The New-Jersey journal — Chatham, N.J., 1782-08-28 00:00:00, page 1

LONDON, Marchi6.'
The following very important and interesting BILL
was on Thursday brought into Houle of
Commons by the Attorney-General.
A BILLto enable bis Biaje/ly to conclude a Peace or
Truce with the Revolted Colonies in North /America.
WHEREAS it is essential to the interims, wel
fare, and prosperity of Great - Britain, and of
the colonies or plantations of New-Hampshire, Maf
fachuhrtts-Bay, Rhode-lfland, Connecticut, New-
York, New-jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower
counties on the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia, in North-
America, that peace, intercourse, trade, and com
n^ cc, Mould be restored between them.
Wherefore, and for a full manifestation of the ear
melt with and desire of his Majesty and his Parlia
avent tc put an end to the calamities of war,.& it en
&aed b ¥ the king's molt excellent majesty, by and
V- th the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal, and Common,; in this prefect Par
iiamtnt assembled, and by the authority of the fame,
that it Ihall and may be lawful for bis Majesty to
teat, couiuk of; agree and conclude with any body
or bodies cor pirate or politic, or arfy sffercbly or as
semblies, or description of men, or any person or
persons whatsoever, a peace, or truce, with the said
colonies or plantations, or any of them, or any part
or parts thereof; any law, ad or acts of Parliament,
matter, or thing, to the contrary in any wife not
- wahlfandiog.
And, in order to obviate any impediment, obsta
cle, or delay, to the carrying the intentions of his
Rlajefty and his Parliament into effed, which might
Strife from an, ad of a& oi Parliament effecting or
relating to the laid colonies or plantations ; be it fur
-br chuted by the authority aforefaki, That for the
coadu^ug and establishing of a peace, or truce,
'^'-^ '^ pL^tio^, nr z,y of them,
bis Majesty Mail have full power and authority,'by
virtue of this 4&, by his letters patent under the great
leal of Gres'- Britain, to repeal, annul, and make
void, or to fHpeod for cay time or times, the opera
tion and effect of any aft or afts of Parliament which
relate to the Hid colonies or plantations, or any of
them, so far as the fame do relate to them, or any of
them, or any part or 4^^ thereof, or any clause,
provision, or matter thoron contained, so far as such
chafes, provisions or matters, relate to the laid co
lonies or plantations; or any of them, or any part or
parts thereof.
And be lt farther enabled, that this a&, as to the
',txercife of the powers and authorities hereby given
vo his Majetty, Shall continue to be in full force un
til the
Lord North, in the debate oflaft night, said, when
he b^J the honour to be called into Adminiftranon
by his Sovereign, the times were much more trou
blesome than even the present; he found himfelf un
der the necessity of pursuing the directions of the de
claratory ad, and the conducting himfelf under all
the disadvantages of the repeal ad ; and in his whole
coudua Since, he said he bad acted agreeable to the
directions, and under the lanaion of Parliament, in
Support of the undoubted right of this country over
America. On the breaking out of the rebellion in
America, there was nbt a quarter of the House that
was not unanimous for averting the supremacy of the
legislature, and for reducing it to obedience. As a
Member of Parliament, fays his fordflhip, I perfect
ly coincided with the sense of the House; 1 thought
it proper to defend cur just and indisputable right
-©ver America: as a Minister I acted agreeable to
that line chalked out to me by Parliament ; there
fore no man can presume to fay the American war
originated fem me not that 1 think the Ameri
can war an unjutl one; on the contrary, 1 am per
leaded it was undertaken on the meft confutations!
grounds, to Support the rights and dignity of this
nation. If then most of our calamities and misfor
tunes can be traced up to this Source, the American
war, why then attribute the whole to Ministers, who
were hot the promoters, were not the original faufe
from whence we may date all the difalters which have
befel us? I have heard it repeatedly said, that Admi-
Deration has constantly deceived Parliament—l de.
Vol. IV.]
THR 6 ^ «^^\
N EW-J ER S E<Y JOURN 4^l
WEDNESDAY, August 28, 1782.
ny it; in not one instance have I ever made use of
deception : I said in the beginning, a war with Ame
rica was practicable, that we could find forces to a
large amount there, and that we were able to Sup
port them with every kind of provision that was ne
cessary for an army, without any danger of their fuf
fering* from the great distance they were from us.
This much have I fa.M, and in so faying I have not
deceived the House, for I can declare we have had
there, ever Since the war broke out, a fup^rior force
to America, and that our armies there have been as
well provided and taken care nf as any army ever
was in any Country whatsoever. Another charge of
deception produced againff me is, that 1 have said
France or Spain would not break with us, for they
had colonies of their own. 1 absolutely deny the
expression, it was not I made use of it, though, if I
had, it would be founded in reason, and what might
probably be expelled ; but the language I made
use of was this, that the very great importance of
what we were contending for was fucb, that even if
France and Spain were to declare against us, not
withstanding, we Mould not tamely Submit, and sur
render those rights we had a just claim to. Ano
ther charge againitme is, that I persevered with ob-
Ilinacy in pursuing measures which experience Mew
ed to be detrimental to the nation. My God ! Sir,
have gentleman already forgot thole bills! have in
troduced for procuring a reconciliation with Ameri
ca, and that 1 was reprobated from all parts of the
House for these measures? Did this condud bfmine
denote a sanguinary man. who was never to be sati
ated with human blood ? Yet, Sir, at the fame time
that I panted for peace, had I ever, by any word,
action, or deed of mine, encouraged or excited the re
bellion, in America, I Mould detest mjfeK, as I am
fare the world would, and Mould think it very pro
per to declare contrition and repentance in that case.
Another thing gentlemen Blame Adminifiration for,
is its want of alliances. We have now, I can aver
with iftto, as many Jhf&.es M haft at ## h 1 came
into Administration; and I night add further, a
greater attention paid us by foreign nations.
His Lordship then spoke to the point, of fcbat
benefit might accrue to the public, from the fuccels
cf this motion. He fid, if I thought unanimity
would be the consequence of it, zed that a coalition
of parties would take place on a abroad baQ that
the ablet the most powerful, and tuc'beh men
would join without any party views whatsoever;
were that to follow, the prefer., motion Mould have
my concurrence ; for heavy and fevc^as I Mould
feel the censure of this House, yet fei:h| plcafure I
would facrifice my feelings to the i^reft cf the
public; but I am convinced this is rt+the method
to bring about that unanimity and cefition of par
ties, which every man ought to wifb <cr ; and whene
ver that event Mali take place, 1 am fare 1 (hall be
very far from desiring tb be one of them Towards
the conclusion cf his speech, his Lordship said I
Mali trouble the House but with one remark more ;
that is, if gentlemen Mali deem it fit to censure
Adminilbatipn by agreeing to this motion, as it fap
pofes criminality io ministers, in vindication of my
own honour, 1 Mail demand, not Ihrink from, that
public enquiry into my conduct, which perhaps op
position would not be ver) anxious in bringing for
ward.
Lord North declared to God ^ that no love of
office, no attach ment to emolument, Mould, keep him
a momenrin office, could he leave his fixation with
honour, and were not certain circumftanccs in the
way of his going out just at that moment, which he
could not fuither explain. A time, however, he
flattered himfelf, would soon be at hand when f»e
could give an ample explanation of his conduct, and
when, he doubted not, he iheuld be able to fatisfy
every gentleman of every party, that be had done
his duty, and preferred the true inte efts of his coun
try, to his own case and his own quiet, in doing
what he had done,"
Mr. Fox, in the course of his speech, declared
that he would not afreet to fay, if an administration
was formed upon a broad footing, and he could
With honour take a (hare in the government of the
country, that he had the bnalteft objections to do
for'
The Lord Advocatrco&eQded on. the recelfry cf
the House's giving time for the forming of the coal
ition of parties which foanany genfamen fecmed to
with for. ~
.Sir William Dolben took an ^fyportunity to give
the oppefition a rub, under the appearance of ^com
pliment to Lore North : He said that if the Nobfa
Lord ftcu'd go rmt of office, either in consequence
of a vote of that House, or of his Own accord, he
would exhibits phenomenon to the nation, that of
an ex miniver giving support to Government, and
not endeavouring to thwart, puzzle, and perplex
their meafute.
,This morning Mr. Fox gave notice, in the lobby,
that the contraQori bill would come on next Tues,
day, and that on. Wednesday a motion similar in
effea to that debated yesterday would be made, he
therefore begged gendenuh to continue in town.
HOUSE or LORDS,.MAY ?,.
Emancipation of Ireland.
Lord Shelburne in a very long speech, entered
largely into the present fi;nation of Ireland r. r t< the
jurifdi&ion which, this kingdom claimed over that
country. He took up the grievances which were
complained of, from their earliefl slate and recapitu
lated the several periods at-which th<fe fans com
menced which were deemed binding upon Ireland.
The all of the 6th cf George the First, which was
never acknowledged by the legislature of Ireland,,
was the firft ofya fought to-be repealed by the
Parliament there ; and not only the Parliament, buc
the united voice of the whole country had declared
is illegality. There was not a dissenting voice to
the rcfolution.--.lt was generally underilcod, and.
universally supported,, Indeed the matter flood ora
such a plain and simple pofitioD, that the argument;
came bo^e to the fad immediately, and, proved the
impolicy of one legislature making laws to bind an-'
other legislature. Ireland had its representatives as
well as England, it was under the fame cordhtution,
and therefore entitled to tie fame internal ^nmuai^
ti%
His Lordship said, there was but one refolye before
the Revolution, and two since, which were dec ora
tory of the right which this kingdom usurped over
that country ; hnd as he thought them unwife,cruel,
and oppressive, he ihould, in the present indance,
most heartily support the motion he intended to
make for the full repeal of that a&. of the 6th of
George the Frill so earnefliy hiked for by the parlia
ment of Leland. As to the other requifirion made
by cur filler kingdom, for doing away the right of
appeal, writs of error, and the perpetual n.urin,
bill:—His LordMipfaw them in the fame light as
be did the necessity bf repealing the declaratory a& ^
and he as folly and as openly gate his aflent to an
a& for their difcontinuahce. — —His second motion
should therefore be in fubliante to that effta. HU
Lordship added, that policy, and not fear, urge^the
necessity of preceding to those propofiticns ; but that,
while the one operated on the underlaying, ho
trailed , the other would not attack our apprebenficns.
There was nothing in the conduct of Ireland which
did no^ speak the w armed friendship—the ftrengeft
family affection. Bound in ole common interest,
allied by mutual intercourse, and with the permanent
benefit of both centering in unanimity, there could
not exifl, in the bread of any honed, man, an idea
of diflevering the two countries.
The Irilhwere a brave and loyal people ; thaw
had long groaned under a load of oppreffign, but
the time of their emancipation was come. The,
befough: with ardour, yet they fought their reqaeft
in the language of humility, " let us meet them,''
laid his LoTffiip, 46 with cordiality, and let us
*' ffiew them by our refalution of this day, that we
66 mean to act as uc profels.— Let n^ pao,w Minced
" policy*—no idle fears, no jealous drfecCyon of this
'' House countered what otheruife muti be the sap-r
66 piuefs of one country, and the welfare and fafety, of
" the other. One heart, one hand, one interest, one
" courage will then animate the whole, and with
" such a combination, we may look at the enemies
“ of Britain with a proud confidence of ftrengrh.
" and a firm belief in v^oiy." His Lordship ad
verted tg the American difoute, aug frera that d^w
[Numb. CI¥XXV.I