which had, doubtlefs, been urged on the part of the United Provinces, were cautiously retained, not one of these had been produced. How then could the Houfe form a juft and impartial idea what party had been wrong, in ultimately producing these unfortunate hoftilities, if they were deprived of the power of taking a complete view of the whole proceedings; of comparing the original complaints with the replies that had been returned to them; and determining, by fuch a profpect, whether they had been juft, or we infolent? Before he could undertake to pronounce decifively one way or another, he should not only think it neceffary that all the papers, in any respect relative to the question, should be fubmitted to their infpection; but that due time should be allowed for confidering them with attention, and for forming their determination with care and deliberation. This was no time for empty compliment; and if there was ever a fubject that required the most serious at tention, that was it. He would therefore read the motion he intended to make; and begged leave to apprife their Lordships, that if he finally found it neceffary to urge it, the House, by his reading it, would be fairly put in poffeffion of it; and his motion would there fore have the firft claim to be decided upon, whatever fubfequent one might be propofed by any other Noble Lord in the course of the debate. His Grace's motion was to this purport, that inftead of the addrefs which he expected to be moved for, the following fhould be put: "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, requesting him, that he would be graciously pleased to give orders, that the feveral memorials, manifeftoes, &c. which have been prefented to the court of G. Britain, from the States-General, from the first commencement of the American war till the rup ture between these two nations, be laid before the Houfe." in bringing matters to the laft extremity were there faithfully recorded, and the juftice or injuftice of the war might receive an immediate and certain decifion by reference to that paper only. His Grace had asked, Why the answers which had at different periods been presented to the court of London, from the StatesGeneral, in reply to Sir Jofeph Yorke's repeated memorials, had not been included in the number of thofe papers which were laid before the Houfe? - There was the plaineft and the most fatisfactory reply in the world to that question: None had been received; their High Mightineffes had not condefcended to tranfmit anfwers to thefe reiterated remonftrances; they paffed them over in filent neglect, and perfevered in their injuries and injuftice, without an attempt at explanation or defence. The papers which had that day accompanied his Majefty's meffage, were, if properly perufed, and attended to, entirely fufficient on this fubject. With their Lordships permiffion he would juft ftate in a brief manner, the leading tenor of the various intermediate fteps that had been adopted with respect to the republic before the recent rupture took place. A treaty had been made in ́ 1714, stating, as the predominant and ruling principle which it contained, that if either of the two nations should be attacked, the other fhould immediately fufpend all amicable intercourse with the state which was the aggreffor, and in two months be bound to fupply its ally with certain ftipulated fuccours. Now, continued his Lordfhip, when the hoftilities commenced between this country and France, we neither infifted upon the one or the other of thefe conditions. Though the States. General were bound by the exprefs terms of a pofitive treaty, we yet indulged them in the liberty of trading with the power in enmity with us, and made no requifition of the ftipulated fupply. When Spain had alfo united in the perfidious confederacy that was formed for the purpose of darkening the fplendor, if not of annihilating the political exiftence, of this country, we then thought it neceffary to make fome application to our ally. But even at that time we did not attempt to preclude every fpecies of their com merce, but only to prevent their affisting our foes with the illicit property of naval ftores. We received no answer to thefe applications; no thanks for thefe indul Lord Stormont followed the Duke of Richmond. His Grace, his Lordship obferved, had faid, that the papers which had been read to their Lordships were defective, that more were wanting. In his opinion, if no papers had been produced before the Houfe but his Majefty's declaration alone, that would have been fufficient for the formation of their opinions upon the fubject in queftion. The different caufes which had united gences, they were fupplying them with the materials which were the finews of their power, the means without which they could not have fought at all. Under these circumftances, injurious, treacherous, and aggravated as they were, his Majefty was ftill reluctant to violate the amity which had fubfifted between the States-General and this country, and which had been deemed by the greatest ftatesmen of each nation of reciprocal advantage to both. — Mutuality of obligation is certainly the grand basis of every national compact, but fo little had the Dutch been disposed to practise a concurrence in this opinion, that their treachery increased with our fidelity, and their injuftice with our indulgence. The immediate cause which had induced his Majefty to take the step that he had fo long refrained from, was the difcovery of a moft unjust and iniquitous treaty between the province of Amfterdam, and the Congrefs of the American Colonies, now in rebellion against this country. The copy of this agreement had been laid before the House, and their Lordships had heard the injurious tenor of its contents. Wicked and unprecedented as they were, however, what was the fatisfaction which this court received, when application was made, through the medium of our ambaffador, for redress and punishment? - After having deferred for fome time paying any attention to our repeated remonftrances, we were at last answered, that the States General had left the matter ad referendum; which was as much as to say, they did not care whether any regard was to be paid to it or no. The grand principal on this occafion, the Penfioner Van Berkel himself, when he was interrogated for fuch a conduct, had the impudence to avow it, nay, not only to avow it, but to defend and glory in it. The inhabitants of Amfterdam, which now conftitutes the reigning faction of the nation, were daring enough to inform the general affembly of the States, that they looked upon this treaty with the Americans as the execution of an indifpenfable duty, and that they neither could nor would make any atonement for what they had done, unless compelled to it. gences. When the increafing exigency were actually fighting for its foes; for of our affairs required more direct and more urgent demands, our ambaffador had orders to make them, but with all due decency and refpect. No effect followed; - they ftill continued to furnish the states at open war with their ally with every kind of ftores neceffary for their conducting it, and even took off the duty from several naval articles, in order the more effectually to expedite their importation to the hoftile countries in queftion. They have lately attempted to reconcile their conduct by an affertion, that though the conditions of the treaty of Breda were by no means to be difputed or controverted, yet that the particular inftance in queftion was not a cafus foederis, and that therefore they were not in any respect affected by it. Nothing could be fo abfurd: the literal terms of the treaty were, That the obligation on the one power should inftantly commence, when the other was inimically affailed from any quarter whatever. Was it poffible to fay, that we had not been attacked unprovokedly by France? was it poffible to say, that we had not been attacked in a fimilar manner by Spain?What then could they mean by a cafus fæderis? If these inftances did not come under that description, none ever would or could. Nay, as a full proof of the reprehenfibility of their conduct in this respect, the French had conceived themfelves under an obligation to pay fome attention to a fimilar article. In the treaty of Utrecht, between that country and this, the fame condition was included as that juft mentioned as conftituting one article of the treaty of Breda. When the subjects of America first thought proper to revolt from their due allegiance to the parent-ftate, and when France of courfe became amenable for the condition alluded to, they, faithlefs and unjuft as they were, confidered themselves bound to pay attention to it; and though they affifted the Americans privately, never dared fo far to forget the decency of respect due to a folemn treaty, as to give them open and avowed fuccour. Yet the Dutch had done this; they had received an American pirate into their ports; they had permitted him to mount guard in one of their towns, and had patronized and protected him;- they had made it their daily practice to fupply our enemies with naval fores; and at the time that they were under the moft pofitive engagements to affift this country, they His Lordship was here interrupted by the Duke of Richmond, who spoke to order. He faid, the Noble Viscount had no right to refer, in his official capacity as a minifter, to papers which were not B 2 before before the House. That paper, containing an account of the proceedings of the States General on this occafion, ought, beyond all dispute, to have been fubjected to the inspection of their Lordfhips; but as the Noble Lord had not thought proper to do that, he was not authorised in introducing any allufion to it at all. Lord Stormont contended, that he was in no respect out of order; because, in the first place, he had alluded to nothing that was not specifically mentioned in his Majefty's declaration; and in the fecond, the whole hiftory of the tranfaction in queftion had been published in the gazettes of Holland, which might certain ly be looked upon as fome foundation for an affertion respecting matters wherein the States-General themselves were fo intimately concerned. - The Noble Lord now refumed the thread of his ar gument, and faid a few words as to the policy and expediency of the war with the Dutch. It had been moft erroneously reprefented, that the queftion upon this occafion was, in fact, this: Is it or is it not politic to quarrel with the States-General? Is it or is it not wife to make that power at this time our enemy? This he faid was entirely a misconception. We have not been able to prevent the Dutch from being hoftile to us; they have been our enemies for fome years back, in fpite of every indulgence, and every juft motive to the contrary. Since, then, the making them amicable, as experience has fufficiently evinced, is perfectly out of our power, the queftion becomes merely and fimply this: Is it better to have them fecret or avowed enemies? Enemies they will be; and it is for your Lordships to determine, fince that muft be the cafe, which state of enmity you would prefer, the open attack, which you may prepare yourselves to refift; or the dark blow, which brings death before difcovery. His Lordthip urged fome other argments for the expediency and neceffity of the measure which had been purfued; and, after expreffing a ftrong with, that it might have been practicable to have punished the province of Amiter dam, where the great and governing faction of the ftate manifeftly refided, concluded with moving an address to the following purport: "That the thanks of this Houfe be given to his Majefty for his moft gracions mellage: - That their Lordships lament with his Majefty the disagreeable necef fity under which he has been of making an hostile declaration against the StatesGeneral of the United Provinces; but that they are perfectly conscious that he has exerted every poffible expedient for the prevention of it; and that the prevarication, injuftice, and violation of treaty, of which the States have been guilty, were the fole causes which influenced his Majefty in the step he has ta ken. — Convinced as they are that this war is neceffary, as well as for the ho nour of the crown, as for the effential interefts of the people, their Lordships efteem it their duty to affure his Majefty, that they will readily and willingly affift him with their counfels and fupport, and ufe their endeavours, in conjunction with him, for effecting an honourable and permanent peace." The Duke of Richmond now entered into a regular refutation of the arguments which had been urged by the Noble Lord. His Grace contended, in the first place, that the Utrecht Gazettė was no authority to refer to for the authenticity of any circumftance that might occur in that House. How does his Lordship know we read these Gazettes? May not some of us resemble that Noble Lord's uncle? He never reads a newspaper of any kind, never, no never: why then does the Noble Lord prefume upon the certainty of the fact, that e very other member of this Houfe actually does read them? As for the argument refpecting the treaty of Breda, that could not in any reafon be supposed to have any effect in inclining the Dutch to amity: for as another treaty had been formed, difpenfing, in a certain degree, with the conditions of that preceding one, they very naturally felt themselves under a difficulty how to proceed; and as the fupplying the hoftile powers with naval ftores was a matter of advantage to them, they conceived themselves guilty of no impropriety in purtuing it, as it was permitted to a degree in one agreement, though prohibited in another. - Repugnant terms in treaties almost unavoidably deftroy the effect of each treaty; and, in this inftance, the fubfequent agreement of permiffion to trade, produced only a very common effect, by making the previous condition to the contrary perfectly nugatory. · But, what was very extraordinary, continued his Grace, though we fee no tranfcript of it here, a memorial (unless I am very much de ceived ceived indeed) was fome time ago prefented to the Dutch, telling them, that if they did not comply with fuch and fuch expectations, they would certainly be confidered, in the eftimation of his British Majefty, as nothing else than a mere neutral power [42. 155.]. They did not perform thofe things you expected; therefore, agreeably to your own declaration, they were reduced to a ftate of neutrality, and all previous treaties were of courfe abfolved and done away [42. 214.]. Is it then a fault in a certain people, that they do not perform duties in confequence of a compact, when that compact has been destroyed, and deftroyed too by the voluntary act of other powers? After that memorial, all preceding engagements were fuperfeded, and this country ceased to have any claim upon the States-General whatever. This complaint, therefore, was no juft foundation for a commencement of hoftilities; nor would the other European powers fo confider it. But why was not this memorial, just alluded to, included in the papers that had been laid before the Houfe? It was of infinite confequence, and no fair and impartial determination could be come to without it. The laft argument which had been urged in defence of this war is deduced from the league which is reprefented to have been formed between the Penfioner of Amfterdam and the American Colonies. Here I muft draw your Lordships attention to a moft egregious blunder. The King, by the ignorance and precipitation of his minifters, has, with refpect to this bufinefs, been led into an actual falsehood. He tells you, that he has done fo and fo, becaufe, for one reason, among others, a league had been formed between the Colonies and the inhabitants of Amfterdam. How did the fact ftand? What was the title of this treaty, as defcribed in the exordium of it?" A rough copy of a league to be formed between the Americau colonies," &c. This, then, was on ly the rough project of a league. Who could be certain that it would ever have been completed?-unfigned, unratified, but merely the faint profile of a poffible treaty; and that is to be a fufficient caufe for violating an ancient amity, and plunging us into a war under the exhaufted circumftances to which we are now reduced. To quarrel, therefore, with the Dutch on account of fuch a treaty, was wicked, weak, and absurd; and it was a violation of honefty on our part to feize their fhips. It was a robbery, his Grace faid, which nothing could warrant but the bad intention of minifters, who meant to plunder the unfufpecting, harmless, induftrious Dutchman. His Grace recommended it seriously to the Houfe, to take all the dreadful confequences of accumulated war into their confideration; and after having lamented the corruption which pervaded every part of the political fyftem of this country, and pofitively affirming that he would feldom, and perhaps never speak in that Houfe again, fo long as the prefent administration continued in power, he put the motion mentioned above, and fat down. Lord Bathurst explained to the House, that the Manifefto alone fully answered every purpose that the House could want a knowledge of. In reply to what his Grace faid of corruption, his Lordship begged leave to obferve, that it was the corruption of the heart that was diftreffing this country; for there were men who," disappointed in their ambitious views, chagrined at not holding any employment under the crown, with malice in their bofom, and inveteracy in their envenomed tongues, were eternally endeavouring to ruin administration, even at the expence of their country: a set of men who were for ever extolling our enemies, and depreciating ourselves; and who took every occafion to harafs and diftrefs government, through a principle of malice and envy." The Duke of Richmond replied again, and described the Prefident of the Council as a known Tory in political principle. The debate now underwent a very wide and extended difcuffion. The Earl of Chesterfield and the Duke of Chandos approved of the war with the Dutch ;' the Marquis of Rockingham, the Earls of Shelburne and Coventry, and Lord Camden, condemned that measure; and the Lord Chancellor defended it. The queftion being then put upon the Duke of Richmond's original motion, there appeared Contents 19 Not Contents befides proxies. 68 in the year 1777, was not included a mong thofe laid before the Houfe, tho' of great importance to their deliberations, as it was faid to have been the firft caufe of the difagreement with the StatesGeneral, it being couched in terms of fenfive to the dignity of a fovereign power. Lord North informed the Hon. Gentleman, that no papers were laid before the Houfe, except thofe immediately referred to in his Majesty's Manifesto; and the memorial alluded to not being of that defcription, of course had not been included among the reft. Mr Burke did not think this reafon fatisfactory, and condemned the conduct of adminiftration for commencing a war againft Holland, without the fanction of parliamentary concurrence. The Houfe, he faid, had been adjourned for a longer term than neceffary, merely to afford an opportunity of entering on this measure without the confent of the people; and though he denied not the prerogative of the crown in making war or peace, yet as the people were to bear the burthen of the war, they ought to be confulted previous to its commencement. It was true they had now an opportunity of ex ercifing their judgement on the fubject, but in a fituation widely different from that in which they stood before the recefs; for the queftion was not now, Whether we fhould go to war with Holland? but, Whether, being already engaged in hoftilities with that country, we hall leave our fovereign unfupported? This was a procedure in minifters which he could not but reprehend; for however unfafhionable it might be, he confeffed himfelf fuch a foolish old man as to think that entering on a war was a very serious business. The papers were then read by the clerk; after which Lord North rose to elucidate the fubject of his Majefty's meffage, and propofe an addrefs in anfwer to it. His Lordship premifed, that notwithstanding he faw the neceffity of thofe measures which had been taken with Holland, he viewed them with the deepest concern; being as well convinced as the Hon. Gentleman who spoke laft, that the commencement of a war is a matter of ferious moment. If fuch an opinion were to ftamp the character of a foolish old fellow, he merited that appellation as much as any man; for nobody could be more deeply impreffed with it than himself; but he fhould prefently fubmit to the Houfe thofe circumftances which rendered a rupture with Holland effential to the honour and intereft of this country. Mean time, as to the Hon. Gentleman's complaint, that hoftilities had been commenced during the recefs, he must first obferve, that the adjournment was not fo much a measure of his own, but be would readily have acquiefced in a propofition for continuing longer the fitting of parliament, had any fuch been offered. However, it was not in the power of his Majefty's minifters to forefee, when the recefs took place, that future circumtances would require a breach with Holland before parliament could reaffemble. It was expected, on the contrary, with great ground of probability, that the U. nited Provinces would not finally violate the principles of ancient confederacy, but attend to the juft complaints of our court, and alter that conduct which had been fo juftly deemed exceptionable. Deceived in this expectation, and fully apprifed of the defigns which actuated the councils of Holland, it became neceffary for his Majefty to take decifive and immediate measures; for if war was to be fuftained, beyond a doubt it became our intereft to take the enemy in as defencelefs a ftate as poffible - His Lordship proceeded to a full detail of those tranfactions to which the Manifefto and Memorial referred. The alliance between Great Britain and the States-General was cemented by three different treaties; all providing for a mutual fupport against the incroachments of the Houfe of Bourbon; and on the part of this country moft faithfully adhered to ever fince their formation. By the first of these compacts, each of the contracting powers engaged to declare war against any enemy that fhould invade the dominions of the other, within two months after the aggreffion, if required fo to do. By the fecond, that of 1684, it was provided, that the declaration of war might be dif penfed with by the party attacked, if thought proper, and a determinate fupply of naval and military force be accepted in its ftead. The laft treaty, that of 1714, explained the cafus fœderis of both the former, to include that fpecies of hoftility in which either country is in danger of invafion, as when an enemy is drawing troops to the frontier or feacoaft. By each of thefe confederacies his Lord |