*It was firft moved in a meeting of fix hundred gentle- 1780, 1 6. within the compafs of that fingle hall, poffeffed landed 1780. agreed to and confirmed The house which had been in a committee, being re fumed, Mr. Fox moved that the refolutions fhould be immediately reported. This was oppofed by the minifter with all the force he yet retained; but the stream was too strong to be refifted. The refolutions were fe verally reported and received, by the house without a divifion. Such was the complete and decifive victory gained by the oppofition, in behalf of the petitions on that extraordinary and memorable day. Without doors, the joy and triumph in most part of England was great and general; and perhaps would fcarcely have been exceeded on occafion of the completeft victory over a foreign enemy. April A motion of Mr. Dunning's which had been poft24. poned was taken up. It was for an addrefs to his ma jefty, requesting that he would not diffolve the parliament, nor prorogue the present feffion, until proper meafures fhould be taken by that house, to diminish the influence of the crown, and to correct the other evils complained of in the petitions of the people. After great and long debates the motion was rejected by a majority of 51-254 to 203. Thus all hopes of obtaining any redress for the people in that house, was at an end. But though the freemen of England could obtain no relief from their burdens by a houfe of reprefentatives; the non-freemen of France were relieved by their grand monarch, who iffued feveral edicts for the better administration of his finances, and for the suppression of divers places and offices. The committee in London for raising and applying monies for the relief of the American prifoners, began in March to call upon the public afresh for new fub fcriptions, as the war continued beyond expectation: 1780. the fame were readily made. Many individuals exhibited a compaffion and liberality to the Americans, that does honor to human nature. On the 28th of April, Don Jofeph Solano failed from 28. Cadiz with 12 fhips of the line and several frigates, and convoyed a fleet of 83 tranfports, having eight regiments of Spanish infantry, of two battalions each, and a confiderable train of artillery on board: the whole land force, including 100 engineers, amounted to 11,460 effective men. They are to join the French in the Weft Indies; and in that cafe will bring the Britifh fleets and iflands into the most imminent danger. Jamaica is generally fuppofed to be the firft and principal object. In the beginning of June, the cities of London and! Westminster were convulfed from end to end, by fome of the most extraordinary rifings that ever happened. When the law for relieving the English Roman catholics was paffed in May 1778, a number of perfons in Scotland, actuated by a mistaken zeal, affociated for the prefervation of the proteftant religion, and called themselves a proteftant affociation, at the head of which was a lord George Gordon. The affociators became fo formidable, that the Scotch papifts were greatly alarmed, and begged that the laws relating to them might not be altered. The fuccefs which had attended the affociation in North Britain, might give the hint for forming a fimilar one in London, to thofe whofe jealoufy for the proteftant intereft was increased by the apparent growth of popery, which of late years had been esteemed very confiderable. A fociety accordingly was formed in the metropolis, which in. a few months gathered great con 1780. The house which had been in a committee, being re fumed, Mr. Fox moved that the refolutions should be } immediately reported. This was oppofed by the minifter with all the force he yet retained; but the stream was too strong to be refifted. The refolutions were feverally reported and received, agreed to and confirmed by the house without a divifion. Such was the complete and decifive victory gained by the oppofition, in behalf of the petitions on that extraordinary and memorable day. Without doors, the joy and triumph in most parts; of England was great and general; and perhaps would scarcely have been exceeded on occafion of the com-: pletest victory over a foreign enemy, Ar April A motion of Mr. Dunning's which had been post24. poned was taken up. It was for an address to his ma jefty, requesting that he would not diffolve the parliament, nor prorogue the prefent feffion, until proper meafures fhould be taken by that houfe, to diminish the influence of the crown, and to correct the other evils complained of in the petitions of the people. After great and long debates the motion was rejected by a majority of 51-254 to 203. Thus all hopes of obtaining any redress for the people in that house, was at an end. But though the freemen of England could obtain no relief from their burdens by a houfe of representatives; the non-freemen of France were relieved by their grand monarch, who iffued feveral edicts for the better: administration of his finances, and for the fuppreffion. of divers places and offices. The committee in London for raising and applying monies for the relief of the American prifoners, began in March to call upon the public afresh for new fub fcriptions, as the war continued beyond expectation: 1780. the fame were readily made. Many individuals exhibited a compaffion and liberality to the Americans, that does honor to human nature. On the 28th of April, Don Jofeph Solano failed from 28. Cadiz with 12 fhips of the line and several frigates, and convoyed a fleet of 83 tranfports, having eight regiments of Spanish infantry, of two battalions each, and a confiderable train of artillery on board: the whole land force, including 100 engineers, amounted to 11,460 effective men. They are to join the French in the West Indies; and in that cafe will bring the British fleets and iflands into the moft imminent danger. Jamaica is generally supposed to be the firft and principal object. In the beginning of June, the cities of London and Westminster were convulfed from end to end, by fome of the most extraordinary rifings that ever happened. When the law for relieving the English Roman catholics was paffed in May 1778, a number of perfons in Scotland, actuated by a mistaken zeal, affociated for the prefervation of the proteftant religion, and called themfelves a proteftant affociation, at the head of which was a lord George Gordon. The affociators became fo formidable, that the Scotch papifts were greatly alarmed, and begged that the laws relating to them might not be altered. The fuccefs which had attended the affociation in North Britain, might give the hint for forming a fimilar one in London, to those whose jealousy for the proteftant intereft was increased by the apparent growth of popery, which of late years had been esteemed very confiderable. A fociety accordingly was formed in the metropolis, which in a few months gathered great con |