The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-04-28 00:00:00, page 1

TUESDAY, April 28, 177^^" fooMS.6ft
CONNECTICUT COURANT;
ANDTHE
Weekly Intelligences
The follow ng Speech, Articles of Intelligence &q.
were received by the Frigate L'Senfible of 36
Gun» (belonging to his Most Christian Ma efty)
commanded by the Chevalier Marigny who ar
rived at Falmouth Cafco Bay the 13th inflant,
in 35 Days from France, with Dispatches for
Congr^fs, viz.
House of Commons, Tuesday February 17.
hio day was a day of great expectation. Tie
I house never was more full of its own mem
bers. A most all the peers of the minority, as well
as a few of the majority, with feme bishops, were
in the gallery ; all were intent and eager to fee in
w..at manner Lord North would make a proportion
so opposite to the tenor of every thing which he had
advised or opposed during the course of four years.
Lord North began by apologizing for the intend
ed length of his speech ; but he said it was necessary
from th-quantity of matter he was obliged to go in
to, and from the perspicuity and clearness which he
intended to make use of, in giving fat^faAion upon
every part of the detail. He declared that from the
beginning he had been uniformly disposed to peace ;
that the coerfive acts which he had made were such
as appeared to be necessary at the time though in
the event they had produced effects which he never
intended ;-—That as soon as he found that they had
not the effect which he intended he proposed a con
ciliatory proposition before the sword was drawn.
That at that time lie thought, and that he still thinks
the terms of that proposition would form the happi
est mod equitable, and most lasting bond of union
between Great Britain and the Colonies ;---That by
3 ~ Hofol d fcu.&ons, a p-^nofition that was ori
ginally clear and simple in itfelf, was made to appear
lo ob feure as to go danned to America ;fo that the
Cmgrcls conceived, or too' .occasion to repfefeut it
as a fciieme for lowing -divisions, and introducing
taxations among them in a worse mode than the for
mer, and accordngly rejected it. His idea never
had been to draw any considerable revenue either in
that way or any other from America. That his idea
was, they should contribute; in a very low propor
tion, to the expences of this country ; -That he had
always known that American taxation could never
produce a beneficial revenue ; --That there were
many forts of taxes that could not at all be laid on
that country; and that few of them would prove
worth the charge of collect ion ;---That the Ramp a&
Was tl e most judicious that could be chosen for that
prpUe, as it interested every man who had' any
dealing, or any property to defend or recover in the
colleen n cf the tax and the execution of the law ;
but notwithstanding the high rate at which that du
ty had been formerly estimated he did not believe
its produce v mid hive been a very considerable
oh e& ; and if the people had confederated, as they
seemed ih general disposed to do and in feme places
had a&niby done, to go on without the damps it
Would produce nothing at all but would increase
the confusion of the country if anv attempts were
made to disturb the trans Aions which were car
ried on without the (lamps ;--Tnat accordingly he
never had proposed any tax on America, but found
them already taxed when he unfortunately (as he still
must fay, whatever use has been or might be made of
the word)came into administration; --That bis prin
ciple of policy was to have had as little discussion of
thele sub eels as poffibie but to keep the affairs of
America out of Parliament ;---That accordingly as
lie had not laid so be did not think it advisable for
him to repeal the tea tax, nor did he ever think of
any particular means for enforcing it ;---That the
a& enabling the East India company to fend the tea
to America on their own account, and with a draw
back of the whole duty here was a regulation uhic h
le thought it not pofiitje the Americans conld com
plain of since it was a relief infieadofan eppreffon;
butthat the ill effected there and perform concerned
in a contriband trade endeavoured to represent it as a
monopoly ; that in son e hand-bills that v. ere frittered
about at Boston even fappofed that I.e had tal?n off
the American three pence per pound duty, and that
oe'n cfa thgt fuppohtion the dilalkCUd excited the
HARTFORD: Printed by WATSON and GOODWIN, near the Great Bridge.
people to a tumult, upon a principle totally diftin&
from all idea of taxation. That therefore, as he
had never meant taxation as his ob.eA in the last tea
^ so neither did he in his conciliatory proposition,
but in the latter considered it only as a means of uni
on and good agreement between the two countries ;
that therefore, in what he was going to propose, he
was uniform and confident. ;, ; „
One of the bills he proposed to move for was to
quiet America upon the fabje& of taxation, and to
remove all fears real or pretend d, of Parliament s
ever at empting to tax them again ; and 0 take a-,
way all exercise of the right itlelf in future, so far as
regarded revenue; that as to the other particulars
in controversy, he observed that the Americans had
desired a repeal of all the afts puffed since 1763 ; that
this could not, however be f. [pok'd to mean any
more than those afts which had in feme way or 0-.
ther, pressed on them; for that force which had
palled in 17.69 were beneficial, and such as they
themselves w,uld confide? in that light being the
granting bounties ana premiums or the relaxation
of former statutes that had been grievous to them.
That as to the late a&s such as the Massachusetts
Charter the Fishery, and the Prohibitory;
Bills as they were tue effefe of the quarrel, should
cease ; and that as to complaints of matters of a va
rious nature authority should be given to fettle them
to the fatisfa&ion of America...,
That all these matters Consisting of a gre.it varie
ty would be cetter left fr ot!e ducufion of Commif
fioners. than to be established here by a& of Parlia-,
ment or by explicit powers given for each fpecific
pretence ; for that the A oerit ans in the' negociation
would confider every concession madeaAually here,
to be a part of the basis of the treaty and never to
be receded from, and would accummulate new de
mands upon that therefore as every thing of that
kind might be variously modified by agreement, he
Was for leaving the whole to Commiffionets. , §
That the commiflioners formerly appointed had
very large powers, so indeed he understood those
powers. But that as others seemed to confider thßm
as more limited than in reality they were he should
take pare now to be very explicit, and he would
give them full powers to treat, difeufs, and con
clude upon evey point whatever. That as force'
difficulties had arisen about the powers given to the
commissioners, of treating with the Congress by
name, he would now remove that difficulty, by
empowering "and enabling the commissioners to
treat withthe Congress as if it were a legal
body, and would so far give it authenticity as to
suppose its a&s and concessions would bind
America. That they should have powers to
treat with any of the Provincial Assemblies upon
their present conftitutiop, and with any individuals
intheir prefect civil capacities or military commands;
with Gen. Waffiington or any other officer; Thh
they should have a power whenever they thought
requisite to order a suspension of arms. That they
should have a power to fnfpend the operation of all
laws. That they should have a power of granting
all forts of pardons, immunities and rewards. That
they should have a power of restoring all the colonies,
or any of them to the form of its antieut conftitutibn
as it flood before the troubles; any of those where
the King nominated the Governors Council. Judges,
and other Magifirates, to nominate such at their dis
cretion, till the King's further pleasure be known,
1 hat as the powers of the former comrhiffidners
had been objected to, so the Congress had raised a
difficulty on pretence of their non-admiflipn of ther
TfTLE to be IndE.PENBENT Statrs. That mean
ing peace sincerely- he was refolded that this diffi
culty should net flaud in the negociation, for that
the Commissioners Were to admit it upon entering
ijAoa treaty but as a point to be given up on its
amicable termination. As the Americans might
claim their independence on the outlet be would not
insist on their renouncing it till the treaty should re
ceive its final ratification by * rhe King and Parlia
ment of Great-Britain.
That the- Gommiffion&s should be inflrußed to
necociate for force reasonable and moderate contribu
tion towards the common defence of .the ensure
when reunited ; but to take away _all pretence 'for
not terminating this unhappy difference, the con
tribution was not to te insisted on as a sine
COCA non of the treaty ; but that if the the America*)#
fhould.refufe so reafonabl{ an{ equitable, a propof.-
tion. they, were notto complain, if hereafter they
were not to look for fu,port from that part of the
empire to whole expence they had refufed t? contri
bute; that it might te asked if his fentircents had
been always such with regard to taxation and peace,
and why he had not made this proposition at a more
early period ? To this he anfweret his cp : n*ion had
eVer been th at the mcment of victory was the pro
per time for offering terms of coneeffon., That the
House miglit remember, that at the beginning of the
Sefton he had declared that such were his sentiments;
he at that time thought that the v^ories obtained
by Sf William HoWe had been more decisive; and
that he knew nothing of Gen. Burgoyne's misfor
tune. That when t^e news of that misfortune had
arrived and that thev&ries obtained by Sir Wm.
Howe could not be so in proved , as to hinder Gen,
Washington from appear.ng with force foperiorty
in the field ; and that the King's treeps were oblig
ed' to ret re, arid fortify themselves in winter quar
ters, the firft thing that oc;cured to him, as the na-i
tibn was still flrong and vigorous ..that they could
raise a number of men and that the resources were
far from esaufted, that their flrength fhou|d be ex
erted to repair losses, and to purlue the war wth
vigor to a happy termination ; but When he reflected
upon the uncertainty of events which had hitherto
so much disappointed his expeftation, and that in
case of the utmost success the terms which he, now
propofedmuft be substantially the fame as he should
propose in the height of vi&cry/he f.w no reason to
prevent the protraAiog the war the effunon of
blood and the immoderate expence he would offer
the, fame proposition now. ^. ~. ~ >
.That he was convinced that they would conf
durably aid the operation of war, as they would
themselves be aided, by .the force in America which
was still Very great; that in case nothing farther
could be done by force at any rate, they would be
offered with more grace than hereafter. That the
events of war in America had turned out very diffe-/
rendy from his expectations ; that great force Id
been procured to be lent in America but to little
purpose hitherto; , ~
That he must confefs himfelf extremely disap
pointed in his expectations of the effect of our mili
tary force. He did not fr.ean , that time to con--
defnn or even to call into question the conduct of
any of the Commanders, but lie had. been disappoint
ed. That Sir William Helve had not only been in
the late actions and in the whole course of the cam
paign, in goodness of crops; and in all manner of
supplies, but in numbers, too, much fuperio r to, the
American arzty which eppofed him in the field.
That General Burgoyne who was at length over
powered by Number's, had been in numbers uritif
the affair at Bennington near twice as firing as the;
army under* General Gates. That all these things
hid happened id a banner very contrary so hf
Expectation,.
That, for his pirt, he never had made a promise
Which he did not perform or receive an informati
on which hedid not communicate. That be only
kept back the names 6f those Who had given 1 w in
formation, and which it would be unfaithful and
inhuman +6 divulge ; that he prorcifed a great army
should be lent cut, there were 60 oo^ .men, and
upwards; that he had promised a great fleet fhouid.
be employed, and a great fleet has been emp'oved,
and is now employed ; that t fcy fi^uldhe provided
for with every kind of fc^fe . r , d „ ;at t |, e „ fy
been so for ye^ to corc e ; that' if the House ^de
chived, t/.ey had deceived themselves.
Gn the Whole, his concessions were from re* 'on and
propriety not ftorii necefffy; that we we,eln con
dition to carry or, the War much longer. We rcipht
rarfe many more me n , and fy' many mc^ ready to
fend, for the navy w ^ ? , e¥e ^n g^firQ; th