12 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. ing fupplies either of troops, ammuniti- C I call it, Sir, our modern manner of making reprizals, becaufe repiizals is a term very improperly applied to what we B now practifed against the French, or what we formerly practifed against the Spaniards. When a private injury has been done by the fubjects of one state to the fubjects of another, the ftate whose fubjects have been injured demands fatisfaction, and if it be denied, or unreafonably delayed, they iffue letters of reprizal; but for a publick infult or injury committed by the state itself, or by orders of the state itself, no nation, ever before, thought of iffuing letters of reprizal, For revenging or redreffing fuch an infult or injury, if publick fatisfaction be not inftantly made, D war is the immediate confequence, and a wife nation will always, in fuch a cafe, make their first attack as fudden and as vigorous as poffible. This piece of wifdom we may learn from the very first age of the city of Rome; for the great Roman hiftorian has told us, that the Sabine E war was the most heavy and dangerous that Romulus was ever engaged in, Nihil enim, fays he, per iram aut cupiditatem altum eft: Nec oftemlerunt bellum prius, quam intulerunt. In fuch cafes, Sir, a previous folemn declaration of war is never neceffary, or F at least it ought never even in common decency to be made, until your armies are juft entering the territories of the enemy; nor will the opinion of Grotius appear to be contrary to what I fay, if what he means by the word interpellatio, be duly attended to; for when he days, that tho' it G be, not conimanded by the law of nature, honcfe tomen et laudovilter interponitur, it is plain from what follows, that he means a requifition of redress or fatisfaction; and af we have not often made this requifition, I do not know what we have been a doing for thefe fix or feven years paft. I do H indeed fufpect, that this requifition has always been made in fuch a moderate complaifant manner, that the court of France never thought we were ferious, or that we would come to extremities in cafe of any delay; but if this was really the cafe, I leve, it will not be made an argument Jan. against the motion now under confidera tion; nor would it be a good argument it were, because the French have treated us with fuch contempt, that it ought to have been returned by an immediate attack; and confequently, I think, that one of the ftrongeft reafons in favour of this motion is, that it will bring our tedious negotiation to a fhort iflue. It will convince the court of France, that however much our minifters may have been cajoled by their compliments and excufes, the parliament will not fuffer itself to be fo, but will force our minifters to mix a little spirit with their moderation, and insist upon a fpeedy and categorical anfwer. This, Sir, will bring us quickly to a ftate of open war or honourable peace; and even the former is more eligible than the middle ftate in which we are at prefent. For what is it, that France has cajoled us fo long with fair promifes and fham excufes? For what have they, for fome time paft, fhewn fo much patience? They have been, they are ftill fortifying themselves in America: They have been, they are still restoring their navy, by all the means they can contrive. His majesty's fhips of war may prevent their fending numerous embarkations to America at one time: They may interrupt their trade; and they may, in a great measure, prevent their importing naval ftores in their own bottoms: But whilst we are in our prefent state, we cannot prevent their carrying on their trade, and importing naval ftores, in foreign bottoms, nor can we give commiffions to privateers; and if the French should refolve to fend fupplics to America in fingle hips, we could not fo effectually prevent it, by his majesty's fhips of war alone, as we could do both by them and by privateers. Therefore if the French court have lately fhewn moderation, or patience, as it is called, they have a good political reafon for it: They will probably never declare war, until they have fo far reitored their navy as to be in fome degree equal to ours; and this we cannot prevent, by laying hold of a fmall number of their feamen; for it is flips, not feamen, that they are in want of; and as they have the command of not only all their own icamen, but many foreigners, if they fhould once be able to provide hips enough, they may fend a moft formidable navy to fea, tho we had in our poffeffion twice the number of their feamen we now have. Thus, Sir, we may fee, that tho` a declared war be a state which no nation ought to chufe, and this nation lefs than many others, yet, in our present fituation, an honourable 1757. honourable peace, or an immediate war, is what we ought to refolve to have; and therefore it is evident that the only plaufible argument that has been, or indeed can be made ufe of against this motion, if it had any weight, would be an argument for and not against the motion. But, Sir, as A the bill was opened by the noble lord who propofed it, and by the Hon. gentleman who feconded the motion, their motion can have no relation either to war or peace. It is fo far from being a parliamentary declaration of war, that it is exprefsly the contrary; for the bill is not defigned to B Jay his majefty under fo much as a conditional or contingent neceflity to declare war, or to iffue a commiflion to the court of admiralty to condemn the fhips that have been or fhall be taken: It is defigned only as an affurance to our feamen, that if war fhould be declared, or fuch a com- C miffion iffued, all the fhips they have taken, or shall hereafter take, fhall belong to them, in the fame manner as they would have done, had they been all taken after a declaration of war; and this furely is not inconfiftent with the nature of what PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. is properly called reprizals, as it is not now fo much as pretended, that out of the produce of these prizes any damage is to be made good to any private man in the British dominions. And as to the damage which the nation has fuffered, or may fuffer, or the expence it has been, or may be put to, it is the fame thing to the nation in general, whether the prizes be appropriated to the captors or the publick; because what belongs to the people of the nation belongs to the nation; and the wisdom of the parliament has already determined, that our giving the prizes to the captors, in time of war, will always contribute moft to the benefit of the nation in general; as it will increase the number of prizes, and encourage our feamen to enter themselves voluntarily on board our fhips of war, and confequently either entirely prevent, or at least diminish the neceffity of preffing. 13 to say, that the military do not prefs, but only protect the prefs-gangs. It is a diftinction worthy of a Johannes Dunfcotus; for by the fame rule it may be faid, that the prefs-gangs do not prefs, but only protect the officer who has the warrant in his pocket, and without whom they neither do, nor can lawfully prefs. But tho' I do not doubt of there having been many and grievous complaints in Scotland, yet I am very ready to believe what was faid by an Hon. gentleman, in an high office there; for as I take his office to be much of the fame nature with our attorney-general's here, he could hear of no complaints, but the complaints of those who could complain in a regular and legal manner: But how few are there that have either money or friends fufficient for this purpose. I believe the lower fort of people here, are generally as rich as they are in Scotland; and yet I doubt if our attorney general ever heard of one complaint in England, unless it was in common converfation. Are we from thence to fuppofe, that there never was any complaint in England, or that no man was ever preffDed that was not by custom liable to be preffed, nor any man ill used at the time of his being preffed, or after he was preffed? E Sir, if the matter were to be strictly inquired into, I believe it would appear, that we have loft fome thousands of brave and able feamen, by the ufage they received in being preffed, and afterwards on board the tenders, or by the distempers thereby contracted. I believe every gentleman of this houfe has heard fome inftance of this kind: I have heard many; and therefore I think, that no gentleman who has any bowels of compaffion towards Four brave feamen, can refufe his affent to any measure which, he thinks, may in the leaft contribute towards relieving us from the hard neceffity we are under, of permitting our feamen to be preffed into his majesty's fervice. I fay permitting, Sir, for that is the moft that can be contended G for, either from the common law, or the ftatute law of this kingdom. The practice may be of a very antient date, as our kings always had, and it is neceffary they fhould have, in time of war, fome very extraordinary powers; but the practice is now frequent in time of peace as well as of war: If five or fix fhips, or any greater number, are to be fitted out, for the protection of our trade in any part of the world, or for giving weight to our negotiations, as has been often pretended, ail the feamen in the kingdom must be alarmed with a piefs; and great numbers To prevent or diminish this, Sir, is the chief defign of this bill; and to promote fuch a defign, it is furely very proper to mention all the inconveniencies we are expofed to, and all the complaints that have lately been occafioned, by our preffing of feamen into the fervice of the govern. H ment. That these complaints were many and grievous in Scotland, I do not in the leaft question: Our being obliged to make ufe of the military for protecting the prefsgangs, is a plain proof of it; and I must obferve, that it is a very subtle diftinction of 14 Account of the Loss of OSWEGO. of men are preffed, who are afterwards rejected by the regulating captains; for upon fuch occafions they will accept of none but the most expert as well as able feamen. Jan. tance of about 450 yards from the old fort, and fituated on two eminencies, which commanded it; both these were begun to be built laft year, upon plans which made them defenfible against mufquetry and cannon of three or four pound A ball only; the time not allowing works of a stronger nature to be then undertaken; it was as much as could be effected to make fuch a progress even in those works as to cover the men from the infults of fcalping parties, and the inclemencies of the weather; both of them being carried on fo far as they were in the space of little more than two months, which brought it to November, at which feafon the weather is very fevere upon the lake Ontario (See our laft volume, p. 637.) For half thofe two months the works were hindered by violent rains and fnow, and building barracks within the forts, a large hofpital for the fick, and other works (the materials for all which were to be cut from the fem) took up a part even of the time in which the men could work : This, Sir, has really been of late years fo frequent, that it renders the life of a feaman very uneafy, and his liberty very precarious, which prevents numbers of people from breeding either themselves or their children to the fea fervice; and this must be allowed to be a very great miffortune to a nation, whofe chief defence confifts in its number of able and expert B feamen. And befides this, Sir, I am afraid, that this power which our fea captains have, of preffing men into their fervice, induces fome of them to treat the feannen under their command, in a more haughty and harsh manner than they have any occafion for. This I am the more C apt to believe, because fome of our captains never have any occafion to prefs men into their fervice; for as foon as it is known that they are put in commission, greater numbers of volunteers offer to enter themselves under their command than they ftand in need of; and if care were D always taken to commiffion fuch captains, preferable to any others, I believe, it would be a step towards preventing the neceffity of preffing. F G HAT, the works of Ofwego, at the time of its being attacked by the French, confifted of three forts, viz. the H old fort, built many years ago, whofe chief ftrength was a weak ftone wall, about two feet thick, fo ill cemented that it could not refift the force of a four pound bail, and fituated on a point of land at the entrance of the harbour: The two other forts were each of t'm at the dif That, for their defence against large cannon, they entirely depended on having a fuperior naval force upon the lake, which would have put it in their power to prevent the French from bringing heavy artillery againit the place, as that could only be done by water carriage: That, had our navy been compieat, it would have confifted of one brigantine and one floop, built laft year, capable of carrying eight carriage guns, four pounders, and 12 fwivels each; two fmall fchooners of 10 fwivels each; one floop capable of carrying 10 carriage guns, four-pounders, and 12 fwivels; one brigantine of 14 carriage guns, mounted with four and fix-pounders, and 14 fwivels; one fnow of 18 carriage guns, fix pounders, and 20 fwivels, built this year Befides thefe veffels there were upwards of 230 whale-boats built, capable of holding 12 men each, to be manned with a body of 2000 battoe men, armed with muskets and hatchets, and to accompany the veffels upon the lake, all which would have been a much fuperior naval force to that of the French: That, on the 2d of July last col. Bradstreet arrived at Ofwego, with about 500 battoes and whale-boats, and brought with him the remainder of the rigging and ftores for the veffels, excepting 24 cannon, fix-pounders, which were then at the great Carrying-place, and which col. Bradfieet was to bring with him upon his next paffage from Schenectady, to which place he was immediately to return to take the orders of major-general Abercrombie : That, 1757. FORT ONTARIO evacuated. That, immediately after the arrival of the . ftores, on the 2d of July, the new brigantine and floop were fitted out; about the fame time the large fnow was alfo launched and rigged, and only waited for her guns and fome running rigging, which they expected every day by col. Bradftreet; A and had he returned in time, with the cannon and battoe men under his command, the French would not have dared to have appeared upon the lake; but col. Bradftreet happened to be detained with the battoes at Schenectady for above a month, waiting for the 44th regiment : That, the next day they had a moft violent gale of wind, by which the large D brigantine was drove athore near Ofwego, in attempting to get into the harbour: 15 firing feveral broadfides in this fituation, the veffels bore away and came into harbour again. The fame day the French invefted the place with about 32 pieces of cannon, from 12 to 18 pounders, befides feveral large brafs mortars and hoyets, (among which artillery was contained that taken from gen. Braddock) and about 5000 men: About noon they began the attack of Fort Ontario with fmall arms, which was brifkly returned, not only with small arms, but with eight cannon of that fort, B and fhells from the other fide of the river: That, on the 6th of Auguft, col. Mer- The garrison on the weft fide of the river cer, commanding officer of the garrison, was this day employed in repairing the having received intelligence of a large battery on the fouth fide of the old fort: encampment of French and Indians, about That night the enemy were employed in 12 miles from them, difpatched one of approaching Fort Ontario, and bringing the schooners with an account of it to capt. up their cannon against it: The 12th in Broadley, who was then on a cruize with C the morning the enemy renewed their fire the large brigantine and two floops, at the of fmall arms on Fort Ontario, and confame time defiring him to cruize as far to tinued it all that day; it was returned the eastward as he could, and to endeavour very briskly in the fame manner as the to prevent the approach of the French on day before: At day-break this day a large the lake: number of battoes were difcovered on the lake in their way to join the enemy's camp; on which the two floops were again fent out, with orders to get between the battoes and the camp, but before our vefThat, the Indians immediately gave Mr. fels came up the battoes had fecured themMontcalm, the French general, notice of felves under the fire of the cannon at their the brigantine's being afhore, and he took camp; the veffels came in again towards the opportunity of transporting his heavy evening: The garriton on the weft fide cannon to within about a mile and a half E were this day employed as the day before, of the fort; which he could not have done and in the evening a detachment was made had our veffels been out to the eastward. of 100 men of the 50th, and 126 of the Mr. Montcalm afterwards confeffed his New-Jersey regiment, under the comgood luck in having this opportunity, and mand of col. Schuyler, to take poffeffion that without it, it would have been impof- of the fort on the hill to the weitward of fible to have brought up his cannon. the old fort, and, under the direction of the engineer, Mr. Mackeller, were to put it into the best state of defence they could, in which work they were employed all the following night: The enemy on the eaft fide continued their approaches to Fort Ontario, and, notwithstanding the conftant fire kept upon them, and the loss of their chief engineer, who was killed in the trenches, about 10 o'clock next morning they opened a battery of cannon within 60 yards of it, an account of which the commandant of that fort immediately fent to col. Mercer: About 12 o'clock col. Mercer fent them orders to evacuate that fort, fuft deftroying their cannon, ammunition, and provifions : About three the gairifon quitted the fort, and managed their retreat so as to pass the river and join the troops at the west fide without the lofs of a man: Thefe troops, being about 370, were immedi F On the 11th in the morning, on fome canoes being feen to the eastward, the small schooner was fent out to make a difcovery of what they were; fhe was scarce half a mile from the fort before the hoitted a jack at mast-head, fired a gun to leeward, and ftood in again for the harbour, and informed that they had difco- G vered a very large encampment, close round the oppofite point, on which the two large floops (the large brigantine being ftill on fhore) were fent out with orders, if poffible, to annoy the enemy; they proceeded to within gun-thot of the enemy's camp, when they were fired upon from a H battery of four twelve-pounders; this fire was briskly returned from both veffels, but to no purpofe, as their shot fell fhort of the fhore, and the enemy's cannon, being large and well managed, hulled the veffets almost every hot; after ately 16 OSWEGO furrenders. ately ordered to join col. Schuyler, at the fort at the west hill, which they accordingly did, and were employed all the following night in compleating the works of that fort. The 13th in the morning, the large brigantine being off the rocks and repaired, A a detachment of about 80 men of the garrifon was put on board her and the two floops, in order to go out immediately, but the wind continuing to blow directly into the harbour, rendered it impoffible for them to get out before the place was furrendered. Jan. 2000 of their regulars ready to land in our front, under the fire of their cannon: In this fituation we were, when col. Littlehales, who fucceeded col. Mercer in the command, called a council of war, who were, with the engineers, unanimonfly of opinion, that the works were no longer tenable, and that it was by no means prudent to risk a storm with such unequal numbers. The chamade was accordingly ordered to be beat; on this occafion it is very re-. markable, confidering the reports that B have been spread and believed concerning the behaviour of the garrison, that it was with the utmost difficulty our officers could perfuade the men to ceafe firing, and much more fo afterwards to confent to become prifoners of war: It is alfo furprifing that they affure us, the garrison never, on any occafion, thewed the leaft fpirit of mutiny, until this juncture, when their obstinacy in keeping and using their arms, contrary to orders, might have been called fo. C This night, as well as the night before, parties of the enemy's irregulars made feveral attempts to furprize the advanced guards and centries on the weft fide of the river, but did not fucceed in any of them: On the eatt fide of the river the enemy were this night employed in bringing up their cannon, and railing a battery against the old fort; on our fide we kept a conftant fire of cannon and fhells on them, from the old fort and works about it: The cannon which most annoyed the enemy were four pieces, which we reverfed on the platform of an earthen work D which furrounded the old fort, and which was entirely enfiladed by the enemy's battery on the oppofite fhore: In this fituation, without the leaft cover, the train, affifted by a detachment of go of Shirley's regiment, behaved remarkably well. On beating the chamade, the fire ceafed on both fide, but yet the French were not idle, they improved this opportunity to bring up more cannon, and to advance the main body of their troops within musket fhot of us, and every thing was prepared for a ftorm; two officers were fent to the French general, to know what terms he would give us, upon which the marquis of Montcalm made anfwer, that the English were an enemy he esteemed; that none but a brave nation would have thought of defending fo weak a place fo long, against fuch a strong train of artillery and fuperior numbers; that they might expect whatever terms were con At day-break, the 14th, we renewed our E fire of cannon, on that part of the oppofite fhore, where we had, the evening before, obferved the enemy at work in raifing a battery; they immediately returned our fire from a battery of 10 cannon, 12 pounders, and were preparing a battery of mortars and hoyets: About nine F fiftent with the fervice of his noft Chrifti o'clock this morning, 2500 of the enemy paffed over the river in three columns, from the east to the weft fide of the river, in order to fall on us on that fide. Lieut. col. Mercer, on being informed that the enemy were paffing the river, and not knowing their numbers, ordered col. G Schuyler with 500 men to oppofe them, which would accordingly have been carried into execution, and confequently thofe 500 men been cut off, had not col. Mercer been killed by a cannon ball a few minutes after. About 10 o'clock the enemy's battery H of mortars was ready to play, all our places of defence either enfiladed or ruined by the constant fire of their cannon, 3500 of their regulars and Indians on our backs, ready to ftorm us on that fide, and an majefty; he accordingly fent the following propofals, viz. "The marquis of Montcalm, army and field marshal, commander in chief of his moft Chriftian majesty's troops, is ready to receive a capitulation upon honourable conditions, furrendering to him all the forts; he requires them to be prifoners of war; they fhall be fhewn all the regard the politeft of nations can fhew: I fend an aid de camp on my part, viz. Monf. de Bougainville, captain of dragoons; they need only fend the capitulation to be figned; I require an answer by noon; I have kept Mr. Drake for an hoftage. Aug. 14, 1756. MONTCALM." And accordingly the following demand was made. "The |