On the 10th of December the royal assent was given to a bill for continuing the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Acts in certain cases of piracy, and also to the Land and Malt-tax Bills—those standing resources of government revenue. About the same time, likewise, the royal assent was given to a duty laid on goods sold by auction, as well as on inhabited houses.
PARLIAMENT ADJOURNED.
On the same clay, after the discussion of some unimportant motions, made with a design of embarrassing ministers, Lord Beauchamp proposed an adjournment to the 20th of January. Burke proposed an adjournment for one week only; but ministers represented that they had already transacted all business of importance, and that nothing was likely to occur during the recess which would demand instant attention, and their motion was carried by one hundred and fifty-five to sixty-eight. The next day a similar motion was made in the house of lords, on which occasion the Earl of Chatham, in opposing it, again endeavoured to fix blame and censure on ministers for their conduct relative to the American war. But the motion was carried by forty-seven to seventeen.
CHAPTER IX.
GEORGE III. 1778-1779
Demonstration of Public Spirit in England..... Meeting of Parliament..... Committee for taking the State of the Nation into Consideration..... Burke’s Motion relative to the Employment of Indians..... Committee of Evidence in the House of Lords..... Lord North’s Conciliatory Bills..... Intimation of the French Treaty with America..... Investigation of the State of the Navy..... Motion for excluding Contractors from Parliament..... Revision of the Trade of Ireland..... Bill for the Relief of the Roman Catholics..... Lord Chatham’s last Appearance in the House of Lords..... Death of Lord Chatham, and posthumous Honours to his Memory..... The Duke of Richmond’s Motion resumed..... The Session closed..... Proceedings in France..... Naval Operations in the British Channel..... Disgraceful Infraction of the Convention of Saratoga..... Lafayette’s Expedition to Canada..... Unfortunate Action under Lafayette..... Sir Henry Clinton takes the Command of the British Troops..... Arrival of the Commissioners in America with the Conciliatory Bills..... Evacuation of Philadelphia by the British, &c...... Disgrace of General Lee..... Unsuccessful Attack, by the Americans and French, on Rhode Island..... Operations of the British Army..... Attack of the Savages on the Settlement of Wyoming, &c...... Arrival of the French Envoy at Philadelphia..... Movements of the British and French Fleets..... Capture of Dominica by the French..... Capture of St. Lucie by the British..... Re-capture of the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon..... French Plans regarding Canada counteracted by Washington..... Capture of Savannah by the British..... Meeting of Parliament..... Affair respecting Admiral Keppel and Sir Hugh Falliser.