liberty, fhould enter into a cordial friendship and lafting bands of union with a Roman Catholic and defpotic power, which having enflaved its own people, would not afford the word liberty a place in its dictionaries. We fhould then ftrike at the whole confederacy, and not at this part or that feparately, until the vigour of our efforts, operating upon its own principles of diffolution, had fhaken the whole fabric to pieces.

On the other fide it was obferved, that there was every year a new reason for continuing the American war; first, it was neceffary to fend troops to deliver the men of property and confequence on that continent from the tyranny of the mob; afterwards to deliver the lower ranks from the oppreffion of the upper, and particularly of the congrefs; and now we are called upon to deliver both from the thraldom in which they were held by France. Such

were the vain and empty delufions by which, year after year, the nation had been led through all the calamity, lofs, danger, and difgrace, of this ruinous war. The infatuation of the minifters was now evidently as ftrong, for its continuance, as it had been in the beginning; and they seemed to think the parliament and nation to be as blind and as infatuated as they were themfelves. The last parliament had, like other the most abandoned finners, in its dying agonies, confeffed the caufe of its corruption and profigacy; this day would afford a demonstration, whether the fatal and corrupt influence then acknowledged, had extended to the prefent. Whatever effect minifterial

arts had heretofore produced on the opinions and difpofition of the people, the general cry now was,

Peace with America, and

war, vigorous war, with our "natural enemies;" it remained to be feen, whether the minifters had influence enough in that houfe, to enable them ftill to carry on the American war, to the entire ruin, and contrary to the exprefs fenfe of the nation.

But we are told that our American affairs are now in a much more flourishing and profperous condition than they have been at any time fince the affair at Saratoga; and that the fplendid victory obtained at Camden, is to decide the fate of that continent. This, faid they, has been the conftant language, at every gleam of fuccefs, ever fince the commencement of the war. It is indeed true, that our fucceffes in that time have been splendid and numerous, and that our officers and troops have, upon various occafions, obtained great honour; but how far have we, upon the whole, been gainers by thefe advantages? Bofton was, in the beginning, exchanged for New York. The reduction of that capital, the victory at Long Island, that at the Brandy Wine, and the taking of Philadelphia, (the feat of congrefs, and the capital of America) were all, in their respective day, objects of the greatest triumph, and each held out, as leading to fucceffes ftill more fplendid, which must neceffarily decide the fate of that continent. There will not be the face of a rebel seen in all North America, was the conftant language of those times. It would be unnecefiary to particularize the

real

real confequences of thefe fucceffes; or to make any comment upon the abandoning of Philadelphia, or the danger which attended the retreat. Another fource of confidence is offered to us in the exchange of Rhode Island, the very beft winter harbour in all North America, for CharlesTown, the capital of South Carolina. Let thofe expert in fuch calculations determine on which fide the balance lies. But the glorious victory at Camden is now to make up for every thing, and to revive all our former most fanguine hopes and illufions. But if we found our judgment on analogy or experience, are we not rather to confider it as the forerunner of fome fatal difafter? What could be more fplendid or flattering than the fuccefs at Ticonderago? Yet that was followed by the lofs of the whole army. Have we lefs reafon now, than we had at that time, to expect fuch a reverfe of fortune as then happened? The confequence of our fuccefs at Charles-Town, was the laying Lord Cornwallis under a neceffity of putting all to the hazard, by encountering a great fuperiority of force at Camden. The merit and honour of that action lie entirely with the general and his army; but what are we to fay to, or to expect from thofe conductors of the war, who laid him under that dangerous neceffity, which renders his victory a miracle? or if fuch confequences are the natural and inevitable refult of our fucceffes on that continent, with what hope, or to what end, is the war continued?

They obferved farther, that a calamitous circumftance attending

that action afforded a direct proof, that the majority of the Americans (as had been fo frequently and confidently afferted by the minifters) were not friendly to this country; but, on the contrary, that they were almoft univerfally attached to the cause of congrefs. For no fooner had General Gates appeared among the Carolinians, than those very men flocked to his standard, who had taken the oaths to our government, carrying with them the arms that were put into their hands by our general; a circumftance which reduced him to the unhappy neceffity of putting fuch of them as were taken to death. But the very fame neceffity which obliged the general, contrary to his difpofition, to recur to acts of terror, excludes any reliance in the affection of that people against whom they were neceffary.

It was acknowledged, that great advantages might be derived from the late fuccefs obtained by the good conduct and gallantry of Lord Cornwallis and his army. It might be made the foundation of an honourable and happy peace. Let minifters, faid the oppofition, feize and improve the advantage, and they will deferve and receive the thanks and applause of their country. But have they given us the fmalleft hopes of fuch a difpofition? On the contrary, faid they, does not the fpeech itself, . and does not the propofed addrefs, which is its echo, prove to the conviction of this houfe, that they are determined to purfue the war to the utmoft? They dare not give it up. They muft at all events carry it on. And its unpopularity, and that only, is the tenure

by

by which they hold their places. To that object therefore were all others facrificed. It was upon that account that raw new-raifed regiments, under inexperienced offcers, were fent to perish, not in detail, but by whole columns, on the West India fervice, whilft the veterans, who were proof to all climates and feafons, were kept in America.

It would feem to have been rather pleafantly than feriously faid, on the other fide, that Great Britain standing fingly, and without an ally, in the war, had great advantages over the powerful confederacy which was formed againft her. If the doctrine had been true, this nation muft undoubtedly at prefent be the most flourishing in the universe, for fhe is probably the only one in that predicament. It feems, however, to have been seriously advanced, by the fubfequent allufions to the league of Cambray, and to the confederacy against Lewis XIV. neither of which can in any degree apply in the prefent inftance. It was common danger, diftress, and a participation of interefts, that chiefly endeared nations, as well as individuals, to one another; and this tie, for the prefent, united the French and Americans in the closest friendship. But if we held out to America a feparate intereft, and that accompanied with fuch fecurity, as fhould remove all ideas of a common danger, it was confiftent with experience, and the ufual courfe of things, to expect that we might diffolve the friendship, and have an opportunity of fuccefsfully treating with her. Indeed, without afcribing to the Americans any unufual degree either of gra

titude or perfidy, and confidering them merely as men, whofe conduct, like that of all others, would naturally be governed by a mixture of both reafon and pafion, it was fairly to be prefumed, that by fuch a courfe, and by abftaining from offenfive hoftilities against them, they might ftill be detached from the caufe of the houfe of Bourbon.

What would be the confequence, they afked, of withdrawing the troops from America? American independence undoubtedly. Would this be a means of obtaining peace? it cannot be denied. Could the troops fubdue America, if they ftayed there? — it is not even hoped. Can the American' war be given up without her being independent? certainly not. Can peace be obtained upon any other terms than American independence ?-the minifters know it cannot. If thefe things are so, (and they cannot be controverted) the minifters are wafting the blood and treasure of this country without an object.

They totally denied, that our affairs in America were now in a better fituation than they had been at any time fince the convention of Saratoga; and infifted that we were now, in all refpects, in infinitely worfe circumftances: but without wafling time, they faid, in confidering the comparative value of pofts, or the relative ftrength of armies, are more than forty millions worse, through the mere expences of the war, than we were at that period? and has not the failure of our commerce, and the exhaufture of our refources, been in a ftill greater proportion?

we

not

Every military man, they faid,

had

had known, from the time of the affair of Trenton, that all attempts to fubdue America were fo many fruitless proftitutions of blood and treasure, for that the matter was altogether impracticable. Is it then wife or prudent, faid they, for this houfe to pledge itself precipitately by an addrefs to the farther fupport and continuance of that ruinous and impracticable war? Let us on the contrary affure his majefty, and declare to all the world, that though we will not longer pursue a measure of folly and ruin, we fhall afford every poffible fupport to his arms, when directed against their proper object, the houfe of Bourbon. Let

that house deservedly feel every exertion of our force, and every effect of our refentment. So far the amendment went, and no farther ought they to bind themfelves.

Some miscellaneous matter was drawn in, particularly by Mr. Fox and Col. Fitzpatrick, who animadverted greatly on feveral circumftances relative to the late diffolution, as well as to the general election. The former obferved, that the speech began with affuring them that his majefty wifhed to know the fenfe of his people, and the fame paragraph contained the greatest mockery and infult upon the people, by telling them that he hoped to receive the information he wifhed for, through the medium of the late elections. Were thofe elections, faid he, free? Was the diffolution previously announced, or the time of it properly chofen ? He hoped to God thefe circumftances would become the object of an enquiry in that houfe, and that

it might be known which of the king's fervants it was, who had dared to advife his majefty to diffolve his parliament, at that particular time that the diffolution took place; at a time when moft gentlemen were taken by furprize. Indeed, for himfelf, he knew the minifters too well, to be furprized if it had taken place in the midst of the harveft, or at whatever moment was the moft prejudicial to the people, or the most unfavourable to the freedom of election. As it was, it took place when the majority of that houfe, efpecially of thofe who had uniformly oppofed and reprobated the mad and deftructive measures of minifters, were in camp, and at confiderable distance from the places they reprefented; fo that the minifters, instead of confulting the wishes of the people, and inftead of rendering the event as little injurious as poffible to the internal peace and quiet of the kingdom, had taken pains to render the diffolution of parliament as great and calamitous en evil as could have happened.

He particularly condemned the miniftry for the unconftitutional ufe they had made of the army. The military, he faid, was a force at all times inimical to liberty, and therefore it behoved every Englishman, to watch the army with a jealous eye. A few months fince, perhaps, the delicate fituation of affairs made it wifer to ac quiefce in a queftionable measure, than to hazard the appearance of countenancing the infurrection, by calling in question the means used to fupprefs it; but now the occafion was over, conftitutional confiderations must take their turn. He then proceeded to reprehend

the

the minifters in the most pointed terms, for having dared to fend orders to officers in all the towns of the kingdom, as well in thofe where there had not been the fmallest pronenefs to tumult, as in those where it had entirely fubfided, and that quiet was perfect ly restored, giving them power to act at difcretion, without the authority of the civil magiftrate. Thefe orders, he faid, had not been recalled, till almost every election was over; and he reprefented it as an alarming violence to the conftitution, and a measure which called loudly for parliamentary enquiry.

He likewife arraigned the minifters in terms of the utmoft feverity, for the infult which, he faid, had been offered to the navy, and the prejudice done to that fervice by the late appointment of Sir Hugh Pallifer to the government of Greenwich hofpital. A fubject upon which he feemed to exhauft all his powers of cenfure.

The original address was at length carried, upon a divifion, by a majority of 212, to 130 who fupported the amendment.

The addrefs in the house of lords was moved for, on the day that the fpeech from the throne was delivered, by the Earl of Weftmoreland. An amendment was moved by the Marquis of Carmarthen, which, like that in the houfe of commons, went to the omiffion of the greater part of the address. The debate was neither long nor interefting; and the criginal addrefs was carried upon a divifion, by a majority of 68 to 23. It was observed as a fingularity upon this occafion, and was afterwards commented upon in

more places than one, that the moderation and virtue of not taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the late riots, to unite the arms of an enraged populace with thofe of the military, and apply both to the overthrow of the conftitution of this country, and the deftruction of the liberties and rights of the people, according to the example a few years fince fet by the prince in a northern kingdom, were grounds of great acknowledgement and thanks to the fovereign.

Nov. 13.

Upon the refolution in the committee of fupply, that 91,000 feamen, including marines, fhould be voted for the fervice of the enfuing year, Mr. Fox, after declaring his affent, pledged himself to the house that he would, after the holidays, move for the difmiffion of the Earl of Sandwich, and afterwards for bringing him to condign punishment, and gave notice that he fhould found these motions on two different caufes ;-the firft for advifing his majesty to promote Sir Hugh Pallifer to the government of Greenwich hofpital;-and the fecond for the fhameful neglect of the navy during that nobleman's adminiftration.

A vote of thanks to Sir 20th. Fletcher Norton, the late fpeaker, for his conduct in that office, being moved for by Mr. Townshend, and fupported by the oppofition in general, met with great refiftance on the court fide, and brought out confiderable debate, although the minifters themfelves took no direct part. It was, however, carried on a divifion, by a majority of 136 to 96. Several of the new members took a part in

oppofing