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Prick ONE SHILLING and SIX-PENCI, *■ / ■ THE mmm SPEECH "\ O F GENERAL CONWAY, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SAINT EDMONDSBURY, on M O V I i; O IN THE HOUSE OF C O M M O N Si I (On the 5th OF MAY, 1780) «' That Leave be s'ven to bring in a DILL for QUjcTlNG the '• TROUBLES NOW REIGNING in the BRITISH COLO- " NIES in AMERICA, and for enabling His MAJESTY to '<■ appoint COMMISSIONERS, with full Powers to treat, and " conclude upon Tcrnxs of C0NC4L1AT10N with the faid " COLONIES." L O N D O K: ?RiiiTED FOR T. CADELL IN THE STRAND. M , E c c , I :^ X ;> I • 1 i X, 4 , —..jal '4i^ •t^ SPEECH, c\ Mr. Speaker^ X S O M E time ago engaged myfelf to this Houfe, to bring before them a matter of great importance. Biit i-efledtihg fully on the difficulties attending it, I almoft repent of my rafhnefs, for they are not only the difficulties of the fubjedl, or its impcr* tance, great enough to deterr a man of much fuperior talents, but they are the dif- ficulties of the times, the ftate of men, and of things i of parties, and of opinions. I ftand belides in tlie unfortunate predicament of having^l^tem, which, differing from the leading ideas on both fides of the Houfe, and having no protection but from my fee- ble powers, is in danger of being cruflied and annihilated between thq collifipn of B cpritending /i \] i » .•J ui [ 2 ] contending parties, or perhaps held incquaf contempt by both. However, Sir, I hope this once the Houfe will grant me their indulgence, and will pardon my prefumption, if animated with an ardent and lincere zeal, and the ful- left internal conviiSlion, I almoft flatter my- fclf I fliall relate fuch fa1 land, the laji lingering friend ^ feems to have hid fareivel. We are like the flricken deer, driven out of the herd, and may foon not have a name, or a being, among the po'xvcrs of Europe. To fuch a pitch have our faults and our follies, our ignorance and our prefumplion, brought us. Wc hwc delc^-vcd, and we have, I doubt, in- curred the wrath of I leaven : nnd though v/e go en v/ith annual mockeries of prayer and f ilHn", we Ihew in our condudt no fip-n nor fymptom of amendment ; lloth and in- dolence, and indifference, liavc t.'ken the place of manly exertion and vigilance. But D 2 fuch .1 I 1 [ 4 ] fuch are not the means of obtaining divine afli fiance. Ubi Jbcordia tete atque ignavia tradideris^ nequicquam dcos implores j irati infefiique funt ^ But, Sir, it is in this miferable chaos, in this ilate of darknels, almoft under the Iha^ dow of death, that it becomes every man, who has a heart feeling for the difgraccs and diftrelTes of his country, to fee if from no quarter a ray of hope breaks through the gloom. And, if my zeal does not too far betray me, I think there is one which, if now feized and purfued, may lead us out of this labyrinth ; may yet reftore us to glory and happinefs. The firll flep to reformation is, repen- tance i and I would to God I lliw in the minds of our governors, thofe iigns of re- pentance, that converfion v/hich I flatter myfelf I fee in the people. They are at lafl, I think, ftarted up from that golden dream of '^onquell, which fallacy and faUci hood had painted to their imagination. The % ') T ine [ s ] The fcales are fallen from their eyes, they fee how they have been facrificed and deceived; and their fongs of triumph are now turned into clamours and bitter la- mentations. But, lir, they are not yet the loud cries of rage and refentmentj they are the cool complaints of difappointment and apprehenfion ; of fears and jufl alarms for themfelves and their pofterity; they behold the fabrick of their great empire, as it were, crumbling, and diffolving all around them ; but inflead of vengeance againft the authors of their calamities, they mildly call for reformation. — 'Tis not the fury of a ftorm, but the calm murmur of a re- fluent tide, 2- And furelv, if ever the voice of the people claimed attention, it is in a mo- ment like the prefent; it ought to be heard, it mull be heard ; and, I may lay, it will be heard ; it has, hitherto, fpoken almoll: in whilpers ; foon, if not regarded, it may fpeak in thunder. This i I 't ) 1 .)! ,i ■ [ 6 ] This nation, fir, is fick with many evils, fome of th-ni I have touched upon; and, I am forry to fay, it is alfo blotted v/ith many vices, and foul corruptions ; but I do not mean to enter into them, they are beyond my flrength, and they are not the bulincfs of this day; and, indeed, *^ fufficient to the day is the evil thereof.'' For this day is fet apart to the confide-, ration of the American war ; an evil in it- felf fo monftrous, that we mull foon con- quer it, or perilh under it ; Hceret later i Icet halts arundo. It is the fatal fhaft flicking in our fide ; piercing to our vitals, and draining almofl the lall drop of our blood. In deliberating, therefore, upon the means of reiloring peace with America ; it feems to me almod a deliberation about our ov»'n being. *' Our life and death are both before ils ;''' and I can fcarcc help adding the other folcmii words of Cato. *' This, in a moment, brings me to '* my end ; ** Rut t!ii^ iilicrcs me I ihall never die." 1 lie -..'i "i 4!} I many 1 upon; blotted ptions J n, they are not indeed, hereof^ :onfide-. 1 in it- 3n con- ir fide ; almoft 3n the •ica; it out our 're both ing the me to 3 • " V.1 i w • rp<1 1 lie 4 'w [ 7 ] The continuation of this diftraded war is certain death to us ; whereas, a happy and cordial reconciliation with America. upon fliir and folid grounds, may fix the greatnefs of the Britifh empire till time lliall be no more. But, fir, it is a great work ; it demands all your judgment to digeft, and your ut- moft vigour and exertion to atchieve. Some- thing muft be undone, as well as done; you muft renounce many fwourite maxim!^ conceived in the hour of happinefs, and iw the pride and infolence of your power ; and trace back again thofe erroneous fteps that have brought you to the brink of this pr-e- cipice. \ do not mean to go back with much re- trofpea: on the paft, nor to dwell much on any invidious or difputable matter ; and ihxll only touch llightly on thofe leading prin- ciples on which this vv-ar was begun, and has been purfued, as far as is neccllary to l.\y tb.c fa bjv^ft cicrtrly before you. The avowed principle of this \^'a^, f r, v/as tlie taAi'lion [ 8 ] taxation of America ; a fyftem foolifhly, t think, and fatally conceived, equally im-i politic and unjuft. I Ihall never forget that fatal night when this Houfe, in a thin Committee, and in a dark and evil hour, like a band of black confpirators, refolvcd to rob three millions of Britifli fubjedts of their liberty and property ; for a Refolu- tion was then propofed and formed to tax America. I was one of the few who op- pofed that propolitionj and then^ at that early period, warned my countrymen of the many dangers that attended it j it is fif- teen years fince ; but i now feel inexpref- lible fatisfadlion in that remembrance ; and (hall carry it, with pride and confolation, to my grave. ■:f. ■ t: I A I will not fatigue and wound your minds by a recapitulation of all the wretched fcenes that have fucceeded -, the faults and follies we have committed j the contradic-- tions, tergiverfat. ms, deceptions, and all the train of difgraces that have followed. The miferable fyftem of Taxation was main- tai^ied as long as it could be maintained ; nay, ifhly, / illy imj r forget n a thin M hour, irefolved )jedls of iRefolu- io tax i^ho op- at that men of it is M- expref- e; and elation, minds etched ts and radic^ id all owed. :iiain- ined ) nay, [ 9 ] nay, I may fay, even longer; it lliewed itfelf through fifty difguifes : firft, in the fhape of Regulation, then the honour of Parliament, then under the fallacious garb of a conciliatory propofition : though it had been, in the moft folemn and exprefs vv'ords, renounced by Lord Hillftorough's letter, yet ftill it was maintained; and, when the fubftance was given up, profef- fcdly, we contefted for the (hadow. All idea of any other tax but the Tea-duty was difclaimed; but ftill the Tea-duty was maintained ; we quarrelled for the Tea- duty, fought for the Tea-duty, for the Tea-duty was this deftrudlive war with France, Spain and America, pofitively made. Could folecifm, infatuation, and infanity^ go farther ? the Poet's accufation of our wc.ik firft Parent, who " For an apple damud mankhidt* i? fcarce an exaggerated exprefiion for fuch folly. c It Ui 1^ 1 1 I I J '1^ !i5 vr *! [ 'O ] It was faid, however, if th*'-; was a fully, it was not the folly of the miniflers only, it was the folly of the nation j which I know was, in part, true ; but I know too, why it was true : becaufe the people were never rightly informed ; becaufe a fccne of conflant deception was pradifed to inflame and mifguide them ; becaufe, *• a flood of *' Treafure, from American Taxation, wa^j *' to pay their debts, and cafe all their ** burthens; becaufe the Americans were ** natural enemies to this country; Aliens, ** or Rebels and Independants, by prin- *' ciple; they Vv'ere Cowards, beiides ; and *' a few thoufand men could, at any time, *' fubduc, and drive them off the Conti- ** nent." — Upon fucli reprefcntations did the people form tlieir opinions; upon the fmie, were built all thofe lofty and mag- nificent principles upon wliich this war has been purfucd ; one would have the ^/v/t- ricCiUs ci our feet, another woultl reduce tbcDi to imccndiiio7ial JubnijJJlon y a third ivcidd con- quer them by Jtar'-cation, a fourth., by fire and depcpuh'.tion : Thefe things were not in tlie mouths of the ignorant alone ; ir:en (;f tlie iirfl ;■■.«. m i^i. ■■% I ■n mm ■I [ " ] firll: weight, thefirft dignity, adopted them. All the Law and Learning of the King- dom were employed to inforce them. " The Rubicon is pajiy kill themy or they kill you y Such was the fentence of the greateil: Judge of the land, and the firft Oracle of Go- vernment. With fuch Authorities to lead, and fuch Vifions to inflame them, 'tis no wonder the people took lire. — This furious fpirit tlius kindled by the heads of the Party, In Patricniy populiimqiic jluxit . The Rage did, I confefs, feize almolt all ranks and orders of men : but for beini: more G;eneral, it was not more juft. It became, indeed, the fin of the people; but was, aa I have ihcwn, the hn of Government firft. *' Pec c ill-it t et peccarefecii Ifrael.'* V.WQW tlie n:orc ficred function, and the liight^ll orders o^I it, caught the Frenzy C 2 too. (W \ ; ■i' ' 1! ^-f [ 12 ] too, and joined with the deluded people in this dance of death. Neither charity nor juftice, nor dec:orum, in my opinion, were heard; all was pal- iion. Three millions of our fellow fubjedls were condemned unheard. Sir, it was a cafe of blood ! By the ordinary rules of the Conftitution, thofe pious fages ought not to have had a part in it. I tread upon tender ground : I know the refpect due to thofe right reverend perfons, and for their piety and learning, in their true facred charadler, nobody has more: but a little too much zeal for the meafures of the day ; too much complaifance for the authors of thofe mea- fures, too often miflead them. In their diocefes I revere them ; I would treat them every where with refpedl -, but politicks are not their trade, and don't do them honour: they are a (hining body of the nation un- doubtedly, and have done the highcft ho- nour to it on many occafions; but in the 4 p relent ^. e 111 [ >3 ] prefent times, I doubt, are a faulty, if not a rotten part of the Conftitution. rum, paf- I beg pardon for this little c'igreflion. Sir : I faid the Americans were condemned unheard. They were truly fo, and in that I think were concentred and united all the fum and eflence of our cruelty, tyranny, and injuftice: fucha condudl furpafTes even the rancour of favages, and is unknown in the annals of civilized nations. In vain did they fupplicate, proteft, befeech, beg to be heard. You anfwered, " T^hey ivere ** reheis, and deferved no attention; that ** they had formed a determined fyftem of ** independence, and renounced the autho- " rity of the Britilli legiflature." They denied the charge, and appealed, in the moil: foiemn manner, to God and their country, for the truth of their fifTcrtions. 'Twas in vain ; you determined they were Rebels. You chofe they fhould be R.ebcls, that you might fubdue and trample upon upon them as fuch. Ida n I r >4 ] I do not talk from hearfay, or imaginjl' tion, but from the moft publick and au- thentick teltimonials : their numerous me- morials and petitions to parliament, and the throne j and their letters to the people of Oreat Britain and Ireland. Thefe Sir, were the genuine language of America i formal- ly, properly, and conftitutionally before you. In denying the charge of rebellion, tbey difprovedit. : the renouncing the autho- rity of Parliament, and applying to its power, was a contradiction in terms. But fuch was the dominion of paffion at that time, that contradidtions pafTed for de- monftrations, and the humbled fupplica- tions for declarations of war and defi- ance. But, Sir, to (hew I do neither miflakc nor mean to mifguide, I beg leave to lay their declarations before you in their own words ; for it is efTential to know what was, and I believe, as far as human feelings al- low. u % in* > HI m M •!i [ 3° ] that -experiment too long, and there is nei- ther common fenfe nor humanity in it. But, Sir, I fay th' fword alone j I never denied the ufe of the fword fmce the war began j I never rcfufed any aid to the full employment of it. On the contrary, I have urged, and do now, the employment of it with more adlivity and vigour. There is no medium in war, and there is neither honour nor humanity in a lingering one, I would not keep one fuperfluous man at home, nor delay a moment reinforc- ing your armies there to the utmofl ; ten thoufand men at leaft ihould immediately reinforce Sir Henry Clinton. I don't know what fo many troops are now doing at home, no way wanting to your defence. I would not lofe a moment in fending them. What I defire is, that the alternative may be fully and fairly before them : let the pidture of the famous artift be actually and conftantly prefented to their view ; on the one '^i^tf the horrors of iK>ar -, on the other. ''H [ 3> J the certain bkjjings of peace. Let the goJden Hefperian fruit be placed, not only with- in their fight, but within their reach. For, Sir, they cannot tafte of it but we muft partake. As to the probability of fuccefs, I am not too liinguine. I faid, I faw a ra'^ of hope i I think I do : but if I could nc-t prove a great probability, it Ihould fuffice (to fliew the expediency of this meafure) that none is more probable j that it is fafe and honourable, the terms being of your owti dit^iating, and that tbj experiment, which I have often urged, has never been tried. Great teri..s, indeed, were offered by his Majefty's Commiflioners, but they were not fpecifically authenticated by Parliament. I think the Americans wanted faith in them, and they wanted fubfequent ratification. f, ! ^ Sir, I do not fay the Americans will ac- cept thefc conditions. I am not fo pre- fuiiiptuous ; yet I think there are many rea- fons why they may accept them. I de- fcribed, I tlnnk, truly, the Vv'retched fitua- tion of tliis country. But, Sir, the Amc- j'icans arc not upon a Ud of roPss, 4 I;' I ^ H .ill v,1 I id [ 3^ ] If we have difficulties, fo have they ; if "we have diftrefles, they are not exempt from them. I don't pretend to mcafure our mu- tual difafters, nor to determine which muft fmk and expire firft. I believe their perfo- nal diftrefles are much greater than ours, and their refources much lefs ; but tlicy have great and potent allies, who fuppcrt them, and we have none. — But to what degree, and in what manner th'^fe allies will conti- nue to fupport them, it fcems efTcntial to know. Will their great and good ally, the King of France, affift their credit, and p:;y their debts ? I hear they already owe three hundred million of dollars ; that they have Very little money, and their paper currency cxceflively difcredited. — By a late order of Congrefs, forty dollars currency are to he paid for one filver dollar. m The quotas now demanded from the dif- ferent States are very great ; their troops are all paid, ill fed, and ill cloathed ; and from hence a great difficulty in keeping them to- gether. I have been told the men in Waih- ington's army, in the Jerfeys, were laft v,in- ter M r 33 ] ter fome days reduced to live on half a pint of peas, and many had not fli'jes to their feet. If thcfe things are fo, which I am not refponlible for, but have fome ground to believe, tht'n good and great ally feems rather How in fupplying them. And this protec- tion gJ their liberties does not, I believe, prevent much arbitary proceeding and ty- ranny in their rulers. Should fuch dillref- fes therefore continue and increale ; fliould their demands on France be refufed, who knows bat they too may 'wake from their golden dreajn, like ourfclves, and fee in this Protechr of LibertieSy the defigning con- queror, and tiie perfidious ally ? I underfL.ind, indeed, th.;t the French are now preparing to fend thciu a corps of troops : But I believe that is not the mode of fupply thwy have niolt wiilied for; ilorec:, proviiions, neceffarics, and above all, mor.ey, have hern the conllant objedls of their uctn.uivls hitherto. That of fending troor:, lias i<.'nf/ been a nieaUire cf ?reat i- doubt i ' r I- I' ji'f 1. ■ Jf m ■ t r 34 J doubt and deliberation. I am not lure the Americans do not think, that ivbcn they ajk for bread it is giving them ^serpent: I know it is the opinion of fome French, and many more Americans. I do not Ipeak at random > I have heard and feen opiniorrs of great weight on that head : One I will name to you, Monfieur du Portail, a man of rank and charaifter ; and as they are very ftrong and very appofite, I will quote to you fome lines out of as fenfiblc a letter as I ever read ; it is a letter from that gentleman to Monlieur de St. Germain, at that time Miniiler of the War department in Fnince, written above an year ?go. His words are i " It may be afked, whether it would not be better to fend a body of twelve or fifteen thoufand men hither, Ce feroit Ic vrai nioycn de tout gater. That would be the true way to fpoil all. Thefe people here, tliough at war with the Englifh,, hate the French much more than the Englifh; and notwithftandins all that France has done, or might do for them, they would prefer a reconciliaiion with ** their it ft ft ft *t tt i [ 39 ] Defpair is a mean and cowardly vice ; deftrudtion for deftrudion, I would fall manfully at leaft, and as our great deli- verer King William faid, " D/e in the laft " ditch:' But, Sir, you have a vaft army in America j I believe the eftablilhment is above feventy thoufand men, though we have fought our principle baules with lo, or at moft 15,0005 whereas could we have an army of 30,000 afiembled, I am per- fuaded the Americans never could have drawn, or kept together, one to face them j we have befides the great advantage of powerful detachments, by m.eans of our navy, for fmall ones will always be both cruel and ineffedlual. Yet, Sir, I would not have you rely on the v/ar : 1 would only make it ilibfervient to the great work of peace: if I knew a poffible way of making peaci witliout it, I would abandon it. It is, however, as I liave faid, but an alternative; it cannot, I think, be mere fairly or honourably offered, and till it has been i r ) ■■ I. ^:i I, If ti: [ 4° ] been difproved by trial, I cannot but have an hope of its fuccefs. For this planj at the fame time that it offers them our friendfhip, proves our fincerity, and it has this peculiar advantage, that it will be al- ways before their eyes, in all difpoiitions, under all circumflances : other offers may be made on either fide at untoward times, in moments of irritation or partial advan- tage, and may ihift and vary with the mo- ment. This will be out of the hands of Miniilers, and out of the reach of caprice; and however rooted the Congrcfs may lie in their plan of Independence and French connexion, I cannot but think there is in many of the people a dillike to that connex- ion, and in many more a cordial affetlion towards their Parent State, not yet obli- terated by our ufage. '■ff; i ^ . i ' t '•■' I' i' m h: There are befide?, if I am rightly inform- ed, divifions of another kind among them, more particular and pcrfonal ; divifions c r fadion, enmity, and ambition; nobody knows how far thc'e, or the influence of weighty and able men, in the army or the 4 provint -s .'I ■ •^^w^ •T^WW^ K [ 41 ] provinces, may lead. There are, befides what I have before mentioned, the love of cafe, the wearinefs of the war, and the prcffure of dillrefles. It is from fuch caufes, and in fuch fitu- ations, that the moft fudden and unexpeft- ed revolutions have been brought about -, no lefs than five or fix in Europe, and with- in little more than a century paft. Two moft remarkable in our own country, the refloration of monarchy under Charles the Second, and the happy revolution of 1688. Nor v/ere thofe of Portugal, Denmark, and now lately of Sweden lefs fudden, or entire. In all thelc cafes the change was eafy and inllantaneous, almofiilike the fcenes of a drama. \l w\ In all it was a flying from prefent evils, from the uneafinefs and preflure of the mo- ment, and in feveral a change apparently to a ftate of lefs conftitutional liberty. I have tired your patience ; I have but one word to add, it is above all things to G deprecate I' Ill n m \ f ' ■I . i.'Ia 4 V hi -i [ 42 J deprecate delay and procraftination ; it is to beg that- whatever yon reLJve, for war or conciliation, m.^^ bi. - -intJiately refolved. The time is ..iticai and precarious j the fee *; fickle and Ihifting ; a moment gained may be your falvation; a moment loft, your ruin. A defeat at fea; a difafter in Ame- rica^ the accefiion of new enemies, (not an impolfible event) I doubt, may dilable you from making war or peace. Even while we are debating, important and precious moments are dealing away, Dum loqulmur fugcrit inviJa ALfas, carpc diem quam ni'mimum credult poflero. I thank the Houfe for the indulgence they have fhewn me, and I humbly move. Sir, ** That leave be given to bring in a Bill '* for quieting the troubles now reigning in •* the Britifh Colonies in America, and for ** enabling his Majefty to appoint Commif- ** fioners, with full po^vers to treat, and ** conclude upon terms of conciliation with *' the faid Colonies.'* APPENDIX, I FOR ^- ; H ^^lliietlng the Troubles now reigning in the British Colonies //? AMERICA, ^7;^ for enabling his Majejly to appoint COM- MISSIONERS, mthfuHPotvers to treat and conclude upon Terms of CONCILIA- TION with the faid Colonies, <' W HER E A S a ruinous and unna- tural war has for fome years raged be- tween Great Britain and the feveralBritifli Colonies in America, dcftrudlive at once of that harmony and mutaal affcaion which had fo long made the happinefs and ftrength of both countries, and there- by eiving every advantage to the known enemies of the Britifli empire in all its pirts, the iixed union of which had, by iheir cordial ^md efFe^u^ effofts, raifed t'-.e nuiieof Britain W ^i> 4l> ; , heil pitch of human renown and felicity r and had, durin^i the courfe of many glorious «t t ( c : «( < i is ii G 2 reiinis t( ti it it I 44 ] reigns, lerved as a barrier to tlie liberties; of Europe, and as the ftrongeft fupport of the Proteftant religion againll the baneful fchemes of Popery and Dcfpo- tifm. j|i '* And whereas, in the heat of a contcn- " tion, haftily begun, many pernicious " maxims have been adopted, and many ** falfe and dangerous meafures purfued on ** both fides. iiiif f " Now, in order to heal the faid fatal ** diflentions, and to flop the farther eiFu- ** fion of fellow-fubjeds' blood, " Be it hereby declared and enaded by " the King's moft excellent Majefly, bv ** and with the advice and con fen t of the " Lords, fpiritualand temporal, &c. ** That immediately upon the conclufion ** of any treaty of conciliation between " Great Britamand America, all thofe ghts^^SSm^Hm, and immunities, which rij lift.: " were demanded by the feveral afibciated " Colonies in their Petitions and Memo- ** rials 1 (< t( €1 <(