Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1789; Satire; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
_Gen. C[o]n[wa]y._ Mr. Sp[eake]r, I beg pardon for troubling the House
with one short word, Sir, at this late hour of the night, Sir, when
there are many Gentlemen very desirous⸺and much more capable than I am,
of speaking—upon so material—so important—so comprehensive a business—I
may say, Sir—as that which now immediately comes before us—for our
deliberation.⸺In doing this, Sir—in offering my poor sentiments—upon this
matter, Sir⸺I own, I feel some degree of warmth, at the supineness—at the
coolness—I may say—of the Ministers in so dangerous—so hazardous—and, God
knows, probably so destructive an hour⸺And, Sir, I hope I may suggest
my thoughts at so critical a period, when, indeed, all Europe and
America are convulsed—and shaken—by the imbecillity, the inattention,
and the indecision of Ministers; who have so supinely, so cooly, and so
indecisively sat _with their hands before them_, waiting for events—and
contingencies⸺In saying this, Sir,—I mean not to throw any reflexion upon
any of them—Most of them I know to be men of honour and ability—but, Sir,
I beg pardon, Sir, for taking up the time of the house, Sir; I think the
moment is past when any system can prevail, I mean on the part of this
country over America. Your West-India Islands are unprotected—Dominica is
gone—Who knows but Jamaica is gone too? What force have you at Antigua? I
understand, Admiral Barrington is gone from Barbadoes. What is to become
of St. Vincents and Grenada? Good God! Sir, will the Nation sit still
under these apprehensions? Have Ministers taken care of Ireland? Does
the Noble Lord underneath me know the state of Guernsey and Jersey? Will
they be able to resist Count Broglio with 50,000 men? Is your force,
particularly at Jersey, equal to resistance—Sir, at this moment, I
tremble for Jersey.[11]⸺
In one short word, Sir, I beg pardon—I do trust in God, Sir ... in the
King ... Sir, and in the spirit of this unhappy Nation, Sir, that we
shall be relieved from these dreadful apprehensions, and difficulties,
and that we shall see once more, Peace, Harmony, and Wisdom, resume their
order in this country, in the stead of weakness, irresolution, wavering
folly, absurd doubts, and indecision, Sir.
[Sidenote: Mr S[aw]b[rid]ge.]
Mr _S[aw]b[rid]ge_⸺Example—impeachment—axes—Tower—blood—Sister
Mac[au]ly—republicanism—Washington, greatest man in the World—will
be heard—tyranny at Warley-Common—militia men turned to
road-pioneers—undermining trees—sand in bread—waste of powder—Middlesex
election—vast expence of flints—triennial parliaments—body politic—ill
humours—state-surgeons—example—axes—Tower—blood⸺_Da Capo_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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