ciple laid down in a celebrated pamphlet of late, that of visiting the sins of the ancestors upon their posterity; and it was only on this view that the corporation of London could be implicated in the folly of their predecessors. It might be argued, that any plan of this nature would injure the city of London; as West India merchants might assert that the abolition of the slave trade would ruin the trade with the colonies; and as it had been argued some years ago, that the commerce of this country would suffer by giving a free trade to Ireland,—a prediction falsified by the event; but arguments of this kind went for little or nothing with him. If the object could be effected with the consent of the city, he was convinced that merchants would not refuse the accommodation on these terms. It was said that 10 per cent. was not too high! Indeed, the hon. gentleman might not consider it a very great profit when 10 per cent. was gained upon a loan. The losses through plundering surely must be very considerable, when a new word was made from the frequency of the fact; and surely this was not a loss that the wet-docks were calculated to remedy. But the great question, since it was agreed that some plan was necessary, was, whether the purpose might not be as well answered by the city plan? There was something at first view very unfavourable in this bill though professing to be a private bill, it permitted very considerable sums to be levied from all British ships, although the accommodation would be confined chiefly to the West India merchants. That 1700 houses should be pulled down, and 10,000 persons forced to seek new habitations, was such desolation at the commencement of a plan of improvement as did not bespeak much favour. The ultimate effect certainly would be to diminish the value of houses all over the city of London, and in time to attract the Exchange, the Custom-house, &c. to the place where the docks were to be made. He should have wished that a month or six weeks, or such a period, had been proposed for the delay of the bill, that time might be allowed, as well to hear counsel of parties interested, as to bring forward any other plans that might be in agitation.

Mr. Pitt moved, that instead of the words "this day four months," be inserted the words, Wednesday, the 11th of April next." This was agreed to.

MARCH 20.

MAROON WAR IN JAMAICA.

General Macleod moved, "That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, that he may be pleased to order, that there be laid before this house a copy of all the correspondence of which government is in possession, relative to the mode of carrying on war against the Maroons in Jamaica."

MR. SHERIDAN did not think it necessary to trouble the house long on the present question, after what had fallen from the hon. secretary (Mr. Dundas). It gave him the greatest satisfaction to hear that government had ordered an inquiry to be made into this transaction immediately after the report of it came to their knowledge. But he had heard with much concern what fell from an hon. gentleman near him (Mr. Barham), because it carried with it the idea of extirpating a whole race of people. This he could not sufficiently reprobate; and surely the savage means used to overcome those unfortunate men were not necessary, when their number was stated so low as four or five hundred. It was surprising, that without the abominable aid of bloodhounds, the whole force of Jamaica could not succeed in subduing those unfortunate Maroons, who, by oppression, the breach of treaty on the part of the English, and in vindication of their rights, had been driven to take up arms. So far, by the blessing of God, the resistance of a minority, acting on just principles, in one quarter of the globe, was at least formidable. The hon. gentleman who spoke last asserts, that they were not to be treated as Maroons but as rebels. Now it seems that the resistance of an independent nation, with whom this country signed a solemn treaty, which it afterwards violated, was to be considered as a state of rebellion. But there was no ground which could justify the use of blood-hounds; and it was unnecessary for him to state, what the house well knew, that it was not only just, but politic, to abate as much as possible the rigours and horrors of war. The present objects of the war in Jamaica, seemed to be the extirpation of this unhappy people, or to drive them by cruelty to nourish such a resentment of their wrongs, as to render them incapable in future of observing amity or good-will towards their enemy. The hon. gentleman opposite to him seemed to consider it as of little importance, whether the war was just on our part or not. He was of a contrary opinion. The idea of extermination, always horrid and unjust, was certainly much aggravated, if it

turned out that these people were at war with us merely because they had been injured. The Maroons were, in fact, an independent people. They were a useful race, and even, in a commercial view, were of considerable advantage to the country. The hon. gentleman had mentioned the origin of the war, but he had not stated all the circumstances. It originated in a Maroon stealing a pig; but his punishment was a violation of a treaty which subsisted between the British settlers and the people. He was whipped. The man returned with his stripes on his back to his nation. It was an article of the treaty that no Maroon should be punished by the government of Jamaica; but if he committed a crime that he should be given up to his own nation for punishment. In the present case, this article was evidently infringed. Redress was demanded by the Maroons, and as no redress was given, war followed. For the honour of the national character it was necessary that an inquiry should be instituted. If the Maroons were injured, a war of extermination could not be contemplated without the utmost horror. He hoped, however, that something would be done to bring back this people to that state of harmony and good-will which had been found so necessary for the peace, and, in some degree, to the prosperity of the island.

The motion was withdrawn.

APRIL 13.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE WEST-INDIA EXPEDITION.

MR. SHERIDAN said, that he had come down on purpose to move for certain papers relative to the West India expedition. He was encouraged to think that they would not be refused, when he recollected the desire which had been expressed, at a former period, for a full and impartial inquiry into the subject. If the prospect of peace had been nearer than at present it appeared to be, it might be said that such an inquiry would be instituted with greater propriety after the re-establishment of tranquillity; but in the prospect of continuing in the same calamitous course in which we had hitherto proceeded, and under the same weak and blundering councils by which we have been guided, an inquiry into past errors became more necessary than ever. He was surprised to find, since he came to the house, that the king's ministers had any objection to the production of these papers. He should, however, now move that they be laid before the house;

and if they were refused, he would name a future day for the discussion. Mr. Sheridan then moved for a string of papers relative to the West India expedition; among which were

An account of the number of men sent out to the West Indies, under Sir Charles Grey, in the close of the year 1793.

An account of the number of men drawn from this expedition and placed under the command of Lord Moira.

An account of the number of men taken from Sir Charles Grey, after the conquest of Martinique and Guadaloupe, and sent to St. Domingo.

A return of the reinforcements sent out to St. Domingo, with the dates of their sailing and of their arrival.

A copy of all the letters which were written by Admiral Christian and General Abercrombie, respecting the delay of the West India expedition.

An account of the mortality of the troops lying on board the transports while they remained at Portsmouth.

An account of the number of ships foundered, and of the men that were lost after they had sailed; and

A copy of the letter for the appointment of a board to superintend the transport service.

Mr. Dundas objected to the motions, and Mr. Sheridan proposed to adjourn the debate to Tuesday se'nnight; which was agreed to by the house.

APRIL 18.

LETTER OF THE COUNT DE SOMBREUIL WITH RESPECT TO THE UNFORTUNATE EXPEDITION TO QUIBERON.

MR. SHERIDAN rose to move for the production of a paper which had before been moved for by an hon. friend of his (General Tarleton), and had been refused. After that refusal the house might judge of his surprise and astonishment, when he saw the letter of the Count de Sombreuil, published to-day in the True Briton. He did not hesitate a moment to pronounce that publication authentic and genuine, being influenced, in his opinion, both by the complexion of the journal in which it was published, and the particular features of the letter itself. He spoke in the recollection of those persons who heard his hon. friend move for the production of that letter, and he reminded them that his hon. friend assigned as his reason for doing so, that it might be possi

ble the letter contained not only an exculpation of the Count de Sombreuil himself, but a crimination of those persons who advised and conducted the unfortunate expedition in which he perished. He appealed to the recollection also of the house, as well as to the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Wyndham) who refused the motion, that the production of the paper was refused because it related solely to a business of a delicate and private nature. How completely then was he disappointed and astonished on perusing the copy published in the True Briton, which he had every reason to believe authentic, to find it, so far from relating exclusively to any business of a private nature, to belong entirely to matters of public moment; and the only excuse he could allege for the right hon. gentleman's not having made such a declaration was, that he had either read it in a slight and cursory manner, or from the distance of time, and the multiplicity of business in which he was engaged, that he had wholly forgotten its contents, or it would be impossible that he should have given it such a colour; for it did not appear from this letter that there was any paltry recrimination upon the persons who advised and conducted that unfortunate expedition, but a foundation for a charge of the most marked criminality. It might be true that the right hon. gentleman had not the sole hand in that expedition, or that he had no farther share in advising it than the rest of his colleagues; but whoever were the authors and abettors of it, there was very clear evidence that there was not one word about any business of a private nature in the letter from Portsmouth, while there were expressions which conveyed the strongest condemnation of sending that expedition out in the most gross, the most treacherous manner. He undertook, however, to read the letter to the house, in which he could find nothing, even by construction, of a private nature.

"Sir,

TRANSLATION OF THE FIRST LETTER.

"On board the John, Portsmouth Road, July 8th, 1795.

"The short stay which I made at London not having permitted me the honour of seeing you more than once, and my sudden departure having prevented me from conversing with you on several points of importance to me in my present situation, I have sufficient confidence in your sagacity to be convinced that I shall find such instructions as will serve me for a guide, and enable me to support the responsibility attached to my conduct, as well towards you as towards the troops under my command.