HOLLAND; commencing in 1775 and ending in 1783 By JOHN ANDREWS L.LD. Vol.III. LONDON, Published by his Majestys Royal Licence and Authority. PR 17776 REVIOUS to the recefs, two motions were made in the Houfe of Commons relating to America; the one by Mr. Hartley, the other by Mr. Wilkes. The firft of thefe gentlemen moved, that feveral refolutions fhould pafs in condemnation of the American war; the fecond, that the Declaratory Act, paffed in the year fixty-fix, fhould be repealed: but they were both rejected. From the twentieth of November, when the feffions were opened, to the tenth of December, the bufinefs relating to the pecuniary fupplies had been carried on with fuch expedition, that little fhort of nine millions were already voted for the fervice of the enfuing year. national income was profufed in the fupport of meafures which were by no means univerfally approved. In former times, it was faid, money was the last thing granted; long deliberations took place antecedent to conceffions of any kind from the people. But their reprefentatives feemed to fet little value on the approbation or difapprobation of their conftituents, and were become much more zealous candidates for Court favours, than for the applause of their country. On the tenth of December, it was moved on the fide of ministry, that the House should be adjourned to the twentieth of January. The reafons alledged for this motion were, that the fums neceffary for the fubfequent year being voted, and the cuftomary bufinefs at the clofe of the year concluded, no further meafures could be refolved upon, till the iffue of the laft campaign in America was fully known. No events of any confequence were expected, or likely to happen, before the expiration of the recefs propofed, and it was only then that Parliament would be duly attended. Oppofition, on the other hand, condemned in the fever terms, the idea of fo early and fo long a recefs from public bufinefs, at a time when the attention of all people was fo feriously taken up with the perilous fituation of the realm. Such was the alarming ftate of affairs at prefent, that no man could tell from one day to another how foon the advice and affistance of Parliament might be required for objects of the greate moment. Such a recefs, at fuch a crifis, was an act full of the most unaccountable temerity it was unexampled, and inexcufable. The nation had often experienced great dangers, but none to compare with thofe with which it was now threatened on every fide. We were plunged in a civil, unnatural, unneccffary war; we were overwhelmed with expences; we had hitherto hitherto met with little elfe than difappointment and difgrace; we were confcious, in fpite of all minifterial affectation to the contrary, that the whole House of Bourbon was preparing to affail us with all its power: we knew all this, and yet at a feason when the collective wisdom of the nation fhould be pondering on the means of warding off the blows that were fo vifibly aimed at this country, the meeting of Parliament had been deferred to the latter days of November, and was now, in the early part of December, fufpended to the clofe of January. Was this paying a due attention to the bufinefs of the ftate? Was it fhowing a proper refpect to the public? Was it manifefting a true fenfe of the circumstances of this country ?-It was the reverfe of all this. It betrayed indolence, or incapacity. It was a proof that either the danger was not fully comprehended, or that motives too fhameful to be acknowledged, prevented inen from exerting themselves in the manner its greatnefs and proximity fo evidently required. Miniftry forefaw the ftorm that was coming upon them from all quarters; they knew themfelves unable to face the difficulties to which they had expofed the kingdom from abroad, and they dreaded the account that would be demanded from them at home. In this dilemma their perplexity was fuch, that they feized every pretext to put off the evil hour; but it would arrive, and would even gather double ftrength from this imprudent delay. The fooner it was faced, the eafier it would be met. It was rafh to procraftinate thofe deliberations which a few weeks, perhaps a few days, would enforce upon them; it was weak to put off thofe difcuffions, which, however difagreeable, they muft foon or late fub mit to. The minifterial anfwer was, that a longer continuance of the feffion would be of no utility in |