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his dominion, to cruel and ruinous retaliation.

After a long debate, the question was put, and carried in the negative. Contents 37. Non-contents 71, including proxies.

Diffentient,

ift. Because the public law of nations, in affirmance of the dictates of nature, and the precepts of revealed religion, forbids us to refort to the extremes of war upon our own opinion of their expediency, or in any cafe to carry on war for the purpose of defolation. We know that the rights of war are odious, and, instead of being extended upon loofe conftructions and fpeculations of danger, ought to be bound up and limited by all the reftraints of the moft rigorous conftruction. We are fhocked to fee the first law of nature, felf-prefervation, perverted and abused into a principle deftructive of all other laws; and a rule laid down, by which our own fafety is rendered incompatible with the profperity of mankind. Thofe objects of war, which cannot be compaffed by fair and ho nourable hoftility, ought not to be compaffed at all. An end that has no means, but fuch as are unlawful, is an unlawful end. The manifefto exprefsly founds the change it announces from a qualified and mitigated war, to a war of extremity and defolation, on a certainty that the provinces muft be independent, and muft become an acceffion to the ftrength of an enemy. In the midst of the calamities by which our lofs of empire has been preceded and accompanied; in the midst of our apprehenfions for the farther calamities which impend over us, it

is a matter of fresh grief and accumulated shame, to fee, from a commiflion under the great feal of this kingdom, a declaration for defo-· lating a vaft continent, folely becaufe we had not the wisdom to retain or the power to fubdue it.

2dly. Because the avowal of a deliberate purpose of violating the law of nations muft give an alarm to every ftate in Europe. All commonwealths have a concern in that law, and are its natural avengers. At this time, furrounded by enemies, and deftitute of all allies, it is not neceffary to fharpen and embitter the hoftility of declared foes, or to provoke the enmity of neutral states. We truft that, by the natural strength of this kingdom, we are fecured from a foreign conqueft; but no nation is fecured from the invafion and incurfions of enemies. And it seems to us the height of frenzy, as well as wickednefs, to expofe this country to cruel depredations, and other outrages too fhocking to mention (but which are all contained in the idea of the extremes of war and defolation) by establishing a false, fhameful, and pernicious maxim, that, where we have no interest to preferve, we are called upon by neceflity to defiroy. This kingdom has long enjoyed a profound internal peace, and has flourished above all others in the arts and enjoyments of that happy ftate. It has been the admiration of the world for its cultivation and its plenty, for the comforts of the poor, the fplendor of the rich," and the content and profperity of all. This fituation of fafety may be attributed to the greatness of our power. It is more becoming, and more true, that we ought to attribute

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attribute that fafety, and the power which procured it, to the ancient juftice, honour, humanity, and generofity of this kingdom, which brought down the bleffing of Providence on a people who made their profperity a benefit to the world, and interested all nations in their fortune, whofe example of mildness and benignity at once humanized others, and rendered itfelf inviolable. In departing from thofe folid principles, and vainly trufting to the fragility of human force, and to the efficacy of arms, rendered impotent by their perverfion, we lay down principles and furnish examples of the moft atrocious barbarity. We are to dread that all our power, peace, and opulence, fhould vanifh like a dream; and that the cruelties which we think fafe to exercife, because their immediate object is remote, be brought to the coafts, perhaps to the bofom, of this kingdom.

3dly. Because, if the explanation given in debate be expreffive of the true fenfe of the article in the manifefto, fuch explanation ought to be made, and by as high authority as that under which the exceptionable article was originally published. The natural and obvious fenfe indicates, that the extremes of war had hitherto been checked; that his Majefty's generals had hitherto foreborne (upon principles of benignity and policy) to defolate the country; but that the whole nature and future conduct of the war must be changed,. in order to render the American acceffion of as little avail to France as poffible. This, in our apprehenfion, conveys a menace of car

rying the war to extremes and to defolation, or it means nothing. And as fome fpeeches in the House (however palliated), and as fome acts of fingular cruelty, and perfectly conformable to the apparent ideas in the manifefto, have lately been exercifed, it becomes the more neceffary, for the honour and fafety of this nation, that this explanation fhould be made. As it is refused, we have only to clear ourselves to our confciences, to our country, to our neighbours, and to every individual who may fuffer in confequence of this atrocious menace, of all part in the guilt or in the evils that may become its punishment. And we chufe to draw ourselves out, and to distinguish ourselves to pofterity, as not being the first to renew, to approve, or to tolerate, the return of that ferocity and barbarifm in war, which a beneficent religion, and enlightened manners, and true military honour, had for a long time banished from the Chriftian world.

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Die Veneris, Apr. 23tio.

an humble

ad

Moved, « THAT drefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he will be gracioufly pleafed to remove the Right Hon. John Earl of Sandwich, firft commif fioner for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, and one of his Majesty's most honourable privy council, from the faid office of firft Lord Commiffioner of the Admiralty." After much debate, the question was put, and carried in the negaNon-contive. Contents 39. tents 78.

Diffentient, Because, as it is highly becoming this great council of the nation to addrefs his Majefty for the removal of any Minifter for neglect of duty or incapacity, in order to prevent public detriment; fo we conceive the notoriety of the facts in this debate fufficiently warrants, and the prefent alarming fituation of public affairs loudly calls for, this interpofition. Abingdon, Courtenay,

I think it incumbent upon me to
let pofterity know the particular
grounds I made that motion upon.

ift. Because, fince the year
1771, there has been 6,917,8721.
5s. old. granted for naval purpofes,
more than was granted in an equal
number of years, between 1751
and 1759, for the use of the navy,
although we had been four years
at war with France within that
period.

2dly. Because the navy of England appears to be reduced from when what it was in the year 1771, the prefent firft Lord of the Admiralty fucceeded to the head of that board, notwithstanding the immenfe fums granted for its fupport and increase fince that time.

3dly. Because it appears, after having received fuch repeated intelligence as hath been acknowledged to have been received from the 3d of January, 1778, to the 27th of April following, of the equipment and progress of the Toulon fquadron, to their failing on the 13th of April, 1778; the not fending a fquadron into the Mediterranean to watch the motion of, and endeavour to intercept, the faid French fquadron from paffing the Straits, nor fend Fitzwilliam, ing any reinforcement to Vice Admiral Lord Howe, or even dif Richmond, patching Vice Admiral Byron till the 9th of June, 1778, was expofing the fleet as well as army of England, then employed in America, to a very superior force of France.

Bolton,

Harcourt,
Grafton,

Portland,

Craven,

King,

Fortescue,

Spencer,

Stamford,

Ferrers,

Effingham,

Manchester,

Rockingham,

Camden,

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Diffentient,

Egremont,
Pembroke,
De Ferrars.

Because, having made the motion alluded to in the above diffent,

4thly. Because it appears the fending of Admiral Keppel off Breft the 13th of June, with twenty fail of the line, when the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty knew, or ought to have known,

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known, that the French fleet then actually at Breft, and fitting for fea, confifted of 32 fhips of the fine, befides many heavy frigates, might have been productive at that time of the most fatal confequences to the only confiderable naval force this kingdom had then ready for its protection, but alfo to the trade and even the ports of thefe kingdoms. And if Admiral Kep

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June 17th the following Meffage was fent by the King to both Houfes of Parliament. GEORGE R.

HE ambaffador of the King

pel had remained with his 20 fan of Spain having delivered

of the line off Breft, he muft with thofe fhips have engaged the French fleet of 36 fail of the line, who failed on the 8th of July, as Admiral Keppel could not get the reinforcement even of four fhips of the line to join him till the 9th of July, although he was then at St. Helens for that purpose.

5thly. Becaufe it appears we loft that valuable ifland of Dominica, for want of timely reinforcements and proper inftructions being fent to Admiral Barrington.

6thly. Becaufe, for want of the fmallet naval force being fent to the coast of Africa, we have also loft the valuable station of Senegal, which might in time, with proper attention, have opched new markets for our drooping manufac

tures.

7thly. Because it appears that the Admiralty, without any deliberation whatfoever, having fo precipitately ordered a court martial upon a commander in chief, of great rank and character, which Admiral Keppel bears in his Majesty's fleet, was fruftrating the falutary intentions of that difcretion ary power, lodged by the conftitution in the lords commiffioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, whereby all malicious and ill-found

a paper to Lord Viscount Weymouth, and fignified that he has received orders from his court immediately to withdraw from this coun try; his Majefty has judged it neceffary to direct a copy of that paper to be laid before both Houfes of parliament, as a matter of the highest importance to the crown and people; and his Majefty acquaints them at the fame time that he has found himself obliged, in confequence of this hoftile declaration, to recall his ambaffador from Madrid.

His Majefty declares in the moft folemn manner, that his defire to preferve and to cultivate peace and friendly intercourfe with the court of Spain has been uniform and fincere; and that his conduct towards that power has been guided by no other motives or principles than thofe of good faith, honour, and juftice; and his Majefty fees with the greater furprife, the pretences on which this declaration is grounded, as fome of the grievances enumerated in that paper have never come to the knowledge of his Majefty, either by reprefentation on the part of the Catholic King, or by intelligence from any other quarter; and in all thofe cafes where appli

cations

cations have been received, the matter of complaint has been treated with the utmost attention, and put into a courfe of enquiry and redress.

His Majefty has the firmeft confidence, that his parliament will, with that zeal and public fpirit which he has fo often experienced, fupport his Majefty in his refolution to exert all the power and all the refources of the nation to refift and repel any hoftile attempts of the court of Spain; and that, by the bleffing of God on the rectitude of his intentions, and the equity of his caufe, his Majefty will be able to withstand and defeat the unjust and dangerous enterprizes of his enemies againft the honour of his crown, and the commerce, the rights, and the common interefts of all his fubjects.

The humble Addrefs of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament affembled.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

obliged to give orders to your am-
baffador to withdraw from that
court.

We beg leave to affure your
Majefty, that, among the many
proofs we have received of your
Majefty's conftant care and con-
cern for the fafety and happiness
of your people, your Majefty's
declaration of your fincere defire
to preferve and to cultivate peace
and friendly intercourfe with the
court of Spain, cannot fail to in-
fpire us with the highest fenti-
ments of gratitude and attach-
ment;

and that, animated by your Majefty'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 interests of all your Majelty's fubjeas.

Upon the motion for the above addrefs, an amendment was propofed, by adding the following

words:

"That, in a moment so critical as that which now presents itself

WE, your Majefty's moft du- to the confideration of parliament,

tiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty our humble thanks for your moft gracious meffage, and communication of the paper delivered to Lord Vifcount Weymouth, by the ambassador of the King of Spain, which we cannot but confider as a matter of the highest importance to your Majelly's crown and people; and for acquainting us, that, in confequence of this hoftile declaration, your Majefty had found yourfelf

the most awful this country has
ever experienced, it would be de-
ceiving his Majefty, and the na-
tion, if at the fame time that we
lament the fatal effect of those
councils, which, by dividing and
wafting the force of the empire,
by civil wars, incited our natural
enemies to take advantage of our
weak and diftracted condition,
were we not to represent to his
Majefty, that the only means of
refifting the powerful combination
that now threatens this country,
fyftem
will be by a total change of that

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