of their arguments. Gentlemen, faid be, attribute the fuppofed mifcarriages of the war at one time to the difficulty of the war itfeif, and the impracticability of its objects; and at another, to the errors of Minifters; but each of thefe charges annihilates the other; for it would be an impoffibility at once to prove pofitive impracticability, and impute imbecility to the perfons who attempted it: but these were of a piece with all the arguments on that fide-a tiffue of ingenuity, fubtilty, false reasoning, and deception. Mr. Pitt then drew a terrible picture of the prefent ftate of France, in contraft to what he once was. A nation opulent, great, and elegant, was funk to a ftate of the moft forlorn barbarifi. A people refined and learned extirpate order, humanity, law, and juftice, from the furface of the earth, and in the execution of their horrible projects join the favageness and ferocity of design with all the craft and fkill of execution. A Right Honourable Gentleman (faid he) has dignified their enormities with the appellation of enthusiasm: but if cruelty, horror, and oppreffion, greater than man ever thought of, reduced to fyftem, and ftrengthened with diftraction, is entitled to that diftinction ;-if driving crowds of unfortunates to the fcaffold, and hardly a larger proportion to the field, to force them to battle ;-if the devaftation and ruin of the finest countries and moft magnificent temples, and the total fubverfion of laudable prejudices and facred prepoffeffions, be enthufiafm, then have I been miftaken in the import of the word.-Yet this enthufiafm, as fome call it, is faid to be the fource of all their energy-but will any man who knows and values liberty, believe it? No. Another, and a different power, fear, keeps them in fubmiffion, and bends their necks to the yoke and to the ftone that will fink them. He then gave it as his opinion, that the restoration of peace could only be effected by our obtaining-first, a reafonable fecurity against the return of war; and fecondly, a reasonable indemnity. The Houfe, however, would recollect, that negociation was impracticable with a people who had made it a part of their Conftitutional laws that any man who treats with us is guilty, and muft fuffer the penalty of a capital crime. This is no loose description, no exaggerated picture, but a fact taken from their own records-from the mouths of the principal actors, as Mr. Fox faid a few words in reply. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22. Upon the Report of the Addrefs to his Majefty for his gracious Speech from the Throne, Mr. Fox begged leave to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he intended to fubmit a queftion to the Houfe upon the Treaties which were laid upon the table in the last feffion, and particularly upon that concluded between his Majefty and the King of Sardinia. He was ready, for his own part, to declare, that he looked upon that measure to be the most extravagant, ridiculous, impolitic, and absurd, he would not fay unprecedented, which had ever been advised by his Majesty's Minifters. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply, faid, that thofe Treaties would of courfe be referred to the Committee of Supply; and that any Honourable Gentleman was at liberty to discuss them at that time, or to found any motion upon them at any other time. With refpect to the epithets which the Right Hon. Gentleman had beflowed upon the Treaties, he would not then enter into the queftion of, Whether they were well applied?-They certain. ly were not unprecedented from the Right Hon. Gentleman-were too common to be alarming-and the House would judge, whenever the business was difcuffed, how far they were de ferved. The Addrefs was agreed to, and his Majefty's Meffage ordered to be taken into confideration. THURSDAY, JAN. 23. His Majefty's Speech was taken into confideration, and a motion made for granting a supply to his Majesty, and a Committee appointed to confider the motion. A new writ was moved for Seaford, in the room of Mr. Sargent, and a new X 2 writ writ was ordered for Wycombe, in felf to prove perfectly legal and nece the room of Sir John Jervis. fary. FRIDAY, JAN. 24. The Speaker reported, that a Deputation froin that Houfe had waited upon the King with the Addrefs; to which his Majesty was pleafed to return the following gracious anfwer: "Gentlemen, I return you my moft cordial thanks for your dutiful and loyal Addrefs. It gives me great fatif. faction to find you coincide with me refpecting the prefent juft and neceffary war, and that your fupplics for that purpose will be continued; and you may be affured, that nothing fhall be wanting on my part to employ, in the best manner, the refources I derive from your bounty.” A Meffage was received from the Lords, acquainting the Houfe that their Lordihips would proceed further with the Trial of Mr. Haftings on Thurfday the 13th of February. A new writ of election was ordered to be iffued for the town of Cardiff, in Glamorganfhire, in the room of Lord Mountftuart, deceased. The Houfe being refumed, ordered the Report to be received, and adjourn ed to MONDAY, JAN. 27. The Report of the Refolution of the Committee of Supply was brought up, and agreed to nem.con.and the Committee appointed for this day. The Managers for conducting the Trial of Mr. Haftings were re-appointed, and the ufual orders made. A Petition regarding the Seaford Right of Election was prefented, and ordered to be confidered on the 10th of March. Mr. Adam rofe to give notice, that he meant to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of rendering the criminal law of Scotland the fame as that of England, that petty offences fhould be tried by jury, and that there fhould be a right of appeal from the Jufticiary of that kingdom to the High Court of Parliament in this. He further meant to move, that particular inftructions be given to the Committee who were to draw up the Bill, to include in the benefit of the Aft thofe fentences which paffed in the year 1793. Mr. Dundas faid, that he had no objection to the difquifition of the conduct of the legislative capacity of an united kingdom, and which he pledged him Mr. Fox faid, that as far as opinion went, he certainly did think the conduct of the Judges of Scotland perfectly unjuft. He was not undoubtedly allow ed the privilege of authentic documents, but he had every reliance upon the Right Hon. Gentleman who spoke laft, that he fhould prove by his arguments what he had so unequivocally afferted. IIis Hon. Friend (Mr. Adam) withed candidly to ftate what his objects were in his motion, that he had no idea of taking an unfair advantage, and he (Mr. Fox) confidered that the circumftances relative to the trials for fedition, which had agitated the public mind for thefe four months paft, were totally apart, and should be fubfequently con fidered, as was intended by the particu lar inftructions to the Committee. Mr. Pitt faid, he was by no means averfe to the going into the difquifition; but at the fame time agreed with his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Dundas) in the legality of the fentences. A converfation enfued between Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, Mr. Anftruther, and Mr. Whitbread, which was terminated by the Speaker's faving that there was no motion then before the Houfe. Mr. Dundas prefented a Meffage from his Majefty, acquainting the Houfe that he had ordered the landing of the Heffians at the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, on account of fickness; and an Addrefs of Thanks was ordered to the King for the communication. TUESDAY, JAN. 28. Lord Stopford reported his Majefy's Answer to the Address relative to the Hethans. The Houfe in a Committee on the American Intercourfe Acts, came to a refolution to continue the Acts. Mr. Sheridan moved, that accounts fhould be laid before the Houfe of the amount of the falary or half-pay, or penfion in lieu of half-pay, given to Sir Gilbert Elliot, J. Erfkine, and others, Commiffioners at Toulon; and accounts of the amount of the expence of the Embaffy of Lord Malmebury to the Court of Berlin, of the Hon. Mr. Elliot, Charge des Affaires to the fame Court, and of the miffion of the Earl of Yarmouth to the King of Pruffia; alfo of the amount paid to Counfel, viz. John Anftruther, Efq. by the Board of Controul for India Affairs; Affairs; and alfo for an account of the expenditure and application of 11,000l. and scool. granted by an Act of laft feffion to be expended by the Board of Controul in the fervice of the Eaft India Company. After a debate, the motions were all agreed to, and Mr. Sheridan gave notice, that he fhould make fome obfervations on them on Friday fe'anight, when he entertained no doubt but that he fhould be able to fhew that the greatest number of them were rank jobs. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29. The Houfe refolved itself into a Committee of Supply; and Mr. Hobart having taken the chair, Lord Arden moved, that 85,000 feamen, in cluding 12,115 marines, be granted to his Majefty for the fervice of the year 1794 Mr. Fox rofe, not to oppofe the motion, but to take the opportunity to make a few obfervations on a circumftance which nearly concerned the commerce of the kingdom. What he alluded to was, that our trade in feveral quarters had fuffered confiderably for want of adequate convoys. The Baltic fleet had, on account of its convoy not waiting for the fleet, loft 16 or 17 fail, which were captured and carried into Norway. The Quebec fleet had alfo fuffered from circumftances nearly fimilar; part of it being bound to Spain, and Portugal, as well as to Great Britain, a number of fhips of the former defeription were taken, as its convoy was obliged to feparate from the fleet on account of a trong gale of wind. The Weft-India fleet, he faid, was neceffitated to wait near three months in port for a convoy; a circumftance which obviously must have distressed that trade very much. He thought thefe were circunftances of a ferious and weighty nature, and demanded the falleft explanation from his Majefty's Minifters. Mr.Pitt in reply obferved, that what the Right Hon. Gentleman mentioned certainly merited the moft ferious confideration. As to the particular facts alledged, he was not fo well informed as he could with, for it must be obvious to the Committee, that he could not without particular enquiry poffefs a minute information of all the details of trade fo extenfive and complicated as that of this country; however, he would inftitute the most particular enquiry as foon as poffible into the affair. A few general obfervations were all he could offer at prefent, and he had no difficulty in faying, it would appear, that at no period whatever was fo effectual a protec tion extended to the trade as at prefent; the circumstances fpoken of by the Right Hon. Gentleman, he faid, might arife from caufes which could not be attributed to Government; as the rarious delays on account of the fhips not being ready, the different opinions of the feveral merchants as to the ftrength of the convoy, proper places of rendezvous, time of failing, their various views and interefts, and the unforeseen and irrefiftible accidents of wind and weather. All thefe fhould be fairly weighed and confidered as most proba. ble caufes of the circumftances alluded to. However, he would fay, that no veffel which had taken the advantage of the protection of convoy had been captured; the naval exertions of this country were greater than at any former period, and attended with more fignal fucceffes. He repeated, that an enquiry fhould be made into what the Hon. Gentleman mentioned, and the refult taken with the moft ferious confideration. A converfation enfued between Meffrs. Fox, Pitt, Sheridan, Anderfon, and Admiral Gardner; the latter vindicated the conduct of Adminiftration, and proved that the most effectual protection had been extended to the trade of the country. The Committee then agreed to the motion for the allowance for the feamen's maintenance, and the Houfe, refuming, ordered the Report to be received to-morrow.-Adjourned. THURSDAY, JAN. 10. This morning at eleven o'clock, the Speaker proceeded to St. Margaret's, Weltminster, where, after Divine Service had been read, a Sermon was preached by the Rev. Charles Mofs, Chaplain to the Houfe of Commons. The Text was from the 34 Chapter of Ifaiah, Verse v. "And the People fhall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one "by his neighbour; and the child_sball "behave himself proudly against the "ancient, and the bafe against the bo"nourable." WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31. A Petition was prefented by the Sheriffs of London from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council, pray ing ing an aid from the Houfe, for the purpote of carrying into effect certain improvements in different avenues to the City It was ordered, on the motion of Mr. Grey, that an Account thould be laid before the Houfe of the number of men lotte the land-forces, including maFines, and to the foreign troops in Pritifh pay, either by death, wounds, or defertion, from the 1ft of February 1793, to the date of the laft returns, inclutive. The order being read for the Houfe to refolve itself into a Committee of Supply, the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the different Treaties entered into between his Majefty and Foreign Powers, be referred to the faid Committee, which, after a debate, was, carried. The Houfe then went into a Committee of Supply, and came to two Refolutions, on the Motion of Mr. Rose, for granting a confiderable fum to his Majesty to anfwer the Exchequer Bills in the ufual way. The Houfe having refumed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer informed them that the French Convention had very recently paffed a decree, by which all the property of natives in foreign funds, and particularly of this country, FOREIGN and all bills of Exchange on the fame, had been put in a state of requifition, that is, that they thould be delivered up to the Government of that country, and that the holders fhould take affignats at par in return; fuch proceeding had made fome alteration in his fentiments refpecting the Loan; he would therefore enquire into the affair, and revolve the matter in his mind, which, perhaps, against the morrow, he could make up; he would therefore move, that the Report of the Committee of Supply thould be poftponed till then, which arrange. ment meeting the fenfe of the House, it was ordered to be withdrawn. A very long converfation then ensued between the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Meffrs. Dundas, Fox, Sheridan, Burke, Grey, Admiral Gardner, and others, refpecting the manner in which the convoy fervice had been conducted, and the fate of defence of Halifax, and the colony of Nova Scotia; in the courfe of which it appeared, feemingly to the fatisfaction of the Houfe, that our trade in general had never been better protected, and that the colony in queftion was in an adequate ftate of defence. The Houfe then adjourned. INTELLIGENCE. [FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE.] WHITEHALL, JAN. 24, 1794. THE difpatches, of which the following are copies, were this morning received over land from India, by the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies. Copy of a Letter from the Governor and Council of Madras, to the Court of Directors, "dated Fort St. George, Auguft 24, 1793. Honourable Sirs, We have great fatisfaction in reporting to your Honourable Court that Pondicherry was furrendered to the army under Colonel Brathwaite on the morning of the 22d inftant. As we forward this Addrefs viá Bombay, we thali embrace another op portunity of giving you a detailed account of the operations of the army. It will be fufficient to mention here, that not a acment was loft after our receipt of the intelligence of the war (which reached us on the rft of June, in a letter from the British Conful at Alexandria), in making preparations for the fiege. An enfilading battery was opened againft the fort on the zoth inftant; and on the 22d a battery opened on the face to be attacked, and in a fhort time completely filenced the enemy's guns.That fame evening the Governor fent out a deputation, with propofals to furrender, and early next morning our troops trok poffeffion of the place. We have the honour to tranfmit a copy of Colonel Brathwaite's laft difpatch, with copy of the articles of capitulation, and to offer our warmeft congratulations to you on an event fo honourable, and important to your interefts in this country. All the French fettlements in Bengal, as well as thofe on the two coafts, have been furrendered to the British arms. We have the honour to be, with the greated Refpe&t, Honourable Sirs, Your faithful humble Servants, E. W. FALLOFIELD. TQ To the Hon. Sir Charles Oakeley, Bart. that "he has fpared the whole garri Governor in Council. Capt. Brathwaite, my Aid de Camp, will have the honour to deliver this to you; it inclofes copies of my correfpondence with Monfieur de Chermont, and a copy of the terms which humanity alone induced me to grant to the French garrifon, who, in many inftances, behaved very ill; but it feems they were under little or no control of their Offi. cers, who were hourly in apprehenfion for their own lives: And this day I was greatly alarmed by repeated information that fome of them liad furrounded the Governor's houfe and menaced his life, and preffing me to push forward the Troops, which was accordingly done; and I had the pleafure to learn, that though matters had for fome time worn a difagreeable appearance, they had never had recourfe to their arms, or any act of violence; they were moftly drunk, and ftraggling about in various directions, but without arms; however they have been moftly collect ed, and will, before night, be perfectly fecured in the church at Ariancopang. I have alfo the honour to inclofe a copy of the orders I iffued this day, and to remain, with Refpect, Honourable Sir, Your very Obedient Servant, (Signed) JOHN BRATHWAITE. Camp on the Red Hills, August 23, 1793. [The propofal of furrendering the fort was made by M. Chermont, on the 22d of Auguft. Colonel Brathwaite anfwered it, reproaching M. Chermont with unneceffarily firing upon his people, and doing all the harm he could; to which the Governor replied, the cruel fituation in which he and a number of brave men found themfelves, compelled them to do what they did; and he fubmitted to the terms dictated by the Colonel, which were, that the fort, its ftores, ordnance, and all public property fhould be furrendered to his Britannic Majefty, the garrifon be prifoners of war, the officers to wear their fwards, and be on their parole of hoour, private property was to be fafe and refpected, and the inhabitants, if they behave with obedience, are to be confidered as under the protection of the British Government. Colone! Brathwaite in his ORDERS, announces to his gallant armiy the furreader of the place; and he obferver, fon and the properties of individuals. which the rigid law of arms would have juftified him in treating otherwife. He has fpared an enemy that continued to act offenfively and deftructively while unmolefted, but who funk under the first impreffions of his fuperior force. Actuated by the fame fentiments, he has no doubt but that the whole of the army under his command will confider their infatuated and unfortunate, prifoners entitled (being now their prifoners) to their most humane attention, and convince them and the inhabitants, that they can be as orderly, generous, and humane, in the difcharge of thefc duties, as they have been active and brave in the duties of the trenches."] Madrid, Jan. 1. Intelligence has been received from Barcelona, that on the 20th ult. the Spanish troops, which were at Banuls de Mar, attacked the town of Port Vendre, and the entrenchments on the heights behind the place, and carried them, after an obftinate and bloody action, taking fix pieces of cannon: that General Cueftà afterwards directed a fudden attack upon Fort St. Elmo, where the French had retired from Port Vendre, and, notwithstanding the inceffant fire kept up by the garrifon, two battalions of Walloons and fome other corps gained the almoft inacceffible heights by which the place is commanded, and obliged the garrifon to furrender prifoners of war: that the guns of the fort of St. Elmo were immediately turned upon the town of Collieure, which was given up at difcretion the next morning: that on the 21ft, the Marquis de las Amarillas, at the head of three columns, attacked the flank of the batteries and entrenchments in the front of the Spanish vanguard at Bolo, carried three batteries, and obliged the French to retreat to Banuls de Afpres: that a falfe attack was at the fame time made on the right of the enemy's camp, by a column from Ceret, commanded by the Portugue General Forbes, and another on the left by General Hurrigary, who fell in with a column of 2000 men, on their march from Perpignan to the camp at Banuls de Afpres, which they charged, killed 300 on the fpot, and in the purfuit took 200 prifoners. and two baggage waggons, with very inconfiderable lofs. It is computed that, in thefe teveral actions, the Spaniards have taken 77 |