1777, for the deftination of the northern army, one was, to embark it at Quebec, in order either to effect a con-1 junction with Sir William Howe by fea, or to employ it separately, to co-operate with the main defigns, by fuch means as fhould be within its ftrength, upon other parts of the continent. The event has fhewn, how much preferable it would have been to have given fuch a direction to the campaign.

The parliament affembled on the 20th of November, 1777. The King's speech fpoke of the neceffity of continuing the war in America, and of the probability that it would be neceffary not only to keep the land-forces complete to their establishment, but to encrease them by contracting new engagements. Of the difpofition of foreign powers it spoke doubtfully. His Majefty faid, "as on the one hand I am determined that the peace of Europe fhall not be disturbed by me, fo on the other I fhall always be a faithful guardian of the honour of the crown of Great Britain."

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The addrefs in answer to the King's fpeech was moved for in the House of Commons by Lord Hyde, and seconded by Sir Gilbert Elliot,, the latter of whom gave a loose to the fervour of youth, and paid the most lavish compliments to the wisdom and equity of administration, declaring, that the rectitude of their measures was fo demonftrable, that he was amazed a fingle Englishman could be found hardy enough to oppofe them, and juftify the American rebels. It had long been the practice of government to diffeminate, by every means which unbounded influence fupplied, the opinion, that all the opposers of public mea fures were unprincipled, clamorous and feditious men, who only aimed at embarraffing and diftreffing those in power, in hopes of rendering their posts untenable, and

advancing

advancing themselves to envied pre-eminence. Foreigners have defcribed the government of England as more tempeftuous than the sea which furrounds the island; but amidst the body of the people this fury has of late very much abated. The prefent age, grown weary of the political as well as religious difputations, in which their forefathers had deeply interested themselves, and difgufted at the conduct of many profeffed patriots, who had renounced their principles to acquire power, were eafily prevailed upon to place a confidence in their rulers, and to entertain the most incurable fufpicions of those who profeffed themfelves the champions of the conftitution, But it will perhaps be difficult to produce a fingle feffion of parliament fince the acceffion of the Houfe of Hanover, in which the members who compofed the minority in both Houfes, gave more unequivocal proofs of their integrity and wisdom, than in the present. The conduct of the Earl of Chatham in the House of Lords on the first day of the feffion, ferves as one proof in fupport of this affertion. "The jaundiced eye of party," is little qualified to discern truth. But whilft an hiftorian ought to fhun the contagion of faction, he is no lefs bound to point out inftances of true patriotifm and fuperior penetration, whether they are to be found in the measures of the cabinet, or in the propofitions which originate in the legislative body, To adopt the language of a living writer of deferved celebrity *, our fole object is to be useful and to be true. Far be from us that fpirit of party which blinds and degrades those who are the conductors, and those who afpire. to be the inftructors of mankind. Our with is for our country, our homage is to juftice. We honour virtue, in whatever place, in whatever form, fhe is feen the dif

l'Abbé Raynal,

tinctions

tinctions of condition and of nation cannot eftrange us from her."

When the address had been moved for by Earl Percy, in the House of Lords, the Earl of Chatham rofe and declared, that he would not join in congratulation on misfortune and dif grace, He faid, it was a perilous and tremendous moment, and not a time for adulation. It was neceffary to difpel the delufion and darkness which enveloped the throne, and to display, in its full danger and native colours, the ruin that was brought to our doors. The measures which had been purfued, he faid, had reduced this late flourishing empire to ruin and contempt. Not only the power and ftrength of this country was wafting away and expiring, but her well-earned glories, her true honour and substantial dignity were facrificed. France, my Lords, continued he, has infulted you; he has encouraged and fuftained America; and whether America be wrong or right, the dignity of this country ought to fpurn at the officious infult of French interference. The minifters and ambaffadors of those who are called rebels and enemies, are in Paris; in Paris they tranfact the reciprocal interefts of America and France. Can there be a more mortifying infult? Can even our minifters fuftain a more humiliating difgrace? Do they dare to resent it? Do they prefume even to hint a vindication of their honour, and the dignity of the state, by requiring the difmiffal of the plenipotentiaries of America? Such is the degradation to which they have reduced the glories of England? The people whom they affected to call contemptible rebels, but whose growing power has at laft obtained the name of enemies: the people with whom they have engaged this country in war, and against whom they now command our implicit fupport in every measure of desperate hoftility; this people, defpifed as rebels, or aç

knowledged

knowledged as enemies, are abetted against us, fupplied with every military ftore, their interefts confulted, and their ambaffadors entertained by our inveterate enemy! and our ministers dare not interpofe with dignity and effect. Is this the honour of a great kingdom? Is this the indig nant spirit of England, who but yesterday gave law to the houfe of Bourbon?

His Lordship then turned his view towards America, and declared the utter impoffibility of conquering that country. He fhewed, that during three campaigns we had done nothing, and fuffered much; befides, perhaps the total lofs of the northern force *. You may fwell every expence and every effort ftill more extravagantly; pile and accumulate every affiftance you can buy or borrow; traffic and barter with every little pitiful German prince, that fells his fubjects to the fhambles of a foreign potentate; your efforts are for ever vain and impotent; doubly fo, from this mercenary aid on which you rely, for it irritates to an incurable refentment, the minds of your enemies, by over-running them with the mercenary fons of rapine and plunder; devoting them and their poffeffions to the rapacity of hireling cruelty. He added, your own army is infected with the contagion of thefe illiberal allies: the fpirit of plunder and of rapine is gone forth among them; your difcipline is deeply wounded. Whilft this is notoriously your finking fituation, America grows and flourishes: while your ftrength and difcipline is lowered, theirs rifes and improves.

His Lordship execrated with great vehemence the meafures of delegating to the mercilefs Indian, the defence of

*The news of General Burgoyne's furrender arrived a fortnight after; this prediction, therefore, fhews the intelligence which this great man derived from his own fagacious mind..

difputed

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difputed rights, and to wage the horrors of barbarous war against our brethren *. Our army, familiarized to the horrid scenes of favage cruelty, could no longer boast of the noble and generous principles which dignify a foldier.

No man, he said, wifhed more for the due dependence of America on this country than himself: to preserve it, and not to confirm that state of independence into which the conduct of government hitherto had driven them, was the object which parliament ought to unite in attaining. America derived affiftance and protection from us, and we reaped from her the most important advantages. She was indeed the fountain of our wealth, the nerve of our strength, the nursery and basis of our naval power. It is our duty, therefore, if we wish to fave our country, feriously to endeavour the recovery of these, beneficial fubjects: and in

*It is pleafing to record inftances of genuine goodness of heart and difinterested philanthropy, which leads us to infert here the conduct of Governor Pownal in the House of Commons (February 6, 1778), when the fubject of the Indian war was under difcuffion. That benevolent man propofed, as a means of putting a stop to the horrid cruelties of the American favages, that the two countries should mutually, in the fpirit of good faith, break off all alliance with these blood-hounds of war, en gage to treat them as enemies whenever they should commit an act of hoftility against any white perfon, whether European or American, whereby all the dreadful scenes of indiscriminate murder would be prevented. If government, he said, would propose to Congrefs, the terms of fuch an agreement, he would answer for it that the Congress would embrace them, and execute them with good faith. Such a difpofition, and such an overture, he said, might be productive of the happiest confequences; it might lead to the mutual performance of good offices, and lay the foundation of a more extenfive treaty, which, by prudent management, might be brought to terminate in peace; and he offered to go himself, if government would adopt the measure, and parliament ratify it, without pay, or the hope of any reward, and make the proposal to Congress, and would anfwer with his life for the fuccefs that would attend it.

this