210 APPENDIX TO BBITISH COUNTER CASE. 



commercial laws on the most liberal principles, and in a manner adapted to the 

 present situation of affairs, for the purpose of extending our trade and naviga- 

 tion on the surest grounds, and diligently providing for the maintenance of our 

 naval power, which can alone insure the prosperity of these kingdoms. 



Mr. Wilberforce seconded the motion 



With regard to the treaty with America, gentlemen would recollect, 

 that that peace was absolutely ordered by Parliament ; all, therefore, 

 that had been done under their direction was not to be altered by 

 Ministers, nor to be imputed to them. When he considered the case 

 of the loyalists, he confessed he there felt himself conquered; there 

 he saw his country humiliated ; he saw her at the feet of America ! 

 still he was induced to believe, that Congress would religiously com- 

 ply with the article, and that the loyalists would obtain redress 

 from America. Should they not, this country was bound to afford 

 it them. They must be compensated; Ministers, he was persuaded, 

 meant to keep the faith of the nation with them, and he verily be- 

 lieved had obtained the best terms they possibly could for them 



Lord John Cavendish .... concluded with moving an amend- 

 ment, by leaving out from the words " and to assure His Majesty, 

 that " in the first paragraph, to the end of the question, in order to 

 insert these words, " his faithful Commons will proceed to consider 

 the same with that serious and full attention which a subject of such 

 importance to the present and future interests of His Majesty's 

 dominions deserves :...." 



******* 



Lord North .... 



In the provisional treaty, I find articles that are a positive contra- 

 diction to that reciprocity set forth in their preamble. I cannot 

 find in them any appearance of either equity or reciprocity. I have 

 examined the treaty with the most minute attention; and, as far as 

 my little knowledge of geography will permit me to say, I have 

 found, if the expression may be allowed, that the " reciprocity is all 

 on one side." The boundaries which have been drawn, are not only 

 new in their nature, but extremely generous in their principle. By 

 these boundaries we have given America, in Nova Scotia and Canada, 

 a tract of country so extensive, that it comprehends twenty-four 

 Indian nations. Here many forts have been created and retained at 

 an immense expense to Great Britain; but these may probably be 

 considered merely as losses, were we to revert to the many advantages 

 we have resigned by this cession. Why was not the boundary which 

 is to be found in your statute-book on the table, as settled in the year 

 1774, thought as proper as that which is now established with regard 

 to Canada ? by this the Americans would have been at such a distance, 

 as might not have tempted them to break that permanency of friend- 

 ship which, I believe, everyone conceives to be necessary to encourage. 

 In the present boundary they have accession within twenty-four miles 

 of Montreal. [Here his Lordship very ably particularised the forts 

 which we had in these new boundaries resigned to America. He 

 likewise specified the sums which had been expended by this king- 

 dom in their erection and possession.] 



By the third article we have in our spirit for reciprocity given the 

 Americans an unlimited right to take fish of every kind on the Great 

 Bank, and on all the other banks of Newfoundland. But this was 



