DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1783. 209 



which were under the allegiance and at the peace of the King. If 

 this doctrine was true, he should consider himself as strangely 

 ignorant of the constitution of his country; for till the present day 

 of novelty and miracle, he had never heard that such a doctrine 

 existed. 



* * * * . * * * 



[The report of the proceedings ends with the statement ] 

 At half past four in the morning, the House divided on the ques- 

 tion, that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the Address. 

 Contents, 69; proxies, 3. Not-contents, 55: proxies, 4. Majority 

 for the Address, 13. There were in the House at one time of the 

 day 145 peers a greater number than has been known on any ques- 

 tion during the present reign. 



Debate in the Commons on the Preliminary Articles of Peace. 



Feb. 17 



Mr. Thomas Pitt rose to move an Address. . . . 



That as to America, their independence was no concession, since we 

 could not deprive them of it. That the extent of their boundary was 

 no disadvantage to us, but was well chosen to prevent all future con- 

 tests by lakes and rivers, common to both countries ; that Canada left 

 us more territory than he hoped would ever be settled from this 

 country. That the interest of the sincere loyalists were as dear to him 

 as to any man, but that he could never think it would have been pro- 

 moted by carrying on that unfortunate war which Parliament had in 

 fact suspended before the beginning of the treaty. That it was im- 

 possible after the part Congress was pledged to take in it, to conceive 

 that their recommendation would not have its proper influence on the 

 different legislatures; that he did not himself see what more could 

 have been done on their behalf, except by renewing the war for their 

 sakes, and increasing our and their calamities. . . . He then moved, 



That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to return his Majesty 

 our most humble Thanks for having been graciously pleased to lay before us, 

 the Articles of the different Treaties which his Majesty has concluded, and to 

 assure his Majesty that we have considered them with the most serious atten- 

 tion. To express the great satisfaction and gratitude with which we perceive 

 that his Majesty, in the exercise of the powers which were intrusted to him, 

 has concluded provisional Articles with the states of North America on such 

 principles as must, we trust, lay the foundation of perfect reconciliation and 

 friendship with that country. That, impressed with these sentiments, we can- 

 not forbear particularly to lay before his Majesty, our earnest wish and just 

 expectation that the several states of North America, will, in the amplest and 

 most satisfactory manner, carry into execution those measures which the Con- 

 gress is so solmenly bound by the treaty to recommend, in favour of such per- 

 sons as have suffered for the part they have taken in the war, a circumstance 

 to which we anxiously look as tending to cement that good-will and affection 

 which we trust will uniformly mark the future intercourse between us. And to 

 assure his Majesty that we are sensible of his wise and paternal care for the 

 welfare and happiness of his subjects, in relieving them from a long and burth- 

 eusome war, and restoring the blessings and advantages of peace, by the pre- 

 liminary Articles agreed upon with the Courts of France and Spain. 

 126 To assure his Majesty, that we indulge the most sanguine hopes, that 

 his subjects of Great Britain and Ireland will successfully apply their 

 attention to cultivate and improve by every possible means their domestic re- 

 sources. That with these views we shall apply ourselves to a revision of our 



