Governour Johnstone observed, that the noble Lord laid great stress on the advantage the Provincials had gained over the King’s troops by being so well posted, and defended by trenches and breastworks. But he must draw a very different conclusion, as he thought the assailants had the advantage; and he was not singular in his opinion, for one of the greatest Generals Europe ever beheld (Marshal Saxe) had, in his Reveries on the Art of War, expressed himself of the same opinion. At all events, there was something fatal to the noble Lord’s arguments either way, for either the works were weak, and therefore the Provincials defended them bravely; or, being strong, it showed what a dangerous enemy they must be, who could raise, and so judiciously construct such works, from eleven o’clock at night, on a summer’s evening, till daybreak the next morning.

Colonel Morris observed, that accounts, he believed, were exaggerated on both sides; for that by the best intelligence he was able to obtain, the Provincials intrenched on Bunker’s Hill, and engaged on the 17th of June, were about five thousand men, which was in the proportion fully of two to one.

The question being put, the House divided.

So it passed in the negative.

Mr. Hartley then moved, That leave be given to. bring in a Bill to empower the Inhabitants of the Province of Massachusetts-Bay to elect an Assembly and Council, in the manner directed by the Charter granted to the Inhabitants of that Province by their Majesties King William and Queen Mary, bearing date the seventh day of October, in the third year of their reign.

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Hartley then moved, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to establish the right of Trial by Jury, in all Criminal cases, to all Slaves in North-America, and to annul all Laws of any Province repugnant thereto, and to require the registering of the same by the respective Assemblies of each Colony in North-America.

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Hartley then moved, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to establish a permanent Reconciliation between Great Britain and its Dependencies in North-America, and to restore his Majesty’s subjects in North-America to that happy and free condition, and to that peace and prosperity, which they enjoyed in their constitutional dependance on Great Britain before the present unhappy troubles.

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Hartley then moved, That leave be given to bring in a Bill for a free Pardon, Indemnity, and Oblivion.

It passed in the negative.

Mr. Hartley then moved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to lay the opinion of this House before his Majesty, that it may be proper when the present unhappy disputes in North-America shall be brought to an amicable termination, that his Majesty should be graciously pleased to give orders that letters of requisition be written in the accustomed manner to the several Provinces of his Majesty’s Colonies and Plantations in America, to make provision for the purpose of protecting, defending, and securing, the said Colonies and Plantations.

It passed in the negative.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Thursday, February 15, 1776.

Mr. T. Townshend spoke fully upon the privileges of the House of Commons. He maintained that the only true substantial meaning or idea those privileges conveyed was, that they were the indubitable right of all the Commons of England, who had one general interest in them. That, to be sure, in a more confined sense, they were particularly applied first to that House, as a deliberative body, and one of the branches of the Legislature; secondly, to the individual members who composed that body. He did not intend to make them, however, the subject of this day’s business; they were but of inferior consequence when opposed to that great privilege, the power of granting money, or keeping the purse of their constituents safe from the hands of violence, art, or fraud. This was a trust of the first magnitude; it, in fact, included every other; for so long as that was preserved inviolate, the Crown would remain under the constitutional control of Parliament; so soon as that was wrested by open force, defeated by indirect means, or done away by fraud, the liberties and privileges of the people would be forever annihilated. He expatiated on the commendable, wise, and well-founded jealousy of that House whenever the least attempt had been made in that way even by the other House; but when any endeavours were made by the Crown, or its Ministerial agents, the Commons at all times caught the alarm; they had at all times uniformly united, as if they were actuated by one soul, to resist any attempt of the Crown to encroach upon their power of granting or refusing the money to be raised on themselves or their constituents. He then opened the cause which induced him to make these observations, and read the following Papers:

“Message to the IRISH House of Commons.

“JOVIS, Nov. 23, 1774.

“HARCOURT.—I have his Majesty’s command to acquaint you that the situation of affairs in part of his American dominions is such as makes it necessary, for the honour and safety of the British empire, and for the support of his Majesty’s just rights, to desire the concurrence of his faithful Parliament of Ireland in sending out of this kingdom a force not exceeding four thousand men, part of the number of troops upon this establishment, appointed to remain in this kingdom for its defence; and to declare to you his Majesty’s most gracious intentions, that such part of his army as shall be spared out of this kingdom, to answer the present exigency of affairs, is not to continue a charge upon this establishment so long as they shall remain out of the kingdom. I am further commanded to inform you that, as his Majesty has nothing more at heart than the security and protection of his people of Ireland, it is his intention, if it be the desire of Parliament, to replace such forces as may be sent out of this kingdom, by an equal number of foreign Protestant troops, as soon as his Majesty shall be enabled so to do; the charge of such troops to be defrayed without any expense to this kingdom.”

“Extract from the Address of Knights, &c., to Lord HARCOURT.

“That your Excellency will be pleased to return his Majesty our most grateful thanks for his gracious declaration, than his Majesty had nothing more at heart than the security and protection of his people of Ireland, of which his Majesty has given a signal proof, by his offer, if it shall be the desire of Parliament, to replace such forces as may be sent out of this kingdom, by an equal number of foreign Protestant troops, the charge thereof to be defrayed without any expense to this kingdom.”

“Extract from the Votes of the House of Commons of IRELAND.

“An amendment was proposed to be made to the resolution, by inserting, after the word ‘Resolved,’ the following words, viz: ‘That having, in consequence of his Majesty’s gracious recommendation, and of our mature consideration of the state of this country, repeatedly declared our opinion that twelve thousand men are necessary for the defence of this kingdom; being sensible that it would be a violation of the trust reposed in us, should we have subjected our constituents to a very heavy expense, in times of perfect tranquillity, for the purpose of providing a force, which we are to part with in the times of danger; and being convinced that since the time at which we first declared twelve thousand men to be necessary, the probability of a war has increased, and not diminished.’”

“Mr. Speaker’s Speech to his Excellency SIMON Earl of HARCOURT.

“LUNĘ, 25 Die Decembris, 1775.

“MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: The conduct of the Commons, in the course of this session, has marked more strongly, if possible, than in any former period, their loyally, duty, and affection to his Majesty, and their zeal for the interest and honour of Great Britain. At the hazard of their own safety, they have consented to part with one-third