wards read, and agreed to; and the Lords with white flaves were ordered to wait on his Majefty, to know when his Majesty will be pleased to be attended therewith. Both Houses prefented their addreffes next day. A greater number of members attended than ufual: the Hon. Charles Fox, Mr Burke, the Rt Hon. Charles Townshend, and Lord John Cavendish, graced the proceffion. Both addreffes were the fame in fubftance, very nearly in the fame words. - Both thank the King for communicating the paper delivered to Lord Weymouth by the Spanish ambassador, which they confider as a matter of the highest importance;-after which the Lords fay, "We beg leave to affure your Majefty, that among the many proofs we have received of your Majefty's conftant care and concern for the fafety and hap pinefs of your people, your Majesty's declaration of your fincere defire to preferve and to cultivate peace and friendly intercourfe with the court of Spain, cannot fail to inspire us with the highest fentiments of gratitude and attachment; and that, animated by your Majelty's example, we will, with unfhaken fidelity and refolution, and with our lives and fortunes, ftand by and fupport your Majefty against all the hoftile defigns and attempts of your enemies against the honour of your crown, and the rights and common interefts of all your Majefty's fubjects." The Commons conclude in the fame words, only a little tranfpofed; and the King's answer was in thefe words. Gentlemen, This unanimous and affectionate addrefs affords me the trueft fatisfaction, and demands my particular thanks. The zealous and firm fupport of my faithful Commons at this important crifis, muft give the greatest weight and effect to my exertions of the national force. I can entertain no fear of the defigns or the enterprises of my enemies, whilft 1 ftand at the head of a free, brave, and united people." But on the day that the addreffes were prefented, twenty Lords entered a proteft, viz. to be called for by the extreme magnitude of the dangers which furround us. The formal surrender of all right to taNorth America, propofed by the very fame minifters, who, at the expence of fifty thousand lives, and thirty millions of money, had, for three years fucceffively, attempted to establish this claim neceffarily proves, either that those principles of legiflation, which they had thus afferted and thus abandoned, were unjuft in themselves, or that the whole power of G. Britain, under their conduct, was unable to effectuate a reason. able dependency of its own colonies: A dilemma dishonourable to them, and ruinous to us; and which, whatever fide is taken, proves them wholly undeferving of the future confidence of a fovereign and a people, whofe implicit truft in them (the largeft which ever was repofed in any minifter, by any king or any nation) they have abused in a manner of which the records of parliament and the calamities of the nation are but too faithful witneffes. If, with the whole force of G. Britain and Ireland, aided by the most lavifh grants, affifted by thirty thousand Germans, unobstructed for a long time by any foreign power, they have failed in three campaigns against the unprepa red provinces of North America, we fhould hold ourfelves unworthy of all truft, if we were willing to confide in thofe abilities which have totally failed in the single contest with the colonies, for refcuing us from the united and fresh efforts of France and Spain, in addition to the fuccefsful refiftance of North America. In fuch a fituation, a change of fyftem appeared to us to be our indifpenfable duty to advife. We have confidered fuch a change as the only means of procuring that union of councils, that voluntary effort of every individual in the empire, which is neceffary to be called forth in this hour of danger. We have readily concurred in a fincere offer of our lives and fortunes in fupport of his Majefty, againft the attacks of his enemies. Thofe valuable pledges both of what is our own perfonally, and of what belongs to our fellow-citizens, (which ought to be, and are, no lefs dear to us), give us a full right to claim and demand some better • [f the plan propofed by E. R. [36.631] had been adopted, this lofs of men and mo ney might perhaps have been prevented.] fecurity fecurity for their being employed with judgement and effect, for the purposes for which we offer them, than can be derived from the opinions in which all mankind concur of the total want of capacity of his Majesty's minifters. We have avoided recommending any specific measures, in order not to embarrafs government in a moment of fuch difficulty. But we have no fcruple in declaring, that whatever may be the future conduct of G. Britain with refpect to America, the collecting our force, at a proper time, to refift and to annoy our natural rivals and ancient enemies, feems to us beyond a doubt to be proper and expedient. 2. We think this advice the more feafonable, because we know the obftinate attachment of the minifters to that unfortunate fyftem, from the fatal predilection to which they have fuffered the fafety of the ftate to be endangered, and the naval ftrength of our powerful, jealous, and natural rivals, to grow under their eyes, without the least attempt to interrupt it, until it had arrived at its prefent alarming magnitude, and hoftile direction. 3. This plan appears to us ftrongly enforced by the melancholy condition in which the mifconduct and criminal neglects of the minitters have placed us: -Our beft refources wafted and confumed; the British empire rent afunder; a combination of the most powerful nations formed against us, with a naval fuperiority both in number of fhips and alacrity of preparation; and this country, now for the first time, left entirely expofed, without the aid of a fingle ally; we should think ourfeives partakers in the offences of the minifters, and accessories but which can have no existence, but from a well-founded opinion that it is to be exerted under minifters and commanders who poffefs the esteem and affection of the people. We have in vain called for fome plan on which to build better hopes, or for fome reason for adhering to the prefent system. We have in vain requefted to know, what have been the circumstances of the mediation, what are the grievances complained of by the Spanish court, in order that we may weigh the juftice of that war in which we are going to engage: on which foundation alone we can rely for the protection of Providence. We have urged the neceflity of the great council of the nation continuing to fit, that his Majefty may not be deprived of the advice of parliament in fuch a difficult crifis. All these representations have been met with a fullen and unfatisfactory fi. lence; which gives us but too much reafon to conclude, that minifters mean to perfevere in that unhappy courfe which has been the caufe of all our miffortunes. After doing our utmost to awaken the Houfe to a better fenfe of things, we take this method of clearing ourfelves of the confequences which muft refult from the continuance of fuch measures. Richmond Abergavenny Derby De Ferrars Harcourt Rockingham Scarborough Ponfuby Portland Devonshire Radnor Egrement Coventry Manchester Hereford Effingham Foley Ferrers King Fitzwilliam For the ScOTS MAGAZINE. GETATION. IN autumn 1777, I put up fome pota to our own deftruction, if we neglected A remarkable inftance of the force of VEany poffible means of fecuring a proper application of all the force we have left, from a blind confidence in persons, on whofe account no nation in Europe will have any confidence in us. A manly difpofition in parliament to apply the national wisdom to the cure of the national distempers, would reftore our credit and reputation abroad, and induce foreign nations to court that alliance which now they fly from; would invi. gorate our exertions at home, and call forth the full operation of that British fpirit which has fo often, under the direction of wife counfel aud a protecting providence, proved fuperior to numbers; toes, of the white kind, well cleared from earth, in a fmall cellar under a tone ftair, within the house; fuppofing from the coolness of the place, and its being totally excluded from the fun and external air, that the potatoes would keep longer than where more expofed. They, however, began to fprout early next fpring; and three or four pecks of them were fuffered to remain in the cellar throughout the fummer. The fmall place in which they lay, had, on cach Ede, a brick partition, brick breadth, 812 and Abbot's Inch, June 9. 1779. F. D. and laid with lime; and one of the ing grain, especially beans and peale, fides, which divided it from a bed-cham- fome corn is loft from the fack or feedber, had a double coat of hard lime basket; the loft corn fprings first, and plaifter, oppofite to the potatoes. One pufheth up to a greater length than that of the shoots having pointed to the in- which was regularly fown; though, as terftice between two courfes of brick, the plants ftand much clofer, one fhould made its way through, pushed down the think they would receive lefs nourishment plaifter, and was above a foot long from the earth. I am no naturalift; and, through the wall, in full ftrength, when therefore, this reafoning may be wide I obferved it. The wall was perfectly of the point. dry, and the aperture made by the stem about two feet above the floor of the A method of giving brick-work a stone coroom. Upon looking into the cellar, which was quite dark, I obferved all the potatoes fprung to a great height, and upon every joint of the tendrils fmall potatoes formed, about the fize of a pea. In this ftate they remained till the month of October; by which time they were fo matted and entangled with one another, and with the little earth which had adhered to them, that it was fcarce poffible to separate them: the heap was, with great labour, torn asunder, by an earth-pick. Lour. I Take it for granted, that every plai. fterer knows the compofition of the common white-wash which the plaiferers call flab: in five gallons of this flab diffolve half or three quarters of a pound of oker, pounded to a powder, and one pound of the beft glue; which glue muft be firft melted in water, in the fame manner as the joiners melt it for their ufe; this oker and glue, well mixed with the flab, makes a clear freeft me coI found a great many potatoes per- lour, which will continue clean and good fectly formed, feveral of them about for three years, and doing once over the fize of a large plum. When boiled, with the fame wath will make it new a they had an infipid tafte. I planted a gain. More or lefs oker makes a strongbout half a peck of them next fpring, er or paler colour; but by trying it a cut in eyes, and they produced a very gainft a wall, one may mix it to a fhade; good crop. It seems almoft incredible, but he muft ufe no more than the pound that the tender shoot of a potato fhould of glue to five gallons, as more glue pierce through tand and lime confoli- would thicken it too much, and render dated: but it may be confidered, that it liable to scale off. This makes a clear on the point of every growing vegetable colour like new freestone; but when I there is a certain degree of moisture, have coloured over darker ftone buildtill it puts forth its leaves; and when ings, inftead of the oker as above, I the point comes in contact with an ab- diffolve a half or a quarter of a pound of forbent body, there is an unremitting copperas in the five gallons of flab, with fuction while any moisture remains in the one pound of glue, which neceffa the fupplying root. As the oppofing rily makes a colour darker than the oker; body moiftens, the ftem pusheth for- and this copperas colour I find more per. ward till it gets into open air. In the manent but not fo beautiful as the oker cafe which I now defcribe, the potato- colour. When one colours any brickfhoot could not have pierced the folid work for the first time, he must wash it plaifter, if the moisture had not first over one coat with the common whiteSpread itself around, and thrown down wash or flab, as the oker colour never two or three handbreadths of it. The looks or wears fo well, as when the ftem of a tingle potato, lying alone, buildings are firft well covered with a could not have produced this effect. I white wash, and this white-wafh muft conclude, therefore, that the force of this item must have been much increafed, by the vegetation of fo many other po tatoes in contact with its root; for as they lay in a promifcuous heap, the vegetative force would exert itself in all directions, and every fhoot impel the other. Something fimilar to this is obferved in the open fields, when, in fow have the glue in it:-it is beft likewife to ufe it as foon as it is mixed, while it is warm; as the glue thickens when it is cold, and renders it more liable to fcale off; and while using it must be stirred often with a trowel, to prevent the oker falling to the bottom; and if for out-of-door work, it must be washed in dry weather, AME Extract of a letter from Henry Laurens, Efq; Prefident of the Congress, to Gov. Houston of Georgia, dated, Philadelphia, Aug. 27. 1778. I should not have remained fo long in arrear for your Excellency's obliging letter of the 9th of June, had I not flattered myself with hopes, that long be fore this day the circumftances of Georgia would have been introduced as a fubject demanding the confideration of congrefs; but it has happened otherwife. To account for the probable reafons would be extremely unpleafant, and perhaps at this time equally improper; nevertheless it is my duty, Sir, as a fellow citizen, to fuggeft to you, in that, as well as in the character of fupreme magiftrate of a state, that, in my humble opinion, we cannot fairly afcribe the dormancy of this and of many other momentous concerns to want of leifure. I fee with grief the return of our troops from Eaft Florida without that fuccefs which your Excellency had hoped for. This unhappy circumftance will add to the diftreffes of Georgia, and mcreafe her cries for relief. While St Augustine remains in poffef. fion of the enemy, Georgia will be unhappy, and ber exiftence as a free and independent state rendered very doubtful: South Carolina too will be contiBually galled by rovers and cruifers from that peftiferous neft. Another expedition must therefore be undertaken, at a season of the year which will not outvie the bullets and bayonets of the enemy in the deftruction of our men. I have before me a plan for reducing Faft Florida, which I will have the honour of communicating to your Excel. lency very foon. In the mean time, I am conftrained to fay, that unless the veral fates will keep their reprefentation in congrefs filled by men of competent abilities, unfhaken integrity, and unremitting diligence, a plan which I very much fear is laid for the fubduction of our confederate independence, will, by the operations of mafked enemies, be completely executed, fo far I mean as relates to all the sea-coast, and poffibly to the prefent generation.-Were I to unfold to you, Sir, fcenes of venality, peculation, and fraud, which I have difCovered, the difclofure would aflonith you; nor would you, Sir, be lefs aftonished, were I, by a detail which the occafion would require, to prove to you, that he must be a pitiful rogue,, who, when detected or fufpected, meets not with powerful advocates among those who in the prefent corrupt time ought to exert all their powers in defence and fupport of these friend-plundered, much injured, and I was almost going to fay, finking ftates. Don't apprehend, Sir, that I colour too high, or that any part of these intimations are the effect of rafh judgement or defpondency: I am warranted to fay they are not; my opinion, my fentiments, are fupported every day by the declaration of individuals; the difficulty lies in bringing men collectively to attack with vigour a proper object. I have faid fo much to you, Sir, as governor of a ftate, not intending it for public converfation, which found policy forbids, and at the fame time commands deep thinking from every man appointed a guar dian of the fortunes and honour of these orphan ftates. Governor Living fon's Reply. [270.] "New-York, April 21. The following letter was brought to Head Quarters from New Jerfey a few days ago; which being the production of the titular governor of that province, Sir Henry Clinton paid no manner of attention to it. Elizabeth-town, April 15. 1779. "SIR, I received your Excellency's letter of the 10th inft. this afternoon; and had an opportunity, about an hour after, to fee a copy of it in the New-York American Gazette, together with mine of the 29th of March, which occafioned it. Your Excellency, by thefe publications, compared with a certain paflage in your letter, feems determined to clofe our correfpondence, by precluding me from a reply. But by the laws of England, Sir, the beft of which we intend to adopt, leaving the reft to our old friends of the realm, he who opens a cause hath the privilege of concluding it. It is the obfervation of foreigners, that America has fhewn her fuperiority to G. Britain, no lefs in the decency of her writing, than in the fuccefs of her arms. I have too great a respect for my native country, whatever I ought to have for Sir Henry Clinton, to furnish an inftance mark. in contradiction of fo honourable a re- that you cannot write three paragraphs without being ftartled by the fhocking fpectre? And if there are any intimates in the cafe, how do you know but that they are intimates of your own? I told you, that "your perfon was more in my power than I had reafon to think you i magined:" but is there no fuch thing as that of one person's being in the power of another without murder? Indeed, Sir, from the fpecimen of your induc tions, you ought to be a much better general than you appear to be a logician, or America need be under no apprehen fions about her independence during your adminiftration. Perhaps, Sir, you entertain too exalt ed an opinion of your own importance, in deeming it a condefcenfion in you to anfwer a letter, informing you, in the moft inoffenfive terms, of an overture made by one of your general officers to have me affaffinated. Alas! how many a hopeful gentleman has been made gid. dy by a Star and Garter! It had doubtlefs redounded more to your honour, and afforded a ftronger argument of your abhorring fuch infamous meafures, to have called upon me for the proofs, and manifefted a proper refentment against the criminal, than to flourish about the capability of your foul, and to betray a want of politenefs fo unufual in perfons of your rank and breeding, and without any other provocation than by complain. ing to you of the conduct of one under your command, fo repugnant to the law of arms, and the fentiments of humanity. That you have a foul capable of har. bouring fo infamous an idea as affaffination, I was fo far from intimating, that I told you I thought it highly improbable you should either countenance, connive at, or be privy to a design so fanguinary and difgraceful; and I remember, that when I ufed the word improbable, I had like to have faid impoffible, but that I was deterred, on recollecting numerous inftances, by the extreme difficulty of precifely afcertaining the utmoft poffibility of British cruelty. Whatever your foul may be capable of, I fhould have ventured, before the receipt of your letter, to have pronounced it impoffible for you to be capable of opprobrious language. How far, Sir, I am now to believe this impoffibility, I leave you in your cooler moments to determine. However trifling an end you may fuppofe would be obtained by my affaffination, you certainly thought my capture, not long fince, important enough to make me a principal object of what was, in a literal fenfe, a very dirty expedition. What could induce you to say that I boafted of the power of being able to difpofe of your life, by means of intimates of mine, ready to murder at my command, I am at a lofs to guefs. Is there a word in my letter about your life, or about muider? Or is your Excellency fo haunted with the thought of murder, from a confcioufnels of British barbarity, As to your "must not be troubled with any farther correfpondence with Mr Livingfton," believe me, Sir, that! have not the leaft paffion for interrupt ing you in your more ufeful correfpond ence with the miniftry, by which the n tion will doubtlefs be greatly edified and which will probably furnish mate rials for the most authentic history of prefent war; and that you cannot lefs ambitious of my correspondence the I am of yours; because whatever im provement I might hope to receive from you in the art of war, and especially the particular branches of conductin moon-light retreats, aud planning cret expeditions, I should not expe from our correfpondence any confide able edification or refinement in the piftolary way. I am, therefore, extreme ly willing to terminate it, by wishing yo a fafe voyage acrofs the Atlantic, wit the fingular glory of having attempted reduce to bondage a people determine to be free and independent. I am, Sir, your humble fervant, WIL. LIVINGSTON His Excellency Gen. Sir Henry Clinton "New York, April 14. Two mo loyalifts, named Siraw and Coal, app hended on a charge of being spies, enemies to an American republic, w on Friday laft, executed at Hackina in Jerfey." Boston, March 4. The House of R prefentatives of Maffachufet's-bay published its refolves, containing dire tions to the judge-probates of count for paying the debts and felling the flates and effects of the abfentees. T judge-probate appoints three comm fioners, who are to fettle all demands the estates of abfentees, and take prof meafures in difpofing of them; and |