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see, that no terms of peace with America have been agreed on, unless fuch as fhall take place on the conclufion of a treaty with France, and therefore irrevocability is out of the question. He maintained, that unconditional independence had not been granted to the Americans; that the offer that had been made was not irrevocable; and referred the Noble Lord to the words of the addrefs, which be repeated with emphasis, infisting, that if fair, honourable, and equal terms, could not be obtained from France, the ally of America, then the offer (a word on which he laid great ftrefs) might be withdrawn, and would ceafe and determine. He spoke with contempt of Spanish politics; and alledged, that he did not think it fair argumentation, to reason from what had happened to the Spaniards two hundred years ago, to what happened now to Great Britain. His lamentation on account of the loyalifts is for the fame reafon evidently premature. They are a fet of men loved and refpected by his Majesty, as well as by his minifters; and British honour and British gratitude is bound to take care of them. Spanish councils have too long prevailed in this country; they have for near feven years prevailed; but their reign is now, I truft, faid his Lordship, entirely over. The fecrets of the negotiation thall not now be opened. When the time comes for due inquiry into my conduct, I shall meet it with alacrity; try me fairly, and I defire no more. I may however confess, that the granting of independence is the bitterest pill Tever fwallowed. I fought every means to avoid it, but all failed. 1 can affure the Houfe, one part of the advice of the Noble Earl (Lord Sandwich) who fpoke laft but one, fhall be duly regarded. We will avail ourselves of the events as they arife for our advantage in the courfe of the negotiation, and in every other respect endeavour to have the good wishes of all good

men.

His Majefty's minifters were fully authorised to make peace from the fenfe of the Parliament and of the nation; and although the House of Commons did not conftitute parliament, yet his Majefty had other ways of finding out the fenfe of the nation, than by the refolutions of that House. His Majefty had the privilege of making peace or war; and the views and convictions on which he made either, he might derive from various fources. He repeated the profeflions he had made when he came into adminiftration, and professed that he was determined to abide by them. He came into power with an intention to put an end to the accurfed American war: He had endeavoured, and would ftill en deavour, to revive habits of intercourfe and affection between America and England, before thefe habits fhould be entirely extinguithed; before French habits should take foot in America; before a new generation

should spring up, with habits and prejudices hoftile to Britain. He came into office with a view to bring about economy in the civil lift, and to effect an equal representation of the people in parliament: These were his objects, and these he would purfue. If America was to be given up, he infifted, that it was the last administration that had forced the present to make so great a facrifice. He was not the author of the Boston port-bill, of the duty on tea, or of the declaratory-act refpecting America. As to innovations, he hoped, that to restore the rights of the people to be represented in parliament, would not be confidered as an innovation.

Lord Stormont called to the minister's remembrance, his assertion, that "The fun of Englands glory would fet, whenever independence thould be granted to America." That fun is now fet, continued his Lordship; not a ray of light or hope is left; all is utter darknefs and horror. I will not, faid his Lordship, press this point into any indelicate expreffions concerning particular affertions or dates; but certainly there was a time when the Noble Lord did maintain doctrines very different from those which feem to govern his conduct at the prefent moment. He follows, he fays, with reluctance, the dictates of the people. But furely the voice of the people is not with this unconditional furrender of America.- His Lordfhip then obferved, that the minifter derided Spanish politics. Politicians, however, he faid, who could retain ten out of seventeen provinces, were more to be commended, however weak they might be supposed to be, than those able negotiators, who of thirteen retained none.

Lord Shelburne replied, by giving a history of the circumftances, and the views with which he had come into office. He had fretted and tormented himself, he said, in order to find out fome other means than thofe he had been obliged to use for the purpose of regaining America; and all to no purpose.

The Duke of Richmond went deeply into the hiftory of the American war, which he proved had been occafioned wholly by the laft ministry, and had ended in the feparation of America from Great Britain. He then praised the naval exertions of this administration. He faid, that Gibraltar had been faved, not folely by General Elliot, although he had done his duty, but chiefly by Lord Howe, whofe conduct, he declared, had been fingularly skilful, and indeed unparallelied in the naval hiftory of Britain.

Lord Sandwich afked where the prefent administration got all the fhips they had fent to the relief of Gibraltar? I will answer (faid he) all the Noble Duke's infinuations, by declaring, what he cannot controvert,

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that there is not at prefent in his Majefty's fervice, a ship that was not built, and in commiffion too, when I left the Admiralty. His Lordship infifted, in oppofition to the Duke, that Gibraltar had been faved, not by Lord Howe chiefly, but almost solely by General Elliot. I do not fay, added he, that Lord Howe did not do his duty, and that too with all poffible expedition. But who fet fire to the floating-batteries? Who furnifhed the ftores that enabled the garrifon to hold out before the arrival of Lord Howe? Gibraltar was in effect relieved when the attack of the Spaniards and French was baffled, with fuch a mighty flaughter, by the brave garrison, under the conduct of their brave leader. I muft obferve too, continued his Lordship, that of forty fail of transports, I am well informed, not above twenty-eight reached the port of Gibraltar.

On the question being put, the addrefs, with the amendment, was agreed to.

IN the House of Commons, MrYorke moved for the addrefs, and congratulated the House and the nation at large on the happy profpect of peace.

Mr Banks feconded the motion. He expreffed his happiness at the prospect of an approaching peace; and he was the more rejoiced at it when he confidered the critical fituation of this country at this crifis: for though our arms during the last campaign were crowned with brilliant fuccefs, yet the events of war were doubtful, and therefore the prefent moment bid faireft for us to obtain from our enemies terms that we could not poffibly expect in cafe of any reverfe of fortune. This, together with the vast debt the nation had incurred in the profecution of the war, should induce us to procure the best peace we could, circumftanced as we are. He faid it required the strictest œconomy in every department; and every regulation which could be adopted, ought to be used to alleviate the heavy burdens of the public, and fupport the credit of the country, by discharging gradual ly the debt incurred fince the commencement of the prefent unfortunate war. He declared, that any poffeflion of this country, which was rather honourable than beneficial, was not worth retaining by us in prevention of a general peace, and ought therefore to be ceded without reluctance.

Mr Fox faid, that he could not pass over fome inaccuracy or inadvertency, of an ex. preflion in the King's fpeech, that might with greater propriety be called the fpeech of the minifter, which was, that his Majefty had taken ftrict care, fince the clofe of the last fellion, to prevent any offenfive hoftilities being carried on in America. He faid, that refolution certainly could not take its date from the time mentioned in the fpeech. If it was meant fo, it threw an indelible

ftain on the reputation of himself, the Peers, and the Hon. Gentlemen that composed that administration. [Here Mr Chancellor Pitt rofe, and affured the Hon. Gentleman, that the paffage in queftion carried no fuch meaning.] Mr Fox then faid, that he would not be fo uncharitable as to fuppofe it was meant as literally mentioned; but the fingularity of the expreffion made him defirous of an explana tion. He faid he was happy to hear that America, whither the goddess Liberty had fled for refuge, was declared free and independent; but why was the not called the United States of America, as mentioned in Mr Secretary Townthend's letter to the Lord Mayor of London, instead of simply saying the States of America? He faid, it gave him the greatest pleasure to obferve the independente of America fixed on the most permanent foundation. We had now unequivocally granted her freedom, for which he had nobly ftruggled. But it was not the plan of the prefent miniftry for which the public would now rejoice. Britain and America were indebted to another adminiftration for this act of beneficence and juftice. God for bid, fays he, that I fhould reprobate Lord Shelburne for adopting those measures which accord with the ardent wishes of every wor thy man. All friends to mankind will ap plaud his Lordship for this inftance of his wifdom, although it did not originate with him or his colleagues; and I can affure his Lordship and his friends, that he will never be brought to an account for acceding to terms of independence and pacification with America. Is there any man fo bafe as to with for the continuance of a war, which is fo deftructive to the true interests of both coun tries? It is not the cafe, as fome people would fain infinuate, that as foon as America becomes independent, the fun of Britain will fet. I hope to fee both countries for the frongeft bonds of friendship and commate. God forbid, that I should not moft heartily concur in this glorious treaty which is adopted by his Lordthip, and which is pregnant with the greatest good to the mother-country, and to her colonies. I am certain, that it is impoffible that America can ever alienate herself from Britain. There is an indiffo luble chain of friendship between the inha bitants of both countries, a fimilarity of manners and difpofitions, a commercial intereft, and above all, and what is dearer than all, a connection by blood. We have paid dearly for our folly; and it is now high time for us to relinquifh any idea we may entertain of conquering America. The prefent measure is spoken of by fome as being a grant, or conceffion of liberty. 'Tis by a means the cafe. 'Tis on our part an act of neceffity; and we are forced to give what our pride fome time ago would have

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fpurned at :-but we don't give it as an inftance of benevolence to our colonies; 'tis extorted from us by the arms of America. After taking notice of feveral things to the fame purpofe, he faid, that the first hint of the prefent treaty of pacification had been from a letter which his Majefty had commanded him to write to Mr Grenville at Paris. A fimilar letter had been fent to Sir Guy Carleton at New York. None of thefe were fuggefted by the prefent miniftry; not, indeed, the leaft tittle. Hence it is evident to whom the public are now indebted for this mark of wisdom and justice of the chiefs of the legislators of the British empire. He was forry that the speech held out no profpect to this country of alliances to fupport her, in cafe the thould be obliged, by the unreafonable exactions of France, to continue the war. While the old miniftry were at the head of affairs, there was not the least ground for hope that any power would make a common caufe with a country that was ruled by madmen; but he was furprised that, when the nation had come to its fenfes, and driven these madmen from the cabinet, the friendly difpofition of fome of the great courts of Europe to England had not been courted with fuccefs.. Peace to him appeared a most desirable object; but he did not think that the moft effectual way to incline the enemy to a difpofition towards a favourable and equitable peace, was to tell them that we were fo completely reduced, that no terms could be too hard for us to digeft; that our refources were fo dried up, that economy could fcarcely enable us to bear up under the heavy burden heaped upon our shoulders: he himfelf was not so fanguine in his hopes of fading great refources in this country; but he was not yet fo defponding as to fay that he would not rather carry on the war still longer, than fubmit to a dishonourable peace. Before the provifional treaty with America, we had four powers to contend with; but as he muft, from the figning of that treaty, pronounce the Amerian war to be at an end, fo be thought we ought to derive fresh courage, when we fhould be able to fpend in operations against the three remaining hostile powers, the 4, or 5,000.000 l. that afed to be spent on the continent of America. The Hon. Member feemed to hint at the ceffion of Gibraltar: he hoped that in this he spoke merely from fpeculation, and not from authority; for the poffeffion of that fortrefs and harbour was invaluable to this country, though some people had of late affected to fay, that it was of no further ufe o us. But if it should be determined to give up Gibraltar, he would advise minifters ot to attempt to fink the value of it, but to ate it as high as it ought to be, and then nake the best bargain that they could, either

by getting the most money for it, or er changing it for a valuable and adequate confideration. He adverted to the fituation of our affairs in the Eaft-Indies, and declared his refolution to fupport every inquiry tend ing to punish the delinquents, who, by pluns der, eruelty, and rapacity, had difgraced us in that part of the globe, where it was as he ceffary to reftore peace and tranquillity as in Europe, and to establish there fuch a system of wife, equitable, and moderate laws, as would reftore to us the confidence of the ina jured natives. He faid, that part of the ada dress which replied to the honourable men tion made by his Majesty of the defence and relief of Gibraltar, fhould have his hearty concurrence. The conduct of Gen. Elliot would immortalize his name; and the latest pofterity would be at a loss for which to admire the hero moft, his gallantry in repelling the various attacks, or his humanity in fa ving from impending death the enemy he had defeated. The Noble Lord who had relieved the garrifon was almost above praise in the fight of a fuperior force he threw rea lief into Gibraltar; and then, he would not fay he infulted, because he did not wish to ufe harth words, but he braved the united fleets of France and Spain. Could he do more? If any one in this Houfe (faid Mr Fox, looking at Gov. Johnstone) thinks he could, let him fpeak out, and charge the Noble Lord. And here it was but decent to give that tribute of applaufe which was fo juftly due to the prefent admiralty: He had often fpoke in defponding terms of the state of the navy, when it was furrendered up by the laft admiralty; but defponding as his language then was, it did not express half the defpondency he then felt; what then muft have been the exertions of the Noble Lord, now at the head of the naval department of government, when he had fitted out a fleet that was able to brave the enbined fleets, from which we used, in preceding campaigns, to fly?-He next touched upon the prefent cabinet; and obferved, that though he dif liked its conftruction, there were fome of its conflituent parts againft which he could have no objection; for he knew that though one member of that cabinet might promise a great deal more than he intended to per form, there were others who would hold him to the performance of his promifes: As to himself, he believed he really was of more fervice out of office, and debating in that Houfe, than he could poffibly have been, if he had remained in the cabinet; for he found, that those measures which, while in office, he recommended in vain to the council, were readily adopted when he laid down his em ployments.-Mr Fox concluded with a few obfervations on subscriptions raised for building fhips and raising men, and the very libe

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Fal offers made by individuals for that purpose: he bestowed great praise on those individuals; but be contended, that to accept their offers would be illegal; and his reafon for fo thinking was, that fubfcriptions of this nature would form a fund, over which parliament could have no controul, and for the mifapplication of which they could not, of course, bring any one to account.

Gov. Johnstone expreffed his difapprobation of that part of the speech which the last Hon. Speaker admired moft, namely, the granting of independence to America. A mat ter of fuch vast magnitude he did not ima gine would be done without firft confulting the great council of the nation; that should have been previously done before the difmemberment of fo large a portion of the empire. He then adverted to the relief of Gibraltar, and declared openly, that our fleet had difgracefully retreated from the enemy; and particularly mentioned the van, commanded by Adm. Barrington, having got, the morning after the engagement, four leagues to the leeward of the combined fleet. To whom this misconduct ought to be attributed, he did not pretend to fay: but that was not the only fault, there were many more unpardonable mistakes committed, for which reafon he could not give his affent to that part of the addrefs which paffed fuch high encomiums on a commander whofe conduct he could not approve. This called up

The Hon. Keith Stewart, who faid he was on that expedition, and during the whole of it, he declared, he faw nothing, in the fimal left degree, blameable in the conduct of the Noble Lord who had the command of the fleet, or that he ever thewed the leaft backwardness to meet the enemy: on the coutrary, as foon as he had performed the object for which he had failed, he fought all opportunities of attacking them.

Gov. Jolinftone on this rofe again. He faid the Hon. Gentleman had not spoke a fyllable to the principal point, which was, the van retreating four leagues to leeward of the enemy. Mr Keith Stewart did not reply. Lord North now rofe. He premifed, that it was far from his intention to give any oppofition to the addrefs, or to move any a mendment; for it must be an amendment of the utmost confequence indeed, that it would be fit or decent to move, at a time when it was highly proper that the Houfe fhould car. ry up to the throne an unanimous addrefs, declaratory, on one hand, of their zeal and readiness to concur with his Majesty's minifters in every endeavour to procure an honourable and advantageous peace; and, on the other, of their determined refolution to fupport them in the vigorous profecution of the war, if the enemy fhould be found obftimate in propofing unreasonable or difgraceful

terms of accommodation. Refolved therefore to support the address, it might be deemed unneceffary, perhaps, that he should fay any thing more on the fubject; but in justice to himself, to thofe with whom he had ferved, and to the nation at large, he did not think he ought to let the Houfe separate that night without first laying before them those thoughts which occurred to him just then on the fubject. And, firft, as to his Majesty's expreffions of concern for the loss of the Colonies, be thought they were highly becoming a Prince, whofe regard for his fubjects formed the most amiable part of his character ; no man loved his own family better than his Majesty did; no man would go farther to fecure their pro fperity; but his concern was not for his children or his family; it was the concern of a Patriot King, who felt for the injury that the lofs of America must be to his people.-The refources of the country had been mentioned, and mentioned with a degree of despondency which he could not but condemn; for thefe refources were not in so exhausted a state, as would juftify a fubmiflion on our part to any terms, however unreasonable, that the enemy might think proper to impofe. It had not been an object of hope with him for a long time back, that the dependence of America on G. Britain could be recovered; and therefore he had made up his mind to this, that in the end we fhould be obliged to make fome conceffions; but did it follow, that we fhould make inglorious conceflions? When we confidered the state of our resources, it was but fair that we should confider the relative fituation of our enemies. Holland was at present almost without a navy. America had at firft fupported her oppofition to the claims of this country by her paper-credit; but this paper having fallen into difrepote, the was at length obliged to have recourfe wo the only mode to which the ought to recur, and which alone could poffibly fupport her credit; this mode was to impofe taxes; but, like the former, this expedient entirely failed, and her resources were found to be com pletely exhausted. Spain, it was well known, was under the greatest difficulties to raife fopplies to carry on the war: paper-credit bad hitherto given fome assistance, but the people took it with reluctance, and it was the baye net alone that gave it currency: to this he would add, that her fettlements in South Ame rica were well known to be in a moft alarm ing fituation, and required all the attention, all the force, all the refources of Spain, to keep them within the limits of their obedience. France would thus feel all her allies depending upon her for pecuniary affiftance, which they must receive, or they must make peace France might poffibly be able, under ali these weights, to carry on the war; but n one could fuppofe that the could do it for

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any length of time; or that he would be lofty and untractable in a negotiation for peace. The ceffion of Gibraltar had been hinted, and was greatly condemned by an Hon. Member; but he was free to fay, that he should not think it an improper meafure, if it could be difpofed of to that advantage that ought to be expected from it: on this head we ought not to confider what we are willing to give for peace; but what the enemy would give us for thofe places which are actually in our hands. The Spaniards have now been convinced that Gibraltar is impregnable; it is a place that the King of Spain has long looked for with the fondest expectation; but he finds now, that he can never make himself master of it by force; and it is well known that he would give almost any thing to poffefs it: of this a proper ufe fhould be made. In the Welt Indies, we are mafters of St Lucia, an island in the very eye of the French fettlements, and which they prize infinitely more than all their conquests in that part of the world; and he was fo thoroughly convinced that the French knew it to be of fo much value to them, that he was fore they would not treat with us at prefent upon the uti poffidetis; for in India their territorial power was in our hands; and we were now the fole mafters of the Newfoundland fithery; fo that the French have abfolutely left more in value and importance than they have gained by the capture of our islands; not to fay any thing of the profpect before us, at this moment, from Our fuperiority in the western feas, of feeing fome of our former possessions wrested from the enemy. The wretched ftare of our navy at the clofe of the old administration had been mentioned: the change of that adminiftration took place, he believed, in the atter end of March; and, on the 12th of April following, the most glorious and rilhant victory was obtained that ever difinguished the annals of the world. On that ccafion, the Noble Admiral, who feemed o have been born for the falvation and ho. 1our of his country, had to contend with hirty-four fhips of the line; of thefe he took and destroyed eight; one ran on fhore near Bolton; the St Efprit was fo greatly damaged hat the could never be brought to Europe; and one foundered at sea; nine more were ent home in a wretched condition, having een found beyond the poflibility of a repair n America; to that of this formidable fleet f thirty-four ships, no more were to be ound together than twelve, which were lying Bofton: furely the merit of this was due O the late admiralty that had fent out an dmiral and a fleet able to gain fo great, fo lorious, so decisive a victory. As to the eet under Lord Howe, it confifted of this -four ships of the line: gentlemen must VOL. XLIV.

furely fee, that unless fhips fprung up like mushrooms in the night, the new admiralty could not have fent fuch a noble fleet to sea, if they had not found the thips ready to their hands, and the yards filled with immenfe quantities of naval ftores to repair them; and furely he who lays the foundation is fairly intitled to share the merit with him who raifes the fuperftructure; fo that he might fay to the modern naval Alexander, "True, you have been fuccessful; true, you have been victorious; true, you have conquered; but you have conquered with the troops of Philip " As to the provifional articles mentioned in the fpeech, he thought it would not be prudent that they should be laid as yet upon the table; but he would hope that care had been taken to mark out proper boundaries; fo that whenever France fhould think proper to make a peace, we should have nothing further to fettle with America: he hoped that proper boundaries would be marked out to enable his Majesty to make provision for thofe loyal men who had abandoned their eftates and profeffions from their loyalty to their Sovereign. He took it for granted, that Savannah, Charlestown, and New York, were either actually, or were to be evacuated; in return, he hoped that proper ftipulations had been made to fecure a barrier in lien of New York.His Lordship touched upon the free gifts from the people, which he maintained to be ftrictly legal; and among great law authori ties, he quoted Lord Hardwicke in fupport of their legality: benevolences had been often declared to be illegal; but it was because they were not really benevolences, but extorted by the privy council from the people against their will —He gave ministers also his opinion, in terms of great energy, upon the conduct that ought to be held in negotiating a peace with France at this crifis. He obferved it had been fuggested, that fome difficulties had arifen in consequence of certain fufpicions entertained of the lincerity of a Noble Earl high in office, (Lord Shelburne). If the fact were fo, if the treaty were managed with proper spirit, it could be of no confequence. He advifed minifters to act with firmness and fpirit; he bid them fay to the commiffioners of France, "Talk not to us of this, or that individual; we treat for the British nation. However we may have our internal struggles for power, and our differences upon fpeculative points, with regard to regulations of reform at home, we are agreed to ONE man with regard to you; and we treat with you on that ground, and on that ground only." His Lordship added, that he himself, and he hoped, fitared as we now were, every man, confidered a domestic opponent, however virulent, however fevere, however for midable, as his bofom friend, in comparit 4 L

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