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WOODPALLY PARLIAMENTARY

REPORTS. [COMMONS.

event and diffatisfaction, or confidered as oppressive, it had is it was impoffible to lay down fo much room for the exercife

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covery the moment in which they were iffued.' It had tions were egote or wrong, except fome method could be conopposition to the declaration of the 1st of January. It must teen and, that the contents of the proclamations were in direct firit be neceifary to fhew that the declaration had been acceptfubmitted themfelves, and removal of fuch as fhould be found were either protection or removal; protection to thofe who conclufion was this: "All fuch perfons as in contempt of his that paper, they might perhaps find another alternative. The Dlajefty's gracious and benevolent intention, fhould dare to

refractory.

oppofe

faid that the terms held out in that declaration

If Gentlemen, however, read the conclufion of

this declaration, fhall be treated as enemies, and remain

expofed to all the evils which the operations of war cannot fail to bring over their perfons and property." Did not this in the plaineft manner point out confifcation, and all the other confequences authorised by the rights of conqueft? The paper was intended to contain an inducement to fubmiffion. Though the motion was confined to Martinique, an Hon. Gentleman had thought proper to travel into St. Lucie for facts in order to fupport it. It was material to be afcertained whether the inhabitants of Martinique did not refift, in direct oppofition to what had been afferted. He would prove that the inhabitants of Martinique did generally refift; that they had not aided the progrefs of the British troops, even by intelligence; he would prove it by the evidence of the whole army; he would prove it by facts themselves. An Hon Gentleman

had

gone fo far back as the expedition of General Bruce; but what had he proved by his ftatement, but that the great majority in Martinique were decidedly attached to the Convention; and that the others, who had fided with the British, had been fince expelled, or malacred? He would proceed to examine the curious memorial and affidavit which had not been permitted by the Houfe to lie upon the table. Taking the memorial from its contents, not knowing Mr. Thelluffon, by whom it was figned, whether he was a Member of that House or another of the fame name, he had formerly afferted what he fhould again repeat, that it was a feries of falfehood from beginning to end, and that the affidavit upon which it was grounded, was an initance of the groffeft perjury. If, as he

under

understood, the Gentleman by whom the memorial was figned, was a merchant of eminence, it would well become him to confider what he was doing, and to examine the public dif patches, before, upon the evidence of one, who is declared to be a notorioufly good man, but, who is fo notoriously good, that the Gentleman who thus characterized him, would not undertake to fupport his allegation upón oath; before, upon fuch evidence, he ventured to attack the character, and to wound the feelings of refpectable commanders, he would first fhew fuch circumftances upon the face of the memorial, as evidently proved its falfity; and fecondly, he would lay before the House, a statement of facts, fupported by gentlemen of undoubted veracity, whofe evidence he was ready to produce

at the bar.

Mr. Barham here called Mr. Grey to order. He said, that as the memorial in queftion had been rejected by the House, and as nothing had been founded upon it by him or his Hon. Friends, he conceived it improper to make it the fubject of

comment.

The Speaker called the attention of the Houfe to the point before them. As the memorial had not been permitted to be laid upon the table, it might not be ftrictly regular to make it the fubject of comment; but it was to be recollected, that the memorial had been published and diftributed to Members of that House, and as it went to impute blame to the conduct of the Hon. Commanders, he submitted to the House whether it was not proper for any Member to remark on it as a publication, with a view to the vindication of their character.

Mr. Grey contended that he had a right to remark on the memorial as a publication, and the affidavit with which it was accompanied. Both went to throw afperfions on the character of the commanders in the Weft Indies. The charges against them had been now in circulation for fix months. The Hon. Gentlemen had at last come forward as their accufers, and were not they to be admitted to be heard in their defence? There was nothing in the memorial which had not been tranfferred to the fpeeches, two parts of which were not at all to the purpose, and which he would not have an opportunity to notice in his anfwer. This Mr. Malefpine ftates, that when the town of St. Pierre received the first fummons from his Majefty's commanders, the white inhabitants were so abíolutely at the difpofal of the negroes and people of colour, that they could not manifeft their defire of furrendering. The town of St. Pierre had at no time been difpofed to the British caufe. Why then fhould Mr. Malefpine have taken refuge in

the

manders that it occafioned difcontent and diffatisfaction, or had in the imalleft degree been confidered as oppreffive, it had immediately been annulled. As it was impoffible to lay down a precife rule where there was fo much room for the exercise of discretion; it was impoffible to fay whether the proclamations were right or wrong, except fome method could be contrived to take into confideration all the circumstances of the country at the moment in which they were iffued. It had been faid, that the contents of the proclamations were in direct oppofition to the declaration of the 1ft of January. It muft first be neceffary to fhew that the declaration had been accepted. It was faid that the terms held out in that declaration were either protection or removal; protection to those who fubmitted themfelves, and removal of fuch as fhould be found refractory. If Gentlemen, however, read the conclufion of that paper, they might perhaps find another alternative. The conclufion was this: "All fuch perfons as in contempt of his Majefty's gracious and benevolent intention, fhould dare to oppofe this declaration, fhall be treated as enemies, and remain expofed to all the evils which the operations of war cannot fail to bring over their perfons and property." Did not this in the plainest manner point out confifcation, and all the other confequences authorised by the rights of conqueft? The paper was intended to contain an inducement to fubmiflion, Though the motion was confined to Martinique, an Hon. Gentleman had thought proper to travel into St. Lucie for facts in order to fupport it. It was material to be afcertained whether the inhabitants of Martinique did not refift, in direct oppofition to what had been afferted. He would prove that the inhabitants of Martinique did generally refift; that they had not aided the progrefs of the British troops, even by intelligence; he would prove it by the evidence of the whole army; he would prove it by facts themfelves. An Hon Gentleman had gone fo far back as the expedition of General Bruce; but what had he proved by his ftatement, but that the great majority in Martinique were decidedly attached to the Convention; and that the others, who had fided with the British, had been fince expelled, or malacred? He would proceed to examine the curious memorial and affidavit which had not been permitted by the Houfe to lie upon the table. Taking the memorial from its contents, not knowing Mr. Thelluffon, by whom it was figned, whether he was a Member of that Houfe or another of the fame name, he had formerly afferted what he fhould again repeat, that it was a series of falfehood from beginning to end, and that the affidavit upon which it was grounded, was an initance of the groffeft perjury. If, as he

under

1

understood, the Gentleman by whom the memorial was figned, was a merchant of eminence, it would well become him to confider what he was doing, and to examine the public difpatches, before, upon the evidence of one, who is declared to be a notorioufly good man, but, who is fo notoriously good, that the Gentleman who thus characterized him, would not undertake to support his allegation upon oath; before, upon fuch evidence, he ventured to attack the character, and to wound the feelings of refpectable commanders, he would first fhew fuch circumftances upon the face of the memorial, as evidently proved its falfity; and fecondly, he would lay before the House, a statement of facts, fupported by gentlemen of undoubted veracity, whofe evidence he was ready to produce at the bar.

Mr. Barham here called Mr. Grey to order. He said, that as the memorial in question had been rejected by the House, and as nothing had been founded upon it by him or his Hon. Friends, he conceived it improper to make it the subject of

comment.

The Speaker called the attention of the Houfe to the point before them. As the memorial had not been permitted to be laid upon the table, it might not be strictly regular to make it the fubject of comment; but it was to be recollected, that the memorial had been publifhed and diftributed to Members of that House, and as it went to impute blame to the conduct of the Hon. Commanders, he fubmitted to the Houfe whether it was not proper for any Member to remark on it as a publication, with a view to the vindication of their character.

Mr. Grey contended that he had a right to remark on the memorial as a publication, and the affidavit with which it was accompanied. Both went to throw afperfions on the character of the commanders in the West Indies. The charges against them had been now in circulation for fix months. The Hon. Gentlemen had at last come forward as their accufers, and were not they to be admitted to be heard in their defence? There was nothing in the memorial which had not been transferred to the speeches, two parts of which were not at all to the purpofe, and which he would not have an opportunity to notice in his anfwer. This Mr. Malefpine ftates, that when the town of St. Pierre received the first fummons from his Majefty's commanders, the white inhabitants were so abíolutely at the difpofal of the negroes and people of colour, that they could not manifeft their defire of furrendering. The town of St. Pierre had at no time been difpofed to the British caufe. Why then fhould Mr. Malefpine have taken refuge in

the

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