The New York packet, and the American advertiser — New York [N.Y.], 1776-01-11 00:00:00, page 2

^ord SheTbonrre, Lord Warwick, and Lord
Terrors ; after which the question was put for
agreeing to the 'amendment, -and the house
divided, when the numbers were as follow ;
Not Contents- 69, Proxies'll; Contents „,
Proxies o.
The House again divided upon the Address
as originally moved for; Contents 06, Proxies
<10; Not Contexts „.
The House broke tap about eleven o'clock,
and adjourned till next day.
The arguments in the House of Peers
Turned entirely on American affairs. The
Lords in Administration candidly owned they
had been misinformed last year, and that their
rueafures were consequently founded in error,
and had therefore failed of success. This con
udion furnilhed matter of severe remark to
six Lords of the Minority ; the Bishop of
Peterborough pointed out the falfe policy of con
tinuing the difputb with the Colorlies, and
<urged Administration to flop the further ra
vages of fire and sword. The Duke of Rich
mond followed the Reverend Prelate's argu
mom with his ufu^l inaccuracy and inelegance
of manner, but with much force of matter.
Lard ™Shelbourne, in a most warm and piau
refque flow of words, painted the present ill
effeas of the contest, and shewed how much
more fatal the consequences might be if the
unnatural war was "pursued. His Lordship
was extremely severe on Administration for
the impotency and inexpediency of their mea
sures ; and after intimating that the intro
duaion of foreign troops without leave of
Parliament, was high treason to the constitution,
hoped that the day would come when those
who put that part ot th*:fpeech in his Ma
jesty's mouth, which mentions their being sent
to Gibraltar and Minorca, would be called
to a proper account, and undergo an ex
emplary punishment. Lord .Grosvenor spoke
to the fallacy of the Addrefles, and the un
fair -means used to procure them; which he
proved by citing an instance of fhameful par
tiality -find undue influence, which fell with-'
in his own knowledge. Lord Ferrers oppof
cd the Addrefs.'
The business of Parliament was opened in
the House of Commons by fwearihg in several
Members; after which the Speaker read twice
his MajeiL 's most gracious Speech from, the
Throne; whereupon Mr. Ackland, son to Sir
Thomas Ackland, moved for a dutiful and
loyal Address to his Majesty in a very elaborate
speech, highly commending the lenity arid for
bearance of government with reaped to Ame
rica, and enforcing the necessity of assuring
his Majesty of the approbation of the mea
sures already taken against the Americans,
and of frm support from his faithful Com
mons in the prosecution of the war.
The motion tor the address was seconded
by Mr. Lyttleton, late Governor of Jamai
ca, who likewise expatiated on the necessity
of frengthening the hands of. Government.
Iford John Cavendish moved tor an amend
ment, which occasioned a long and warm fcon
verfation, in which the ministry were pretty
roundly told of the fatal ehefts of the mea
sures of the Lift sessions.
The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor spoke
against the Address; called the war against
the Americans a murderous wa[ ; and said
that he should consider every fubje& who fell
oq either fide as assassinated by the Minister,
and their blood to be laid to his'charge ;'he
concluded with recommending, an Address to
the. King, that he would be pleased to point
out feme method of conciliating the affecti
ons of the fubjeds of all parts of the em
pire.
Governor John Tone fpokeon theinfufficiency
of the present forces to carry this favourite
point of Adminiffration. He averred, that a
general diflatisfaftion prevailed ampngft the
King's troops, already at Boston ; and that
three field-officers of the five regiments, late
ly embarked at Cork, solicited leave to re,
figri ; of this he pledged himfelf to bring
winefs to the bar, and dared them to call
for it.
General Conway defended the Americans
with an UHufaal warmth of argument : He
called for information from the Treasury Bench,
what part of America might we deem our own:
ATed whether Canada, whether Halifax, nay,
whether Boston itfelf, owned at this time the
superiority of the British arms ? —He declar
ed his conscience forbad his afient to the
butchery of the Provincials ; and therefore
he firmly protested against the Address.
Lord George Germaine replied to him in
favour of the Address, and consequently flip
ported the measure of government ; but threw
out nothing new, except that he had received
a letter from Gen. Burgoyne, who said, that
notwithstanding, the diftrelies and obstacles, the
King's troops met with, they were zealous
^nd determined in defence of their country.
Col. Barre entered minutely into the con
sequences of the frimmer campaign, defcrib
cd the King's forces as on a wen, or little
excrescence of land, blocked up within the
walls of Boston, and the fleet not even mas
ter of the river in which it lies : He drew
a conclusion, that it an army of 22,000 of
our forces, 20,000 Provincials and a fleet of
22 fail of the fine, with more th<n as many fri
gates, were three years in subduing Canada, tho'
compleated every spring, what little profped
could there be for 10,900 men to afted the con
quest of all America. He told the Minifler,
that as he expected but little information from
him, he would give him fame :-—that he had
received a letter from a Major Caldwell who
was fettled on a large eftatetin Canada, who as
sured him, ttyt the Canadians were not by any
crans to be driven into the war ; that he had
and after entering into a long justification of
himfelf, and the plan of conduct he had pursu
ed while in office, (replying with considerable
spirit to the insinuations which had been thrown
out against him by Lord John Cavendilh, Mr.
Burke, Mr. Fox, and other speakers in opposi
tion) his Lordihip juftified the measures of Ad
ministration, shewing, by strong arguments, that
they were founded as much in prudence and
wisdom as the situation of affairs would allow.
His Lordfllip next entered into a disquisition of
the terms Whig and Tory, and proved that the
present Ministers afted on the true principles of
Whiggifm, and that the measures Sketched out
in the speech, and ecchoed back in the address,
as proper to be offered to America, were most
likely to affe& an honourable reconciliation.
At 20 minutes after one Mr. Dunning rose.
He pointed out the illegality of introducing fo
reign troops into any part of his Majesty's do
minions, without the consent of Parliament, and
fhew.ed the bad tendency of such a measure, and
of what evil consequences it might hereafter be
productive, were it now fuffered to pass into a
precedent. He was replied to by the Attorney
General.•
The House did not rife till pift four o'clock
on Friday morning. Upon a division, there ap
peared,
For the Address, without any amendment 278
Againil it - . - log
Majority 170
Friday, October 27.
A report was made from the Committee ap
pointed to draw up an Address to his Mujefty,
that the Committee had drawn up an Address,
which was read.
Resolved, That the said Address be presented
to his Majesty by the whole House.
Ordered, That such members as are of the
Privy Council do wait on his Majesty to know
when he will be attended therewith.
A motion being made for recommitting the
Address, a great debate ensued, in which most
of the principal speakers on both sides took a
very warm part. Particular objection was made
to the following clause; "We thankfully ac
kno^ledge the gracious considerations which in
duced your Majesty to take this step," (meaning
the introduction ofhis Electoral troops into the
garrisons of Gibraltar and Port-Mahon. The-
Gentlemen in oppofnion considered this clause
as a full approbation of the measure ; whilst the
friends of a&fniftration insisted it was no more
"tried the al%< cf perfualion in vain ; that he as
sembled about 1 200 of them together, who caihe
with large flicks, but had concealed 400 fire
locks in the woods, which they were determin
ed to make life of against the English, if they
forced them to take either fide : Col. Barre fur
ther added, that General Carleton and Lord
Titt, were within a quarter of an hour of falling
into the hands of Jehnny Herbert, a barber,
who was now a Major in the Provincial ser
vice : He observed, that he and his friendswere
confuted by the Ministry as the leaders of sac;
tion; that their conversation with each othef
was, which et them should go to the Towet fifft;
but this they regarded not ; oppose the King
they could not wish to do, for thqir'anceftdrs
seated his family on the throne, butto carry
their point against the present unfeeling Admi
nillration, he would readily go to the block.
Lord Barrington answered Governor John
ftone and Col. Barre, mid denied the difafleftion
of the officers, && allured thj House, that they
would receive fatisfactory accounts to the con
trary in feveh or eight days.
The Solicitor General likewise replied to Col.
Barre, accused him ot drawing falfe inferences
from his own premises, entered with great Spi
rit into the merit of the present vigorous mea
sures (admitting we had loft all the places they
would insinuate) in order to put us upon a pro
per footing to enter even upon a negotiation
with the Americans.
At ten o' c^ . Mr. Burke rose, and spoke for
near two hours. He railed the laugh of the
House at Lord North's expence, by repeating
Lome vaunting expressions (which he declared
had fallen from his Lordship in Parliament here
tofofe) and placing them in a ridiculous cen
traft with the unfortunate events which have of
late taken place. Speaking seriously of the pre
sent situation of affairs, he compared America to
a people who had emancipated themselves, and
described the mother country as a piratical dis
turber of the ports and the naval trade of the
colonies. The difgraceful blocking up of our
troops in Boftom, he pourtrayed with his wont
ed-ability of description ; and after lamenting
the danger of this country, if the dispute with
America continued, he advised Administration
no longer to make England appear like a por
cupine, armed at all points with a&e of parlia
ment, oppressive to the trade and freedom of A
merica, but t Tiew a friendly countenance,and
to meet the c lonifis with open arms.
Mr. Charles Fox followed Mr. Burke, and
with his usual vehemence and asperity, aimed
his satire personally at Lord North, describing
his Lordihip as the blundering pilot, who had
brought us into our present difficulties. " Ad
ministration (fays Mr. Fox) exult at having
brought us into such a dilemma as the ablest of
men cannot extricate us from ; they have rea
son to cry aloud in triumph, Lord Chatham,
the King of.Pruffia, nay, Alexander the Great,
never gained more in one campaign, than the
noble Lord has loft---hc has loft a whole conti*
nent—moft able adviser, mold accomplished Ge
neral!" Mr. Fok mixed his raillery with some
very serious observations on the conduct of the
Ministry, and took occasion to mention the old
political diftindions of Whig and Tory, defcrib
4ng the present Members of Ad-niniftration, as
enemies to freedom, and rank Tories.\
As soon as he concluded, Lord North rose,
than a complimerit toLis Majesty's good inven- •
tiorm and left the measure itfelf a matter of fu
ture deliberation. Mr. Wedderburne and Mr,
Dunning had a long conversation upon the dif
ferent interpretations of the clause.
Mr. Caldwall acknowledged that there had
been mismanagement somewhere ; but whether
by the Parliament in not granting a fufficient
force ; by the Ministry 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 assert, but proba
bly might one dafafford matter of enquiry in
that House, However, he could not avoid fay
ing thus much in favour of Adminlttration, that
a rhinifter in this country, though he may fee
much farther into future events than, the rest of
his countrymen, 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 raad, but now that
the people were with them, he did not doubt of
futcefs. ; He censured those members very se
verely, who had voted last session with admini
stration, and exprefled themselves very different
ly in this debate r He alluded particularly to
Mr. C. Fox, who, he said, as well as himfelty
had been raised to very importan' 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 regi-
ments there would give them security, in avow
ing themselves, fecate obedience to our laws,
and ensure peace; that Upon this principle he
had voted for fending over the forces last fefficn;
peace was his object in that measure, but now
that the minister declared himfelf for war, he
could not but object to his proceedings.•
The Lord Advocate for Scotland said, it would
be ridiculous in Adminiftratien to recede at
present, or to listen to conciliatory measures,
whilst America was making such an effectual re
fiflance; that all Europe would fay, we had
felt our inability to enforce our rights, and
therefore were glad to accommodate matters
upon any terms; that when we had regained
and re-established our authority there, he would
be happy to join in any plan for the better and
more happy government of thatpart of the em
nire. He said it was not uncommon for Great
Britain to be unfuccefsful in the beginning,
and victorious in the progress and conclution of
her wars, and that he was not at all dismayed
by the gloomy pictures which some gentlemen
were pleased to draw of our perilous and de
plorable situation.
Mr. Thurloe inlifted that decency demanded
that we should return his Majesty thanks for
the configurations which induced him to take
the step, though we might afterwards condemn
the measure. Saaviter in modo,fcd fortiter in re,
should ever be a maxim in British minds; he de
clared that it was his opinion that the Bill of
Rights did not forbid the introduction of foreigh
troops into our territories abroad; that it only
mentioned this kingdom; that consequently he
could no more fee any legality, than he could
danger in the measure.
Sir William Wake fnfifted, that the Bill of
Rights was only declaratory of rights exiting
prior to that ad, that therefore 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 Johnftone arraigned the conduct of
Adminiiiration pretty severely; he declared
that he was certain the Hanoverian 'foldiers
could not be tried by martial law for any of
fences, that if they should be tried they would
have an action in Great Britain against their
officers, and that if any of them should be put
to death in consequence of the sentence of a
court-martial, those who gave the sentence
would be guilty of murder according to our
laws; he insisted, that our garrisons abroad
were, in the true sense of the word, a part of
this kingdom, and he was against the clause as
a dangerous precedent.
Mr. Grenville very pathetically deplored the
state of our national affairs, and was convinced,
he said, that nothing but misfortune could be
the confequcnees. Let Administration, fays
he, call the Pope from Rome, the Mufti from
Constantinople, the High Priest from the Syna
gogue to their aid, let them put the affaffinaong
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
watte, we must keep up a large Landing army
to support our triumph ; but can we make them
in such a state raise money fufficient to pay for
their own" chains? Can we make them build up
their shattered cities by force?
Mr. Falkland, though he confeffed his dis
like to the employing foreign mercenaries, with
out the consent of Parliament, declared his ob
jeaion to the re-commitment of the Address :
He did not wish to impede the measures of go
vernment at so critical a tirrA, but he wished the
minister had called the Parliament together last
summer, rather than take that flep without their
concurrence, however necessary the step might
have been ; he was forty, he said, that so little
advantage had been made of the grants made
last fefiions for the purpose of enforcing Ame
rican obedience, and threw out some severe re
tnarks upon that indolence of temper, and dis
like to business, which seemed inherent in the
character of the minister; and to this difpofitjon
he attributed the little success of what he ven
tured to call our summer's campaign in Ame
rica ; however, he sweetened this dose of censure
with a great many compliments to the vast abili
ties and amiable dupofition of the noble Lord.
This tailed mp lord l^orth. ,who, afet feme
difference about order, observed, that he would
not -have perlifted so much in his define to be
heard, liadmot Something which had lallcn froi^i
the Gentleman who spoke last, defrauded ' a re
ply, which might not come fowl'd at another
time. He was greatly obliged to the Gentle
man, he said, for that candor and Ltldnefs with
which he had treated his character. He was net
difrpleafed td hear his faults from whatever mo
tive they might be suggested; fometimes,.asiu
the present instance, they were fuggetted! ry
candid, and fometihads by malicious # oncsv-?
Those who suggested them from > the firft cause
he thanked and esteemed; those who displayed
them from the latter principle he % defpifed. He
confeffed that indolence es temper which
Mr, Faukland had noticed, and that dislike to
business, but declared, th it he was forced into
the poll he now held; that Hormy and temped
tuous as the ocean is, through which he has to
fleer, he wouldnever of his own accord, abandons
it till the florin had subsided ; he acknowledg
ed he had been deceived in events, but that he
had adopted his measures I^l fefiions to th^
then state of affairs, not imagining that all A^
merica would h^ve armed in the cattle. It was
easy, he said, to fee what has happened, buc
who could have foreseen that things would hap
pen so? Administration had proceeded upon
the information they had received; if Gentle
men were in poffeflion of better information,
why did they not communicate it ? He said that
when he adopted the necessary plan of fending
Hanoverians to our garrisons, he had not a
doubt of the legality of the measure; that if it
should be, found that he was miitaken in this
point, though the matter itfelf should be ap
proved^ any danger which might bo dreaded
from the precedent might be prevented by^
bill of indemnity ; that the necessity of taking
such a step was clear, from the danger of con
baling solely in our militia for the internal de
fence of the nation, however brave they might
be; and if he had waited for the meeting of
parliament, our troops in Gibraltar and Fort
Mahon could not be brought pver time enough
to have admitted of an early and vigorous exer
tion of uur forces against the rebels. To call
the Parliament in the middle of summer, would,.
he said, have been exceedingly disagreeable and
burdensome to the nation, and many inftancesi
could not be found in our hiftoty of a"Parlia
ment called so early as the present. He had,
he said, as great a veneration for liberty as any
man in that House; and he hoped the Ameri
cans were too brave and worthy of (heir glorious
ancestors, to hesitate a moment in their choice
between slavery or war, between ignominy or
death ; but in the present instance there was
no queflion of slavery. Their friends have said
that they only wiffied to be put on the. fame
footing in which they were in 1765. He affgrt
- ed that administration wished for no more, and
he could not believe that America, without mo
ney, without trade, without resources, could
continue to prefer a ruinous and lifting war
with the incensed power of Great Britain, to the
blessings of liberty and peace in.a happy depen
dence on her. He spoke very pathetically of
the integrity of his heart, and of the happiness
he hoped to derive in the last moments of his
life, hem the testimony of his own conscience;
\and concluded with a beautiful description of
the envied, splendid wretchedness of his mini
sterial station.
Colonel Barre, in a < r ery ludicrous manner,
observed, that the Noble Lord could very calmly
bear to hear his faults announced from some:
quarters ; that his Lordship flood the attacks of
a certain northern dialed: with a very g®od
grace, and he was instantly fliot dead with the
brogue; and what was acknowledged to be ex
tremely candid on one fide of the House, wax
downright malice from another: He kisses the
rod in some hands, and is extremely docile, but
is very fore when the lash is taken by some
other. The reason, he said, which induced all
America to take arms sooner than the Noble
Lord expected, was to oppose a common enemy;
the circumstance put him in mind of a speech
made by Marshal Scomberg to the British troops
as they were crossing the River Boyne in Ire
land, a le devoir mes infalls, voila vos ennemis!
At length the House was recalled to the ques
tion by Sir George Yonge, who proposed an
amendment, which being out of order was not
put;- after some altercation, the question before
them was put, and the House divided, when the
numbers were 176 to 72.,
Lord North then moved for " leave to bring
in a bill to empower his Majesty to call out the
militia shen a rebellion appeared in any part of
his dominions," which was carried, and the
House rose immediately (about a quarter past
oneYhis morning) and adjourned till Monday.
This day at two o'clock, the Address of the
Hon. House of Commons was presented to his
Majesty, at St. James's.
Friday, October 27.
, Resolved and read several petitions for bring
ing in appeals.
The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House,
that his Majesty had been waited on purfoant to
their order, to know when he would be attend
ed with their Address of Thanks ; and that his
Majesty had appointed two o'clock. The Chan
cellor and several of the Members accordingly
proceeded to St. James's, and presented the fol
lowing
Humble Address of the Right Honourable the
Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament
assembled.
Most gracious Sovereign,
" W E, your Majesty's molt dutiful and loy
al fubjeds, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,
in Parliament aflembled, beg leave to return vour
Majesty our humble thanks for your mdft gra ;
ciwus speech fr@ she throne.