Ea.l of

the perfons, nor afcertained the truth of that extraordinary affertion. I fhall fay but a word more, and that refpects the part of the speech which mentions his Majefty's taking thefe measures in correspondence with the wifhes of Parliament. Where have these wishes appeared? Will any noble Lord rife and tell me, that a refolution of the Houfe of Commons conveys the wishes of Parliament? Surely not. The conftitution is not fo ill understood at this time of day, as to fuppofe any man fo ignorant. By what means then is his Majefty to be confidered to have collected the fenfe of Parliament? I fee none. But I will pursue the matter no farther. I am forry the terms of the fpeech gave me occafion for these remarks. The objects were before me, and as an honest man, I could not shut my eyes against them. Still however I fhall hope the beft, and fufpend my judgment till the negociation on the tapis is finally clofed. In the mean while, I thought it incumbent on me to qualify my affent to the present Addrefs in the manner I have declared myfelf.

Earl of Shelburne faid, that he had entertained hopes from Shelburne. the defire of unanimity expreffed by every noble Lord who had spoken, that he fhould not have troubled their Lordships this day, but he felt himself called upon by the noble Vifcount in fo ftrong a manner, that he muft claim their Lordfhips indulgence for a few minutes. With regard to the American Commiffioners at Paris being the directors of the French councils, he muft say, that he thought the noble Lord totally under a mistake. In the course of the negociation, he had made no fuch difcovery, nor had any circumftance happened which could give occafion for fuch a fufpicion. He believed and never doubted that the American Commiffioners would adhere firmly and faithfully to their alliances, their engagements, and their promifes. In all the concerns which had hitherto paffed, he had found them men of strict honour, never deviating from propriety and exact juftice. They had acted fairly, honeftly and openly. What he faid was no more than bare juftice. The noble Viscount was likewife mistaken in his idea of unqualified, unconditional independence, being given to America. He could not indeed fpeak to the particular fituation, or conditions of the American treaty. The noble Earl (Lord Sandwich) whom he had heard with great pleasure, and whofe advice he highly approved of, had spoken of the neceffity, delicacy and fecrecy proper to be obferved at this moment. But there was an article in the King's fpeech which fully answered all that the noble Viscount

Viscount had faid upon this fubject; and he would read it to refresh his Lordship's memory.

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Finding it indifpenfible to the attainment of this object, I did not hesitate to go the full length vested in me, and offered to declare them free and independent ftates, by an arti cle to be inferted in the treaty of peace. Provifional. articles are agreed upon to take effect whenever terms of peace fhall be finally fettled with the Court of France."

This offer is not irrevocable; if France does not agree to peace, the offer ceafes. The noble Viscount had fpoken of Spanish politics. It was an allufion he was furprifed at; they were Spanish politics which had brought this country into its prefent fituation. He had oppofed and reprobated thofe Spanish measures, feffion after feffion; he had deprecated the vengeance of Minifters; he had unceasingly endeavoured to preferve fome little remains of the friendship in America for this country; fome atom or fpark from which he had hoped, and did ftill hope, to rekindle a mutual affection, before all the feelings, paffions and habits of that country became abforbed in the politics and interefts of France. If, contrary to his expectation, peace fhould not be obtained, he affured their Lordships that every exertion fhould be made in carrying on the war; and he had the happinefs to fay, that there was a perfect unanimity among his Majefty's fervants upon all the measures of government; thote noblemen and gentlemen with whom he had the honour to act, had individually and collectively given the strongest fupport, fhewn the warmeft zeal, and difplayed the greatest ability in the promotion of the national honour and interest. Another part of the noble Viscount's fpeech, related to the refolution of the Houfe of Commons against the American war not being the fenfe of Parliament. It was very true, that a refolution paffed by one Houfe only, did not include the other Houfe; but his Majefty was fully authorised to make that offer, from the fenfe of Parliament expreffed on feveral occafions. He had faid before he came into office, as well as fince, that the Crown had a right to its negative. It was the prerogative of the Crown to make peace and war, his inceffant endeavours had not been wanting to put an end to the American war; he must call it the accurfed American war; he had found it impoffible to be done by any other means, than an offer of independence. Finding every other effort to have failed, he was free to acknowledge that he had advised the offer which had been made. That offer went very much against his nature, it was a bit

ter

Earl Fitz william.

Earl of

ter pill, the bittereft he had ever swallowed; no man felt more fenfibly upon this diminution of empire than he did, and it was fingular that those who had made this diminution inevitable, fhould venture to queftion it. It was a misfortune, but not a misfortune of his bringing on. He had not been the author of the Bofton port bill, of the tea act, and all the numerous provocations which had beeh given to America. The noble Earl (Lord Sandwich) had mentioned his determined refolution to oppofe any innovation in the conftitution. If the queftion of a more equal reprefentation is the innovation alluded to, he muft fay, that he was of the fame opinion he had ever been upon that fubject, it was a point of great importance, and he should be happy to hear every opinion upon it, in order that it might have the fulleft and faireft difcuffion.

Earl Fitzwilliam apologized for fpeaking upon a fubject not fully before their Lordships, and which, owing to the delicacy of his Majefty's fervants, was not fufficiently explained to become intelligible; the noble Lord (Lord Shelburne) had indeed faid, that the offer of independence to America had been advised by himself. In the month of June laft, the noble Lord was totally averfe to making that offer. No material circumstance in the affairs of America has happened fince that time, to make this great alteration in his Lordship's fentiments. It is true, the noble Lord calls it a bitter pill, but he has fwallowed it.

Earl of Shelburne re-affirmed that had not altered his fenShelburne. timents, that he had attempted to procure peace by every means before he made the offer; that every effort and every affiftance he could get had proved ineffectual; but he was not to be charged with this misfortune, he had faid, and he was within the recollection of every noble Lord prefent, how ftrenuously and frequently he had oppofed all the violent measures which had reduced us to this neceffity; he had feffion after feffion attempted to put a stop to the madness and rage for carrying on the American war. He had not been the author of the Declaratory Act, which had given more offence and excited greater jealoufy in America, than any one of the fubfequent acts; an act which had been reprobated by the Congrefs, and throughout every province in America.

Lord Vifc.

Lord Viscount Stormont faid he recollected an expreffion of Stormont. the noble Lord's (Lord Shelburne) which was, when the independence of America was granted, the fun of Great Bri

tain

tain was fet. The noble Lord was now of a different opinion, that fun is fet, there is not a ray of light left, all is darkness. The noble Lord contemns Spanish politics; the Spanish Minifter who negociated on the part of Spain the treaty of Munfter, was however a very able negociator; he fucceeded in preferving to the Crown of Spain, ten of the feventeen provinces which had revolted. But the British negociators

at Paris, had not preferved one of the thirteen colonies.

The Duke of Richmond said the disturbances in America The Duke were not occafioned by the Declaratory-act, but by the abuse of Rich of it, which followed in the fucceeding Adminiftration; the mond. people in America were perfectly happy and quiet, after the repeal of the Stamp-Act, although the Declaratory-act was paffed at the fame time. His Grace faid, he must take notice of what had fallen from a noble Earl, who fpoke early in the debate (Lord Sandwich) of the expectation of very honourable terms of peace, because our navy was fo refpectable; and two officers, one in Europe and the other in the Weft Indies, had baffled and defeated the fchemes of the Houfe of Bourbon. The refpectable ftate of the navy, he hoped his Lordship would claim no merit for. It is true, that the navy was now refpectable, and unanimity was reftored in it. But what was the navy which his Lordship left, when he went out of office in March laft? It was a fact, an indubitable fact, that when his Lordfhip left the Admiralty, there were not more than eleven fhips of the line fit for fervice. The uncommon, vigorous, and unremitting exertions of the noble Lord, at the head of the Admiralty, had equipped and brought the navy into its prefent refpectable state. There was no noble Lord prefent, nor any man in the nation, more ready to bestow every praise upon the conduct of Lord Rodney than he was; nor of adding, if it was poffible to add any thing, to the encomiums moft juftly due to General Elliot; but in doing thefe, he could not forget, nor withhold the praife, alfo due to the noble Lord, who commanded the fleet which relieved the brave and gallant garrifon; that fleet, befides better equipped than any fleet which had failed from England for fome years paft, was commanded by fome of the best officers in our fervice, who nobly came forward when they faw a Board of Admiralty in which they could place confidence. The combined fleet, though greatly fuperior, durft not engage them; the confequence was, that the place was effectually and fully relieved, and the fiege raised. The noble Earl had faid, he would oppofe all inno

vations

Earl of
Sandwich.

Duke of

vations of the conftitution. But to make a more equal reprefentation of the people in Parliament, was no innovation; would any man fay, that the present House of Commons was a fair and equal representation of the people? It was no fuch thing, it was a mockery of reprefentation; the House of Commons, as it was at present conftituted, was a mockrepresentation.

Earl of Sandwich faid, that the fiege of Gibraltar was raifed before the fleet arrived there. General Elliot had raised the fiege by deftroying the floating batteries and gunboats. He was happy to hear that unanimity was reftored to the navy. As to there being only eleven fhips fit for fervice when he went out of office, he believed there were more; but he had not his papers in his pocket, nor did he fo precifely remember particulars, to be able to ftate the fact of what fhips were ready when he quitted the Admiralty. With regard to the queftion of representation, he would affure the noble Duke, that when it came to be agitated his Grace would not find the argument lie fo entirely on one fide as he seemed to think. There was a good deal to be faid on the other fide.

The Duke of Richmond re-afferted that the fleet relieved Richmond. Gibraltar, that the fiege was not raised until after the tranfports had landed the ftores. Perhaps it might be said, that the fiege was not even yet properly raised; but as the enemy had marched away twenty battalions fince Lord Howe was - there, he did confider the fiege as raised; though the blockade, on the Spanifh fide, was continued.

The Chancellor put the queftion on the motion for the Addrefs; when it was unanimously agreed to.

December 6.

The Lords prefented their Addrefs to his Majefty at St.
James's.

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

"Moft gracious Sovereign,

"WE, your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords fpiritual and temporal, in Parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty our humble thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne.