The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-07-09 00:00:00, page 1

LONDO N.
HOUSE or LORDS,
Wednesday, March 6.
READ a firft time the lottery, and Oak
hampton road bills.
On motion of the Duke of Chandos, the Houle
resolved itfelf into a Comniittee of the whole
House, Lord Scarfdale in the chair :
His Grace said, that preparatory to the moti
on he intended to make, in refpeQ to the loss of
the army under Lord Cornwallis, it would be ne
ceffarv to have several of the papers on the table
read again ; and which accordingly underwent
that tedious ceremony, taking up near two hours.
This introduction being finifhed, his Grace en
tered into a long apology to their Lordships, for
his conduct on theoccafion,profeffing repeatedly,
that he was not actuated in the business by per
sonal pique, or private resentment to any man.
His object was to censure those in whom, in his
opinion, the criminality existed ; and as he con
sidered the aggregate body of the Cabinet to come
within that description, they were the persons a
gainst the impropriety of whose condua the pre
sent motion was intended. His Grace allured
the firft Lord of the Admiralty, he did not con
fidenhim as solely answerable for the conduct of
the navy. He never did conceive the Admiralty
in that situation. It was the Cabinet, and the
Cabinet alone, that merited applause or deferred
censure, on the management of national business.
His Grace then mentioned our melancholy situa
tion ; talked of the Weft-India islands falling like
nine-pins; the loss of Minorca and Gibraltar; ai
ding, that those who did not feel on such occasi
ons must be callous as the wall behind him. He
mentioned, that the reading the papers on the ta
ble chilled bis blood ; they were replete with
proofs of that blundering system and mismanage
ment, which had brought this kingdom into its
present dangerous. situation ; and particularly
they pointed out the cause of the surrender ofthe
army under Lord Cornwallis. His Grace there
fore thought it highly proper, that the House
should come to the following resolution, which
he moved. , ,
“ That the immediate cause of the surrender
" of the army under Earl Cornwallis, at York
“ Town, in Virginia, was owing to the want of
" a Efficient naval force to prote& the fame."
—This motion was followed by another, to re
solve, that the ministers who constitute the Ca
binet had aded in a manner highly criminal, in
haring neglected to fend a proper naval force to
America for that* purpose ; but as these were se
parate refolutions,the firft only came into debate,
and was regularly read from the chair.
Lord Sandwich in reply to this charge, faid,as
the attack was pointedly made at the Admiralty,
it became very requisite that he should give the
House every information in his power on the
fubjea. He hoped for acandid and fair hearing,
andas he wasconfeious there existed noreal fault
on the part of administration, so did he expea,
when that matter became evident to their Lord
ftiips, to have an honorable acquital. Public
prejudice, formed on erroneous principles, had
gone abroad, and men's minds being too apt to
judge from events without investigating causes,
opinions were formed, in which neither truth nor
candour existed ; but among their Lordfllips he
hoped such doctrines were not to be found, and
thateverypreceedingintheprefentbufinefswould
be grounded on reasoning Supported by facts —
The nidencs on which the House were to form
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WFFKTY INTFI T TGFNCFR
HA R^ FO R D : P^^» by H UDSON AND GOODWIN, hear the Great Bridge
T U E S D A V, JULY 9, 1782.
their resolution, lay on the table, and his Lord
ship hoped that he should be able, by that evi
dence, to prove that the motion made by theno
ble Duke'was improper, and that it conveyed a
censure on administration which their condu&
did not merit. It was a matter well known,that
those who were out wanted to get in, and that of
course they never would approve the meafuresof
any ministry but theirown. Their whole aim,
their whole business was to have the prefentmen
changed—For this they were eloquent in debate,
and loud in censure-— For this they were eter
nally clogging the wheels of government, and
giving every obftru&ion to the business of the
nation—For this they incessantly preached una
nimity, but as constantly pra&ifed diffention—
For this their lips uttered expressions of the most
perfea harmony, but their hearts glowed with
sentiments of difeord; The capture of Lord
Cornwallis's army was indeed a melancholy
event; it ffras at once a fatal and decifire blow.
Thatthe hand ofProvidence, and unforeseen ac
cidents, were more properly the cause, than any
mifeondua in either Ministers & Generals, or
Admirals; His Lordship prayed the attention
of the House to these fa&s, which would excul
pate the servants of the crown, and had not a
doubt, he said, of making it clearly appear, that
the admiralty, in particular, were not culpable
on this occasion. Hethen entered into a detail
ofthe situation and force of our fleets in Ame
rica, proving, that when the firft intimation was
received of the destination of de Graffe, orders
had been sent for our fleets in the Weft-Indies to
fail for America, leaving behind such a force as
should be fufficient for the proteaion of the
islands. \ It however did not become necessary to
leave there more than one ship (the Sandwich)
because the enemy had colle&ed and failed with
their whole force, abandoning their convoy, and
every other consideration, in order to swell their
strength in America. Thisiwas an event that
could not be forefeen—no person could imagine
that their convoy would be delayed ; and mini
sters naturally supposed, that a detachment from
their lleet would, as usual, have been appropriated
to that purpose. The nature of a British trade,
however, could not admit of such a negle&, and
our force, of course, became weakened by de
taching from it a convoy for Europe. The
Gibraltar also-went home with Sir George Rod
ney, and the Sandwich was left in the Weft-In
dies, because die was net in repair fufficient to
make part of the fleet in America. By the pa
pers bn the table, and from the clear evidence
of faffs, his Lordship proved that, taking credit
for those ships, we had a force in America that
was nearly equal to that ofthe enemy.
The French had thirty-five ships of the line ;
and we had thirty-four, including three fifties.
Accidents, and events that could not be foretold,
lessened that force, and we, of course, became
unequal to the enemy in the Chefapeak. But
the misfortune lay not at the door of Ministers.
Every thing on their part was done that could be
properly effected. We had numerous enemies
to combat, who, combined against us, made a
Wronger power than ever this country had to
cope with. It became therefore very requisite,
thatthe greatest caution should be observed in
all our operations, and that the navy, which was
the principal bulwark of the nation, should be
particularly attended to. His Lordship told the
House, that he was ready at any time to go into
the Rate of the navy, and to prove that thiscoun
- try now had a greater fleet than it ever possessed
at any former period. The common chances of
war were what no man could be securely guard
ed against ; they were the cause of the late dis
aster, and consequently became not a charge
against government.
As to what fell fromthe noble Duke, refpe&-
ing Minorca and Gibraltar, he apprehended that
there itiuft be some mistake, fefpetting what his
Grace said about the latter. For he was yet to
learn, how it could be proved that Gibraltar was
not to be relieved, and how it was a fact that
Gibraltar was taken. These were matters which
he called upon the noble Duke to explain. His
Lordship spoke for a considerable time, and ap
pealed to the papers on the table for the truth of
his assertions. He concluded with observing,that
it would be highly improper to agree to the noble
Duke's motion, as it ultimately tended to censure
Nftifters fora matter in which their conduct
: was not censurable. His Lordship, during the
;courfe of his fpeech;often repeated that hemeant
I not particularly to blame any commander. He
lamented indeed, that Sir Samuel Hood did not
fight the French to windward, as in that case
,the event might have proved more fortunate.
Lord Derby', in a degree of extraordinary
warmth of temper; rose, informing the House,
that he felt himfelf much hurt at the language
of the noble Lord who ipoke hft ; he could not
help faying, that he wondered how that minister
after the repeated charges made against him,
had the assurance and the impudence to talk in
such a ftile---[Here the whole Houfe § called his
Lordship to order, and repeatedly called out
Shame !]His Lordship, however went on, and
laid, that until he was obliged th the contrary,
he would repeat the words; and he again men
tioned afuranc- e and Impudence.
This brought up Lord Eauconberg, who called
his Lordship to order, and in consequence oblig
ing him to fit down. The noble Lord observed,
that such language was unbecoming the dignity
of the House, and that he was certain a proper
apology would be deemed, on recolledior., ve
ry requisite.
Lord Derby said, that he would apologize only
to himfelf, for deviating from the question. He
spoke from his feelings, which were naturally
warm ; he spoke like an Englishman, and
would not retraft. His Lordship then attacked
the argument of Lord Sandwich, and . particular
ly that part refpe&ing the Gibraltar, in which
Sir George Rodney came to Europe.—His Lord
ship wanted to know whether any blame was due
to Sir George for taking home that ship, and
why the Admiral did not come home in a fri
gate? He fpok^ for some time with greatwarmth,
and concluded with observing, that unless the
present Ministry were changed, the kingdom
was undone.
Lord Temple thought the motion 4 very poor
one, as it wa,s evident, from the papers on the
table, that the pricipal cause of the loss of Corn
wallis's army, was a want of a fufficient naval
force to prote& it. His Lordship took a short
review 01 Lord Sandwich's argument, which he
said was such as did not, in his mind, exculpate
ministers, and therefore he should vote for the
motions
Lord Sandwich rose to explain, and mention
ed, that in the account of the enemy's force, he
allowed credit for a ship of the line, which they,
101 l by accidental fire.
The Duke of Memehefter observed, thatno cre^
No, 911 )