following paffage With all humility fubmitting to your Majefty's wife confideration, whether it may not be expedient, for facilitating thefe important purpofes, that your Majefty be pleafed to direct fome mode by which the united applications of your faithful colonists to the throne, in pur fuance of their common-councils, may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation; and that in the mean time meafures be taken for preventing the further deftruction of the lives of your Majefty's fubjects, and that fuch ftatutes as more immediately diftrefs any of your Majesty's colonies be repealed." reduction ineffectual. We had already gone far in the expences of a war; we should not now stop fhort; but reap the benefits to government, which always arife from unfuccefsful rebellion. And befides thofe great objects of punishing the obnoxious, and providing for our friends, to rivet, without leaving room for a future conteft, that unconditional fubmiflion upon the Americans, which no treaty or negociation could ever obtain. While on the contrary, if amicable terms were now entered into, all our expence and preparation would be thrown away; we must fhrink from the propofals we had made to foreign Princes for hiring their troops, which would degrade us in their eyes, as our tameness in putting up with the infolence of our own people, would in those of all Europe; and all the buftle we had made would pafs over, without having impreffed the colonies with a fenfe of our dignity, or with the terror of our power. Befides, the nation was prepared by the language of war for the event, and it was not certain that vigor Whatever the inward intentions of the parties were, the language was conciliatory, and the request not immoderate. Thofe who favoured the plan of pacifying by conceffion, loudly clamoured at the anfwer of Lord Dartmouth, as calculated to drive the colonies to the last extremities of independence and foreign connection; for this reception, they faid, of fo dutiful and decent an addrefs, amounted to no less than a renun-ous measures, if it fhould be found ciation of their allegiance. On the other hand, the friends of the miniftry took it in a different point of view. The petition, they allowed, had a decent appearance. But did they formally admit the rights of parliament? Were they not fill in arms? and in that fituation could their fincerity be relied on? They faid, that they only wanted to gain time by a negocia tion, until they had formed their government, and established their frength in tuch a manner, as would render all future efforts for their neceffary to refume them, would be fo well received as they were in the prefent temper of the nation, whofe favourable difpofition was to be carefully cultivated, and employed in the critical moment. As the time approached for the meeting of parliament, addresses were poured in from different quarters, fome in violent, others in more temperate language, but all condemning the conduct of the Americans, approving of all the acts of government, and in general, recommending a perfeverance in the fame firong measures, until the colonies were reduced to a thorough obedience, and brought to a full fenfe both of their errors and duty. In feveral of thefe, very intemperate reflections were paffed upon thofe gentlemen who had oppofed administration in the prefent American meafures, who were reprefented as factious and defperate men, and ftigmatized as being not only encouragers, but in a great degree the authors of the American rebellion. This exceedingly inflamed the leaders of the minority against the procurers of those addreffes; and only ferved to irritate the fpirit of oppofition against the minifters and measures which the addrefes were intended to fupport. As all the ancient, diftinctions between Whig and Tory, had of late been unhappily revived, they now appeared in full vigour; and as Manchester took the lead in addreffes, it was faid, with great acrimony, that they were the legitimate offspring only of Tory towns, though they fprung up accidentally from the Tory party in others; while all the odium of encouraging civil war, devaftation, and bloodshed, with the atrocious defign of misleading government, by giving it partial and falfe ideas of the difpofition of the nation in general, was was attempted to be thrown upon them. It was faid, that diftraction at home, and dif. honour abroad, were the conftant effect of the predominance of Tory councils. Thefe reproaches were laughed at on the other fide, who, ftrong in the fanction of authority, turned the tables upon the Whigs, and charged them not only with a caufelefs oppofition, but with dif The affection to government. Thofe who wished to be confidered as Whigs, divided among ft themfelves. They who ftood with the court, reproached the oppofition with having abandoned their principles. That true Whigs were the ftrongeft fupporters, not the mean betrayers, of the rights of parliament. That formerly Whigs oppofed the crown when it fet up prerogative in oppofition to parliament; but modern corrupt and degenerated whiggifm, maliciously and unconstitutionally oppofed the crown, because it acted in concur. rence with parliament, and in support of its inherent rights. That those whom the oppofition called Tories (at a time when all toryismwas loft in general loyalty, and love of law and liberty) were much more truly deferving the appellation of Whigs, than they who now prostituted prostituted its name, and difgraced its principles, by abetting an infolent and flavish rebellion, againft the fole guardian of freedom and order. The other party retorted thefe charges with fcorn. They faid, that their adverfaries the Court Whigs, were fo fond of their new allies the Tories, that they had perfectly gleaned their opinions and language. They denied Toryifm to exift, only becaufe they had become Tories themfelves. They afferted that Whigifm did not confift in the fupport of the power of parliament, or of any other power; but of the rights of the people. That as long as parliament protected thofe rights, fo long parliament was facred. But if parliament should become an inftrument in invading them, it was no better in any respect, and much worfe in fome, than any other inftrument of arbitrary power. That the ancient Whigs, like the modern, contended for things, not names. That the Tories are likewife now, as well as formerly, true to their principles. They never quarrelled with a parliament of their own party; that is, a parliament fubfervient to the crown, arbitrary, intolerant, and an enemy to the freedom of mankind. That if parliaments deftroy the liberty of the fubject in America, they are overturning its principle every where. They faid, that to be burthened by parliament is not law and liberty, as the Tories in the mafk of Whigs have the effrontery to affert; but to have the public exigencies judged of, and its contributions affeffed, by a parliament or fome other affembly (the name is immaterial) of its own choice, this is law and liberty; and nothing elfe is fo. Such are whig princip'es; becaufe if they were different, the whig principles could not form a fcheme of liberty; but would be just as flavish as any that were ever imputed to any of the abetters of the rankeft defpotiím. In this manner the controverfies dividing and fubdividing the nation, the public became fomewhat lefs languid towards the meeting of parliament. Petitions met the addrefies from various parts of the kingdom; and it was for fome time doubtful which way the fcale would incline. From the cities of London and Briftol very long reprefentations were prefented, dwelling chief on the inefficacy of all the late coercive and reftrictive measures; the mifchiefs which were inevitable to our own trade from the deftruction of the American; the advantage which our rival neighbours would derive from our divifions. The danger and fhame of employing foreign mercenaries to decide our domeftic differences; and the improper manner of carrying on the war by burning of towns, favage invafions, and infurrections of negroes. They state in proof of the difpofition of America to reconciliation, the large remittances the had made, the large debt he had voluntarily paid; and particularly the fupply of corn from thence, after all export trade from England had ceafed: by which means the miferies of actual famine in this country had been prevented. On the whole, they implore the termination of fo unfortunate a difpute by pacific methods and by accommodation, rather than by arms. The The Newfoundland fishery in the prefent year, did not in any degree answer the expectations which were held out in the preceding leion, of the eafe with which the great American fhare of it was immediately transferrable to the people of Great Britain, and the fignal advantages which they would from thence derive. for though there was probably fome fmall increase of thips and men both from England and Ireland employed in the fishery, they were not in any manner equal to fupplying the deficiency which the late law had occafioned, even fuppofing that no new obftacles were thrown in their way, and that all others matters had continued in their usual state. But the retaliation, which was practifed by the Americans, of cutting off our fisheries from all provifions and fupplies from the colonies, (a meafure which, however fimple and obvious, does not feem to have been apprehended till it was fel) threw the whole bufinefs upon the banks and coafts of Newfoundland into the greateft diforder and confufion, and brought diftrefs upon all who were employed by fea or land. To prevent the ftill more dreadful confequences of famine, a number of fhips, inftead of being loaded with fif, were neceffarily fent off light, to procure flour and provifions wherever they were to be found. Upon the whole, it was computed, that to the value of a fall half million fterling was left in the bowels of the deep, and for ever loft to mankind, by the first operation of the Fishery Bill. Thofe who were averfe to the American meafures, confidered the calamities which fell on the British VOL. XIX. fishery as a fort of judgment from heaven, against thofe who made laws to deprive mankind of the benefits of nature. To the fame caufe they were ready to attribute a dreadful tempeft, the fury of which was chiefly difcharged on the fhores of Newfoundland. This awful wreck of nature, was as fingular in its circumstances, as fatal in its effects. The fea is faid to have rifen thirty feet almost inftantaneously. Above feven hundred boats with their people perifhed, and feveral fhips with their crews. Nor was the mifchief much lefs on the land, the waves overpaffing all mounds, and sweeping every thing before them. The fhores prefented a fhocking fpectacle for fome time after, and the fishing nets were hauled up loaded with human bodies. Thefe circumstances, together with the ill fuccefs of the laft campaign, and the difficulty of recruiting at home, feemed for a while to caft fome damp upon the fpirit, which had been raifed and kept alive with fo much industry for carrying on the American war. But the court was not difcouraged. Through all obftacles they proceeded directly to their object. They opened feveral negociations on the continent of Europe, in order to fupply the deficiency at home. The obtaining of fuch an aid, was upon this occafion a matter of difficulty. The vaftness of the diftance, and the adventuring to a new world, were terrifying, and rendered the profpect of return doubtful. Germany is now the only country in Europe which is an open market for that fort of traffic. But the fending of its people to fuch a diflance, being liable to be conftrued as contrary to the conftitutions of the empire, might chance to be refented, not only by the head of that body, but perhaps by one of its members. And if the opinions, or likings, of men who were constrained to act merely as machines, were matters at all to be confidered, the idea of fuch a voyage, to an inland people who fcarcely knew the fea by report, mult have been dreadful and odious in the highest degree. In thefe difficulties, a negocia. tion is faid to have been entered into with the court of Petersburg for 20,000 Ruffians. It is be hieved that this treaty was at one time in confiderable forwardnefs. But the extreme diftance of the fervice, the difficulty of recal, the little probability that many of them would ever return, and, above all, the critical ftate of public affairs throughout Europe, and particularly in the North, after the most fanguine hopes, prevented its fuccefs. A long negociation was also carried on at the Hague, for the Scotch brigade, which has been for many years in the Dutch service, and always allowed to be recruited from Scotland: No doubt was entertained for a time of fuccefs in this treaty, and it caufed great debates in the Affembly of the States-General, where the fimilarity between the present struggles of the Americans, and their own original efforts against oppreffion, were defcribed by fome of the ftates in warm colours, and the impropriety of a republic, which had herfelf purchated freedom at fo dear a price, and by fo long and arduous a fruggle, interfering in any manner, in depriving others of their liberties, was placed in the ftrongest point of view, until at length the propofal was rejected. In Holland, the English party is always exceedingly powerful. But on this occafion, thofe who were the moft warmly affected to the intereft of this nation, were faid to have been against the measure of fending the troops. They declared loudly against a war which tended to drive America to the protection of France, as ruinous to the welfare both of England and of Holland; and thought it better by withholding the means of it, to compel the British miniftry to pacific courfes. The city of Rotterdam, and fome other towns, were an exception to this general fentiment. In the former, the merchants of North-Britain have had a long establishment and great power, and the opinions prevalent in that part of the united kingdom, must have great weight in that commercial city, It is not a pleafing circumftance, though perhaps of no confequence, that in all the countries of Europe, in which public affairs are a fubject either of writing or converfation, the general voice has been rather in favour of the Americans. Even Voltaire and Rouffeau, who never agreed in any thing elfe, are faid to hold the fame opinion upon that subject. Difappointed in Ruffia and in Holland, we were thrown back upon Germany, as our only refource for foreign troops. A fuccefsful negociation was accordingly opened with the Princes of Heffe and Brunfwick, and fome fmaller ftates, by which we at length contracted for large bodies of men, the particulars of which we shall fee in their due place. In the mean |