On the 4th of December Burke moved for a committee of the whole house, “to inquire into the confiscation of the effects, wares, and merchandise belonging to his majesty’s new subjects of St. Eustatius, and further to inquire into the sale and distribution of a great part of the said effects to the islands belonging to France, and to other parts of the dominions of his majesty’s enemies.” In making this motion, Burke represented the attack on Eustatius as wanton; maintained, that by means of the effects and stores which had been sold there, the enemy had been supplied with what they otherwise could not have obtained; and accused Rodney of promoting the success of the French by lingering at the island while their fleet was reinforced, so as to enable them to take Tobago. Rodney and Vaughan were both in the house, and the former replied to this attack. The residents, who called themselves Englishmen, he said, were chiefly Jews of the worst character, who had been in the habit of supplying the enemies of England with warlike stores, and therefore were unworthy of favour. As to the charge of neglect, he remarked, that he had taken every care to see the stores found at St. Eustatius safely conveyed to his majesty’s store-houses at Antigua, and that he had, under every circumstance, made the best use of the inferior fleet at his disposal: this he proved by narrating how he was situated at the time. Vaughan, in his defence, declared that he had not been benefited to the amount of a single shilling by the capture of St. Eustatius; that he had treated the enemy with great lenity; and that he had acted to the best of his judgment for his country’s welfare. The motion was negatived by one hundred and sixty-three again st eighty-nine.
DEBATE ON THE NAVY.
On the 5th of December Lord Lisburne moved, that
100,000 seamen should be granted for the ensuing year. Mr. Hussey, a member of opposition, moved an amendment, substituting 110,000, which brought on a stormy debate on the state of the navy, in the course of which ministers were taunted with delay and neglect in fitting out ships. It was asserted, that if ministers refused the additional supply offered, they must be suspected of some dark and sinister design; but they nevertheless did refuse the offer, and the amendment was rejected by one hundred and forty-three against seventy-seven.
MOTION OF SIR JAMES LOWTHER FOR PEACE, ETC.
Previous to the debate on the navy, when the army estimates were laid before the house, a motion was made, that no supplies should be granted until the ministers had given proof of repentance and amendment—in other words, that war with America should be discontinued. This was negatived by an overwhelming majority; but nothing daunted by this defeat, on the 12th of December Sir James Lowther moved these two resolutions:—“To declare that the war carried on in the colonies and plantations of North America had been ineffectual to the purposes for which it had been undertaken; and that it was also the opinion of the house, that all further attempts to reduce the Americans to obedience by force must be injurious to this country, by weakening her powers to resist her ancient and confederated enemies.” The motion was seconded by Mr. Powys, in a long and able speech, in which he declared that, as no idea of revenue remained, and that as there was no idea of alleviating the burdens of Great Britain by carrying on the war, the country gentlemen, long deceived, could be deceived no longer. Some of the supporters of government seem either to have been convinced of their error, or to have perceived that a change was coming, for more than twenty spoke or voted in favour of the motion. It was, however, opposed by Lords North and Germaine, and, on a division, was negatived by two hundred and twenty to one hundred and seventy-nine. War, therefore, was to be continued. At the same time it was evident, from Lord North’s speech, that the plan of operations would, in the next campaign, be materially altered. It would not, he said, be wise or right to prosecute the war in America on a continental plan; that is, by sending fresh armies through the colonies. North, however, argued that the posts held in America must be defended, and that the British trade must be protected against American privateers. The subject of war was renewed on the 14th, when Mr. Pitt reviewed the whole of the operations, and asserted, that the ministry were intent only upon one thing, and that was the destruction of the empire. He added:—“God grant that their punishment be not so long delayed as to involve a great and innocent family, who, though they share not the guilt, will most likely participate in the atonement.” Sir George Saville followed, and in his speech likened the crown and parliament to dancers in a minuet, to a tune composed by the cabinet—the crown led off one way, the parliament to the opposite corner; and they then joined hands, when the dance ended as it began. He also compared ministers to the Spartan, (it was an Athenian,) who, in an engagement by sea, seized the stern with his right hand, which was instantly chopped off; and who then renewed the effort with his left, which shared the same fate, whereupon he seized the galley with his teeth. The ministry had lost two armies in attempts on America, yet they were determined to proceed; but he warned them, that when the Spartan seized the vessel with his teeth, he forfeited his head. This debate was intended to delay the supplies; but on a division, the majority was one hundred and sixty-six to eighty-four. Subsequently a debate occurred on the subject of the ex-president Lauren’s imprisonment in the Tower, and Mr. Burke gave notice of a motion on his behalf; but this was rendered unnecessary, as Laurens was soon after discharged in exchange for General Burgoyne. In the upper house an attempt was made by the Marquess of Rockingham to prevent the third reading of the Malt and Land-tax Bills before the recess, but it was unavailing. Such were the proceedings of parliament before the adjournment.