20. Parliament: Lords on reducing the civil lift. fary, and improper, as carrying with it Lord Effingham contended, that the The Marquis of Rockingham contend- Lord Dartmouth thought the motion Lords Manchester, Abingdon, and Lord Townshend thought the motion Vol. 42. ought to be voted for the general good; [Lord Shelburne an- Shelburne. If the Noble Lord was ignorant of that fact, he was the only man in the kingdom who was yet to learn it. Our calamities had rendered this country, what a Noble Earl had early in the debate very properly thrown out, the was he to get the Noble and pity of all the world. So earnest, however, Learned Lord's vote, that he would undertake the whole paragraph fhould be left out, if that would remove his fcruples. Ch. The next paragraph ftated, that the wafte of public treasure required inftant remedy." This was an affertion of fome importance, and not surely to be hazarded on mere fpeculation. If the fact were so, the department of go. yernment ought furely to be pointed out in which the waste of the public treasure lay; otherwife the charge was unjust, because it applied to all public offices alike; and that being the cafe, he fubmitted it to the Houfe, how far it was juft, and becoming their dignity, to vote an addrefs, which contained a general and undefined charge against the King's fervants, which no one Lord had been able able to bring home to the door of any one of those persons so accused. Sh. There again the Noble and Learned Lord was the only ignorant man in the kingdom. It was a fact which had been admitted by all fides of the House., No body, excepting only the Noble and Learned Lord, had attempted even to doubt it. Still, however, fo anxious was he to fatisfy him, that he would un dertake that whole paragraph fhould likewife be croffed out. Ch. The remainder of the motion contained two propofitions; one "advifing his Majefty to make a confiderable reduction of his civil lift;" the other "affuring his Majefty, that every member of that Houfe would chearfully submit to fuch reduction of emolument in any office he may hold, as his Majefty, in his royal wifdom, might think proper to make." The firft of thefe propofitions, even were it practicable to make any reduction in the civil lift, ftrewed fuch difficulties in the way of its execution, that it was impoffible for any minifter to advise his Majefty upon the fubject. It ftated a confiderable reduction. Was a moiety of the civil lift the confiderable part alluded to? Were two thirds of it? Was one third of it? for to each would the word be equally applicable. Again, if the motion were carried, it could not enforce the advice. It was no act of parliament. His Majefty's civil lift was established at its prefent amount by act of parliament. Befides, what part of the civil lift was the reduction defired by the motion to be made in? Their Lordships all knew, that many different establishments were provided for out of the revenue of the civil lift, with the payment of which his Majefty had no more perfonal connection or interference than their Lordships.With regard to the laft propofition, how was that to be carried into execution? He fuppofed, by the affurance it contained, that the Houfe would readily concur in promoting so defireable a purpofe," it was meant, that his Majefty fhould understand, they were willing to follow up the addrefs by proceeding to pafs an act, authorifing the purposes now avowed. But how would their Lord. fhips come at the true fource of each fpecies of official emolument? They mutt go through an inquiry of a very deep and intricate fort, into the origin of all the exchequer places and profits, and would have to fearch into a variety of offices and of perquifites, that had no immediate reference to the civil lift or the court. In fhort, he declared he faw no probability of their Lordships be ing able to go through fo immenfe and difficult a bufinefs, with fufficient effect to remedy the evil. Sh. The motion would be confined to the request to his Majesty to become an example of œconomy, by a reduction of his civil lift, and the affurance that they, as Lords of Parliament, would follow the example, and thus begin what the Noble Marquis had fo properly termed a constitutional reformation, without which this country could not be faved. With regard to the objection, That there was no specific request as to the quantum of the civil lift to be reduced, he did not defire to curtail his Majefty of any one of his enjoyments. There were, however, feveral heads of expenditure of the civil lift, which loudly called for a reform. The money paid for foreign embaffies was enormously fwelled indeed. In the reign of K. William (an æra fo glorious, that every man who loved his country regarded it with admiration) the expence of foreign embaffies was about 43,000l. and now they were fwelled to the extravagant fum of upwards of 90,000l. Ambaffadors then did their duty; fecretaries of state did their duty; they understood each other. Secret-service money was another branch of expenditure which called for immediate reformation; because, at prefent, the fums wafted under this head were enormous, and it was obvious minifters were totally without intelligence, and that their admirals and generals, one and all, complained of the frivolouf. nefs, the uncertainty, and the wretchednefs of the information they generally received from them. Lord Stormont defired the Earl to explain what he meant by the large fums of the public money that he had received. Lord Shelburne declared, if the Noble Lord thought he had alluded to the fecret-fervice money that had passed thro' his hands, upon his honour he did not for he knew not what the fum was, al. though he had heard it was very confiderable. He said further, that he had lately received a letter, defiring him to liften to fome information from a perfon who offered to disclose to him all the fecrets of the Noble Lord's embaffy, and promising 22 Parliament: Commons on the army-estimates. promifing to make him acquainted with the many intrigues which had been carried on in France through the means and contrivance of a perfon of elevated rank and station here, whom he would not name, but whom the Noble Vifcount could not but well know. He did affure the Noble Viscount that he should decline the offer, and would have nothing to do with it; and that what he meant by the large fums of money he had mentioned was the money he had received at Vienna, during the long time he was ambaffador there, when that court had only an envoy in London. Lord Stormont owned that he was glad to find the Noble Earl alluded merely to his falary as an ambaffador, in which capacity he had never been paid more nor lefs than was paid to others. Lord Townshend wifhed the motion poftponed, but faid he would vote for it if it were put. The question being put, the numbers were, Contents 33, proxies 3, in all 36; Not contents 57, proxies 20, in all 77. Mr Jenkinson, the fecretary at war, moved the army-eftimates in the Houfe of Commons, Dec. 8. and entered into a detail of the forces and expence. He stated the army in G. Britain, &c. thus. Guards and garrisons, Gibraltar Minorca Men 35,000 North America, Foreign 24,000 76,000 6,500 Vol. 42. jected by the Lords, would have occafioned double the augmentation now propofed: That fome gentlemen had ex-preffed on former occafions objections to the extent of the land-establishment, upon the footing of the fuperior importance of the naval establishment: but he apprehended that this was erroneous; the different branches of the land-ettablishments might, and did interfere with each other; but very little or nothing with the navy: however, that there was not the least reason to object to the one ferwice rather than the other, as there was not the smallest apprehenfion of the Noble Lord in the blue ribbon being able to provide by public credit for both. Sir Charles Bunbury adverted to the danger to the conftitution which muft refult from fuch prodigious establishments: they gave the crown an influence which he thought ought to alarm every friend to that system of liberty which had exalted this kingdom. Mr T. Townshend stated his objections to the estimates, and faid several of them appeared to be very extravagant, particularly that of the Staff and General officers of England and Ireland, which amounted to no lefs a fum than near 20,000l. more than it did in the year 1762, the most expenfive year of the last He arraigned the armyglorious war. promotions, and faid, that the public 6,500 expence was confiderably increased by the giving away fo many commiffions, and making fo many lieutenant-generals, 58,000 in confequence of which the major-ge10,000 nerals, whofe pay was in the proportion of 21. 10s. to 51. were not employed. In all 192,000 He complained alfo of there being no And the charge 4,100,000l. Of these the militia are 37,500, and the commander in chief appointed, and faid, that it was owing to this circumstance charge 700,000 1. that all the blame fell upon Lord Amherft, when he perhaps did not deferve any of it. He cenfured the giving a command to a perfon who had been a lieutenant on halfpay [41. 575.]; and faid, that LtCol. Mulgrave, who had bled in his country's fervice, and was now with his regiment in Jamaica, had applied in vain for one. Weft Indies He stated moft of thefe eftablishments and charges, as fuperior to thofe of laft year, explaining the reafons why they were fo. He obferved, That the recruit. ing-fervice had raifed, by volunteers 20,500, and by the prefs-act 1400, in all 21,900: That the new levies muft of ne ceflity have impeded the recruiting-fervice; but that was an effect which must ever happen: That he apprehended the Houfe would not think the number of men increafed fince last year, and which amounted to about 15,000, an augmentation too great, when it was confidered, that in the last feffion the Houfe almoft unanimously paffed a bill for doubling the militia, which, had it not been re He mentioned other inftances of partiality and ill treatment of officers, alluding particularly to Gen. Burgoyne's cafe. He lamented Sir Henry Clinton's fituation, and faid, every perfon who knew that gallant officer pitied him fincerely. To what a miferable ftate had ministers reduced him, almost a prisoner with 25,000 troops in New York! He enumerated the events events of the laft campaign; and, after mentioning the abandonment of Rhode island, faid, great blame was imputed to fome perfons refpe&ting the lots of the important island of Grenada. As he faw the General whofe name had been made free with without doors refpecting that ifland, in his place, he hoped he would explain how it happened that the diftribution of the troops was not made, which it had been faid would have enabled Lord Macartney to fave Grenada. After many particular attacks on miniftry, Mr Townthend went into a series of general feverity; and said, that the influence of the crown had nearly ruined the country: That it was now bordering on the year 1780, and he folemnly believed, whoever lived to fee 1788, (the year which would complete the century fince the glorious Revolution), would fee the conftitution gone entirely, and a new form of government introduced. He declared, that he feared, he dreaded a republic; but indeed, from the prefent complexion of affairs, an abfolute monarchy feemed moft likely to take place. Gen. Grant then very circumftantially recited the hiftory of every tranfaction that had paffed, from his firft failing, in November 1778, with 5000 men under his command, from New York to the Weft Indies and Leeward islands, to the time that Grenada was taken. He faid, the French took a brigantine, one of the transports belonging to the fquadron under the command of Com. Hotham, on board of which his army was embarked. In the brig taken were fome of the horse. The commander of the ship had funk his orders before he was taken: D'Eftaing fent for him on board, and promised him his liberty, and large rewards, if he would inform him what the purport of the inftructions he had funk were, and where the armament was deftined. The officer was faithful, and he was, as he understood fince, carried prifoner to Martinique. When he arrived upon Adm. Barrington's ftation, they confulted together what was best to be done, and they proceeded to St Lucie; of which they obtained poffeffion. The Generai ftated every particular of the capture, and what followed it; and laid it down as a matter he wished the committee to keep in their minds, that all the operations previous to the capture of St Lucie were taken under an idea that we had a fuperior naval force in the Weft Indies to what France had there. It was after wards difcovered, that the French had twenty-fix fail of the line to our twenty, and at that time three of ours were difabled. France alfo had 20,000 troops in the Weft Indies. Thefe circumftances neceffarily greatly altered the future operations. The General faid, had he divided the army, and diftributed it according to his inftructions from home, and his inftructions from New York, St Chriftopher's and Antigua would both unavoidably have been taken. He inftanced the fteps he had followed to preferve St Chriftopher's, in concert with Adm Byron and Barrington, against which island D'Eftaing came with his whole force; and proved, in a very clear manner, that its falvation was entirely owing to his own good conduct, and the effectual fupport given him by the feaofficers. He stated alfo specifically, how he had left the troops; in what number they were decreased from time to time, by fickness, diftribution, &c.; and said, notwithstanding any orders he might have for other purposes, had he received intelligence that Jamaica was attacked, he fhould have immediately gone with his whole force to its fupport. He concluded with acknowledging, that he had not ftrictly followed his inftructions; but faid, he always conceived, an officer intrufted with the command of an army, the operations of which were at a di ftance from the feat of government, muft be guided by circumftances, and exercife, in some sort, a discretional power. He had acted folely for the good of his country, to the beft of his judgement and ability, as an officer. His conduct had already been honoured with the approbation of his Sovereign; and he flattered himfelf he fhould meet with the candour of that House. Lord Adam Gordon very ably defended Lord Amherst on the respective heads of accufation adverted to by Mr Townfhend. His Lordship spoke alfo to the ftate of the fortifications on our coafts, and said they were in general out of repair. Mr Fox called upon minifters, before he debated the fubject of the day, explicitly to declare, whether they meant to go on with the American war, as their answer in that point would govern his vote entirely. Ld G. Germain faid, as far as he knew, it was not the intention of government to abandon the American war. If they did, they would give a manifeft advan tage tage to France aud Spain. The confederacy in arms againft G. Britain confifted of France and Spain, affifted and fupported by America. How the war with America was in future to be carried on, was not yet a matter of difcuffion; and if it were, he fhould think he acted very imprudently if he gave any information of it in public. Mr Fox made a long speech against the motion, in which he attacked the American fecretary with great heat and pointedness for the conduct of government refpecting Gen. Burgoyne. The Secretary at War replied, defended Lord Amherst very fully from all that had been faid, and anfwered every charge urged by Mr Fox and Mr Townshend against the conduct of the army. Gen. Burgoyne, Mr Turner, Lord North, Mr Meyrick, Gen. Conway, Col. Barré, Lord Middleton, and others, fpoke in the debate. Mr Luttrell reminded Gen. Grant of his gafconade, of his engaging to march from one end of the North-American continent to the other, without refiftance. [38. 589.] General Grant denied the charge. Gen. Conway having faid that he would affent to the motion, all thoughts of calling for a divifion were given up, and the refolutions were agreed to. A HEN that changes its colour. Langholm, Jan. 20. 1780. There is in the poffeffion of Mr James Scott at Limycleugh, in the parish of Canoby, a hen, which all the fummer is a pure white, not a tarnished spot can be obferved about her. In the month of November she is fpeckled, and immediately changes to be as black as a raven, and not a fpot of white to be seen. She continues of this colour till about May, when the again changes to a delicate white. Mrs Scott imagined the first year that The had loft her hen, till fome of the family afferted that the fpeckled one was the identical white hen. Upon this Mrs Scott put a particular mark upon her; and has remarked the different fucceffion of the colours with the seasons for these three years. This fact may be attefted by moft of the people in the parish, and by many gentlemen who had the curiofity to come to Mr Scott's, to obferve the different changes of this extraordinary bird. Edin. Mag. J. D, AMERICA. [41. 717.] OUR UR laft volume contained accounts of Great Britain's re-establishing a civil government in Georgia, and of her troops repelling an attack made by the combined forces of France and the revolted colonies on Savannah, the capital of that province; - of her troops having taken the Spanish fort of St Fernando de Omoa, in the Bay of Honduras; and of their having evacuated Rhode island; -of her having taken, in the Weft Indies, from the French, the island of St Lucia, and of the French having taken from her the islands of St Vincent and Grenada; - of the French having taken from her the forts of Senegal on the coaft of Africa; - of her having taken Pondicherry and Mahie in the Eaft Indies from the French;-and of Spain's having joined France and the revolted colonies againft her.. We now proceed to later accounts. Congress demanded from the colonies 45,000,000 dollars for the year 1779; of which, according to an act of the affembly of Pennsylvania, inferted in one of their news-papers of Oct. 14. that province was to raise, befides the fums before granted, 5,700,000 dollars. "Philadelphia, Od. 20. In the general affembly of Pennfylvania, held here upon the 23d of September laft, it was agreed, that the claims made by the proprietors of that province, to the whole of the foil contained within the charter, together with the refervation of quitrents, purchafe-money, &c. being no longer confiftent with the fafety of the commonwealth; the affembly, therefore, as reprefentatives of the province, refumed the fame, under certain reftrictions and provifoes, to themfelves; granting however to the Penn family, the fum of 130,000l. Sterling, to be paid by different inftalments, of not less than 15,000 1. a-year, nor more than 20,000l. the firft payment to be made at the expiration of one year after the termination of the prefent war." "New York, Oct. 15. By accounts from Philadelphia we learn, that laft Monday fe'ennight, a Mr Joseph Wirt was tried at a court of oyer and terminer, then fitting there, on an indictment for committing high treafon against the State, and acquitted. The populace being enraged at the decifion, affembled in a tumultuous manner, feized the unfortu mate |