1780. the combination; but denied that when the fecond CHA P. proposals were made by British commiffioners, Ame- XXXIX. rica was entangled in the alliance with that country. The overtures were avowed by the whole continent to exceed the wifhes and expectations of the people, and if fufpicion of the national fincerity exifted, it could be founded only on the extreme liberality of the offers. He lamented the impolicy, tyranny, and contemptuous injuftice, with which congrefs had ftudiously neglected taking the collective fentiments of the people on the British propofitions, as a dangerous facrifice of the great interefts of America, to the partial views of a proud, ancient, and crafty foe. The pretended treaty of Verfailles amounted only to an overture, the people of America had given no authority to conclude it, nor had they ever fanctioned its ratification; even the articles of confederation were not yet figned. Preferring, therefore, the fincere overtures of Great Britain, to the infidious offers of France, he had determined to retain his arms and command only till an opportunity fhould occur of furrendering them, and accomplishing an event of decifive importance, which in its execution would prevent the effufion of blood. The great political truths contained in this addrefs were not capable of refutation; but the general's account of his own conduct and motives was examined with great feverity ". IN a fubfequent proclamation, addreffed "to the officers and foldiers of the continental army, who have the real intereft of their country at heart, and who are determined no longer to be the tools and dupes of congrefs or of France," General Arnold made ftrong appeals to the interefts, neceffities, and prejudices of his countrymen. He offered thofe who would join the British standard, rank, bounty, and liberal allowance for their horfes, arms, and accoutrements. He imputed their diftrefs, want of pay, m See Remembrancer, vol. x. p. 344. vol. xi. p. 100. hunger 1780. CHAP. hunger and nakedness, to the negligent contempt and XXXIX. corruption of congrefs. America, he obferved, was now only a land of widows, orphans, and beggars, and fhould the parent nation ceafe her exertions, no fecurity would remain for enjoying the confolations of that religion for which the ancestors of the people had braved the ocean, the heathen and the wilderness. He himself had lately feen the mean and profligate congrefs at mafs for the foul of a Roman Catholic in purgatory, and participating in the rites of a church, against whofe anti-chriftian corruptions, the pious ancestors of the Americans would have witneffed with their blood". Contrary to all expectation, this proclamation produced no effect: the neceffities of the American army were not relieved, but fhame and indignation produced a decifive conduct; the ambition of fuftaining a refpectable character in company with their new affociates the French, contributed to give energy to the dictates of patriotifm, and from this period, the defertions fo frequently complained of occurred no more °. Exchange of No military tranfaction of note diftinguifhed the Burgoyne's remainder of the campaign; but the exchange of the ariny. Naval tranf actions in Europe. May. July. British army, captured at Saratoga was at length accomplished. The perfidious policy of congrefs toward these brave men, had long been undefended even by their warmest partifans, and the American prifoners taken at Charlestown, had friends fufficiently numerous and clamorous to compel their rulers to an act of justice, fo fhamefully evaded and delayed. IN the European feas, feveral gallant and fpirited actions redounded to the glory of the British flag. Beside these, admiral Geary, who fucceeded to the command of the Channel fleet on the death of Sir Charles Hardy, made prize of twelve French mer See the proclamation, Remembrancer, vol. xi. p. 20. It can now be confidered only on the level of an ordinary recruiting hand-bill; although it once derived, from the character and circumftances of the author, a momentary celebrity. Rainfay, vol. ii. p. 204. chantmen, Capture of the British aft aud Weft India fleet. chantmen, part of a convoy from Port-au-Prince. C HA D This advantage was amply overbalanced by the cap- XXXIX. ture of more than forty Eaft and Weft India fhips, 1780. which fell into the hands of the combined French and 9th Aug. Spanish fquadrons, and were carried into Cadiz. The value of the acquifition was very large, and peculiarly injurious to the British interefts, as it comprised military ftores effential to the defence of the fettlements. The number of prifoners was two thoufand eight hundred and fixty-five; and the event occafioned the moft lively exultation in the enemy, and proportionate diffatisfaction in England: the mode of employing the Channel fleet was feverely arraigned, and admiral Geary foon refigned the command; which being refufed by admiral Barrington, was conferred on admiral Darby. Americans. THE Americans too were not without their fhare of Quebec fleet naval fuccefs: fome of their privateers intercepted the taken by the outward-bound Quebec fleet, off the banks of Newfoundland; and though several veffels were afterward re-captured, fecured fourteen valuable ships. CHAPTER THE FORTIETH: CHAP. 1780. 31 OA. Meeting of 1780-1781. Meeting of the new Parliament-election of a speaker—King's Speech--debates on the addreffes.-Rife and progress of the difpute between Great Britain and Holland.-Account of the armed neutrality.-Laurens taken.-Discovery of a treaty between Holland and America-war declared-message to parliament-appointment of delegates.--Burke's plan of economy reneaved-firfi fpeech of the honourable William Pitt -the bill rejected-other popular efforts.-Sheridan's motion refpecting the military.-Petition of the delegates.-Motions refpecting Sir Hugh Pallifer-and for a committee on the American war.-Clofe of the feffion. N the meeting of the new parliament the election of a fpeaker occafioned a ftrenuous debate. The hoftility of Sir Fletcher Norton during the last feffion precluded him from the hope of nomination Parliament. by the miniftry. Lord George Germaine, lamenting Election of that the declining health of the late fpeaker rendered a fpeaker. him no longer capable of fo laborious an office, propofed William Wolfran Cornwall to fill the chair. SIR FLETCHER NORTON, in anfwer to thefe infincere condolences, declared, that his health was perfectly re-established, and complained of the unkind treatment which he experienced from adminiftration, after having, at their request, retained fo laborious a fituation during two whole feffions, contrary to the advice of his phyficians, and at the peril of his life. The members of oppofition infifted that Sir Fletcher Norton was facrificed to minifterial refentment, chiefly on account of his memorable addrefs to the king, and divided the house on his re-election, which was nega XL. tived. He was, however, gratified by a vote of CHA P. thanks for his conduct, which was conveyed to him, in flattering terms, by his fucceffor. THE king, in his fpeech, expreffed unufual fatisfaction in meeting parliament at a period, when the late elections would fupply certain information of the wishes and difpofition of the people, to which he was always inclined to pay the utmost attention and regard. He complained of the unprovoked aggreffion of the Bourbon family; but hoped the late fucceffes in Georgia and Carolina would be attended with im portant confequences in bringing the war to a happy conclufion. Safe and honourable terms of peace could only be fecured by fuch powerful and respectable preparations as would fhow in Great Britain a firm refolution not to receive the law from any powers whatever, and to decline no difficulty or hazard in defending the country, and preferving its effential interests. His majesty declared his entire confidence in the zeal and affections of parliament; confcious that, during his whole reign, the conftant object of his care and with of his heart, had been to promote the true interefts and happiness of all his fubjects, and to preserve inviolate the conftitution, both in church and state. 1780. 20th Nov. 1781. 1780. Speech. Debates on In the upper houfe an amendment was moved on 1ft Nov. the addrefs, but the debate was not diftinguished by the addrefs. novelty or vigour. The amendment in the commons was more ably fupported; though the difcuffion 6th Nov. was not fo interefting as on many fimilar occafions. The friends of administration inferred topics of confolation from the heterogeneous combination of France and Spain with America; the impoffibility of cordiality in fuch an union, or of happy refults to a caufe, supposed to be that of liberty and the Proteftant religion, when protected only by bigoted Catholics, and powers from whofe vocabulary the word freedom was a 203 to 134. U 2 The divifion was 68 to 23. expunged. |