
refinance ; that all Europe would fay We had felt our iuaD
lity to enforce our rights, and the-rfire were glad to accom
modate matters upon any terms; that when we had regained
and re-efiablifhed our authority there, he would be happy to
join in any plan for the better and more happy government of
that part of the empire. He said it was nor uncommon for
Great-Britain to be unfuccefsful in the beginning, and victo
rious in the progress and conclusion of her wars, and that he
was not a't ail dismayed by the gloomy pictures which some
gentlemen were pleated to draw, of our perilous and deplo
rable rituation.
Mr. THURLOE insisted that decency demanded that we
Should return his Majesty thanks for the confederations which
induced him to take the step, though we, might afterwards
condemn the measure. Suaviter in in do, fed fortiter in re,
Should ever be a maxim in British minds ; he declared that it
was his opinion that the Bill of Rights did not forbid the in
troduaion of foreign troops intoour territories abroad ; 'that it
only mentioned this kingdom ; that consequently he could no
more fee any legality than he could danger in the measure.
'Sr WILLIAM W—KE insisted, 'that the Bill of Rights was
only declaratory of rights existing prior to that aft, that there
fore the people were not to confine their claims to the literal
terms of it, but to recur to the great principles upon which
that declaration was founded.
Mr. DUNNING argued upon the fame grounds.
Governor JOHNSTON arraigned the conduct of Admi
nistration pretty Severely ; he declared that he was certain the
21
Hanoverian ftffdiers could not be tried by martial law for ary
offences, that if they Should be tried, they would have_an
action in Great-Britain again# thtfir officers, and that if any
of them Should be put to death in consequence of tie lentence
of a Court Martial, those who gave the sentence would be
guilty of murder according to Our laws; he infilled, that our
garrisons abroad were, in the true sense of the word, a part
of this kingdom, and hewas against the ciaufe as a dangerous
' precedent.
Mr. GRENVILLE very pathetically deplored the Rate of
our national affairs,- and was convinced, he laid,' that nothing
but misfortune could be the confequdnees. Let Adminiftra
'tion, fays he, call the Pope from Rome the Mufti from Con
stantinople, the High Priest from the Synagogue to their aid,
let them put the assassinating knife into the hands of Slaves,
and teach them to butcher their matters, yet dill the event
must be ruinous to this nation. Suppose America conquered,
its towns destroyed, its fields laid waste, we must keep up a
large Standing army to support our triumph ; but can we
make them in fu.h a date raise money fufficient to pay for
their own chains ? Can we make them build up their fluttered
cities by force ?
Mr. F—LAND, though he confeffed his dislike to the em
ploying foreign mercenaries without the consent of Parlia
ment, declared his objection to the rec mmitment of the ad
dress; he did not wish to impede the measures of govern
ment at so critical a time, but he wished the Minister had
called the Parliament together last summer, rather than take
that step without their concurrence, however necefl'ary the
step might have been. He was sorry, he said, that so little
advantage had been made of the g an s made last feflions for
the pu pose of enforcing American obedience, and tnrew out
some severe remarks upon that indolence of temper and dislike
to bufmefs, which seemed inherent in the character of the Mi
nifterv; and to thi disposition he attributed the little fuq^fs
of what he ventured to call our summer's campaign in Ame-,
- rica ; however, he sweetened this dole of censure with a great
many compliments on the vast abilities and amiable difpohtion.
of the noble Lord.
This called up Lord NORTH, who, after some difference
about order, observed, that he would net have perilled
so much in his desire to be heard, had not something which
had fallen from the gentleman who Spoke last, demanded a
reply, which might not come so well at another time. He
was greatly obliged to the gentleman, he said, for that can
dour and boldness with which he had treated his character.
He was not difplei.fed to hear his faults from whatever motive
they might be fug-gelled; sometimes, as in the present in
stance, they were lugpeded by candid, and sometimes by ma
licious one.-. Those wuo fuggefted.them from the hrft cause he
thanked and esteemed ; t.^ who displayed them from (he lat
ter principle he despised. HecohfelEa that indolence of temper
which Mr. F—land' had noticed, and that dislike to butinAs,
but declared, that he was forced into the polt he now held;
that stormy and tempeftuoys^ the ocean i„ though which he
has to steer, he would never of his own accord abandon it till
the storm had iubfided; he acknowledged h had been de
ceived in event, but that he had adopted his measures last ief
fions to the then date of affairs, not imagining that all Ame
rica would have armed in the, cause. It was easy, he said, to
Ice what has happened, but who could have torefeen that