240 
gentleman on the other fide, that there 
fhould be no diftinétion whatever between 
foldiers and other fubjeéis. This was a 
propofition in which he could not by any 
Means agree; becaufe where a body of 
men were entrufted with arms, trained up 
in a particular manner, and placed under 
the controul of a mutiny aét, it could not 
be furprifing, that men differing in fo many 
particulars from the reft of the fubjeéts, 
fhould alfo differ from them in their mode 
of living. With refpeét to the object of 
this mation, he fhould contend, that they 
had not acted without the knowledge or 
confent of parliament : it was true, that 
they had not taken the confent of parlia- 
ment, in form, in every ftage of the bufi- 
nefs, which he was forry for; but he con- 
tended, that, in faét, they had the autho- 
rity of parliament ; and he was fure, that 
if the whole meafure were to commence 
‘again, parliament, upon a full confidera- 
tion of the fubjeét, would approve of it. 
The motion was alfo cppefed by Mr. 
Steele, but was fupported by Mr. M. A. 
‘Taylor, Mr. Courtenay, Mr. Grey, and 
Mr. Sheridan. The houfe then divided on 
general Smith’s motion, 
Ayes 2 = 24 
Noes = = 98 
Majority 74 
On the rrth ef the fame month, Mr. 
Francis moved for leave to bring in a bill, 
“ For the better regulation and improve- 
ment of the flaves in his majefly’s Weft 
India iflands, and the colonies in Ame- 
Rica. 
Mefirs. Fox, M. Robinfon, and W. 
Smith, fpoke for the motion; Mr. Dun- 
das, Mr. Manning, &c. againft it; after 
which Mr. Francis replied ; when the 
queftion being put, it was negatived, with- 
out a divifion. 
Mr. W. Smith then moved, ‘* That an 
humble addrefs be prefented to his majef- 
ty, praying that his majefty would be 
pleafed to order the different aéts of the 
colonial affemblies, refpe€ting the flaves, 
to be laid before the houfe.” 
Mr. Fox withed to know, whether the 
right hon. gentleman (Mr. Dundas) meant 
to propofe, on any future day, any motion 
agreeably to his former declaration, of 
confining the traffic of flaves to thofe un- 
der a certain age ? 
Mr. Dundas replied, certainly not, dur- 
ing the continuance of the preient war. 
On the 14th of April, a cebate tock 
place in the houfe of peers, on the fecond 
reading of the legacy bill, which was op- 
pofed by the earl of Lauderdale : but the 
Britifh Parhament. 
bill was read a fecond time, and ordered 
to acommittee; and the following day a 
bill was read for the firft time in the houfé 
of commons, for jaying a tax on dogs. 
On the 18th of the month, a debate 
took place in the houfe of commons, ia 
confequence of a motion made by Mr. 
Sheridan, ‘that copies fhould be laid before 
the houfe of two letters, fent by the late 
count de Sombyenil to fir John Warren, 
and the fecretary at war. Cppofition had 
before been made, he faid, by the mini- 
fiers, to the produétion of thefe papers ; 
but that oppofiticn, he hoped, would now 
be withdrawn, as the letters had appeared 
in a daily minifterial paper. Some warm 
altercation took place on this fubjeét; but 
the motion was rejeéted. The letters, 
which, from the nature of the tranfac- 
tions to which they refer, are worthy of 
attention, are as follows: 
LEFTER FIRST. 
(TRANSLATION.) 
On board the fohn, Port{meuth Road. 
SIR) \/ 0) TFuly By 1795: . 
The fhort ftay which I made at London, not 
having permitted me the honour of feeing you 
more than once, and my fudden departure hay- 
ing prevented me from converfing with you on 
feveral points of importance to me, in my pre- 
fent fituation, I have fufficient confidence in 
your fagacity. to be convinced, that I fhall find 
fuch inftructions as will ferve me for a guide, 
and enable me to fupport the refponfibility at- 
tached to my conduéi, as well towards ycu as 
towards the-troops under my command. 
A fall conviétion of the necefity of fubordi- 
nation, joined to a zealous devotion to the 
caute in which I have embarked, induce me to 
fly with precipitation at the firit fignal I receive, 
and never allow me to urge the {mallef objec- 
tion, I fay nothing of the diftretion which a 
government has a right to expeét from thofe it 
employs: I have long fince’ given fuffcient 
proofs of mine; and I have reafon to believe, 
that they are fuch as will enable me to obtain, 
at leaft, thofe marks of confidence which are 
due to my fituation. 
I have the honour to obferve to you, fir, that 
I am going with troops, of whofe deftination I 
Know nothing but by public report ; neither am 
I acquainted with their means of, fubfiftence ; 
nor, inthe {malleft degree, with the rules by 
which I am to regulate my conduét. What will _ 
be neceffary, with regard to ammunition, with 
which I am not, to my knowledge, provided, 
and with regard to the fupport cf thofe with 
whom I am to a& ; the means by which I am 
to carry on my correfpondence with you, in a 
diftant fituaticn ; and from whom I am, in all 
cafes, to receive orders—thefe are points on 
which I requeft you to give me fuch inftruciens 
as will ferve as a bafis for my conduct. 
I had the honeur alfo to recuef, that you 
would let me have an-officcr fom the cepart- 
ment 
{Aprit 
: 
