Diffentient, For the reafons contained in the amendment propofed and rejected, viz. "To affure his majefty, that animated with the moft earnest and fincere zeal for his true intereft, and the real glory of his reign, we behold with inexpreffible concern, the minds of a very large, and lately loyal and affectionate part of his people, entirely alienated from his government. Nor can we conceive, that fuch an event as the difaffection and revolt of a whole people, could have taken place without fome confiderable errors, in the conduct obferved towards them. "Thefe erroneous measures we conceive are to be imputed to a want of fufficient information being laid before parliament; and to too large a degree of confidence being repofed in thofe minifters, who from their duty were obliged, and from their official fituation were beft enabled, to know the temper and difpofition of his majesty's American fubjects; and were, therefore, prefumed moft capable of pointing out fuch measures as might produce the moft falutary effect. Hence the fchemes which were formed for the reduction and chastisement of a fuppofed inconfiderable party of factious men, have driven thirteen large provinces to defpair! Every act which has been propofed as a means of procuring peace and fubmiffion, has become a new caufe of war and revolt; and we now find ourfelves almost inextricably involved in a bloody and expenfive civil war, which befides exhaufting, at prefent, the ftrength of his majesty's dominions, expofing our allies to the defigns of their, and our enemies, and leaving this kingdom in a moft perilous fituation, threatens in its iffue, the moft deplorable calamities to the whole British race. "We cannot avoid lamenting, that in confequence of the credit afforded to the reprefentations of minifters, no hearing has been given to the reiterated complaints and petitions of the colonies: neither has any ground been laid, for removing the original caufe of thefe unhappy differences, which took their rife from questions relative to parliamentary proceedings, and can be fettled only by parlia mentary authority. By this fatal omiffion, the commiffioners nominated for the apparent purpose of making peace, were furnished with no legal power, but thofe of giv ing or withholding pardons at their pleafure; and of relaxing the feverities of a fingle penal act of parliament, leaving the whole foundation of this unhappy controverfy as it flood at the beginning. "To reprefent to his majefty, that in addition to this neglect, when, in the beginning of the lat feffion, his majefty, in his gracious speech to both houfes of parliament, had declared his refolution of fending out commiffioners for the purposes therein expreffed, as fpeedy as poffible; no fuch commiffioners were fent, until nearly feven months afterwards; and until the nation was alarmed by the evacuation of the only town, then held for his majefty, in the thirteen united colonies. By this delay, acts of the most critical nature, the effect of which muft as much depend upon the power of immediately relaxing them on fub miffion, mifion, as in enforcing them upon difobedience, had only an operation to inflame and exafperate. But if any colony, town, or place, had been induced to fubmit by the operation of the terrors of thofe acts, there were none in the place, of power fufficient to restore the people fo fubmitting to the common right of fubjection. The inhabitants of the colonies, apprized that they were put out of the protection of government, and feeing no means provided for their entering into it, were furnished with reafons but too colourable, for breaking off their dependency on the crown of this kingdom. "To affure his majesty, that removing our confidence from thofe who in fo many inftances have grofly abufed it, we fhall endeavour to reftore to parliament, the confi. dence of all his people. "To this end, it may be advifeable to make a more minute enquiry into the grievances of the colonies, as well as into the conduct of minifters, with regard to them. We may think it proper, particularly, to enquire how it has happened, that the commerce of this kingdom has been left expofed to the reprisals of the colonies, at the very time that their feamen and fishermen being indifcriminately prohibited from the peaceable exercife of their occupations, and declared open enemies, must be expeded, with a certain affurance, to betake themselves to plunder, and to wreak their revenge on the commerce of Great-Britain. "That we understand, that amidst the many difafters and difgraces which have attended on his majesty's arms in many parts of America, an advantage has been gained by his majesty's British and foreign mercenary forces, in the province of New-York. That if a wife, moderate, and prudent ufe be made of this advantage, it is not improbable, that happy effects may refult from that ule. And we affure his majesty, that nothing fhall be wanting on our part to enable his majesty to take full advan tage of any difpofitions to reconciliation, which may be the confequence of the miferies of war, by laying down, on our part, real permanent grounds of connection between Great-Britain and the colonies, on principles of liberty and terms of mutual advantage. That whilft we lament this effufion of English blood, (which we hope has not been greater or other than neceffity required and honour juftified) we fhould most heartily congratulate his majefty, on any event leading to the great defirable end of fettling a peace, which might promife to laft, bythe restoration of the ancient affection which has happily fubfifted between this kingdom and its colonies; any other would neceffarily require, even in cafe of a total conqueft, an army to maintain, ruinous to the finances, and incompatible with the freedom of his majefty's people. We should look with the utmost fhame and horror on any events, of what nature foever, that should tend to break the fpirit of any large part of the British nation, to bow them to an abject unconditional fubmiffion to any power whatfoever, to annihilate their liberties, and to fubdue them to fervile principles, and paffive habits, by the mere force of mercenary arms. Because, amidst the exceffes and abufes which have hap [S] 4 pened, pened, we must respect the fpirit and principles operating in thefe commotions ; our wish is to regulate, not to deftroy them. For though differing in fome circumftances, thofe very principles evidently bear fo exact an analogy with those which fupport the most valuable part of our own conftitution, that it is impoffible, with any appearance of justice, to think of wholly extirpating them by the fword in any part of his majesty's dominions, without admitting confequences, and establishing precedents, the most dangerous to the liberties of this kingdom. Richmond, Devonshire, Craven, Fitzwilliam, Abingdon, De Ferrers, Effingham, Abergavenny, Ponsonby." far, as to make them openly renounce all allegiance to the crown, and all political connexion with this country, and in direct terms to prefume to fet up their rebellious confederacies for independent ftates. We confider their rejection of the gracious and condefcending means of reconciliation, held out to them, under the authority of your ma jefty's commiffion, as a fresh and convincing proof that the object of these men has always been power and dominion; but we can impute the circumftances of indignity and infult accompanying this proceeding, to no other motive than a refentment of your majesty's firm and conftant adherence to the maintenance of the conftitutional rights of parliament, divefted of every poffible view of any feparate inte refts of the crown: and we beg leave to affure your majefty, that the fame attachment of your majefty to the The humble address of the House of parliamentary authority of Great Commons to the King. Moft gracious Sovereign, WE "E, your majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty the humble thanks of this houfe, for your moft gracious Speech from the throne. While we lament the continuance of the troubles which have so long diftracted your majesty's colonies in North America, and of the calamities and oppreffions which our unhappy fellow-fubje&ts are ftill fuffering under the arbitrary tyranny of their leaders; we cannot forbear to exprefs our deteftation and abhorrence of the audacious and defperate fpirit of ambition, which has at laft carried thofe leaders fo Britain, which hath provoked the infolence of the chiefs of this rebellion, cannot but operate, as it ought to do, in fixing your majefty ftill deeper, if poffible, in the affections of a British house of com mons. With reverence and gratitude to Divine Providence, permit us to express our unfeigned joy, and to offer our fincere congratulations to your majesty, on the fuccefs which has attended the good conduct and valour of your majefty's officers and forces both by fea and land, and the zeal and bravery of the auxiliary troops in your fervice, in the recovery of Canada, and in the important operations in the province of New-York, which give the ftrongest hopes of the moft decifive good confequences. It is with much fatisfaction we learn, that your majefty continues to receive affurances of amity from the feveral courts of Europe: and we thankfully acknowledge your majefty's goodnefs and paternal concern for the happiness of your people, in your conftant attention to preferve the general tranquillity; and it is our moft earnest with that, by your majesty's interFofition, all mifunderstandings and differences between two neighbouring powers may be happily reconciled, and Europe ftill enjoy the blefings of peace. Your faithful commons confider it as a duty which they owe to your majefty, and to thofe they reprefent, to grant your majefty fach fapplies as the weighty confiderations, which your majefty has been pleased to state to us, fhall be found to require; and we have a well-grounded confidence, that, at this time, when the object of the rebels is openly avowed and clearly understood, the general conviction of the justice and neceffity of your majefty's measures muft unite all ranks of your faithful fubjects in fupporting your majefty with one mind and heart in the great national cause in which you are en gaged. On the 10th day of April the followlowing meflage from the King was delivered to the Houfe of Commons by Lord North.. "G. REX. W E, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty the thanks of this houfe foryour majefty's moltgracious meffage, by which your majesty has been pleased to inform this houfe of the exceedings of the expences of your majesty's household and civil government, beyond the revenue fettled on your majefty for defraying the fame; and to affure your majefty of the grateful fenfe this houfe entertains of your majefty's wellfounded reliance on the loyal and affectionate attachment of this houfe to your majefty's perfon and government; and that, fully convinced of the tender and difinte. rested attachment which your majetty has fhewn, through the whole course courfe of your reign, to the eafe and welfare of your faithful people, this houfe will most readily concur in enabling your majefty to difcharge the debts which occafion your majesty's prefent difficulties, and in making fome further provifion for the better fupport of your majefty's household, and the honour and dignity of the crown. Proteft of the Lords. Die Mercurii, 16° Apr. 1777. PON the motion for the above with the decrease of British empire, manifeftly required the utmost asconomy in the management of the revenues of the crown, we cannot behold, without astonishment and indignation, a profufion in his majefty's minifters, which the greatest profperity of our affairs could fcarcely excufe. That this houfe, with the moft zealous devotion to your ma jefty's true interefts, beg leave to reprefent to your majefty, that we humbly apprehend the clear revenue of 800,000l. a year, which fupported your majefty's grandfa U addrefs, an amendment was ther, of happy memory, in great moved by the Marquis of Rockingham, and feconded; when, after a warm debate, the question being put, the house divided; Contents 20 authority and magnificence, is fully fufficient (if managed by your majefty's fervants with the fame integrity and œconomy) to maintain alfo the honour and dignity of your majesty's crown, in that reverence in which we wifh, as much, at leaft, as thofe who have fquandered away the revenues, to fee it always supported. Parliament has already, in confideration (we fuppofe) of fome expence in the beginning of your majesty's reign, difcharged the debts and incumbrances on the civil list to a very great amount. Again to exceed the revenue granted by parliament, without its authority, and to abufe its indulgence in paying one debt, by contracting, in fo fhort a time, another and a greater, is, on the firft view, a criminal act. Your majefty's minifters ought to have laid fome matter before this houfe, tending to fhow that your majefty's government could not be reputably fupported on the provifion made by parliament; whereas they have only laid before us the heads on which they have exceeded, without any thing which can tend ei ther |