which the principals felt themfelves re. fponfible to God and to their country, they were led to adjust it among them. felves in repeated discussions; and their minutes delivered to their fecretary were verbatim what was afterwards printed.

Having thus admitted fo very intimate a knowledge of the paper in queftion, I ought at least to be able to fay what my own meaning was. I had been the inftrument on the part of this country of making offers more explicit and more liberal than any government in any inftance of hiftory ever made to its dependencies. What we had faid amounted nearly to this: "We defire you to be our brothers under one father; we claim no pretenfions from our elderfhip; we expect no inequality; we infift only in having one king, one friend, and one enemy, a free union of force and friendship.' What then was their anfwer? "We will have a total and eternal separation from you; we have attached ourselves to your inveterate enemy; to that attachment we will adhere." What then was our natural and obvious reply? "If you will be confidered as Frenchmen, you must and ought to be confidered as Frenchmen who are at war with us. The conteft is changed: we have hitherto marched through your country, in the daily expectation of fitting once more with you under the fhade of the fame vine: we marched without raifing contributions, without deftroying your docks or ftorehoufes, without dismantling your armed towns; we quitted Bofton without injury; we evacuated Philadelphia, and left large ftores behind us; we have hitherto treated you as chidren, or friends under a temporary separation; we muft now treat you as you chufe to be treated, as ftrangers to our blood, profeffing enmity to us. Recollect then that you are calling upon yourfelves, and thofe you pretend to reprefent, all thofe feverities which the laws and ufages of war among .civilized nations will warrant, and jufify."

Á fhort recollection of thofe laws and ufages of war, applied to the paft conduct of our armies, is, indeed, a moft fufficient defence of the paragraph in question. Nothing, in my opinion, is more clear, than that the exertions made by this country previous to the year 1778, have been amply adequate to the reduction of the rebellion; and furely he lenity to which that paragraph al

ludes, though not the chief caufe, is the moft creditable caufe of our failure; that caufe is furely the most flattering both to this country, and to the late commanders, and to those who inftructed them. In plain English, if this war is to be profecuted, and that it must be so is a matter, not merely of expedience or juftice, but of neceffity, it must be followed in a very different system. Not with a wanton inhumanity, unauthorised by the cu. ftom of civilized nations; but with thofe feverities which are utually exercifed in our days by one foreign nation at war with another, and which, horrible and calamitous as they appear in fanciful defcriptions and declamations, are, in a moral sense, not more fo than the common ufe of the mufket; againft which lefs is faid, because we are more familiarifed to it." [40. 654.]

1 fhall detain the House no longer than to add, that, for every part of my con duct in America, I know I am, and ought to be accountable to my country. But when I consider the leading affistance which I had from my colleagues, and the motives under which we all acted, I dread neither the trial of my contemporaries, nor the judgement of pofterity. Through the whole, indeed, of this A merican war, as well in the civil as in the military measures adopted and, purfued, the land-marks of truth are fixed and permanent. The torrent of my Hon. Friend's eloquence may obfcure or overwhelm them for a day; but the tor rent will disappear, the land-marks will remain, and the fair and fteady ftream of hiftory will continue to flow round them, long after that gentleman has loft the ta lent of commanding the opinions of o thers, and I the with- to be better able to exprefs my own.

Ld G. Germain said, that in order to convince the Houfe, that it would be highly reprehenfible for government to offer terms, read a refolution of Con grefs, in which it was ftated, that they could not bear to hear the commiffione proclamation read, because it contained indecent expreffions against their good and great ally [40. 427, 430.] the King of France. His Lordship allo read the anfwer of Congrefs [40. 430.]; and then afked if any member could hear thofe words, and fay he now withed to offer peace to America? His Lordship then went on to declare, that it had never been his idea that America could be con

quered;

quered; that the war had not been conducted with that view; that America had been treated with the utmost forbearance; that he trusted rather to the good fenfe and feelings of the people of America in general than to the force of arms; that he had hoped, and he was far from giving up that hope, that America would fee her error, that the would discover she could not be truly happy but when connected with fome great power; that she could not form any connection fo much for her intereft, and fo much for her happiness, as a connection with G. Britain. This hope was now, as he had faid, very strong in his mind: he had often afferted, and he renewed the affertion, that the majority of the people of America were with us; as a proof of this, we had large corps of provincials in arms in our favour, and he had that very day received a letter from Gov. Tryon, in which the Governor affured him, that we had now 7000 American feamen employed in our privateers. It was the Congress only that oppofed a reunion with this country; and even the Congrefs were far from being of one opinion on the fubject. His Lordfhip faid, it would be the extreme of impolicy to repeal the prohibitory act; and took notice of what the Hon. Gentleman [Mr Fox] had faid refpecting Gen. Robertfon; obferving, that if that gentleman had paid no attention to what the General faid, it was plain his evidence had attracted the notice of other gentlemen; because, old and infirm as Gen. Robertson was, he had been examined three days, had been kept at the bar feven hours at once, and parted with at twelve at night with great reluctance, and not fuffered to withdraw until he had been appointed to appear at the rendezvous on Monday. He faid, he had called Gen. Robertfon, not to examine him to military points, because he thought that Houfe an improper place for a military inquiry; but that be could fcarcely get an opportunity of putting thofe queftions to him, for the fake of which he called him, fo much were o ther gentlemen intent on examining him. His Lordship concluded with faying, he

hould give the motion a flat negative.

The applaufe which proceeded from the majority, at the conclufion of Ld G. Germain's fpeech, made it fome time before Mr Burke could be heard ; who began with cenfuring these bursts of apVOL. XLI.

plaufe and triumphs of the majority, whom he perceived prepared to reject his friend's motion. All the tranfactions of the American war he recapitulated in the courfe of his fpeech, and the humiliating changes of opinion and conduct the miniftry had exhibited to the Houfe. He faid, that if the conceffions made afterwards had been made before the French treaty, peace would have been long fince concluded; and he blamed the minifter for adjourning the parliament for the Christmas recefs, at the very time he knew from Lord Stormont, that the treaty was on the point of being concluded. He pronounced this country to be irrecoverably loft if we fhould be a fecond time too late; for which reason he fhould vote for his friend's addrefs.

Mr Dundas, Lord Advocate for Scotland, thanked Mr Burke for his fine fpeech, and then flatly told him it was very little to the purpofe; it might be amufing, but it was not neceffary to the queftion. He then took up the ground of the addrefs, and said, that it only meant to eftablish facts already well known; it was acknowledged, that the exertions of this country had been amazing, and that they had failed of fuccefs: he should not enter into the cause; but was G. Britain now, when the feales were turning in her favour, tamely to fubmit to offer the terms that Congrefs had with difdain refused? He thought it madness to defire this. And as to repealing the reftraining act, he was total ly against it, as being the only coercive measure not to be complained of as fanguinary or cruel. He infifted on it, that the miniftry had tried every honourable method to negotiate a peace; but that we ought to go on with spirit, and be reduced to the laft refource, before we fubmitted to acknowledge the independency of America, or to withdraw our troops, and leave the loyal part of the inhabitants of that country to the mercy of the rebels and the French.

The motion was negatived without a divifion.

ANECDOTE of the ROYAL BOUNTY. Huished for her eminent virtues, thines

ER Majefty, who is very juftly diftin

in none more than in her charity. She has three claffes of widows (twelve of each) whom the penfions agreeably to the fituations they held in life; the lowest of them have twenty guineas per annum, which is paid. quarterly, and in advance.

3 L

AME

66

Col. Lawfon writes to the Governor of Virginia, dated, Smithfield, May 13. "I prefume that your Excellency is already informed of the motions of the enemy. According to the details which I have received, all the unfortunate inhabitants, without fupport, who were met with on the road, have fuffered the moft cruel depredations of all kinds. They exceed by much all the inhumanity they have daily experienced, and act contrary to all the laws of war received among civilized nations. The enemy feized on every means of fubfiftence in the country, with an unparallelled avidity. They deftroyed all the habitations, and every fpecies of property capable of destruction, without relaxing for a fingle moment their rapacity and fury. A minute account of their conduct would be a frightful recital, and compose a picture of the most bafe and fhocking crimes. There is no kind of cruelty which they did not exercife againft our unhappy countrymen. The militia of this place having been told they fhall be provided with arms, have fhewed the most lively ardour to make reprisals against such ferocious enemies."

The Chev, d'Amnours, the French conful at Baltimore, writes to M. Gerard, May 20.-" Fire, violence, and outrages of every kind, mark their [the British troops] fteps: the women are not even fpared. Among the many horrors accompanying this expedition, I fhall relate two acts of cruelty which are affirmed on all fides. The firft relates to feven Frenchmen, who were taken without arms at a poft near Great Bridge, and were cruelly murdered in cold blood. The fecond concerns the capture of an American vefiel, the captain of which, the crew, and about eight paffengers, were all French. After a defence, which would have excited the efteem of any other enemy, they were compelled to ftrike, the number and fize of the foe being more than five times what they carried. After their fubmiffion every foul on board was maffacred: the captain was alfo included in this general flaughter: -A piece of cruelty which is entirely repugnant to the established rights of nations. I give you but a faint sketch of the hor.

rible picture which has here presented itfelf, in the conduct of the men concerned in the Virginian expedition. I have faid but little; but what I have said, I know to be true."

A letter, dated, Baltimore, May 21. fays, “Our last advices from below are from Hampton, dated on Tuesday night. After burning Suffolk, and fome Whigs houfes in its vicinity, the enemy divided their force there, and marched, part for South Quay, and part for Smithfield, a little higher up James's river. I wish not unjustly to brand even an enemy with cruelty and inhumanity; but, alas! ftubborn facts too fully juftify the charge. A gentleman from near Suffolk, affures me, they dragged a gentleman of confe quence in both public and private life, (who is an inhabitant of Nafemond county, and an old acquaintance of yours, therefore it would be painful for me to particularize him), together with his daughters, from their house, and carried them on board their fhipping, and there, while the wretched father was loaded with chains on board the same veffel, the ftill more wretched daughters, (if more wretched it was poffible to be), became victims to their luft. Capt. Davis was fhot down, as he fat in the room with his family, although he made no refift ance. Mifs D, a young lady of great merit, who was carried on board their fleet, has not been heard of fince. I these things do not rouse America, we ought to be for ever flaves. The old fcoundrel G is with them, and infolent as ever.”

"In Congrefs, May 24. Forafmuch as it has been reprefentel to Congrefs, That the enemy, fince they have fet foot in Virginia, have commit ted the most cruel outrages, unurged by neceffity, and out of mere wantonna as well towards the citizens of the States, as towards divers fubjects of hi Moft Chriftian Majefty refiding in that part of the Continent, in flaughtering feveral of them in cold blood, althoug they yielded themselves prisoners, in vi lating their women, and defolating the country:

Refolved, That the Governor of Vir ginia be defired to make the most fper inquiry into the truth of these reprefen tations; and that he tranfmit to Congres all the information which he can colle on the fubject:

Refolred

Refolved, That Congress will retaliate the infractions of the laws committed in thefe States, in adopting the fame meafure which the enemy have employed; and that the protection of Congrefs fhall, on all occafions, be extended equally to the citizens of thefe States, and to the fubjects of his Moft Chriftian Majesty."

If Congrefs fhall publifh the information here required from the Governor of Virginia, and if we get a copy, it fhall be inferted: we hope it will be found that there is great exaggeration in the accounts above inferted.

"Boston, June 3. We are informed by the extracts of the Congress minutes, dated, May 20. that the province of Maryland have refused to accede to the confederation of the rebel-ftates [39.82.], for reafons given in a series of inftruc. tions fent to their delegates.' New-York papers.

"Committee of the Houfe of Delegates in Virginia, June 8, 1779.- Refolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, 1. That thofe inhabitants of this state who were beyond sea at the commencement of hoftilities at Lexington, and have not fince by overt acts adhered to the public enemy, ought still to be deemed citizens of this commonwealth, and permitted to return thereto. 2. That thofe inhabitants of this ftate who were beyond fea at the commencement of hoftilities at Lexington, and have fince by overt acts adhered to the enemy, and those who left this ftate, and joined the fubjects of his Britannic Majefty fince the faid commencement of hoftilities, and before the declaration of independence, or the act of the general affembly fubfequent thereto, intitled, An act declaring what fall be treafon, ought to be confidered as having made their election to be British subjects, aliens to this commonwealth, and as fuch ought to be deemed in law, and dealt with where-ever they may be found. 3. That the effects, real and personal, within this commonwealth, of all aliens, enemies to the commonwealth, ought to be fold for the moft that can be had, and the money carried into the public treafury for the future direction of the legiflature. 4. That provifion ought to be made by law, declaring who shall be deemed citizens of the commonwealth, and for naturalizing foreigners."

"New York, June 23. The following was put up in a public part of Philadel phia ftreets, about the 20th of May.

"For our Country's Good.

THE depreciation of our money, and the high prices which every thing has got to, is one and the fame thing. We afk not who introduced the evil, how it arofe, or who encouraged it. In the midft of money we are in poverty, and expofed to want in a land of plenty. You that have money, and you that have none, down with your prices, or down with yourselves. For, by the living and eternal, we will bring every article down to what it was laft Christmas, or we will down with those who oppose it. We have turned out against the enemy, and we will not be eaten up by monopolizers and foreftallers. Come on Colly."

The following anonymous addrefs made its appearance in fome of the revolted provinces in America, the date not mentioned.

"My Friends and Countrymen,

To your reafon and to your common fenfe I now make my appeal. It is yet in our power to enfure to ourselves peace, liberty, and fafety: The fame fpirit of exertion and freedom which Congress call upon us to difplay, may release us, if well directed, from all our prefent diftreffes, and obtain every bleffing which a rational people can wifh for. Were our independence to be acknowledged by England, it would be a curfe to us; but she never will acknowledge it, while fhe has a fhip left on the ocean to chaftife the infolence of the French King. Why then should we vainly contend and lengthen out our mifery? Congrefs are leading us to deftruction, with the view of faving themfelves; it is their own fafety, their confequence, and their property, they are anxious about, not our intereft and happiness. Thofe whom we have unfortunately fet up, we have à right to pull down: let us, then, down with them; for as long as the war con tinues, and the event remains undetermined, fo long muft the public fecurity offered us remain doubtful and precarious.

None, furely, can be fo weak as to imagine, that the faith of the United States can be any fubftantial fecurity for the money emitted on its credit, whilft independence, though declared by Congrefs, is contended by G. Britain; and if the quantity iffued exceeds the value of the property pledged for its redemption, it is obvious that the credit of the money must be loffened in proportion. The value of the whole taxable property in A. merica

312

merica would not be equal to the nominal value of the quantity of money emitted and in circulation [371.]; and while this circumftance is connected with the uncertain event above mentioned, it must confequently be fubject to the fame fate. While thefe two grand causes exist, while our trade and commerce are checked and ruined, and we are prevented from acquiring folid wealth for the produce of our farms, not all the fchemes which Congrefs can devife, however enforced by refolves, by edicts, or by taxes, can raife the credit of, or give ftability to, our currency. As well might they attempt to invert the order of nature, or affert that nothing is a substance.

Does it not appear as clear as the fair face of day, that while the continental fpecie refts on no firm bafis, nor has any folid fund to fupport it, there can be no afcertaining its value? It must be as uncertain as the fluctuating wave on which it floats. Until our money be rendered certain by the event of the prefent unhappy difpute, like a leech it will ftick to us, and fuck out our blood. But even fuppofing our independence were abfolutely established, the quantity ftill remaining, and exceeding the value of taxable property, muft of course be as much depreciated, befides entailing a curfe upon us and our children, for a century to come, of a future heavy tax in order to fink it. Let us then in time take care; let us roufe to our own falvation; give up our ideal independence, and receive that happiness and freedom which the mother-country now fo generously offers

us."

We have accounts of no remarkable military operations in North America fince our laft.

An officer in Gen. Clinton's army, in a letter, dated, Camp, Valentine's Heights, June 16. writes, "On the 18th of May, Gen. Clinton, with 7000 men, icroffed the river into the Jerfeys, advanced towards the enemy's ftrong pofts, and took Fort la Fayette.- Sir William Erskine, with 4000 men, is left to cover this part of the country, which is five miles in front of the lines at King's-bridge. Our regiment (the Queen's Rangers) is with his divifion. The 3d inftant our regiment had a long march into the country, in order to surprise a party of rebels who were collecting cattle for their army; and we returned to our camp the fame night, with at least 600 head of cattle."

"New York, June 29. A few days ago, as a rebel court-martial was fitting in judgement on a number of the friends to government, at Crampond, about fifty miles up the Hudfon's river in the Jerfeys, they were furrounded by a party of our light dragoons. Forty-feven of the rebels were taken, and fifteen killed on the spot. After which our foldiers fet fire to the court-houfe, which, together with the bodies of the rebels that were killed in it, was reduced to afhes. The prisoners, among whom are three captains and three lieutenants, were landed here last night."

Gen. Prevoft has failed in his attempt upon Charlestown [375.]; nay, according to fome accounts, he has met with a difafter fimilar to that of Gen. Burgoyne: but nothing to be depended on has yet appeared.

Accounts from the Weft Indies are interefting.

An account of the taking of St Vircent's by the French is published, dated, Fort-Royal, Martinico, June 30.-Adm. Byron having bore down to leeward on the 6th of June, to protect the trade, which had affembled at Grenada, and were to rendezvous at St Chriftopher's, M. d'Eftaign, taking advantage of the abfence of the British fleet, fent the Chev. du Rumain, lieutenant of the navy, with four armed veffels, and 300 men, commanded by M. de Canonge, to take the inland of St Vincent's. "The fquadron failed from Martinico on the 9th of June; but, being retarded by contrary winds, did not reach St Vincent's till the 16th. Having effected their landing without oppofition, the troops marched to Caliaqua, a poft defended by only two guns and fix men, which yielded at the fir approach. They then marched on towards King's-town, and came to Mount Hartley; from whence they faw King'stown, and the enemy fhut up in the fort, to the number of 60 or 80. The Cheva lier refolved to attack it directly; when 600 of the Caribs (whofe hatred of the English, and inclination for the French*, has conftantly appeared) were seen on the heights, with loud cries, according to their manner. The fort then asked to capitulate, and their proposals were received. But while the articles were regulating, the Chev. du Romain percei

[See the places referred to in the indexes to vol. 34. & 35. under America, St Fu cent's.]