THE HISTORY O F ENGLAND. GEORGE THE THIRD. CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SECOND: 1777-1778. - Meeting of parliament. - Debates on the addrefs in the house of lords. Amendment moved by lord Chatham. - Incidental debate on the employment of farages in war.-The meafure defended by lord Suffolk. - Animated fpeech of lord Chatham.- Amendment rejected. - Debate on the addrefs in the houfe of commons.-Committee on the flate of the nation, appointed by the house of lords. Papers granted.-Similar committee appointed by the house of commons.- Papersrefufed.-Debate in the house of commons on the lofs of Burgoyne's army.-Lord Chatham's motion on the fubject.-His motion on the employ of facages. Adjournment. -State of the public mind. -- Subfcriptions for raining regiments-and for relief of American prifoners. -Conduct of France. Treaty with America figned. Debates on raifing troops by fubfcription.-Lord Abing don's XXXII. 1777. 20th Nov. Meeting of parlia ment. don's motion. Proceedings in the committee on the ftate of the nation.--Fox's motion that no more troops be fent out of the kingdom. Similar motion by the duke of Richmond.Burke's motion on the employment of facages. -Fox's fecond motion refpecting the army.Examination of evidence in the house of lords. Refolutions moved by the duke of Richmond. Motion by the duke of Bolton refpecting the navy. Lord North's plan of conciliation.-Approved by Fox-oppofed.-Progrefs of the bills through the house of commons.- Debated in the house of lords- paffed. Motions on the fubject in the lower houfe. CHAP. THE king, in his fpeech from the throne, declared his fatisfaction in having recourfe to the wifdom and fupport of the legislature, at a conjuncture when the continuance of rebellion demanded moft ferious attention. He had faithfully employed the powers entrusted to him for the fuppreffion of this revolt, and had juft confidence in the conduct and courage of his officers; but it would be neceflary to prepare for fuch further operations as the contingencies of war, and obfiinacy of the rebels, might render expedient. Foreign powers had given ftrong affurances of pacific difpofitions; but the armaments of France and Spain ftill continuing, he had confiderably augmented the naval force; being firmly determined never to difturb the peace of Europe, though he would faithfully guard the honour of the British crown. He fill hoped the deluded and unhappy multitude of America would return to their allegiance; and that remembrance of what they once enjoyed, regret for what they had loft, and feelings of what they fuffered, under 1777. the arbitrary tyranny of their leaders, would CHAP. re-kindle in their hearts a spirit of loyalty to XXXII. their fovereign, and of attachment to their mother-country and that they would enable him, with the concurrence and fupport of par liament, to accomplish, what he should confider the greateft happiness of his life, and the greatest glory of his reign, the restoration of peace, order, and confidence to the American colonies. in the house THE earl of Coventry, pronouncing the Debate on independence of America, the fall of Great the addrefs Britain, and the transfer of the feat of empire of lords. to the other fide of the Atlantic, to be no lefs certain than the growth of herbage, or the afcent of flame, refifted the addrefs, advifing the houfe to feek a temporary prefervation by making a virtue of neceffity, withdrawing the fleets and armies, and declaring America independent. ed by lord SUCH fuggeftions, inforced by fuch argu- Amendments, could have made no impreffion; but ment mov the attention of the houfe was powerfully ex- Chatham. cited by a motion of amendment from lord Chatham, defiring the king to take the most fpeedy measures for reftoring peace. He exprefied the ftrongeft difapprobation of the addrefs, and the fatal measures which it approved. The prefent was a perilous and tremendous moment! It was not a time for adulation; the fmoothness of flattery could not avail, could not fave us in this awful and rugged crifis it was neceffary to inftruct the throne in the language of truth. Parliament muft difpel the mifts of delufion, and display, in its full danger and true colours, the ruin brought to their doors. It was customary for the king, on fimilar occafions, not to lead, but 1777. CHAP. to be guided by parliament; to ask advice, XXXII. and not dictate to the hereditary great council of the nation. As it was the right of parliament to give, fo it was the duty of the crown to afk, counfel. But this fpeech tells of meafures already agreed on, and cavalierly defires concurrence. It talks of wifdom and fupport; counts on the certainty of events yet in the womb of time; but in plan and design is peremptory and dictatorial. "Is this," he exclaimed, "proper language? Is it fit to be endured? Is this high pretenfion to overrule the difpofitions of Providence itself, and the will and judgment of parliament, juftified by any former conduct, or precedent prediction? No; it is the language of an illfounded confidence; a confidence fupported hitherto only by a fucceffion of a fucceffion of difappointments, difgraces, and defeats. I am aftonifhed how any minifter dare advife his majefty to hold fuch language; I would be glad to fee the minifter that dare avow it in his place. What is the import of this extraordinary application, but an unlimited confidence in thofe who have hitherto mifguided, deceived, and mifled you? It is unlimited; defires you to grant, not what you may be fatisfied is neceffary, but what his majefty's minifters may chufe to think fo: troops, fleets, treaties, and fubfidies, not yet revealed. "CAN the minifter of the day expect, can parliament be thus deluded to give, unlimited credit and fupport for fteady perfeverance in meafures, which have reduced this late flourishing empire to ruin and contempt! 'But yefterday, and England might have ftood againft the world; now none fo poor to do her reverence.' The word of a poet are not fiction: |