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«Mft9«^««^^«S^«C^^9«fe»a*^*^*^^^*^^^^*** 
 
 
 ANTICIPATION. 
 
 4ft9«ft^«^««^^«^^«©^>^^^^**^^*^^^**^'^**^^ 
 
 
 t Price ONE SHILLING and SIXPENCE. ] 
 
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ANTICIPATION: 
 
 Containing the Subdance of 
 
 HIS M- — Y's 
 
 Moft Gracious Speech 
 
 TO BOTH 
 
 H 
 
 S of P— L-— T, 
 
 ON T H B 
 
 ■Vo 
 
 
 Opening of the approaching Session^ 
 
 toGktHER 
 
 With a full ahd authentic Account of the Debate 
 
 which WILL take Place in the H-— e of C s, 
 
 on the Motion for the Address, and the Amend- 
 ment. 
 
 With N O - t E S. 
 
 (Pirjl published three Days before the Opening of the Sejjiton.) 
 
 cc 
 
 So fljall my Anticipation 
 Prevent your Difcovery,^* ' Hamlet, 
 
 THE FOURTH EDITIO N, Correded. 
 
 L N t> I^: 
 
 ^^*^^^^ for T- Becket, the Corner of the Adclphi^ 
 in the Strand. 177?, 
 

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Advcrtifement, 
 
 J3EVERAL reafons concurred to urge 
 the Editor to this publication. Tnc 
 critical fituation of public affairs feem- 
 cd to require an extraordinary diffu- 
 fion of political knowledge ; yet, in 
 the common courfe, but few of the 
 millions, who are fo deeply interefted 
 in the refult of parliamentary debates, 
 can be admitted to an audience of 
 them. Sometimes, the Members ftiut 
 their galleries againft the intrufion of 
 any of their Conftituents ; and it is 
 always a ftanding order, from the open- 
 ing of the feffion, to prohibit the pub- 
 lication of their debates. Under thefe 
 circumffcances, an authentic account ot 
 the firft day's debate, put forth at this 
 date, will clearly avoid any breach of 
 that order, and, without expoiing the 
 Conftituents to crowding in the gal- 
 lery, to lurnilh them with their Re- 
 prefentatives Speeches, taken down 
 with the ftrift^ft fidelity, cannot but 
 afford them fomc amufement, and in- 
 
 a deed 
 
• { vi 1 
 
 ufe. Belidtis, tke firft day's 
 debate is generally a kind of outline 
 of the debates of the whole fcflion ; fb 
 that a critical obfervcr, by contem- 
 plating the buds and feedlings of this 
 early eloquence, may calculate what 
 degree of radical flrehgth they poflefsj 
 how far they will expand and bloom, 
 and whether they are hardy enough to 
 fiand the winter. 
 
 The Editor cannot but feize this op- 
 portunity to thank thofe Gentlemen * 
 who have furnifhed him with the moji 
 authe?itic materials for fome of the 
 fpeeches, which, they will immediate- 
 ly fee, he has copied verbatim from 
 their manufcripts — and he fincerely 
 hopes, their having appeared in print 
 before they are fpoken, will not deter 
 the feveral Gentlemen from delivering 
 them with their ufual appearance of 
 extempore eloquence. , j.. :* 
 
 .,.'1 
 
 November 23, 1778, 
 
 "1 ..'.-. I * 
 
 Aw 
 
 \.,-i;i« 
 
1 HE Gentlemen trailing to the Ead-Indies, 
 W'jft-Ir.dics. and other parts, whc intend taking or 
 fenviing thither any pamphlets this fcafon, are here- 
 by informed, that this work is aythcntic, faithful, 
 and (Iridtly impartial ; and as the nice and difcern- 
 ing eye of the Britilli iflands and fettlements near 
 us, muft feel an intereft in thefe matters, good al- 
 low diict- will be given for taking quantities. — Alfo 
 t\^e bell Dutch wax, and llationary wares. 
 
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 .1 ■• ,t' " 'VI 
 
 
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 . .*fc,^.^*-fc%i»»- •***•»* ^fr-»««»i# 
 
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ANTICIPATION, &c 
 
 t)ofn. Comm. yovis. 26 Nov. did 
 
 1. :'.» 
 
 Anno 19° Georgii III Regis^ ^77^* 
 
 s 
 
 IR Francis M- 
 
 X, gentleman-uflicr 
 
 of the black rod, having, with t'' i 
 ufual folemnity, at half paft two o'cI.»ck^ 
 given three admonitOiy raps at the door of 
 
 the H — e of C nr, and, being thercupi » 
 
 admitted, having proceeded towards th^ 
 tablei with three progreflive bows, acquaint- 
 ed the S r, * that his M — — y com- 
 
 tnanded their immediate attendance in the 
 H — e of L— ds, wheie foon after his 
 
 M -y delivered his moft gracious fpcecli 
 
 to both Houfes ; which we Ihould give a,:; 
 length, having an accurate copy now before 
 usj but that many reafons t jncur to induce us 
 
 * It was obferved the S " r was remarkable civil tp 
 
 the new Att-rn-y G-n-r-i, as fuppofed upon his fucceed- 
 ing to that great objeft of his wifties, which leaves Sir 
 F r foine chance of a Chief Jufticefliip and a Peerage. 
 
 B rather 
 
 ,^ 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 rather to give a general fketch of it. It is 
 Icarceiy neceflary to fay, that refpedl to that 
 great pcrfonage is the principal of thofe mo- 
 tives: It is alfo univerfally felt that the merit 
 of thofe fpeeches confifts much lefs in the 
 compofition than in the delivery. Befides, 
 as an authentic black letter copy of /^/Vfpecch 
 will infallibly appear, we have too high a 
 refped for our good friends MeflVs. the Haw- 
 kers and Criers of this great metropolis, to 
 rob them of any part of the fruits of their 
 
 annual eloquence on this occafion ^Thc 
 
 ipeech began by faying, 
 
 *' That thejituation of public affairs^ hadiri' 
 duced him to call them thus early together^ that 
 they might more fully enter into the various 
 and important concerns which would naturally 
 engage their attention, 
 
 " That he had renfon to hope that the 
 fchemes which the natural enemies of this 
 country^ in conjunBion with their unnatural 
 allies^ had meditated againji us in the Weft- 
 Indies^ notwithftanding fome appearance of 
 fuccefSi mighty under Divine ProvidencCy fail 
 in the ohjeft of difirefjing the commercial in-^ 
 terefl of his people y which, it gave him fatis- 
 faUiion to o'fervcy had hitherto continued to 
 fourijh amidft the calamitic of wary while 
 that of the enemy had received the mofl ma'^ 
 tertai tnnrnc$% ■ , " , ■ , 
 
 w. ,: . , That 
 
 ■Srf'- 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 *' That he could not but behold with parti^ 
 cular pleafure the zeal and ardour Jhewn by 
 all kis jubje&s on this emergency y which had 
 fully Jecured the fofety of this country, and 
 convinced our enemies that every attempt again/l 
 the internal profperity of Great Brit-ain mujl 
 prove ineffediual. 
 
 " That he continued to receive the moft 
 friendly ojfmances of the pacific difpofitions of 
 the other powers of Europe, 
 
 ** That his defire of re-ejlablijhing the ge^ ' 
 neral tranquility could not be doubted-, and 
 as he had not been thefirft to difiurb the peace ^ 
 fo he Jhould embrace the earlieji opportunity of 
 putting an end to the horrors of war^ when'* 
 ever that dejirabk end could be effedied, con- 
 fijiently with the honour of his crown, and the 
 intereji of his fubjedis, nvhich he Jhould ever 
 be careful to preferve, 
 
 " i'hat his faithful C-mm-ns might depend 
 on the proper officers immediately laying before 
 them the eftimate for the expences of the ^«- 
 fuing year, 
 
 ** nat he lamented that the prefent fitua-* 
 tion of affairs fhould oblige him to call upon, 
 his faithful fubjedis for any additional fupplies, 
 but 
 
 " That his faithful C-mm-ns might depend 
 
 on the JiriSieft ceconomy on his part^ in 
 
 the application of fuch fums as they Jhould 
 
 judge necejjary for the public Jervice^ and 
 
 B ^ M 
 
 •'•if 
 
 A 
 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 he doubted not they would fee the expediency of 
 
 fro'viding for ftich contmgeiicics as might artfe 
 
 from the continuance of war 9 and the t^eafures 
 
 neceffary to be taken for the re-eflahlifhment 
 
 of peace upon an honourable and permanent 
 
 foundation* . ^ , , 
 
 '* // concluded *witb relying on the mfdom 
 
 and unanimity of Parliament ; on the good con-- 
 
 duB of his Generals and Admirals ; on the valor 
 
 of his Fleets and Armies'^ and on the zeal and 
 
 fpirit of all his faithful fubjeB 5.'^ 
 
 ^ m • .■.. , -.. 
 
 Upon the return of the C — -ns to their 
 Houfe, the fpeech having been read as ufual 
 from the chair, a motion for an Addrefs, 
 conformable to the feveral fentences in the 
 fpeech, and expreffive of the firmnefs and 
 unanimity of the Houfe at this important 
 crifiS) was made and fecondcd by two young 
 Members; the particular phrafeology of 
 which leading fpecches we Oiall not retail, 
 it being univerfally admitted that the 
 rhetoric applied' to thefc occafions, is; 
 not very replete with originality. Our 
 readers will eafjy imagine the proper quan- 
 tity of tropes and metaphors, apologies for 
 inexperience, elegant timidities, graceful 
 blufhes, ftudied hefuations, army, fafe at 
 New- York, fleets likewife fafe, individuals 
 enriched/ perfcd content at home, nothing 
 wanting but unanimity in council, &c, Scc^ 
 ^c, which ornamented and enriched thefc 
 
 annivcr- 
 
 
 fv 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 anniverfary panegyrics. We (hall hafteu 
 therefore to the more material part of the 
 debate, which commenced by the following 
 
 fpeech from Lord G — y*, propofing the 
 
 amendment. 
 
 Lord G— — -fy, confcious of my own Lord 
 inability, and finking under the fenfe of my G— by, 
 little knowledge or experience, totally un- 
 provided with a : y ideas for the prefent occa- 
 fion, and abfolutcly ignorant, not only of the 
 forms but even of the modes of proceeding in ' 
 this houle, may I, Sir, in this ftate of imbe- 
 cility, be permitted to take the lead on this 
 firft and mofl important day of the fcflion ? 
 May I, Sir, all unequal to fo arduous a tafk, 
 be allowed to dictate, if not to the wlu)le 
 houfe, at leaft to this fide of it, the proper 
 and only conflitutional method of compelling 
 miniflers to furnifh us with the means of dif- 
 covering fome errors in their condudt ; and 
 to enable ut, to demonflrate to the nation at 
 large their total incapacity for filling the 
 places which they now hold ?— There was 
 a time, Sir, when this fide of the houfe would 
 not tamely acquiefce in fo dangerous a prece- 
 dent as any minifter*s retaining his office for 
 (he unconflitutional duration of feven years. 
 
 • 11 
 
 
 f 
 
 m 
 
 i 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 Have we forgot, Sir, the great name of 
 Pulteny? Pulteny, Sir! the virtuous Pul- 
 teny ! Pultney, ths wonder of the age ! 
 Pulteny, that fteady Patriot, whofe Hercu- 
 lean eloquence overcame the Hydra of cor- 
 ruption ! or have we forgot, Sir, that inef- 
 timable chaiatfler of our own times, whofe 
 virtues compelled the admiration of this pro- 
 fligate age; whofe memory excites the ve- 
 neration of every patriot mind ? Let it not 
 be objected that thefe illuflrious characters 
 were dazzled by the fplendour of a coronet ; 
 I will not anfwer fuch frivolous remarks ; — 
 Sir, I wander from the queftion : Yet let mc 
 remind this Houfe, that thofe great patriots 
 were ever foremoft in taking that part which 
 now falls to my lot. They, Sir, were ever 
 ready to av»aken the fears, and rouze the 
 apprehenfions, of the Country Gentlemen; 
 and that. Sir, is my objed : — They, Sir, 
 compelled Adm-n-ftr-t — n to difclofe the 
 inmoft recefles of official iniquity; and that. 
 Sir, that is alfo my intention. Sir, with 
 this view, I (hall humbly move you, that 
 in place of the prefent Addrefs, which I 
 cannot but confider, as the felfifh penegyric 
 of Adm-n-itr-t— n, immediately after the 
 general exprcllions of refped: for his M — — y, 
 the folio wiiig words may be fubflituted, in 
 order to our acquiring that full and compre- 
 Jienfive knowledge ef public affairs, which 
 
 
 i:. 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 is fo indifpenrably neceflary at the opening 
 of this interfiling and important llHion of 
 P-rl— m-nt. 
 
 *' Tour faithful C-mm-nsy deeply im* 
 
 prejfed with a. fenfe of your ^'^ -ys un- 
 
 wearied anxiety to promote the dignity and' 
 glory of Great-Britain, cannot but lament 
 the many unhappy civcumjiances lohich 
 
 have conjpired to diliiirb your M ys 
 
 happinefs, and to prejudice the interefts and 
 honour of this country. When 'we Jind that 
 the mojl liberal fupplies for our naval equip- 
 ments have as yet produced none of thofe 
 happy e^e6is which might reafonabiy have 
 been expeSied to be derived from fo power-- 
 ful an armament^ particularly under the di~ 
 redlion of an oJJIccr of experienced conduct 
 and courage, we cannot but exprefs our fc^ 
 rious apprehenjions of fome fatal mifcori"^ 
 duStf either on the part of adminifiration^ 
 by forming indeciftve and contradidiory in- 
 flruSlio7is for the diredlion of the Navy^ or, in 
 the particiddr department for naval affairs, 
 of fome mi fappll cation of thfe liber a> jup plies y 
 which, if wifely and faithfully applied^ could 
 not have failed, under divine providence, and 
 
 your M y^s wifdom, of obtaining the mojl 
 
 falutary effedis. ' . , • . . vr\.\ ^ m v v 
 
 For thefe reafons^ we^ your M y's mofl 
 
 faithful C-mm-ns^ m>pji humbly intrcat 
 your M y to order the proper Officers 
 
 X 
 
 ifl 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
h lay before the Houfe, Copies of the /?- 
 crei injiructions for the conduct of the Fleet 
 
 commanded by Admiral K-pp I EJlimates^ 
 
 of the quantity of ballaji ufed in the feveral 
 Jhips of the divifion of the feet commanded by 
 
 Admiral K-pp-l Bills of parcel of the 
 
 number of Square yards of fail-clot h^ toge- 
 ther ivith famples of ditt-o, intended to be 
 ufed in the divifion of the Fleet commanded 
 
 by Vice Admiral Sir H-gh P-H-fr Sue- 
 
 cinct accounts of the quota of bifcults^ and 
 
 ratio of fait beef dijlributed in the Fleet ■ 
 
 Faithful tranjcripts of the feveral Log -Books 
 
 of each veff'el Abllracti of all letters^ notes ^ 
 
 and mejjages that pajfed and repajfed^ off 
 U/hanty between the Admirals and Ph-l-p 
 St'V-ns, Efq, during the courfe of lafi fum-^ 
 
 mer And^ finally^ minute copies of all ac^ 
 
 counts unfettled or pajfed, open or clofed^ 
 paid or unpaid^ between the Commifjioners 
 of the Navy, and all forts of Manufacturers^ 
 Sailors, Contractors^ &c, <^c, &c, employed 
 by them for thefe twenty years lafi pad — — 
 It is from a minute invejligation of thefe im" 
 
 poftant papers, that your M y^s mojl 
 
 faithjul C-mm-ns can alom derive jufl 
 grounds for cenfure or exculpation* And^ 
 ■towt'ver laborious this inveftigation may 
 
 prove, we, your M ys moft faithful 
 
 C-mm^nSy beg leave to affure your M y, 
 
 we Jliall mojt readily devote our utmoft at* 
 
 tention 
 
9 ) 
 
 tent'cn to fo falutary a Jludy, in order to pro^ 
 mote ci quick difpatcb of public bujinefs at this 
 
 . momentous and awe fid crtfis, and to give vigour 
 
 and effect to tboje meafures which your M y^ 
 
 in your great wijdom, may tbink neceffary to 
 
 fccure the fajetyy interejiy and honour of' Great 
 
 . Bnfatn. 
 
 Such, Sir, is the amendment which I 
 have the hon6ur to offer to the conlidera- 
 tion of this houfe. It will immediately 
 flrike you, Sir, that in the accounts which 
 I propofe to have fubmitted to the invefti- , 
 gation of P"rl--m-nt, I have avoided afk- 
 ing for one fcrap of paper, that is not ab- 
 folutely nccelfary to be feen and thoroughly 
 fludied by the Houfe. Should it, however, 
 appear neceffary to Gentlemen to add to the 
 lift of thefe official documents, I am fure 
 I fhall not oppofe fuch an improvement to 
 the motion, to whatever quantity it may ex- 
 
 \tend. , ,.;r'n., ^■v^.A.; 
 
 Mr, G-'g- S'tt-n Seconded the motion Mr. G-g-. 
 for the Amendment, beginning with a fimi- S-u-n, 
 lar acknowledgement of his incapacity, his 
 Viexperience and ignorance £>f P-rl— m-nt-ry 
 affairs ; declining therefore to enter into any 
 further argument, the fubjed: having been 
 difcuffed in fo full and able a manner by his 
 mofl noble coufin. 
 
 Mr. W-l-b-re E//-s, in reply, threw out j^^^ 
 inany fagacious and novel obfervations. He w-i-b-ro 
 
 C faid "" 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 Ell- 
 
 s. 
 
{ »o J 
 
 ' 
 
 fald that he highly commended the caution 
 and circumfpedion of the ncble Lord, but, 
 that in his opinion, a more proper time 
 ^ould arrive, about lix months after Chrifl- 
 mas, for entering into the details propofcd 
 by the Amendment ; as, at that period, Ad- 
 miniftration would certainly have more lei- 
 lure for furniiliing the papers now called 
 for. 
 
 He very properly obfervcd, that felecfling 
 thefe few curious articles of political intelli- 
 gence from a variety of mifcellaneous papers, 
 would require fome Ihort time, together with 
 no fmall degree of difcernment, not to men- 
 tion feveral thoufands of extra clerks. He 
 faid, he had taken the trouble to make a moll 
 ferious invelHgation into the Journals, the 
 Votes, the Debates, and all theP-rl— m-nt-ry 
 Records of this country ; and he was fvcc to 
 fay, that notwithftanding it might at firll ap- 
 pear rather a novel idea, yet it was his opi- 
 nion, that TAe Addrefs on the firfl day was a 
 matter of compliment. Nay, touching the 
 matter before him, (ar.d weighty and pow- 
 erful indeed it was) after the moft mature 
 and ferious deliberation, daily and nightly, 
 he would for once venture to hazard a rhe- 
 torical, a figurative expreffion, to wit, that 
 the Addrefs was an cccho, as it were, a 
 
 complimentary eccho, of his M y's moft 
 
 gracious fpeech,— He hiutcd, that, if any 
 
 Gentleman 
 
( " ) 
 
 Gentleman wldied for particular enquiries, 
 he vvould, as an old Member, long converf- 
 aiit with tlie forms of the Houfe, tell him, 
 that certainly a Committee might be ap- 
 pointed to carry on any public enquiry; and 
 he believed fuch Committees were not un- 
 frcquent.— And here he remarked, that 
 froin all his refearches, it apppeared to him, 
 that the conftitution of this country was of 
 
 a triple nature K-ng — L-rds — and C-m- 
 
 m-ns— -that, thefe three oppofite and re- 
 pelling powers, reciprocally t*ll^i^ced and 
 counteracted each other ; at the fame time , 
 that they contributed to the proportion and 
 harmony of the whole. -—He took occafioa 
 to obferve, that freedom of Debate was clear-^ 
 ly a P-rl— m-nt-ry privilege, and he would 
 pledge hiinfelf to prove that every Member 
 in that iioufe was a repref(?ntative of his 
 Conititucnts. 
 
 For thefe reafons, be concluded with dif^ 
 fenting from the Amendment as trite, ab- 
 ilrufc, dangerous, and frivolous. 
 
 D'V-d H-rtfyy Efq. * bbferved, that thefe p.^.^f 
 were no times for flattery and empty adula-^ H-niy 
 
 * Here Mr. B-mb-r G-fc — ne headed the dinner 
 troop, which followed him with great precipitation— 
 at the fame time departed Sir John Irw-n and Mr. 
 S-lw-n, with his Honour Mf. B-rd-n-U, of whom great 
 enquiries were made, refpedting the prefent arrangements 
 of the Opera,— 'Nor were there wanting many ortes fgr 
 
 Qi tioft 
 
 'I 
 
 '}'' 
 
 J ■ ,■■- 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 tkt'' 
 
 m 
 
 r 
 
 h 
 
 tion. — For his part, he (liould enter at , 
 large into the rife and origin of all Colonies, 
 ancient and modern, into the hillory of 
 Taxation, and its cfFedls on every Hate tliat 
 had exercifed it over its colonies j and then 
 review the caufc, commencement, and con- 
 duct of the whole American war. He \At 
 how ardous, how complicated a tafk ihis 
 muft prove to himfelf, and how ditiicuh for 
 the Houfe to underftand. That, '^o leiTcii 
 that difficulty, both to the Houfe iind to 
 himfelf, he would adopt the ircilt logical 
 method to gi(^e clearnefs and perlpicuity to 
 fuch a multitude and diverfity ol ideas -, and 
 for that purpofe, he begged Gentlcm-n to 
 take notice, that he fhould divide his 
 fpeech into four and twenty grand divifions, 
 each of which fhould contain as many fub- 
 divifions, which fubdivifions fhould alfo be 
 feparq;tely difcuffed in equal number of fec- 
 tions, each fedion to be fplit alfo into the 
 „ fame number of heads j fo that with grand 
 divifions, fub-divifions, fedions, and heads, 
 the number of diftindt proportions would 
 amount to feveral thoufands ; but, that Gen- 
 tlemen, by attending clofely, and corredly 
 taking down the number of any particular 
 argument, fhould inftantly have an expli- 
 cit an anfwer to any query touching that indi- 
 vidual number : and he flattered himfelf 
 ■jthis numerical logic and arithmetic of elo- 
 quence 
 
( '3 ) 
 
 ■ * 
 
 qucnce would greatly tend to clarify their 
 undcrflandings. 
 
 To follow this gentlemen thro* even one 
 of his grand divifions, was a talk much be- 
 yond the utmoft rapidity of a fhort-hand 
 writer. Indeed the noile from all parts of 
 the houfe was fo exccflive, during the feveral 
 hours which he cngroil'ed in this laborious 
 harrangue, that it was totally impoflible to 
 i'atch up any thing beyond the mutilated 
 jfragments, and ruins of his oratory. At 
 length however the houfe funk into a fudden 
 calm, upon the difclofure of a fadt, which 
 feemed to ftartle even the wildeft zealots of . 
 fadtion. — For, after every other argument 
 was exhaufled tu fo little purpofe, inflamed 
 by difappointment, and hurried, as we arc 
 willing to fuppofe, by the violence of patri- 
 otifm, the Honourable Gentleman avowed to 
 the Houfe, that one of his grounds for de- 
 nouncing ruin to his country was h's private 
 ^now/edge o/Dr, Franklyn's fentiments on 
 that head, * ** Dr Franklyn (he exclaimed) 
 the Cromwell of his age, Dr Franklyn, Am- 
 baflador Plenipotentiary from America to 
 France, is my moft intirnate and mod cordial 
 
 friend ! He went on by declaring, 
 
 be had pafTed great part of the fummer at 
 
 ♦ Here Sir Gr-y C — P-R caught «t a pen, and began 
 to take notes. 
 
 Paris 
 
 »- »-4 
 
 ,» «■ 
 
i H ) 
 
 Paris, with Dr Franklyn, in the mod ur • 
 rclcrvcd communication of fcntimcnts and 
 fads ; and he concluded with repeating, as 
 the joint refult of his own and Dr Franks 
 1) n's dcHberationthat the glory of England 
 was deftroycd for ever ! — This extraordinary 
 confeHion produced however no violent 
 . effcdt. Minifters fccmed to receive it with 
 a contemptuous pity, not unmingled with 
 ridicule, * when Mr W s finding the lit- 
 tle fuccefs of ferious treafou, rofe, and indul- 
 ged himfelf in the more ludicrous ftile of it. 
 
 IjIj. Mr. ^ s J adverted with fome degree 
 
 W-lk'-' of humour to the inference of vidory and 
 triumph which might be deduced from the 
 return of our Generals and our Admirals, 
 and one of our Commiilipners too. They 
 
 • Probably, from fup^^ofinp the fi\i\ origin of their 
 connection to have ari fen (at It-aft on the part of Dr. 
 , i*'ranl<lyn) from a philofopi.ical rathtr than a political 
 
 curiofity. And certainly, no two projetS^ors in Science 
 were ever more ftrikingly contralted •, the one, like a mo- 
 dern Promc theus, coUedting fire from vapour to inflame 
 the terrtflrical mafs by its pernicious infuiion : the other 
 employing his magic p/atcs to freeze its ardour and quench 
 its malignity. — Happy for this country, if thefe profeflbrs 
 had fhitted thoir purluits ! as the former, could his incli- 
 nations have been propitious to the peace of mankind, 
 might then have become a powerfull Ext'tnguijhery while 
 the other, however malignant his intentions, muft always • 
 have been acknowledged an innocent Incendiary. 
 
 X I he hditor was furnished with copies of this fpeech 
 from th'j Printers of the rcfpe6tive News Papers, man)|> 
 weeks a^o. 
 
 fQua4 
 
( IS J 
 
 found (he faiJ) that being on the fpot inter- 
 rupted their nian(i3Uvros, nnd he luppofcd 
 they were come three thoufand miles off to 
 adl cooly. That, tlie objedl they were fent 
 to accompli 111 was confefledly a great one ; 
 and it io well known, that objedls of a ccrt^uii 
 magnitude arc heft: contemplated at a dif- 
 tance. Probably their optics were too tei>- 
 dcr to diflinguifh with accuracy amidft the 
 fmortk and confufion incident to adtual en- 
 gagements J or perhaps, they refledted on the 
 more imminent dangers of domcflic invafion, 
 and hallened home from pure patriotifm to 
 guard their native country. — At any rate, 
 he muft complin ent their difcernment in 
 purfuing a line of conduit, which could 
 not fail of conciliating the good opinion and 
 fympathetic regard of the Noble Lord, who 
 prefided in the American department. *' If 
 therefore, Mr Speaker, by any miraculous 
 change, I were, this day, to become the Ad- 
 vocate of Adminiftration, I Hiould mark the 
 inutility of recurring to the written evidence, 
 which the Amendment calls for, at a mo- 
 ment when we are fo copioufly provided with 
 mva voce teftimoiiy. Yet, Sir, I do not 
 think, upon refledion, that Miniflers will 
 adopt this ground for rejecting the Noble 
 Lord's Amendment. They, Sir,, will more 
 boldly tell you — you fhall have neither, — 
 for, in thefe times, it is the fafhion for all 
 
 modern 
 
 
 .."! 
 
 "^ 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 f} ' 
 
 
 
 modern Statefmen, firft to tell their own 
 flory, and then protcft folemnly againrt: be- 
 ing crofs-examined — or Jire^fy, or indtre£ily, 
 anfwering quejiion, query y or other wife, I be- 
 lieve I am accurate in my quotation. — ^^-I am 
 hot indeed furprifed at thefe declarations of 
 bbftinate filence — this Scottifli policy — 
 the example was fet by my good old friciid, 
 the E-rl of B-te — for therein I am orthodox 
 in my faith, that the Son is equal to the 
 Father : and I am fure I may add with A- 
 thanalian zeal, the Father is incomprehenfi- 
 ble, and the Son is incomprehenlible, yet 
 there are not two incomprehenfibles, but 
 one incomprehenlible. 
 
 (Here a confufed cry of order, and the 
 Chaplain reprimanded for laughing.) 
 There is indeed one North Briton of whom 
 I entertain a better hope. — He feems to have 
 caught that itch for liberty, which, to our 
 great wonder broke out in the Highlands 
 iaft fummer. He, Sir, even in the character 
 
 of his M y*s Commifli-ner, follicited the 
 
 intimacy of General Wajhington, But indeed. 
 Sir, if ever a Scotchman can be fufpedled 
 of loving liberty, it is not when he has re- 
 ce.^tly become a convert to Adminiftration : 
 Wajhington therefore fent his Excellency, 
 the worthy Commiflioner, a flat refufal. — 
 Mr. Laurens too refiifed his Excellency the 
 hearing he fo generoufly follicited by implor- 
 ing 
 
Ing Congrefs, '* not to j'ollow the example of 
 Br-'t'-n in the hour of her infolence ;'* thd 
 hearing was however refufed, nay even the 
 *' fght of the country^' and " the f^ht of its 
 worthy patriots,'^ was peremptorily refufed. 
 The Americans, Sir, think that a Scotch-^ 
 man has neither eyes nor ears for liberty^ 
 or, at ieaft, they diftrufted the capacity or 
 his Excellency's organs for fuch an obje(ii — ; 
 I have a letter. Sir, in my pocket from my 
 honefl frietid Ethan Allen ; I would read it, 
 but I am fure you won't let me; He knows I 
 am fond of fcripture quotations, and tells 
 me Congrefs would have given your Scotch 
 fcommifficner this hearing, but they kneW" 
 *' he was like unto the deaf adder, who re- 
 gardcth not the voice of the charmer." . 
 
 Let me then trouble his Excellency with 
 one queftion J who was it foggefted this fe- 
 cret corfefpondence with the cneniy ? was 
 it not the Scottifh fecretary of this wife 
 commiflioii. Dr. Adam Fergufbn ? It mufl 
 hav2 b^en one of Sir John Dalrympk's allb- 
 ciates in literature. The Scotch, if they 
 can get no Engliihman to a(5t, as they pre^ 
 tend to fay the great Sidney did, will make 
 even their own countrymen treacherous in 
 One age, to furnifh fome literary afTaffin of 
 the ne5:t with the foul vouchers of treachery 
 and bafenefs. At all events, Sir, I (hall 
 heartily give my vote for the amendment, 
 
 D a$ 
 
i 
 
 il 
 
 ((- 
 
 ( i8 ) - 
 
 ♦y - • ... 
 
 as the only means to convid the M-n-flry of 
 what I know they are guilty, wcaknefs, in- 
 capacity, ignorance, obflinacy, bal'enefs, 
 and treachery* 
 Governor Governor J-knf-n* now rofe, and faid 
 j-nn-j-n. g^^j-y thing that a Gentleman in his melan- 
 choUy lituation could be Aippofed to urge. 
 Spoke much of the want of candour in put- 
 ting a falfe conflrudlion on his adtions, 
 which he could aflure the Houfe, upon his 
 honour, were all didlated by the beft inten- 
 - tions 5 that he fhould not undertake tq en- 
 ter into a full defence of his conduct at pre- 
 fent, as it was a very delicate bufinefs, and 
 turned upon a very nice chain of circum- 
 ilances. One part of the charges againfl 
 him he would flightly touch upon, his let- 
 
 - ters, and what he fuppofed was meant to be 
 ■ hinted at, his attempts of bribery. That 
 
 „' * the artful policy of France har^ made it ne- 
 
 - ceffary for him to parry her attav.ks by fimi- 
 lar , weapons ; that he believed it was felt 
 
 " and would be admitted by all parts of that 
 Houfe, that there is no greater fpring of 
 public adtion, in all political aflemblies, 
 Xh2infelf'intereji, That he felt himfelf juf- 
 •tified in his own mind for every ftep he had 
 
 taken, for he would venture to affirm, that 
 
 i 
 
 ^' * Gentlemen were here defired by the Sp — k-r to tak«r 
 their feats, and the Serjeant to clear the bar— places J 
 places I was repeated with great vehemeacer 
 
 ia 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 ^ 
 
 in every negociation true vvifdom and found 
 policy juAified Uie moral fitnefs of fecret 
 articles, and the honourable expediency of 
 powerful temptations. As to the failure of 
 iuccefs, on the part of the commiflioners, 
 various caufes had concurred to occafion it. 
 They were fent to treat of peace with a re- 
 treating army* Philadelphia, the chief re- 
 fidence of the moderate men, and moft 
 friendly to their n':^gociation, was evacuated 
 by the army, on the Commiflioners arrival. 
 A little after they had got to New- York, 
 Monf. D'Eftaign was upon the coafl:. Thefe 
 circuniflances gave fpirits to a declining 
 caufe; and America, in this hour of her in-' 
 Julcnce^ refufed to tnat, unlefs her indepen- 
 dence was fpecifically acknowledged. 
 
 ** What followed afterwards is a very ferious 
 bufinefs, indeed; but I trufl T fhall be par- 
 doned by a noble Lord oppofite to me, high 
 in charadter, and in the efteem of his coun- 
 try, if I freely fay, as my opinion, that 
 Monfieur D'Eftaign's fleet ought to have 
 been attacked by the Br-t-fli at Rhode- 
 Ifland, as foon as the French came out of 
 the harbour to flght them. And I will fur- 
 ther fay,' confidering the fpirit, the galant- 
 try, and the heroifm of the Britifli Seamen, 
 the inequality of the force of the fleets was 
 not fufficient to juflify the not attacking the 
 frencb fleet, without waiting a length of 
 
 D 2 tome 
 
II ' 
 
 ( " ) 
 
 time to gain the weather guage, and tru fl- 
 ing (6 long as the Engl-fh fleet did there ta 
 an unruly element. Sir, in the ail.ons in 
 the Weft-Indies, between the Englifh and 
 French fleets, laft war, where the ^^rrner 
 were greitly inferior both in number and 
 weight of metal, the French were beat off 
 imd obliged to fly for it» So, in the cafe of 
 the Monmouth, the Dorfetfhire, and feve- 
 ral oLher inftances, inferiority in the outfet 
 of the coiitcft proved vicSborious in tlie end, 
 I will not, however, dwell upon matters 
 "which merely depend upon opinion, and 
 up n wh'ch the beft officer in the v/orld may 
 be miOaken. But, Sir, after the tempeft 
 at Khode-lfland, when the Noble Lord re- 
 turned to New- York to refit, was not time 
 left ? the very time that might huve beer^ 
 employed in feparating D'Eftaign from Bof- 
 ton harbour? 1 might fay, Sir, in the de- 
 feiit of D'Eftaign j for after the arrival of 
 fome of B-r-n's fquadron, the Noble Lord 
 was fuptrior to him. — It is a very unpleaf- 
 ing taik to fpeak out, but 1 cannot avoid 
 giving my opinion as a feaman, and as one 
 upon the fpot, acquainted v/ith the delays in 
 this bufinefs. 
 
 Upon the whole, Sir, my opinion, in a 
 very few words is this: The violent and im- 
 politic meafures of the M-n-ftry of this 
 
 couptry firft loft America the Br-t-fh 
 
 ^rmy 
 
( 
 
 21 
 
 ) 
 
 army might have regained it and our 
 fleet has loft more than one opportunity of 
 crufhiug that of France, upon which Ame- 
 rican refiftance chiefly depended for protec- 
 tion and fupport. 
 
 Lord H'We and Mr^ R-ghy now rofe; 
 but the houfc appearing inclined to give the 
 former an immediate opportunity to reply, 
 Mr. R-gby fat down, and Lord H-we, in 
 very modeft yet pointed terms, remarked on 
 the unfairnefs which, he muft fay, the Hon- 
 ourable Gentleman who fpoke laft, had dif- 
 covered both in the defign and manner of 
 his fpeech. That, fi ft, to avoid entering 
 into the motives and principles of his own 
 condudt, as being more proper objeds for a 
 particular committee of enquiry, and then 
 to launch out into vague and defultory u: 
 cufations of any other perfon, was inc(- 
 liftent, and, he was forry to add, illibcrd. 
 That whatever prejudices thofe refledti* j\3 
 were intended to create againft his condudt, 
 he would not then interrupt the bufinefs of 
 the day, and the more general fubjeds of the 
 prefent debate, but truft to the candour of 
 the houfe for fufpending their opinion, until 
 the whole of his condud: might be minutely, 
 inveftigated by a committee appointed for 
 that purpofej wjiich committee, he himfelf 
 Ihould be the firft man in that houfe to fol- 
 licit, nay demand. 
 
 Mr, 
 
 Lord 
 H-we, 
 
 
 i 
 
 *■{ 
 
 '5 
 
 .'5 
 
 m 
 
i 
 
 « t 
 
 
 ( ^o 
 
 Mr. M*-. R-gbyt 1 fhould not, Sir, Invc 
 
 R-jjJ^y* troubled the houfe on this firft day, but that 
 I felt it the indifpenfable duty of private 
 friendfhip, to exprefs my feelings on the 
 happy return of our worthy Commifiloner, 
 v/ho has given you, Sir, fo full and fatisfac- 
 tory an account both of his principles and 
 condudt — I fhall not trouble you long, Sir; 
 
 I rife only for that purpofe. 1 am fure 
 
 there is no Gentleman in this houfe, who 
 more heartily congratulates the worthy 
 Commiflioner on his unembarrafTed coun- 
 tenance and his good looks. He certainly 
 has pafled the fummer very profitably — the 
 voyage fecms to have improved his ftock of 
 fpirits — I think, I never faw him appear to 
 more advantage — I own, however, I lin- 
 cerely regret the unpolitenefs of his Ame- 
 rican friends. After fuch condefcending 
 invitations of himfelf, it was not very civil 
 of thofe Gentlemen to fend excufes — If he 
 had been admitted to their fociety, I have no 
 manner of doubt of the wonderful eiFedts his 
 eloquence would have wrought. Even if 
 they had allowed him a fight of the country, 
 a man of his tafte would have brought us 
 hpme feme curious American memoirs; 
 but, al:is ! he was not only difappointed in 
 that wiQi, but in one of a Hill gentler kind, 
 I n:>ean. Sir, a Flirtation Treaty^ which he 
 attempud to negotiate with a celebrated fe^ 
 
 inak 
 
( 
 
 2n 
 
 ) 
 
 male pol'tlclan, the Mejfalina of Congrefs, 
 I fay attempted, Sir; for, unfortunately even 
 there too his Excellency met with as cold 
 a reception. Unfortunately ! for, had the 
 Lady indulged him with a hearings or even 
 ^ fight y what furer line to lay the founda- 
 tion of a more lafting connedtion ? But, in 
 fhort, Sir, whether from fate or infufficiency, 
 the affair dropt, and the Flirtation treaty fell 
 
 to the ground ^ Sir, I trouble 
 
 the houfe very feldom, and with as few 
 
 words as pofTible my opinion continues 
 
 to be what it invariably has been, with re- 
 fpedt to America — this country may be de* 
 prived of its interefts, its dignity, and its 
 honour; but as I never can give my cjfTent 
 to a voluntary furrender of them, I moli 
 heartily agree in the fupport which the ad- 
 
 drefs propofes to afibrd to his M y, 
 
 Mr. T. T-wnf-nd rofe, and with great ve- ^^'■- 'J'- 
 hemence arraigned the levity of the Right 
 Honourable Gentleman who fpoke bsibre 
 him; lie thought it highly indecent, at this 
 important crifis, vyhen the very exiftence of 
 this country is at fkike, that any Gentleman 
 fliould endeavo'jr to raife a laugh, and turn 
 the momentous deliberations of that day into 
 ridicule. Under fuch circumftances, in his 
 opinion, jocularity was flagitiou?, and wit be- 
 came blafphemy. He had, himfelf, fat in 
 three P-rl — m-nts, and he appealed to the 
 
 candour 
 
 ^ 
 
, ■(. 
 
 Ij.' 
 
 r' 
 
 I 
 
 lit 
 
 1- 
 
 I'' 
 
 I J 
 1^ ' 
 
 ( H ) 
 
 candour of tbathoufe, whether in that length 
 of time he had once raifed a laugh, or on 
 any occalion intentionally diftorted the miif- 
 clcs of any Honourable Member ? ** Nd 
 Sir, the true defign of our mcetitig here, is 
 for far other purpofes than thbfe of calling 
 forth the rifibility of Honourable Gentle- 
 men : a rifibility at any time highly impro- 
 per for this houfe, but particularly fo at this 
 tremedous, this difgraceful moment. — It is 
 with the higheft aftonilhment that I now 
 fee Gentlemen ihifting their places, as if al- 
 ready tired of public bulinefs, or afraid to 
 look into the deplorable and calamitous fitu- 
 ation of this country ; nay, fo great is their 
 inattention to their duty in P-rl — m-nt, 
 that, upon my rifmg, I find the houfe almoft 
 cleared — where are the Members? — I am 
 afraid — at dinner! Is this a time for revelling 
 in taverns, when the dignity of the Impe- 
 rial Crown of this country is violated, and 
 much harm done to our merchants ? — Is this 
 a time for revelling, when the glory of 
 Britannia, Sir, I fay, is fullied, and when 
 Sir, the French are riding on your narrow 
 
 feas." He then entered into a copious 
 
 detail of the blunders of Adminiftration, 
 with refpedt to Falkland's Iflands, the Mid- 
 dlefex Eledion, Corfica, and the mafl*acre 
 in St. George's Fields, Gibraltar, and Mr. 
 Home's imprifonment j together with cur- 
 
 fory 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 fory obfervations on the illegality of im- 
 prcfling, the bad policy of Lotteries, the 
 fatal example of the Juftitia, and the tre- 
 mendous perils to this devoted country from 
 the frequent exhibition of the Beggar's 
 Opera. — ——At length, returning a litrle 
 clofer to the queftion, he ag,iin animadverted 
 on the furpriling inattention of the Houfe : 
 ♦' Yet Sir, (he exclaimed) before I fit down, 
 let me alk Minifters a few queftions — I do 
 not expeift any anfwer, to them, yet I will 
 
 aik them Is Dominica the only one of 
 
 our Weft India Iflands now in the pofleflion 
 of France ? Are we to !2;o on for ever with 
 the American war j — Who are our allies ? — 
 Is Omiah to pay us another vifit ? — Where 
 is Sir Harry Cl-nt-n ?— -How is the 
 Czarina effeded ?— What will D'Eftaign do 
 
 after Chriftmas ? Where will the Breft 
 
 fleet be next timmer ? If Minifters 
 
 will not, and I know they dare not, an wer 
 thefe queftlons, then Sir, h )w, in God's 
 name, can they refufe the papers called for 
 by the noble Lord's Amendment? F.om 
 thofe papers, I pledge mvfelf to the houfe, 
 the whole of thefe nefarious proceedings 
 will be brought to light — difcouraged, as I 
 well might be, from again pledging my 
 perfon, (having been the con flan t and un- 
 redeemed pledge of this Houfe, for one 
 thing or another, for thefe one and twenty 
 
 £ years 
 
 .1 
 
 ■•'Ill 
 
I''f 
 
 I'J 
 
 h ' 
 
 * '1 
 
 li 
 
 ( =6 ) 
 
 years laft paft,) I repeat it. Sir, I will pledge 
 the icveifion cf mylclf, that thefe papcts 
 Wili furuKh us with all ncccflary and confti- 
 tution.il If tbrmation. — And, for thele reafons. 
 Sir, the Amcrdmcnt meets with my moft 
 hca ty concurrence. 
 Mr. Mr. F-n-r pr< f-fled himfelf to be one rf 
 V-n-f. (\q independant Country Gentlemen, fnd 
 took occafion to inform the hjuf-r, that five 
 liidiamen arrived in the River I hames a' out 
 lix weckb ago. — He fa'd he err hi a ed this 
 earlicft opportunity to !cpe..t hia t iTcr of 
 fifteen (hiUini's in the jound, if Miiidcrs 
 would b t ferioully ^o on wi h the v.ar, 
 which, for his part, he now confidered in d 
 new point of view — for, as a great ftatefmati 
 had once boafted to have conquered, in his 
 time, America in Germany, fo he wouli hope 
 and believe, that we, in our days, might 
 conquer Fiance in America.-^And here, 
 from regretting the lofs of that great (latef- 
 man, he fell into a train of meianchuiy 
 thoughts, which led him inlenfibly to a pa- 
 thetic eulogy on the, memory of his dear de- 
 parted friwnd, the well-known Mr. Fan,r^ 
 •* A long courfe of qongcnial ftudies (he ex- 
 claimed, with torrents of tears and frequent 
 fobs) had entwined our hearts in political 
 fympathv — we had but one idea between 
 us !—Yes, Sir, I repeat u, but one — ^WeU 
 therefore may 1 dy with the Poet, 
 
 In 
 
 *■ I 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 on. 
 
 In infancy our hopei and fear* , • , - " 
 
 Were to each other known, 
 And fnendfliip in our riper years, , 
 
 Had twincU uur licnits in onc>" , ^ V 
 
 Hwre he broke off, opi'icfTed with a flood 
 of tears, while a confufed noife of encore ;ind 
 mrder refoiindcd from feveral parts of the 
 houfe. At length, when the uproar b 'gan 
 to fubfide, and Gentlemen bccaiOie colLcted 
 enough to proceed on bufineftf, 
 
 Hon, T, L / role, and with great 
 
 folcmnit^, addrefled himfelf to the chair in^""'"'» 
 
 the following words: '* Notwithftand- 
 
 ing the general filence, which, 1 fird, it is 
 the fafhion for Minifters of this day not on- 
 ly to hold themfelvcs, but Lkcwife to en- 
 courage in others, on the important fubjedt 
 of maritime affairs, I cannot. Sir, acquielce 
 in f3 culpable a filence, nor content myfelf 
 with fitting ftill, until the clofe of the de- 
 bate, to be numbered vvth the tacit votes in 
 its disfavour. Sir, the Navy, 1 have ever 
 coniidered not only as the true and confti- 
 tutional fafe-guard of this infular territory, 
 but as the very fpirit and foul of all traffic:, 
 the quinteflence of merchandize, and indeed, 
 I may fay, the palladium of commerce. 
 With this view. Sir, my ftudies have ever 
 tended to the inveftigation of the origin f 
 that ftupendous piece of mtchamim, a fliij). 
 Noah, Sir, was, in my opmion, thi 
 E z iv.i\ 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
ri 
 
 \t ' 
 
 ( a8 ) 
 
 firfl: circumnavigator — (I beg td be under* 
 Oood, I mean no rcfledlion on the memory 
 of Sir Francis Drake] — he was therefore, 
 Sir> juflly entitled to the highefl iituation 
 in the naval department of that early period 
 — take him for all in all, we (hall not look 
 upon his like again— -though, In truth, there 
 are traits in his character not totally diffimi- 
 lar to fome leading features of the noble £arl 
 who is now at the head of that department 
 •^But it is not for me to draw th« parallel. 
 Sir, The Phoenicians 
 
 6u 
 
 Itwasacuflom alfo among the Chaldeans 
 and the Nazareens 
 
 Recoiled, 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
( «9 ) 
 
 Rccollcfk, Sir, whcfi hrv^s \ras bhittght 
 to the Per(ian& 
 
 So the Macedonians 
 
 •I 310.1 1 
 
 In like manner the Lacedemonians, and 
 tlie Athenians 
 
 ■f.'T 'r^f'i 'fOtl 
 
 \ ,» 
 
 Tliu< 
 
( i^ ) 
 
 Thut too the Carthagcman# 
 
 Here let me all your attention t© the 
 Romans and Syracufianj 
 
 Need I icmind you of the northern hive, 
 or trouble you with the Goths and Vandals f 
 
 So 
 
( 3t ) 
 
 So too. Sir, the Chinefe 
 
 At length, Mr- Sp— k— r, the Danes, 
 Dutch, Swedes, Venetians, Nepolitans, 
 Spania ds, French, Portugefe, Mufcovites, 
 Turks, Saracensi and others, that I (kip 
 9ver to avoid tedioufncfs 
 
 And to bring it home to our feelinge, 
 the ancient Britons, hardy Welch, Mile- 
 iians, wild Iri(h, Saxons, Pids, Normans, 
 Engliih, and Regattaites rufh upoji our minds, 
 and 
 
 T 
 
 From 
 
( s* ) 
 
 ••f'"\fT'*J ;; *-s • . ^ '^Kl^ CWj* f * < ; 
 
 •? 
 
 Ilr. 
 
 ^i 
 
 It'' 
 
 From this hiftorical dcdudlion, I cannot 
 but think, Sir, navigation highly neceffary, 
 highly favourable to liberty. 
 
 If, Sir, I wanted any additional rcafon for 
 oppo^ng the addrefs, it woukj beft a^ile 
 iiomVthe ilianaeful neglect and inattention 
 to thofc brave fmd humane Fronch officers, 
 (particularly the Qaptain of the Lkorne,) 
 lately on their parole at Alr.esfprd, half ^if 
 whom, indeed, miniftry have cruelly fuffer- 
 ed to run away. Beiides, Sir, let us ad- 
 vert to the wretched deficiency in our late 
 naval equipments,—- — I have it. Sir, 
 from undoubted authority, that the fe- 
 veral fhips crews laboured under a total 
 deprivation of Tobacco. Tobacco \ that 
 ftaple commodity of our once floiiri(hing 
 fubje^ts, now, alas, our avowed enemies, in 
 'Vifglriia, and the Southern colonief;.-r-Sir, 
 "not- tinly the quota of Gin was miferably re- 
 trenched, bat adultery, (o congenial to the 
 ^^ahiyf this day, pervaded every keg in the 
 Royal Navy. — Sir, I myfelf know it for a 
 fad, that the fpeaking trumpet of the Albion 
 was fent out in fo wretched a condition, 
 
 that. 
 
 Ci 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 tint, in haling a fifhing-boat, (I believe a 
 cod-fmack) off Scilly, the fecond mate 
 cracked his pipe, and half the crew have 
 been hoarfe ever fince— Tome of your (hips. 
 Sir, wanted their complement of Chaplains : 
 -vand in others, I will not fay that 1 know 
 there were not fiirgeons, but I vv'ill fay, I do 
 not know that there were. Sir, more fatal 
 confequences have arifen from a flrangc ncg- 
 led: of vegetables— Potatoes, radically rotten ! 
 --Carrots, diabolically dry !— Turnips, to- 
 tally tough !~Parfnips, pitifully putrid ! 
 
 •r— Scurvy Sir, Scprvy, like the angry , 
 
 DjEmon of Peftilence, has lighted up ever- 
 lafting bon-fires in the blotched brows and 
 eicatracious cheeks of your fcariiied feamen ; 
 fo that every crew has flafhed contagion, 
 and reeked like a floating Peft-houfe, with 
 the baneful exhalations of difeafe.— And 
 now. Sir, that I'm on my legs, a word or 
 two to trowzers — Such i. the pitiful ceco- 
 nomy of Admin illration, fuch the paltry 
 treachery of Contractors, that, what from an 
 original coarfenefs of yarn, what, from the 
 more pernicious and Aovenly texture of tlie 
 workmanfhip, not a trowzer but gaped with 
 lacerations, whofe expanded apertures difco- 
 vered what — : the P-rl--m-nt-ry deco- 
 rum of this houfe, forbids me to reveal. 
 Spurred on by fuch powerful incentives, 
 I take this carlieft occafion to give notice to 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 |i '. 
 
 :■•■ 
 
 I'i 
 
 h 
 
 
 the houfe, that I fhall move, on this day fort- 
 night, for the houfe to refolve itfelf into a 
 Committee, in order to take into conlidera- 
 tion the feveral weighty grievances, the out- 
 line of which I have juft now had the honour 
 to give you a rude fketch.— When, I (hall alfo 
 move you, Sir, that the feveral Malfteri, Diftil- 
 lers of Gin, Venders of Tobacco, Traders 
 in Trowzers, Retailers of Rum, Picklers of 
 Pork,and Purveyors of Potatoes, together with 
 their feveral fcrvants, followers, apprentice*^ 
 and retainers, be ordered to attend this houfe 
 de die inJiem, to anfwer all fucb queftioas and 
 - matters touching the faid enquiry, as (hall 
 be put to them by the Committee fo to be ap- 
 pointed. — In the mean time. Sir, I fhall 
 give my hearty concurrence to the nable 
 Lords Amendment, as promifing to afFard 
 fome degree of preliminary information, 
 which may tend to illuftrate the more im- 
 portant matter in the Enquiry which I have 
 now propofed to fet on foot. 
 -,^ Mr. P—nt—n, in reply, begged paidon 
 
 P--nt--n. for troubling the houfe, but hooed they 
 would indulge him in a few words, as he 
 felt himfelf particularly called on to anfwer 
 fome refie(fVions which the Honourable Gen-* 
 tlcman, who had fpoke laft, had thought 
 proper to throw out againft that board where 
 he had the honour to fit,-— He faid, that, 
 at the time of the fitting out of Mr. K-pp-l's 
 
 fleet 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 fleet, he had made it his buiinefs to be very 
 jnuch at Portfmouth, where, though it was a 
 tafk exceedingly repugnant to his privatefeel- 
 ings and tafte,hehad,howevcr,con{idereditas 
 an official fervice incumbent on one in his de- 
 partment, to perfonally experiment theTeveral 
 provifions and flores prepared for that equip- 
 ment. That, impelled by fuch motives, he 
 had, on feveral oc^aiions, drank the fmalland 
 ftrong beer, not unfrcquently tafted the gin, 
 and fometimes fmoak'd, nay chewed the tobac- 
 co; that, in his humble opinion, they were all 
 fuper-excellent in their feveral kinds. And, 
 as to the imputed delinquenc}^ relative to po- 
 tatoes, he could affure the houfe, he had 
 bought up feveral tuns of the fame fpecies, 
 for the conf'jmption of his own family — 
 nay, he would go further- he would venture 
 to acquaint thathoufe, that with fome of thofc 
 very identical potatoes, he had lately had the 
 happinefs and honour to regale a certain 
 Great Perfonage, then his guefl ; a perfon- 
 age indeed of too high a rank to have his 
 name even alluded to, though on fo weigh- 
 ty, and fo important a buiinefs. 
 
 Mr, B-rke 1 muft confefs. Sir, not- 
 
 withftanding my long and melancholy ex- 
 perience of the prefent adminiftration, I 
 cannot hear, without aflonifhment, the lan- 
 guage held forth by the fpeech, and echoed 
 i(i this day's debate. This feffion, Sir, at a 
 
 Y % period 
 
 n!! 
 
 
 
 Mr. 
 
 i% 
 
I f 
 
 •r 
 
 P 
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 period big with horror, pregnant with ruin 
 to this country, is uihcred in with the fong 
 of triumph ; and parliament are bid to re- 
 joice at a time when nothing but the lan- 
 guage of defpair is to be heard throughout 
 the nation. Surely, Sir, the hour is at laft 
 arriv'cd, when humility and moderation ought 
 to take place of pride and confidence ; when, 
 inllead of launching further into a fca of 
 troubles, wc might be content to try what 
 jittle can be faved from the wreck of national 
 honoiit' and profperity. Miniilers might at 
 ]cn<?th condefccnd to tell us, what means 
 arc left to avert the gathering ruin ; how we 
 arc to tread back the mazes of error and 
 folly, through which we have been led: 
 •and where are the refources from which on^ 
 gleam of hope might dawn upon us, in th^ 
 hour of danger and defpair — But, deaf to 
 the folemn call of occafion and neceffity, 
 they rejoice in the abfence of thought, irl 
 the contempt of forefight. Like the wretch 
 who feeks in flupefad:ion a momentary 
 relief from forrow, they fink from a vo- 
 luntary intoxication into a torpid infen- 
 iibility. 'Ihe illuiion, indeed, is not to 
 be confined within the narrow limits of 
 their own minds ; its baneful influence mufl 
 be circulated through every corner ot the na- 
 tion ', and, by a fliameful perverfion, that 
 anxiety for the public welfare, which, hx 
 
 times 
 
 *■ I 
 
 M 
 
 I ■ 
 
 h-j 
 
I 37 ) 
 
 .times like thefe, is, in my opinion, the 
 Jiigheft of public virtues, mufl be amufed 
 with the ^ geantry of domeftic warfare, or 
 lulled by the opiate of our American Ga- 
 zettes. I own, Sir, even on principles of 
 criticifm, I cannot but confider the flile of 
 thefe Minifterial annals, as no very favoura- 
 ble criterion of the prefent times. In hap- 
 pier days, their charadereftic was plain con- 
 cifenefs. Vidories were then to ra- 
 pid, too numerous, to admit of a dilated re- 
 lation. — Succefs is feldom tedious: but, I am 
 jafraid, our higheft atchievements have a- 
 mounted to no more than the inroads of fa- 
 yages, or the depredations of pirates. — Upon 
 my word. Sir, though we may cenfure our 
 Officers, our Minifters at leaft (hew fomc 
 generahhip ; if they cannot deceive the ene- 
 jjiy, they are prompt enough to millead their 
 countrymen ; though they difcover but lit- 
 tle fkill in the arrangement of armies, they 
 have an admirable talent in marfhalling Ga- 
 ;zettes. They have given celebrity to (heep- 
 ftealing, and blazoned, in all the pompous 
 prolixity of often tatious phrafeology, the 
 important depredations at — Marthas Ifland 
 . — Certamly, bjr, the gallant Commander of 
 jthat expedition may vie in paftoral atchieve- 
 ments with Ajax, with Jafon, or at leaft Don 
 Quixote; and, if he does not obtain a 
 triumph, he is clearly entitled to an ovation^ 
 
 Not, 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 r 
 
 r:: 
 
 f 
 
 P 
 
 Not, Sir, that I mean to cad any rcfie(^h'oii 
 on thofe Officers and Soldiers to whofe lot 
 thefe ridiculous fervices have fallen--thcy, 
 jio doubt, have effedted every thing that the 
 bravery of the Britifli troops in fuch a (itua- 
 tion could accompli(h ; but the Hand of Na- 
 ture, Sir, has throv^rn in their w^ay obflacles 
 which it was not in the moll obftinate va- 
 lour, in the moll confummate wifdom to 
 furmount. It is a want of confidence in the 
 diredlors of this war that has chilled every 
 vein, and, llackened every fmew of military 
 cnterprize. Befides, Sir, if I may be per- 
 mitted to indulge a little fuperftition, there 
 is a certain fatality attending the meafures of 
 AdminiHration : through all their bungling 
 operations of war, through all their wretched 
 plans of peace, the evil Genius, Sir, of 
 this country, feems to haunt their footlleps. 
 He it is that has fulFered them to wander 
 Ton, undifmayed by danger, unabalhed by re- 
 proaches, from one abfurdity to another, 'till 
 our bli^nders and our follies have at length 
 reared that llupendous fabric of American 
 Empire that now engrolTes the attention, and 
 claims the wonder of mankind. Allow me. 
 Sir, to paufe for a moment, while I con- 
 template this phoenomenon of modern ages, 
 this new conllellation in the wellern hemi- 
 sphere; u mighty and extenfive empire, not 
 rif^ng- by (Jaw degrees and from faiall begin- 
 /■■fV' nings. 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 nings, but burfting forth at once Into full 
 vigour and maturity; not cheriflied in the. 
 foft lap of peace and commerce, but fliaking 
 off in its outfet the long eflabliflied domi- 
 nion of a powerful mafter, and thriving in 
 the midft of carnage and defolation. ** Ab 
 ** ipfo ducit opes animumq. bello." If we 
 view them in another light, as completely 
 enthroned in fovereignty, as receiving em- 
 baffies from diftant potentates, as forming 
 leagues with the princes and ftates of Eu- 
 rope, we (hall find more abundant matter for 
 felf-humiliation — I could wilh to (liut my 
 eyes on the fcene that follows : The parent 
 baffled and deprefled, imploring pardon of 
 her injured and alienated children, yielding 
 to their fuccefsful reliftanee, what ihe had 
 denied to their prayers and petitions, and of- 
 fering every conceflion Ihcrt of a total eman- 
 cipation ; but fcorned and rejedled in her 
 turn, not (as ihe had rejedled them) with 
 rudenefs and infolence, but with firmnefs 
 and with dignity ; and convinced, at length, 
 that the day of conciliation is pad, and that 
 the groundwork of peace can only be laid on 
 the broad bafis of equality and independance. 
 Is this the unconditional fubmiflion the 
 poble Lord in the American department fo 
 prodigally announced ? This is indeed un- 
 conditional fubmiflion, but unconditional 
 fuhmifTipn from Great Britain to America. 
 
 Gent]err*cn 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 
 (icritlcrrtcn may remember how often my 
 voice has preached pence within thefe wills ; 
 how often it has warned adminiftration to 
 heahng meafures, while the wounds of A- 
 mcrica might yet have been clofed. I will 
 ftill repeat it, 'till the echo of this hoafe 
 ihall be confcious of no other found ; Peace, 
 Peace, Peace, is ftill my objedl. 
 
 It is now high time. Sir, that Gentlemen 
 fhould awaken to a fenfe of our danger, that 
 Parliament fliould difcard thofe wretched 
 fchemes of fhort-fighted policy, which can^ 
 Hot, in our prefent fituation, afford even al 
 temporary refuge. As yet, we experience 
 only the beginnings of our forrows ; but the 
 ilorms of adverfity are gathering faft around 
 us, and the veflel is ftill trufted to the di- 
 rection of Pilots, whofe ignorance and ob- 
 flinacy has been manifeft to all the world. 
 What thanks. Sir, to the vigilance 
 of our Rulers, that we are not already funk 
 beyonu the poffibility of redemption ? What 
 thanks to them, that the flower of our army 
 and navy, and with them all the hopes of 
 Britain had not withered before the power of 
 a lately dejedted but now triumphant enemy ? 
 Is it owing to their care that the rich pro- 
 duce of the Weftern Ifles has not flowed into 
 every harbour of France ? 
 
 No, Sir, it is the hand of Providence that 
 wards off for a while the ruin of this de- 
 clining 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 ning empire. It is Providence alone that 
 has prcfcrvcd our gallant Admirals in Ame- 
 rica, by an almoft miraculous intcrpolition. 
 — It is due to Providence alone, that the 
 heart-firings of our commerce are not cut 
 afunder by the fword of our adverlaries. 
 
 I own, Sir, I cannot join in an implicit 
 approbation of fuch miniflers : 1 muft be a 
 little better acquainted with their merits 
 before I can place an unlimited confidence 
 in their wifdom and difcretion ; that difcre- 
 tion which has led us into a labyrinth of 
 difficulties ; that wifdom that canrc: « .d a / 
 clue for our deliverance, 
 
 Mr D-nn-ng faid a few words, which, from ^'*- 
 the learned gentleman's being particularly '""""^* 
 hoarfeowing(ashas'beenfuggefted)toaviolent 
 cold, and a multiplicity of bufmefs in Wefl- 
 minfter-hall, we could not coUedl with the 
 accuracy that we wifh to obferve on every 
 occalion. His language was neat and point- 
 ed, though fomewhat tindured with profef- 
 lional pedantry : his arguments feemed in- 
 genious, though perhaps too refined for the 
 comprehenfion of his auditors. He had 
 much antithefis, much verbal gingle, and^ 
 many whimiical climaxes. He talked of 
 
 . O the 
 
 'I: 
 
 '■T 
 
 
 
( 4^ ) 
 
 t . 
 
 'I 
 
 lit 
 
 the competency or incompetency of the 
 Iloufc to the difcufllon of the prefcnt que- 
 Aion ; of the materiality or immateriality 
 of the propofed amendment ; of the rcfpon- 
 fibiliiy or irrefponfibility of Miniftcrs. He 
 liiid, he neither afked, nor knew, nor cared 
 to what thcprcfefit qucftion might ultimate- 
 ly tend ; but of this he was confident, that 
 it's propriety was clearly evinced, and it's 
 iieccflity irrcfragably proved by that oppofi- 
 tion which purported to baffle it.— Upon the 
 whole, his harrangue feemed to be a med- 
 ley of legal quibble and quaint humour. 
 Mr. Mr. S'll-c-t-r-G-n-r-l, Contra, began 
 S* ^"^* with declaring, that wiien he tuk his prelent 
 office, ht underjlud if to be a General Retain- 
 er, iojkew cauje in behalf of Adminiftration t 
 That, therefore, he hoped to be favoured 
 with a few words by way of replication to 
 his learned friend : That he might in this 
 cafe have infifted on want of notice, but, for 
 the fake of candour in pradtice, he would 
 waive that objection > for,, that he had no 
 doubt, on the merits, but th^it judgment wud 
 be given in his favour : Proteliing, that the 
 fpecch was warranted by precedent, and had 
 the highejl authority in it's fupport : Protejl- 
 tng alio, that no gud objection cud he made 
 to the addrefs, as it flridtly purfued the ve- 
 ry words of the fpeech. He jujlifiedy under 
 
 an 
 

 ( 43 ) 
 
 an immemorial ctijlom^ that AdminlAratioti 
 have bten accnjlomed to bavc, and Jl ill of right 
 ought to have, certain echoes in this Houlc, 
 called Addrejles. — He admitted, that true it 
 was, there had been fome errors in our pro- 
 ceedings with rcfpedl to America j hut he 
 was informed, and believed, that Sir Henry 
 Clinton intended to have a new trial. As 
 to the caufe of Great Britain verfus France, 
 he haH been given to underdand and be in- 
 formed, that the place in which the treffnfs 
 was fuppofed to have been committed, was, 
 PARCEL of the Ifland of Dominica, in parts 
 beyond the feas •. which place fliid French, 
 with force of arms, to wit, with (hips of 
 divers guns, drums, trumpets, bayonets, 
 hand grenades, and cartridge boxes, had 
 broken and entered, doing never thelefs as 
 little damage on that occajion as they pojfibly cud: 
 but that he was clearly of opinion, that if 
 the troops of faid France (hould travsrfe the 
 Channel, and lay a Venue in Kent or SufTex, 
 ijjtie might be joined by the militia at Cox- 
 Heath ; and, in that cafe, rfterwairds, if 
 verdi^ Jhud be given in our favour, the ad- 
 verfe party would fuftain heavy and exam- 
 plary damages. — He concluded with .wrr- 
 rmg, that he approved of the ad(< > in r/? 
 prefcnt form ; and that he fhuuid de <'>r ia 
 ihp amendment moved by tht;. N I' in ^;, 
 
 C 8 -^ ••*' 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 Mr. 
 
 M 
 
 as multifarious, uncertain^ inftifficient, and in-* 
 
 Jormal. 
 p.j.^ Mr F-x now rofe ; and, with that extent . 
 of information, refined pcrfpicuity, and ve^ 
 hemence of eloquence, by which he fo in- 
 variably commands the attention and admi- 
 ration of the Houfe, entered at larr^e into 
 thf fubjed of debate. 
 
 To do jur^ice to the force of his reafon- 
 ing, or elegance of his ftile, is totally be- 
 yond the utmoft efforts of the editor. — All 
 that he can atten\pt is, to give an imperfect 
 fketch of an inimitable original. He be- 
 gan with lamenting the accomplifliment of 
 that ruin, which, from time to time, he 
 had too juilly predi(fled. He confefled, 
 that little merit could be afcribed to thofe 
 prophecies ; which, however chimerical 
 and viiionary minifters had afFe<5ted to confi- 
 der them, were, in fa<fl, no more than plain 
 deductions of what muft neceHlirily enfue 
 from their own meafures. He prooeeded 
 to recapitu'ate the condudt of Adminiftra- 
 tion fince the prorogation of Parliament; 
 particularly obferving on the impolitic- re- 
 moval of the troops from Philadelphia at 
 the moment, when, if ever, their conti- 
 nuance there might have efFeded fome good 
 
 ♦ .purpofe. The concealment of that intend- 
 ed evacuation, even from the Commiffioners 
 
 ~ themielveij, was ^ part (he faid) of that 
 
 fyileax 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 fyftcm of duplici'y and deception which 
 pervaded the whole of minillerial conduct. 
 PoHibly, indeed, Miniflers were aware, 
 that gentlemen of hiL^,h chan\d:er and efteein 
 would not have become the executive tools 
 o(^ a plan fo wretchedly concerted. The 
 Commiflioners therefore were not fulferei 
 ^o participate in counfels, which, if they 
 had known, they muft have defpifed. Nor 
 W'^s folly more confpiciious in the origin 
 thua in the profecution of this paltry difen- 
 genuous plan. Sir Henry Clinton, to whofe 
 courage andcondu<!l: every praife is due, was 
 ordered to return to New-York. Encum- 
 bered with baggage, and purfued by an army 
 fuperior in numbers, he made his way thro* 
 the almofl impervious forefts of that coun- 
 try ; and, by a miraculous e (Tort, not only 
 fecured his retreat, but in the Jerfeys had 
 fhe good fortune to reiifl the enemy with 
 fome fciccefs — a fuccefs however, which, 
 without difparaging the Britifli troops, mufl 
 in great part be attributed to General Lee; 
 who, in confequence of his mifcondud in 
 that affair, was immediately put in arrefl, 
 and afterwards fufpended for the fpace of a 
 year. 
 
 He went on with ridiculing the circum- 
 fiance of a fleet of Victuallers having been 
 fent to Philadelphia, after the army, which 
 was to be fupplied by that fleet, had been 
 
 ordered 
 
i 
 
 K. 
 
 fci- 
 
 ( 46 ) , 
 
 ordered to evacuate Philadelphia. •— That 
 fleet, he faid, had narrowly efcaped being 
 taken in the Delaware ^ and, thence, he ar- 
 gued Minifters were as culpable, as if, in 
 confequence of the capture of that fleet, the 
 larmy, then arrived at New- York, had fa- 
 mifhed for want of thofe provifions, on 
 which their future fubfiflance was wholly 
 dependant. 
 
 He faid, he was yet to learn what plan 
 Adminiftration could pretend to alledge they 
 had followed, or meant to follow, in Ame-r 
 rica. Upon what grounds could they at- 
 tempt to profecute an offenfive war ? Or, 
 taking the alternative, how can they pre^ 
 fume to fay they have adted on the defenfive^ 
 
 As to the firft, they haye thirty thou- 
 
 . fand men to conquer the continent of Ame- 
 rica : admitting then the fuperiority of their 
 army and their navy, flill he contended that 
 fuperiority had been, ar ^ ever muft be in- 
 effecflual and ufelefs ; bccaufe, as long as 
 the Englifh army and navy co- perate, the 
 > Americans will never have the uuiece/Tay 
 ' temerity to give up the advantage of fitua- 
 tion, or expofe their caufe to the hazard of 
 one decifive engagement. The lail: cam^>aigri 
 was the clcareft proof of that pofition; and, 
 now, though our fleet was fuperior to thu 
 French, yet D'Eftaign is fafe at Boflion. — , 
 Jt was, on that principle, h? doubted not* 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 the gallant and experienced CommandcM's of 
 the laft campaign had foimed their condud; 
 It was their policy, and, in h;s opinion, the 
 belt policy, to keep a colledted force, and to 
 avoid any inferior exertions, that might re- 
 quire a Reparation, or weaken that fuperi- 
 ority, which, in cafe of a decifive adtiou, 
 they rightly judged could alone have been 
 fatal to American relixuance.— It remained 
 for General Clinton to purfue a contrary po- 
 licy. — Yet, though (he declared) no man 
 in that houfe entertained a higher refpe(5t 
 for the perfonal and profellional merit of 
 that able Commander, (who from his par- 
 ticular talent for military cnterprife, and his 
 education under the Prince of Brunfwick, 
 was t eft calculated for effedting luch a plan) 
 yet, irom the minuteft inveftigation of the 
 late Gazettes, he could not colled: any very 
 aufpicious prefage of his military career. 
 If indeed, from his obfcrvation, of what had 
 already happened, he might hazard an opi- 
 nion of whafniay happen, we had no realbn 
 to rejoice at the revival of that plan of fc- 
 paration, which had proved fo fatal in the 
 Northern expedition. He was forry he 
 had mentioned that expedition — It led him 
 to a fubjed he wifhed to avoid. — He had 
 been accufed of an afperity of reflexion on 
 the conduct of the noble Lord who planned 
 that t:'pedition 
 
 he would ftrive, in fu- 
 
 ture. 
 
I 
 
 C 43 ) 
 
 furc, to overcome his indignation, by in- 
 dulging his contempt for the Advifer of it. 
 — Yet, thus much he would fay; though 
 unhappy for this country, it was happy for 
 our troops, happy for our officers, to be di- 
 rected and controlled by a Minifter, to whofe 
 wifdom not even Envy could afcribe one 
 particle of their fuccefs, in whofe imbe- 
 cillity even Juftice would afford them an 
 afylum from every difgrace. 
 
 Having thus ftated the imprafticability of 
 an offenfive war in America, either on the 
 former plan of united force, or on the 
 prefcnt of feparate efforts, he recurred to the 
 other part of his argument, whether Admi- 
 flration could pretend to alledge their havinj^ 
 adopted the alternative, and formed even a 
 defenlive plan for America and the Wefl- 
 
 Indies ? If they dared to afTume that 
 
 merit, how could they cxpedl the Houfe to 
 attend, with any degree of patience, to fuch 
 a mockery of all truth ? On any rational 
 plan of mere defence, would they not have 
 left a force at New- York, Rhode-Ifland, 
 and Hallifax, fully able to prevent, any at- 
 tack in that quarter ; at the fame time, de- 
 taching a fufficient force to protedt the Wefl- 
 India lllands ? — Upon fuch a plan, would 
 not any fpirited Minifler have grafted fomc 
 degree of activity and enterprife ? Would 
 lie not Jiavc attacked Martinique, Guada-: 
 
 loupe. 
 
C 49 ) 
 
 loupe, or St. Domingo ? Such condud 
 would have ftruck terror to France, we 
 fhould have been enriched by new acquid- 
 tions, or, at leaft, have prevented the dil- 
 grace of our own lofTes. 
 
 But, admitting that this defenfive plan 
 may have been but recently adopted, how 
 are Admin iftration to regain the time they 
 have loft, or what refources of finance are 
 Hill unexhaufted to profecute even this plan ? 
 Are all the Country Gentlemen equally dif- 
 pofed to devote fifteen fliillings in the pound 
 to carry on this defenfive war ? Are tney all 
 equally delighted with the great and grow- 
 ing ruin of an accumulating debt and a 
 decreafing revenue ? Or do they reft their 
 hopes on the wealth of our Eaft- India trade ? 
 Do they know that, there too, the French 
 are undermining the foundation of our com- 
 merce ? Or is it ftudioully concealed from 
 them, that the French miniftry have fent 
 Monfieur Vaugelin to Canton, in the qua- 
 lity of their Confill at the Chinefe Court ? 
 
 ' He had heard much of a fudden in- 
 
 creafe of national wealth by our late cap- 
 tures, but, at beft, the prizes o' privateers, 
 are a partial benefit ; they can enrich but a 
 few individuals ; they afford no diminution 
 of the general burthens of a whole people. 
 In the prefent inftance, the truth was thcfe 
 boafted prizes were, in fad, public lofl!es ; 
 
 H the 
 
M 
 
 t 
 
 r 
 
 ( 50 ) 
 
 the French having had the art to infurc 
 their moil: valuable fliips, particularly the 
 Indiamen, by Englirti policies — befides, 
 that feveral of the richefl captures were 
 actually freighted v^rith confignments to Eng- 
 lifh merchants. 
 
 But, fuppofing this extraordinary fpirit of 
 bounty fliould become general among the 
 Country Gentlemen, and that, to fupport a 
 war which had totally loft the original ob- 
 jedl of revenue, for which they had been 
 tempted to engage in it; fuppofing they 
 were all well inclined to a land-tax of fifteen 
 {hillings in the pound, and determined to 
 overflow the Exchequer with an extraordi- 
 nary redundance of profufion, yet would 
 they be particularly happy that all that 
 wealth fhould be portioned out t^ fubfidife 
 Hanover, HeiTe-CafTel, Hanau, Waldeck, 
 Brandebourg- Anfpach, and all the mercenaries 
 of Germany ? Or that it fhouldwhollybe de- 
 voted to fatiate the monopolifing avarice oi 
 a Ruffian alliance ? You have no force at 
 home— you are almoft defencelefs." ' 
 
 Col. ( HTere he was called to order by Colonel 
 T-iF-n-ll. TufFnell for fpeaking of the defencelefs ftate 
 of this country.) Col. T-ff-n-ll faid, tht 
 word defencelefs was, to the laft degree, ini- 
 proper and diforderly; for that he himfeli 
 had the command at Dover Caftle, oppofite 
 Calais, where, though the country all about 
 
 ft 
 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 It was rather flat, he would not wifli fuch a 
 word as defencelefs to be fent from that houf« 
 to Paris, by any friend of Dr. Franklin's. 
 And, as he was on his legs, he muft fay, 
 that word defencelefs was doubly wrong, from 
 the late ftatc of the camps ; where, in fpite 
 of French fpies, there had been the utmoft 
 difcipline, unanimity, peace, and quietnefsj 
 except, indeed, fome defertions, much 
 nakednefs, frequent floggings, and feveral 
 duels. 
 
 Mr. F-x then proceeded, without any 
 remark on this interruption ; and, obferved, 
 that every petty Landgrave and Margrave 
 had already been exhauflfed ; they had no 
 more ChalTeurs, no more mercenary boors, 
 to fight, or rather not to fight, our battles. 
 Rufiia is frozen up for fome months i and, 
 not improbably, the courts of Berlin and 
 Vienna would fufficiently engage her in 
 their Bavarian conteft ; or, at leaft, not 
 make it advifeable for her to leflen the in- 
 ternal defence of a country furrounded with 
 fuch powerful armies. As to the Fleet, how 
 could it be recruited with failors or marines? 
 Though even the fpirit of adventure could 
 inftantly man every Privateer that had been 
 fitted out, yet the noble Lord at the head 
 of the Admiralty had pretended to palliate 
 bis own incapacity and criminal negled, by 
 aljedging it was almoft impoffible, even 
 
 Hz with 
 
Jt 
 
 i'.i 
 
 u 
 
 T-ord 
 M~xh. 
 
 I ( 52 ) 
 
 with an extraordinary liounty, and the ut- 
 moft rigour of an Imprcfs and an Embargo, 
 to man the Royal Fleet— the fadt was, the 
 minds of the people were obftinately bent 
 againft this American war; nay, even ag.^inft 
 a French war, when France became the pro- 
 tedtor of America. 
 
 With fuch Minifters, fu !i principles, 
 fuch plans, fuch internal refources, fuch 
 profpeds of alliance ; Gentlemen were now 
 called on to echo the Speech, to panegy- 
 rize an Adminiftration too defpicable for fa- 
 tire, to plunge this devoted country in ag- 
 gravated ruin, and, with a remorfc^efs dif- 
 puir, to rfefolate wkat they had found impof- 
 fible \.oJuf)diie, 
 
 L-rd N-rth. * Mr. Sp — —r, at the fame 
 time that I agree with many Gentlemen 
 who have f])okcn in the courfe of this day's 
 debate, that the prefent is a very ferious mo- 
 ment of deliberation, I can by no means 
 join with them in thinking our fituatioi-j 
 is defperate, though, I confefs, it is diilrelT- 
 
 ing. 
 
 11 
 
 * As the Noble Lord was almoft the only Speaker on 
 the fide of Adminiltration, the Editor felt it the duty of 
 impartiality, after giving fo many excellent fpeeches on 
 the oppofite fide, to collecl: this with particular accuracy, 
 which he was the better enabled to do, from the deliberate 
 manner of its being delivered, and the refpedful attention 
 with which it was received. 
 
 Sir, 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 Sir, In all cafes of diftrcfs or difficulty 
 there is fome relief to be found in conipari- 
 fon. Gentlemen who hear me, will admit 
 thiit this country, in former wars, has been 
 acquainted with unfortunate events. The 
 lofs of iomc of our pofiefllons, and the fai- 
 lure of enterprizes, marked the onfct of lall 
 war. Commanders were unfuccefsful, per- 
 haps criminal ;— I do not mean to draw a 
 complete analogy between that period and 
 the prefent— I only mean to oblerve, that 
 there has been no difficulty in modern times, 
 from which this Country has not been able 
 to extricate itfelf, when rouzed by a fenfe 
 of its wrongs, and determined to vindicate 
 
 its juftice, its dignity, and its honour. In 
 
 faying this, I fliall be told by Gentlemen that 
 we were indebted to a great Charadler in the 
 midft of our misfortunes during the laft war, 
 and that, by his vigour and cnterprizing ge- 
 pius, this Country was extricated from her 
 embarrafling fituation. I will join heartily 
 in paying that tribute of truth to his memory 
 
 Would to God that fuch a man were 
 
 alive at this moment, to ilep forward with 
 the full exertion of the fame zeal, and the 
 fame talents. I would yield to none as a 
 fecond in the work, though I confefs my ina- 
 bility to be employed as a firft. 
 
 Sir, the Honourable Gentleman who fpoke 
 laft, has gone oyer fuch a variety of ground, 
 
 and 
 
 
r 
 
 Ji 
 
 It 
 I) 
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 • 
 
 and has given fo large a hiftory of the wic- 
 ked nefs of Miniflers during the American 
 war, that the afperity with which he has de- 
 livered it, would be a fufiicient reafon for 
 my filence, did I not think it neceflary, from 
 a duty I owe to this houfe and to my Coun- 
 try, to give fome anfwers to aflertions v/hich 
 have fallen from him. 
 
 Sir, * to the firfl complaint, which the 
 Honourable Gentleman makes, of the Minif- 
 ter's concealment from the Commiflioners of 
 the removal of the troops from Philadelphia, 
 I (hall only anfwer, that the importance of 
 that proceeding required the nicefl fccrecy, 
 and (though 1 do not mean to fuggeft the 
 lead idea difadvantageous to the confidence 
 of the Commillioners) it is perhaps owing to 
 the fecret decifion upon that matter, that the 
 removal of the fleet and army from the De- 
 laware was fo timely, and fo eflfedlually exe- 
 cuted. And I will add, that (whatever opi- 
 nions may have been conceived either by the 
 Commiffioners or r.ny other perfons) the 
 events, which have fince happened, amply 
 
 juftify the wifdom of the meafure. With 
 
 refpedt to the bad policy, as fome Gentlemen 
 have called it, of opening a negotiation with 
 a retreating army, will any one tell me, that, 
 had your army and navy been blocked up by 
 
 P Here Lord N-rth took up Sir Q—^y C — p-r*s notes. 
 
 
f 55 ) 
 
 Monf. D'EftaIgn*s fleet, with the profpcd 
 of all of the latter being utterly deftroyed in 
 the Delaware, the Congrcls would have been 
 more inclined to treat with your Commif- 
 fioners, than when all were fafc at New- 
 York? ---Were they inclined to negotiate 
 with Lord H-we and Sir William H-wc^ 
 (who had fufficicnt powers) at Philadelphia, 
 after the receipt of the bills, and before the 
 arrival of the new CommifTioners ?— — . 
 No, Sir -- no appearances of reconciliatioa 
 on the part of the Congrefs were Ihewn at 
 that time : — their minds, worked up by 
 their leaders to a fpirit of enthufiafm, in- 
 dulged the expedation of deftrudlion to our 
 fleet, at lead, from the powers of France. — 
 I am free to confefs. Sir, that when I heard 
 Monf. D'Eftaign had arrived in America 
 previous to Admiral Byron, (whofe fleet had 
 been fo unfortunately difperfed) I had little 
 hopes from the temper and inclinations of 
 the Congrefs, that they would be induced to 
 treat ; until fome blow had been ftruck, and 
 that on our part, of a fuccefsful nature. — 
 My confidence was, and flill is, Sir, in the 
 people there at large— groaning under the 
 worft of all tyrannies, involved in a ruinous, 
 and, I maintain, an unfucccfsful war -, and 
 driven by their corrupted leaders into a moft 
 upiiatural connection with France ; I fay. 
 Sir, if one fpark of Britifh fenfc and honour 
 
 I 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 I ' 
 
 M 
 
 yet remains, if one drop of blood of thif 
 country ftill flows in the veins of the Ame- 
 ricans, they will avail thcmfelvcs of our li- 
 berality, and return to their former happy 
 and enviable fiibordination to tliis country. 
 
 With rcfpcM^t to the Fleet of Victuallers, 
 which, the Honourable Gentleman obfcr- 
 ved, had a narrow cfcape from the Dela- 
 ware, it was fu^-^pofed they had failed from 
 Corke, fomc time before the orders were 
 fent from hence for the evacuation of Phi- 
 ladelphia; and it is very lucky they did not 
 fail for New-York j for, if they had, they 
 would have met with Monfieur D'Eftaign 
 there. 
 
 It has been urged by the Honourable 
 Gentleman, that the American war can be 
 no longer made offenfive ; and therefore, if 
 a defenfive one has been adopted, why not 
 leave a fufficient number of troops for the 
 defence of New-York, Rhode-Ifland, Hali- 
 fiix, and the Floridas ? and ftrike fomc 
 blow at the French Settlements in the Weft- 
 Indies. — Gentlemen will recoiled: the little 
 time that has elapfed fmcc the evacuation of 
 Philadelphia, the attack and defence of 
 Rhode-Ifland, and the tranfadtions between 
 Lord Howe's and D'Eftaign's Fleet, and 
 they will fee how difficult it was to be at a 
 great many places at the fame time. — With 
 refpedt to Dominica, Sir, the lofs of it is 
 
 certainly 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 li- 
 
 certainly a rtiisforturi' , hut, I truft, only a 
 temporary one. There can be no blame 
 laid upon the Minifters for that event, be- 
 caufe, in the very beginning of the war 
 with France, lliips were fent fuflicicnt to 
 malce at Icaft a fuperior force to the French 
 in the Wefl-lndies. I am aware of the 
 force of the argument that will be n'ade ufe 
 of upon this occafion — Gentlemen will fay. 
 You have fo many places and poiTeflions to 
 guard, thr.t many of them mull be vulnera- 
 ble ; and therefore it is impoflible to go on 
 in a war with France and America r the 
 fame time, with any reafonable expectations 
 of fuccefs. — This ai^-* anient will lead me to 
 enter a little into what I conceive to bciOur 
 adtual fituation at home and abroad. — With 
 rcfpedt to this country. Sir, it is proteded 
 by a fleet fuperior to the French. — It con- 
 tains^ to the honour cf thofe who have fa- 
 erificed domellic eafe to public fpirit, a very 
 fine army* including the regulars, of 50,000 
 men. --Your fliips of trade and merchandife 
 have arrived lafe and unmolefted ; whilft 
 the Privateers and Letters of Marque have 
 made confiderablc havoc upon the property 
 
 of our enemies. And here I mud remark 
 
 upon two obfervations which have fallen 
 from the Honourable Gentleman who fpoke 
 laft.—The firft, with refped to the number 
 of failors who have entered on board thefe 
 
 I fhip« 
 
 
( 5S ) 
 
 *: 
 
 
 ;-•. 
 
 fliips at a time when there was To much diffi- 
 culty in manning the fleet, and which is a 
 charge of ignorance in obtaining them up- 
 on the Admiralty. — Sir, the bounty which " 
 has been given to feamen by individuals, to 
 enter on board Privateers and Letters of 
 Marque, has been enormous — I have been 
 told 1 o 1.-- 1 5 l.--and 20 1. a-man. — This,- *i'' 
 with the expectation of the larger fhare of 
 prize-money received by lelTer vefTels, has 
 been a fufRcient inducement to men to en- 
 ter on board thofe (hips. Upon the other 
 
 obfeiTation, that the prizes we have taken 
 %-^0'nTill: chiefly of Britifh property, and are 
 'liifyred here— I (liall only remark, that the 
 Merchant here who employs French (hip- 
 ping and French navigation, in prefererxe 
 to the Briti(h, ought to fuiFer. — But, Sir, 
 with refpedt to infurance, let us fee which 
 of the two countries fuflfers mod: on that 
 head. — The infurance upon French (hips 
 homeward bound has been very high. --Up- 
 on the French Indiamen, I have heard, fo 
 high as y^ 1. per cent. — Then, Sir, this 
 being the cafe, if the Frenchman arrives 
 fafe in France, the Engli(hman gets 75 1. 
 per cent.— If he is taken, he lofes but 25 1. 
 per cent, whiin his neighbour (hares the 
 prize entirely. — Surely, therefore. Sir, if be- 
 iides this, we confldei* that luch a difference of 
 Infurance muft enable us to greatly underfell 
 the French at all foreign markets, this 
 
 country 
 
 ( 
 
 s 
 
( 59' ) 
 
 )f 
 11 
 
 Y 
 
 country has certainly much the bell of the 
 bargain. --This, however. Sir, great as thefe 
 .. advantages are, is no realbn nor no induce- 
 ,. ment vdth me for continuing the w^ar. -- I 
 . am obh'ged to recur fo oftCii to what has 
 been laid, that I beg pardon for deviating 
 from the chief objedl, at leaft of my con- 
 iideration -- that of our adrual lituation at 
 home and abroad. — I have already faid. Sir, 
 that we are fufliciently defended by our na- 
 yy and army at home.— We have certainly a 
 greater fuperiority of both in North Ame- 
 rica—of fhips in the Weft-Indies-- fuperior 
 in the Eafl-Indies, and fhall be more fo 
 when the fhips now ready to proceed thither, 
 and with troops, are arrived there. — Sir, 
 there is wealth, I truft there is likewife 
 fpirxt enough in this country, to fupport us 
 even in a more embarraffing lituation than 
 the prefent. And, though Gentlemen may 
 have wilhed to impeach the fecurity of this 
 country, I will fairly tell them, that, fuch is 
 the confidence, even in the hour of her di- 
 Arefs, foreigners of all nations have given, 
 and do give, the preference to our funds ; — 
 the falling of which, immediately after the 
 opening of the laft budget, is to be imputed 
 -' entirely to the jobbing of a good purchafe 
 at a low bargain, and not to a want of confi- 
 dence in the nation. I could deduce many 
 reafons to juftify me in this opinion i and I 
 could call upon the Dutch, as the bcft poli^ 
 
 I ij tician! 
 
 
 fr 
 

 
 1^ ' 
 
 ( 60 ) 
 
 tlcians, in fupport of it. — Nor, Sir, will 
 J admit the proipe(5t of ruin to be before us, 
 until I fee that the juflice of our caufe has 
 left us, and that there no longer exifts that 
 zeal and bravery which have diftinguifhed 
 the people of Great Britain, as fuperior to 
 
 the reft of the world Sir, a great deal 
 
 has been faid by Gentlemen (who have in 
 3Tiy idea gone over, unnccefTarily at this time, 
 the whole of the American war) with refpedl 
 
 to the condudt of it. 1 believe, even the 
 
 moft inveterate enemies Minifters may have, 
 will allow that there was tranfported to a 
 greater diflance, than ever was known be- 
 fore, the fineft army 5 that you fed and 
 maintained it at that diftance ; and that, 
 from its excellence and its fuperiority, you 
 had a right to expecS the moft happy ad- 
 vantages. So flir the bufinefs, as it con- 
 cerned Minillry, was well tranfadted. But, 
 Sir, then comes the queil:ion--were the plans 
 and the directions to execute them wife and 
 
 pradicable ? 1 cannot but fay, Sir, for 
 
 my own part, and, as far as my Judgment 
 
 went, they were fo 1 do not mean to fug- 
 
 gefl any thing invidious towards the Officers 
 to whom commands and refponlibility were 
 
 delegated —I am not one of thofe who 
 
 eafily condemn, certainly never will, before I 
 
 have juft grounds for doing fo If our 
 
 Arpiy and Navy have not done in every part 
 of the world what was expedted of them— 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 Parliament can enquire, can approve, or cen-r 
 
 Ture This however appears to me but a 
 
 fecondary fubjedt for our conlideration. 
 
 Sir, much has been faid with refpedt to 
 the Union of France and America, and the 
 probability there is that Spain will foon be 
 a party in it. I will not rob many honour- 
 able Gentlemen of the gift of prophecy, of 
 what Spain will do in this conjunfture ; 
 but, Sir, furely her intereft and her policy 
 fhould be to relifl the Independance of Ame^ 
 rica — She will never, by protecting rebellion 
 in our colonies, hold out encouragement to 
 her own to follow their example. It is idle. 
 Sir, to indulge the idea of the Spanifh fet- 
 tlements in South America trading with the 
 North Americans, by purchafing, with Spa- 
 nifh Bullion, North American commodities. 
 The Court of Spain is much too wife, I 
 think, to adopt fuch a meafure. What, Sir, 
 might be the confequence ? An intercourfe 
 and trade between the extremes of that great 
 quarter of the globe might at laft be united 
 by a centre, and eflablifh .he greateft domi- 
 nion in the World. For, time may pro- 
 duce daring and flagitious charadters in that 
 continent alfo, whofe objedt it may be to 
 deftroy the fovereignty of Spain over her 
 Colonifts — Neither can I agree with Gentle- 
 men in thinking, that the union of America 
 ^d France can be lafling. I might as well 
 
 * 4 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 i - 
 
 h 
 
 <- 
 
 K" I 
 
 fuppofc that different religions. Liberty and 
 ilavery, in fliort, that contrarieties can form 
 a fyllcm, as admit that unity and harmony 
 can ever laft between France and America — 
 Neither of the countries exped it— The one 
 fupports, and the other receives, merely for 
 the temporary purpofe of diflreffin^ Great 
 
 Britain France can have no thoughts of 
 
 cilablifhing herfelf in the Heart of America. 
 And America v^^ill only avail herfelf of thii 
 afiiflance of France, until flie is at peace 
 with this Country. 
 
 In the mean time, however, our exertions 
 muft be of a powerful nature to relift this 
 unnatural alliance — And here, Sir, let mc 
 return to the coniideration of what is proper 
 
 to be done in confequence of his M ty's 
 
 fpeech. t 
 
 . Sir, in giving my entire approbation to 
 what has been propofed by the Honourable 
 Gentleman in the motion for the Addrefs, I 
 truft I fhall be forgiven, if I fubmit to the 
 Houfe the neceflity there is at this time of 
 vigour and firmnefs in all our proceedings, 
 in order to give a fpirit to national exertion. 
 And, whilft we regret that even our unanir- 
 mity and liberal offers have not been pro- 
 ductive of peaceable accomniodation with 
 America, I truft that her ingratitude may 
 yet meet with the recompence fuch a con-- 
 ^udl has deferyed : in holding out this doc- 
 " --.^^-}, ' ■'- ■■•■■ trine. 
 
 '■ ' Vi ' 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 trine, I mean not to forget that America is 
 flill the offspring of Great Britain : that 
 when (lie returns to licr duty. Hie will be 
 received with open arms, and all her fliults 
 be buried in oblivion. 
 
 In a word, Sir, the perfod is arrived, when 
 it is no longer . a queftion who is to be 
 Minifter, who are to compofe a party, or 
 who have been to blame. , Such difcuflions 
 will not probably obtain conviction on either 
 iide — The day is pafl for reflexions on thofe 
 who have been alledged to have given con-^ 
 fidence to Infurgency, or on thofe who have 
 been faid to have provoked it. The objed: 
 
 of your conlideration is now the falvation 
 
 of your Country. 
 
 ftor myfclf. Sir, I fliall no longer deHre 
 to remain in my own fltuation, than his 
 Majefty, and this Houfe, think 1 can be ufe- 
 ful in it. If any one Man will take it from 
 me. He will relieve me from the moft anxious 
 taflis that any Miniiler probably ever expe- 
 rienced : But, till then, Sir^ I look to the 
 fupport of this houfe, and to that of all good 
 Men in def nding and maintaining the glory 
 and honour of Great Britain. 
 
 Col. B-rre began with recounting his 
 predidtions. — I foretold in the out fet of the 
 American contell, that your obftinacy would 
 cftabliflithdindepcndance of the colonies. My 
 ne'it prophecy was, that France would join 
 ■ -; ♦• tliem 
 
 
 
 1,1 
 
 Col. 
 Brr-c. 
 
I ?^ 
 
 j. \' 
 
 '.n 
 
 I' ■ • 
 
 ( H ) 
 
 ihcm — Was 1 wrong ?— I will boldly hazard 
 one predi(5tion more-— I fay, Spain fooner or 
 
 later will join both fuch arc the allies of 
 
 America.--Who are your's ? The Onanda- 
 gas, the Tufcaroras, and the Chodaws f- 
 Thefc are your copper coloured allies, that 
 fix ii ftain on the name of Britain ; and difgracd 
 this country even in vidory, as well as de- 
 feat—I knew of thefe alliances, and theiif 
 barbarities, fo early as the 8th of June lafl:. 
 I have a letter from a friend of mine at 
 Ponghkeeplie, of that date;— the Indians, 
 headed by Col. B-tl-r, began their rapine ini 
 Cherry Valley, parties of Indians and Tories 
 (fo my friend couples thofe blood-hounds of 
 defolation) butchered the innocent inhabi-* 
 tants of Sacandago, and fpread ruin and car- 
 nage through Minijink—l am fure, CoL 
 B-tl-r, (who is indeed as gallant and amia- 
 ble an Officer as ever I knew, and I know 
 hirn well) never would have embrued his 
 hands in innocent blood, but that he knew 
 he mufl facrifice his feelings to the fpecula- 
 tive, I do not fay practical, violence, of the 
 American Secretary. Gen. C-rlt-n loft the 
 Noble Lord's favour by his abhorrence of 
 the tomahawk and the fcalping knife:— have 
 not we tried thofe fatanic inftruments o\ 
 death too long ? Is the whole of Mifs Ma- 
 creas race to be facriiiced ? Not one innocent 
 babe left unbutchered to lifp out the tale of 
 
 th'At 
 
ii' 
 
 • i ,. ' -J :. ... J J. ... , . 
 
 that devoted, that iinlinpny family"? Of 
 wjiom are we now tvO enquire for any otncial 
 documents of ycnu' war ? I fee no i.>ecretary 
 of War in this houfe ? Docs the Americaa 
 Secretary monopolize and conloHdate all 
 warlike bufinefs ? 1 hope not. 
 
 oir, I beg pardon for the heat which I find 
 rifing within me~but the inexorable hour 
 of vengeance is not far diftant; the heavy 
 load of black and bloody guilt will fink you 
 all.— The time will come when the thunder 
 of tl)e cannon will be heard at your walls. 
 Examples will be made. The Tower and the 
 Block mufl expiate the crimes of Miniller? . 
 The voice of truth will be heard. The Ru- 
 bicon is paiTed.— — Sir, what is the 
 
 comparative ftate of the revenues of France, 
 and of this country ? Monf. Neckar, a very 
 able and a very amiable man, has, I under- 
 fland, found taxes, and not oppreffive ones, 
 for two years j— is that a fadl ?— The reve- 
 nue of this country is diminifhed~if has 
 been gradually fo during this deteftable war 
 --.will Miniflers deny it ? Good God, Sir, 
 what a ftate are we in .? Dominica loft I— 
 Sir, Monfieur Bonille was once my particu- 
 lat" friend— Sir, he is returned to France for 
 frefti powers and orders— look to your Weft- 
 India fettlements, callous as we are, we can- 
 adt bear the lofs of them. 
 
 K 
 
 Sir, 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 r ! "' 
 
 i' 
 
 I' ' 
 
 i: ■ 
 
 Sir, I am aftoniflied at the blind credu- 
 lity of MLiiiflry— can they be lb very fimple as 
 to truft to vague compliments againft thofe 
 decifive v^ords of the Padte de Famillc, the 
 Family Compa6t, *'Qui attaquc unc coaronne 
 attaque I'autre ;" (I tranflate for the country 
 Gentlemen) whoever attacks one crown at- 
 tacks the other. 1 know Count Almo- 
 
 dovar— I was introduced to him by my old 
 friend, Don Francifco Buccarelli :— I never 
 fhall forget dining with him at a kind of 
 Table d'Hotes, in a tavern oppofite the Ef- 
 curial j~as chance would have it, many 
 more illuftrious characters dined with us 
 that day; there was the Count, his wife's 
 couiin, and myfelf, on one fide of the table ; 
 —Count Cobentzel, and Baron Reidefdel 
 (who were then on their travels) and Duke 
 de Chartres (who had juft come from Paris) 
 fat oppofite to us— Monfieur de Sartine (who 
 come in the Duke's vis a vis) was at the foot 
 of the table -, and we put Buccarelli in the 
 
 chair we had an excellent dinner— the 
 
 wine was good— and we toafted the Madrid 
 beauties in bumpers of Packeretti— however, 
 I was not fo far gone but I can very well re- 
 member what Almodovar vvhifpered in my 
 ear, while Cobentzel and Reidfdale were 
 drinking Maxamilian Jofeph of Bavaria's 
 health. Colonel (fays he) // alte fe volta 
 Eftremadura che molto^r^ won't tranflate it. I 
 
 feci 
 
 
 i\ 
 
 V •,■;-. 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 feel the refpedl due to An)h.;rr.Kiors.--But, 
 will Miniftry aniwcr a plain qutiHoii ? I put 
 it roundly, btcaufe I afl<. for a poiitive an- 
 fwer— Is there no treaty now on the tapis to 
 cede Gibraltar, or Port Mahon ?- -I fay, the 
 neutrality of Spain is to be trucked for by 
 the dilmcmbring this country of its bell: pof- 
 feflions. — Here he proceeded to read variety 
 of Gazettes, Amtrican News-pnpcrs, two or 
 three Treaties, letters from gallant Ofliccrs 
 in all parts of the world ; accounts of Cl-n- 
 t-n's retreat; tranf-idtions of Loril Il-wc, 
 and Monf. D'Eftaign ; Alderman Oliver's 
 letter— affair at Rhode likmd, &c. 6cc. 6cc, 
 he went alfo into a firing of limilar furmifes, 
 recognized various intimates in Europe, 
 Alia, Africa, and America, and interfperfed 
 the whole with a multiplicity of anecdotes, 
 proverbs, quotations, menaces and bon mots 
 — concludiiig, that having tlien read to the 
 houfe all the various papers he himl'elf could 
 colledt, he found it neceflary to give his vote 
 for the Amendment, as the only way to get 
 at more. 
 
 Mr. H. Sf—y obfefved, that many Gen- 
 tlemen had deviated from the bufinefs imme- 
 diately before the houfe, which, in his opi- 
 nion, was merely this : Whether this hoiife 
 
 will or will not fupport his M y, and the 
 
 executive powers of government, in the en- 
 deavours to recal the Americans to obedience, 
 
 and 
 
 -I 
 
 Mr. H. 
 St -y. 
 
U i 
 
 4 
 
 ( 63 ) 
 
 and to punifli the natural enemies of this 
 country ? * That his own opinion was de- 
 termined by a convidion of the neccflity, in 
 this hour of difficulty and liftrefs, for exer- 
 tion and firmnefs. Mucij has, been iaid of 
 the wealth and refources of France in com- 
 parifon of thofe of England. I can only fay> 
 i)ir, from all the obfervations I have been 
 able to make, that France is, with refpedt 
 to its finances, certainly an impoveriflied 
 country. It has not yet recovered the im- 
 prcffion made by the laft war ; and, what- 
 ever Gentlemen may think, neither Monf. 
 Neckar (whom I very much refped:) nor 
 any other perfon, will be able, at leaft for a 
 great length of time, to overturn the old , 
 mode of attainment of French money; I • 
 mean. Sir, by the vehicle of the Fermetirs 
 Ceneraux, It muft be a minifter of great 
 courage indeed, and a King ol Terrors, that 
 will new model the French finances ; new 
 taxes may be impofed, but I much doubt of 
 the colledtion of them. When a good con- 
 trad: has been long in pofleffion, it is too 
 fweet to refign ealily ; and the Fermeurs 
 Genereaux are too important to be offended, 
 cipecially, when the ilate is neceflitated to 
 
 * Whilft Mr. St— y was fpeaking, Mr. B— g was 
 making numerical criticifms on the ftate of the Houfe, 
 which Mr. R-b-nf-n had done before, with his ufual aC* 
 iiduity J and had taken his place at the door accordingly. 
 
 nave 
 
t 
 t 
 
 f 
 
 O 
 
 'S 
 
 i, 
 
 o 
 
 IS 
 
 C 
 
 re 
 
 ( (>9 ) 
 
 hnvc rcccurfj to their affillnnce. In Gvin^ 
 this, I give full credit to Monf. Neckar lor 
 his attempt to improve the revenue of 
 France, aiid that too, when the attempt is 
 furrounded with lb much ditliculty and dan- 
 ger. The revenue of this country. Sir, 
 
 has not fuffcred hy the American war; the 
 furplufes of the linking fund, are as great 
 as during the ftate of pcrfcdt pence with 
 America, Other countries have taken from 
 us thofe manufadures which we exported 
 before with bounties to America. 
 
 As I think Britain is ftill equal to refifl, 
 and, I trull, to fubdue all its Enemies, I 
 am clearly for tlie Motion which has bcea 
 propoled, and feconded, by the honourable 
 Gentlemen, with fo much credit to them- 
 felves, and with fo particular a defert of 
 the approbation of their Country. 
 
 Gen. Cn—y. Mr, Sp r, I beg par- 
 don for troubling the Houfe with one fhort c^!!! 
 word. Sir, at this late hour of the night. 
 Sir, when there are many Gentlemen very 
 
 defirous and much more capable than I 
 
 am, of fpeaking— upon fo material— fo im- 
 portant— fo comprehenfive a bufmefs— I may 
 fay. Sir — as that which now immediately 
 
 comes before us— for our deliberation. 
 
 In doing this. Sir — in offering my poor 
 
 fentiments — upon this matter. Sir 1 own, 
 
 I feel fome degree of warmth, at the fiv; 
 
 -,,.*...... pinenefs 
 
 \ 
 
 'I I 
 
 Gen, 
 

 ' 
 
 ( 70 ) 
 
 pincncfs— at the coolncfs - 1 may fay-^of the 
 Miniftcrs in fo dangerous- -fo lia/ardous — 
 and, God knows, prohahly fo dcitrudtive an 
 
 hour And, Sir, I hope I may luiigcffc 
 
 my thoughts at lb critical n period, when, 
 indeed, all Europe and America arc con- 
 vulfed— and Ihaken — by the imbccillitVi the 
 inattention, and tlie indccifion of iVlinilters ; 
 who have \o fupinely, fo cooly, and fo in- 
 decifively fat wif/j their hands before them, 
 
 waiting for events — and contingencies In 
 
 faying this. Sir,— I mean not to throw any 
 reflexion upon any of them— Moil of them I 
 know to be men of honour and ability— 
 but, Sir, I beg pardon. Sir, for taking up the 
 time of the houfe — Sir, I think the moment 
 is paft when any fyftcm can prevail, I mean 
 on the pa:-t of this country over America. 
 Your Weft-India Iflands are unprotedled — 
 Dominica is gone— Who knows but Jamaica 
 is gone too ? What force have you at An- 
 tigua ? I underftand. Admiral Barrington is 
 gone from Barbadoes. What is to become 
 of St. Vincents and Grenada ? Good God ! 
 Sir, will the Nation fit llill under thefe ap- 
 prehenfions ? Have Minifters taken care of 
 Ireland ? Does the Noble Lord underneath 
 me know the ftate of Guernfey and Jerfey ? 
 Will they be able to refift Count Broglio 
 with f;o,ooo men ? Is your force, particu- 
 - ^^.. larly 
 
( 7^ ) 
 
 » f 
 
 larly at Jerfey, equal to refiftance — Sir, at 
 this moment, I tremble for Jcriey*.— — . 
 
 Ill one (liort word, Sir, I beg pardon — 
 I do tiuft in God, Sir. ..in the King... Sir, 
 and in the fpirit of this unhappy Nation, Sir, 
 that we (hall be relieved from thele dreadful 
 apprchcnlion, and ditiiculties, and that we 
 (hall fee onee more. Peace, Harmony, and 
 Wifdom, refume their order in this country, 
 in theftead of wcaknefs, irrefolution, waver- 
 ing folly, abfurd doubts, a;id indecifion. 
 Sir. 
 
 Mr 5— ^—^(? — Example --impeach- i^^g_. 
 mcnt--axes —Tower -- blood — Sifter Mac- b-ge. 
 — ly— republicanifm— Wafhington, grcateft 
 man in the World — will be heard— tyranny 
 at Warley-Common— militia men turned to 
 road-pioneers — undermining trees — fand in 
 bread— wafle oa" |jowder---Middlefex eledion 
 — vaft expence of flints — triennial parlia- 
 ments — body politic --- ill humours -- ftate- 
 furgeons --- example — axes — Tower -- blood 
 ■-■ Da Capo 
 
 The queftion being now called for with 
 moft violent impatience, the Houfe prepa- 
 red to divide. The Editor cannot but 
 lament that the eloquence of the day is , 
 cqmprifeable in lb fniall a compafs.— He re- 
 
 * N. B* G — 1 C— — y is Governor of it. — Query, 
 Whether he had not better be there at this dangerous , 
 •rifis? 
 
 t\i:: i..-i-.. 
 
 % -♦"■ 
 
 gfCtS 
 
..(-7V ) 
 
 i;. 
 
 i: 
 
 V 
 
 !■ 
 
 1 1 
 
 grets, with niany others, the Cihncc of 
 thofe who might have been luppofed, from 
 attachment, from principle, and a fcnih of 
 honour, to have taken a more decided part 
 in the debate. Probably it might be con- 
 iidered too fevere to impute the conduci of 
 thofe Gentlemen to the precarioufnefs of tlie 
 times, to the expedation of new Admini- 
 ftrations, or to the fretful nefs of an infa- 
 tiablc avarice of wealth and cower. . 
 
 Little more remair" to add, than that 
 the Houfe having become very clamorous 
 for a divifioii, at half paft three the quellion 
 on the Amendment being put, the motion 
 was reje(5ted by a majority of 261 to 148. 
 
 Tellers for the Ayes, Mr T. T nd and 
 
 Mr B — ng — for the Noes, Sir G — y C r 
 
 and Mr C T nd. — . The main 
 
 queftion being then put, the original Ad- 
 drefs was carried in nearly the fame pro- 
 portion. 
 
 immediately after the divilion, the H — q 
 
 were much alloniflied at Mr C s T-rn~ 
 
 -r's calling their attention to a moft libel- 
 lous, nefarious, and enormous pamphlet, 
 entitled Anticipation^ calculated to mifre- 
 prefent the debates, and vilify the proceed- 
 ings of P m tj obferving, that the pub- 
 
 licaticn 
 
t 
 
 7J 
 
 ) 
 
 lication of Honourable Ge;ulcmen*s fpeech-" 
 es le/hre they could poiribly h?.vQ betjn i'po-^ 
 ken, was infinitely more dangerous to the 
 GonlHtution thaii mi fl.. king them after they 
 hiid adually been delivered ; as not only the 
 public were thereby much more likely to 
 be deceived, but many country Gentlemen 
 were moft illegally harried up to town be- 
 fore the time, to the great annoyance of 
 thejniclves and cattle. Bellies, whac llruck 
 at the very iicart-ilrit^gs oi debate, many 
 good fpcvtches were ma: ' "d thereby, and 
 Honour bic GeiKlomen llupt froin repeating 
 their own wo'-ds, leii .htv liiculd authenti- 
 cate the faid public.uion. 
 
 For all which renfons, he humbly moved, 
 that the Publifher of a pampnlet, entitled, 
 A}2ticipi7tion, be immediately taken into cuf- 
 tody by a Meilenger of this Houfe, toge- 
 ther with all papers in his {hops and ware- 
 houfes, in order that this Houfe maybe en- 
 abled to difcover the Author or Authors of 
 this very black confpiracy. He moved al- 
 fo, that the feveral flaiULCS againft forgery, 
 coining, and uttering, knowing to be falfe, 
 foreftallers, and regraters, 6cc. &c. be forth- 
 with all read. And further— —• But, the 
 laughter having now become intenfe, the 
 remnant of his oratory was cut ihort by a 
 moft clamorous repetition of Adjourn, Ad^ 
 journ ', fo that it wad impoiiible for the E- 
 
 L «[it«r 
 

 I 
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 ditor to colledl th^ refult of this important 
 motion. 
 
 And then the Houfe adjourned till the 
 morning, nine of the clock, 
 
 FINIS. 
 
\