XXXII. 1778. greffively all the re-inforcements fent to America fince CHA P. that period, deriving from the whole a deduction, that twenty thousand men had been loft in the conteft. If with fo great a force fo little could be achieved, it was clearly impracticable, by profecuting the war, either to fubdue the Americans or terrify them into obedience. These statements were faid, by the friends of adminiftration, to be unfounded on fact, as not more than twelve hundred men had been deftroyed in battle; and if the grofs deficiency of the army, including thofe who died natural deaths, deferted, became prifoners, or unfit for fervice, were publifhed as lofs, it would convey information very remote from truth. The refolution was evaded by a motion for leave to report progrefs". evidence in the house 9th. the duke of IN the houfe of lords the committee was employed Examinain the examination of evidence: merchants were called tion of as witneffes, who proved that great lofs had enfued to their commercial concerns from the war, and other of lords. merchants, produced on the part of administration, who fhewed that confiderable captures had been made, and new and profitable fources of commerce opened fince the commencement of hoftilities. The duke of Rich- Refolutions mond, who ftrenuoufly oppofed the production of the moved by latter witneffes, refifted no less the reafonings drawn Richmond. from their teftimony against a series of refolutions which he moved, declaratory of the great maritime and commercial loffes fuftained by the war. The prizes taken and distributed to British feamen, far from being a balance in our favour, added to our lofs; for if we were not at war with America, the value of all these cargoes, in the circuitous courfe of trade, must centre in Great Britain. The propofitions were disposed of by the previous question. Other 16th motions made by the duke of Richmond for declaring the number of troops fent to America, and for afcertaining the expence incurred by the war, occafioned CHAP. long difcuffions, and upon each the chairman was directed to leave the chair. XXXII. 1778. 2d Mar. Motion by the duke of Bolton respecting the navy. 17th Feb. Lord North's plan of conciliation. A MOTION was made by the duke of Bolton for cenfuring the naval conduct of the war, by a refolution expreffive of the number of fhips employed in America fince 1774. The debate was generally confined to broad affertions, and refolute contradictions. According to the lords in oppofition, the great national bulwark was in a ftate of fhameful neglect; while the lord at the head of the naval department infifted that it had never been fo judiciously adminiftered. The previous question terminated the difcuffion". In the mean time lord North, purfuant to a notice in the committee on the ftate of the nation, fubmitted to the house a new plan of conciliation with the colonies. His fpeech in introducing this measure was long and explicit. He had been uniformly difpofed to peace. The coercive acts appeared neceffary when they were propofed, but finding them unproductive of the intended effect, he effayed conciliatory meafures, before the fword was unfheathed. He then thought (nor was his opinion changed) thofe propofitions capable of forming the happiest, most equitable, and most lasting bond of union between Great Britain and her colonies; but by a variety of difcuffions, a plan originally clear and fimple, was made to appear fo obfcure as to go damned to America. Congrefs conceived, or took occafion to reprefent it as a scheme for fowing divifions, and introducing a worfe fpecies of taxation than had previously exifted, and accordingly rejected it. He never expected to derive any confiderable revenue from America; in his opinion they fhould contribute in a very low proportion to the expences of the ftate. Few taxes would prove worth the charge of collection; even the stamp act, the most judicious and most highly estimated, would not have produced a confiderable revenue: a confederacy In thefe divifions the majorities always exceeded two to one. XXXII. 17787 against the use of stamps, would have annihilated the CIA P. produce, while it increased the confufions of the country. He found America already taxed, when he unfortunately came into administration. The act, enabling the East India company to fend teas with the drawback of the whole duty, was a relief inftead of an oppreffion; but the difaffected and thofe engaged in contraband trade, endeavoured to reprefent it as a monopoly. He never intended taxation in the last tea act, nor in the conciliatory propofition, but as a medium of union and concord; his prefent propofition would therefore be found confiftent with his former conduct. ONE of the bills he defigned to move would quiet America on the fubject of taxation, difpel all fears, real or pretended, that parliament would attempt to tax them again, and annul the right itself, fo far as it regarded revenue. The Americans had defired a repeal of all the acts pafled fince 1763 were this requifition granted in its full extent, feveral ftatutes, highly beneficial to themselves, granting bounties and premiums, or relaxing former grievous regulations, must be refcinded. The late acts which originated in the quarrel fhould ceafe with it; and commiffioners fhould be authorized to adjuft, in a fatisfactory manner, all other difputes. The powers granted to former commiffioners had been confidered more limited than in reality they were: he fhould take care now to be explicit, granting full authority to difcufs and conclude every point, treating with the congrefs as if it were a legal body, and would fo far give it authenticity as if its acts and conceffions would bind all. America. They fhould be empowered to treat with provincial affemblies as at prefent conftituted, and with individuals in their actual civil capacities, or military commands; with general Washington or any other officer: they might fufpend hoftilities; intermit the operation of laws; grant pardons, immunities, and rewards; reftore to colonies their ancient conftitutions; 1778. CHA P. and nominate governors, council, judges, and magiXXXII. ftrates, till the king's further pleasure should be known. A renunciation of independence would not be insisted on till the treaty had received final ratification by the king and parliament. The commiffioners fhould be inftructed to negotiate for a reasonable and moderate contribution towards the common defence of the empire, when re-united: but to obviate every pretence against terminating this unhappy difference, the contribution fhould not be infifted on as a fine qua non of the treaty. Approved by Mr. Fox. Sir Ir fuch had always been his fentiments with regard to taxation and peace, why, it would be asked, had he not made the propofition at a more early period; his opinion had ever been that the moment of victory was the proper time for offering terms, and at the beginning of the feffion he had declared thofe fentiments; he then thought the victories obtained William Howe more decifive, and was unacquainted with general Burgoyne's misfortune. These terms were in fubftance the fame he would offer in the height of victory; he faw no reason for protracting the war, the effufion of blood, and the immoderate expence, and therefore now offered the fame propofitions. The events of war had not correfponded with his expectations; but his conceffions were from reason and propriety, not neceffity. England was in a condition to profecute the war much longer; new armies could easily be raised, the navy was never in greater ftrength, and the revenue very little funk. With these observations he submitted the whole plan, together with the propriety of his past and prefent conduct, to the judgment of the house. MR. Fox was glad to find the propofitions fo ample and fatisfactory, and believed they would be fupported by all those with whom he had the honour to act; they did not differ materially from those of Mr. Burke about three years ago; the fame arguments then used by the minority, and nearly in the fame words, 1778. words, were now re-produced by lord North. He CHA P. wifhed this conceffion had been made more early, and XXXIL on principles more refpectful to parliament. To tell them that if they were deceived, they had deceived themfelves, was neither kind nor civil to an affembly, which, for fo many years, had relied on him with fuch unreserved confidence. All public bodies, like the houfe of commons, muft repofe ample trust in ministers; their only method of preventing its abuse was to punish those who had mif-informed them concerning the true ftate of their affairs, or conducted them with negligence, ignorance, or incapacity. Lord North's arguments on this fubject might be all collected into one point, his excuses all reduced into one apology, his total ignorance. He hoped, and was disappointed; he expected much, and found little to anfwer his expectations. He thought the Americans would obey his laws; they refifted. He thought they would fubmit to his armies; the armies were beaten by inferior numbers. He made conciliatory propofitions, and thought they would fucceed; but they were rejected. He appointed commiffioners to make peace, and thought they had powers; but found they could not make peace, and nobody believed they had any powers. The prefent propofition deferved fupport, becaufe much more clear and fatisfactory than the laft; for neceffity had at length compelled the minister to speak plainly. THE fanction of fo great a leader did not prevent Oppofed. feveral members of oppofition from raifing objections to lord North's plan. Little hope could be entertained, they said, of good effect; for, whatever the Americans might fuffer by the continuance of war, they would never receive the olive branch from hands fo deeply stained with the blood of their countrymen. If nothing could be gained from their fears, what could the present minifters expect from their affections? The propofitions proved the profperous condition of American affairs, and the humiliation of Great Bri tain. |