but what immediately related to the power and patronage of the crown? What, then, could the constitutional rights be, which the loyal part of the people of America contended for? Not for the supreme right of parliament, that had been given up: not for a revenue that had been long since abandoned; not for any political legislative connection, for that had been already negociated away by the commissioners, who acted under the conciliatory acts of last session, and that too in the very teeth of the spirit and letter of those acts. For what then?—to shew that a corps of mercenaries, who would fight under any banner, or in any cause; a few refugees, pensioned and supported by government, and a set of custom-house officers, whose very existence depended upon the profits of their places and emoluments, will prove what? that men coming within those respective descriptions will give evidence of the sentiments respectively entertained by them, of the duty, loyalty, and constitutional sentiments of each other.

Mr. Burke said, he did not wish to insinuate that there might not be several respectable individuals, who were zealous in support of the legislative rights of this country; but the true test now and at every former period was this, and this only; were they sufficiently numerous, and able to maintain the king's government against the usurped powers, supposing that it had been restored by a superior force from this country? If not, what availed this warmth and profusion of words? Any thing short of such disposition and ability united, signified just nothing; for it amounted plainly to this, that Great Britain was at the expence of fifteen or eighteen millions a year, to wage a perpetual war with a clear decided majority of the people of America; and if we should subdue them in the end, that we must either consent to keep up a war-establishment, to maintain the superiority so dearly purchased, or have our loyal subjects there liable to similar oppressions to those which we had put ourselves to so enormous an expence to free them from. Was the war with America to be con

attended with success, what were we to fight for? for the power of the crown, not for the rights of parliament. But he begged the noble lord's pardon: perhaps every promise or offer was to be withdrawn, and we were again to contend for "unconditional submission." The noble lord, in a former debate, gave an opinion to that purport. Whence, then, would his aid be drawn? not from the loyal inhabitants of America, for they abhorred the idea. He doubted much, if many of those who composed the provincial corps, would draw their sword in such a cause. The best affected in that event would soon become disaffected; even the refugees and pensioners would be staggered; he meant such as were so from principle; and the whole work would be to begin again. This country, at 3,000 miles distance, at war with France, and probably on the eve of one with other powers, would be committed, in an additional contest, with America united. the whole of the noble lord's argument presented the following alternative: with a part of the American loyalists we continue the war in support of the patronage of the crown; or contend for unconditional submission with the whole united force of North America.

Mr. Burke concluded, with begging leave to put in his claim, that when the evidence was finished, ministers should not be permitted to shield themselves under a pretence of its being defective, on account of the absence of material witnesses; the defect must be felt equally by both sides. Ministers, by calling other witnesses, had committed themselves without reserve; he hoped, therefore, that neither the House nor the committee would pay the least attention to so flimsy a pretext, should it hereafter be urged as a plea for the justification of their conduct.

Mr. De Grey's motion was agreed to.

THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1779.

May 31.

THE House being in a committee of ways and means, Lord North opened the budget for the year 1779. After the statements and calculations of the noble lord had been exa`mined and controverted by Mr. Hartley,

Mr. BURKE rose. He said, the public lay under great obligations to the honourable gentleman who had just sat down, as well on the present as on many former cecasions. His details were always important and correct, and well worthy the attention of the noble lord in the blue ribbon. The honourable gentleman had truly stated, that the expence of the campaign of 1779 would be little short of the enormous sum of twenty millions, including the navy debt, vote of credit and services; which, from the manner they were necessarily incurred, could not be regularly passed in account within the year. He had stated the unfunded debt only at sixteen millions, which he thought was considerably lower than it might be justly computed. He differed from the honourable gentleman in matters of computation and finance, but was convinced, if the war was to cease the instant he was speaking, that a tail of ten additional million of unfunded debt- which, with the eleven already stated by his honourable friend, would make in the whole twenty-one millions of unfunded debt - would remain behind. The debt already funded bore an interest of nearly a million a year; this unfunded debt, when funded, would add to the interest paid to the public creditors about another million; so that the first face the American war at this stage of the business presented to the people of England, was, a mortgage on their lands, moveables, trade, and commerce, in perpetuity, of two millions a year, America lost, not a shilling to balance

attended with success, what were we to fight for? for the power of the crown, not for the rights of parliament. But he begged the noble lord's pardon: perhaps every promise or offer was to be withdrawn, and we were again to contend for "unconditional submission." The noble lord, in a former debate, gave an opinion to that purport. Whence, then, would his aid be drawn? not from the loyal inhabitants of America, for they abhorred the idea. He doubted much, if many of those who composed the provincial corps, would draw their sword in such a cause. The best affected in that event would soon become disaffected; even the refugees and pensioners would be staggered; he meant such as were so from principle; and the whole work would be to begin again. This country, at 3,000 miles distance, at war with France, and probably on the eve of one with other powers, would be committed, in an additional contest, with America united. So that the whole of the noble lord's argument presented the following alternative: with a part of the American loyalists we continue the war in support of the patronage crown; or contend for uncondition

whole united force of North A

Mr. Burke concluded, with. claim, that when the evidenc should not be permitted to shiela tence of its being defective, on a material witnesses; the defect must sides. Ministers, by calling other mitted themselves without reserve; that neither the House nor the comm least attention to so flimsy a pretext, sh be urged as a plea for the justification of t

Mr. De Grey's motion was agreed to.

THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1779.

May 31.

THE "HE House being in a committee of ways and means, Lord North opened the budget for the year 1779. After the statements and calculations of the noble lord had been ex) mined and controverted by Mr. Hartley,

Mr. BURKE rose. He said, the public lay underg obligations to the honourable gentleman who had us sa down, as well on the present as on many former c His details were always important and correct worthy the attention of the noble lord in the** The honourable gentleman had truly pence of the campaign f

the enormous

debt, yo

nd

ek, till y of sucrmed, that e face of the .esents a native

ed; that they are ng field works and re of the country, it is ence; that the country , deep, and rapid rivers; wered with woods and moessful war is totally impracti Assistance we could be able to is not the language of declamation, e; the two generals who commanded officer of rank who served under them

then, is the next consideration? Most → cannot recover America, or if even the ere balanced, that it would be a most xperiment to determine on the properest

linquishing the attempt.

face of all these difficulties, however, the noble