Ac mihi quidem videntur huc omnia effe referenda ab iis qui præfunt CICERO. LONDON: PRINTED FOR G. AND G. J. ROBINSON, PATERNOSTER-ROW; BY S. HAMILTON, FALCON-COURT, FLEET-STREET. K. GEORGE II. CONTINUED. WITHSTANDING the Treaty of Se ville, concluded fo long fince as the year 1729, the Spaniards had never defifted from the commiffion of thofe infults and depredations, for the prevention of which it was chiefly and profeffedly made. They were even emboldened by the phlegmatic indifference, or pufillanimity, of the English Minifter, to proceed to ftill farther extremities. They now therefore difputed the right of the English traders to cut logwood in the Bay of Campeachy, and to gather falt in the island of Tortuga, though of antient and established practice, and never before called in queftion. On pretence of the illicit commerce carried on by the British Weft-India Iflands with the Spanish Mainand which, however contrary to the abfurd policy of Spain, was doubtlefs equally neceffary and beneVOL. II. B ficial 238534 ficial to both countries-armed veffels, known by the name of Guarda-Coftas, were ftationed in the ufual track of commercial intercourfe, which, on the plea of fearching for contraband goods, feized, plundered, and infolently detained, a great number of British merchant-fhips at their discretion; and, without regarding the faith of nations, imprifoning the crews, and confifcating the cargoes. The repeated memorials prefented by the British Ambaffador at the Court of Madrid produced no fort of effect. Evafive anfwers, vague promifes of inquiry, and cedulas of inftructions fent to the Spanish Governors in America, intended merely to amufe, were all the advances which were made towards reparation and redrefs. The nation feemed at length fired with a general and just refentment. at these outrages. Petitions were prefented to Parliament in the feffion of 1738, from the mer cantile towns and cities, ftating the violences to which they had been expofed, and imploring relief and protection. The Houfe, in a grand committee, proceeded to hear counfel for the merchants, and to examine evidence; in the courfe of which it appeared, that the moft horrid and wanton acts of cruelty had in various inftances been perpetrated by the Spaniards on the fubjects of Great Britain. One Jenkins, who appeared on this occafion at the bar of the Houfe, gave a fimple and affecting affecting narrative of the favage treatment he had met with from the captain of a Spanish guardacofta, who, after exhaufting his invention in various modes of torture, tore off one of his ears, and bade him carry it to his King, adding withal many contumelious and opprobrious expreffions. Defpairing to escape alive from the hands of this barbarian, he recommended, he faid, his foul to God, and the revenge of his wrongs to his country. The Houfe, fcarcely lefs inflamed than the populace with this recital, voted an unanimous addrefs to the King," befeeching his Majefty to use his endeavors to obtain effectual relief for his injured fubjects, to convince the Court of Spain that his Majesty could no longer fuffer fuch constant and repeated infults and injuries to be carried on to the dishonor of his Crown, and to the ruin of his fubjects and in cafe his applications proved fruitless, affuring him, that the Houfe would effectually support his Majefty in taking fuch meafures as honor and justice should make it neceffary for him to pursue." To this addrefs the King returned a gracious and favorable answer, and on the 20th of May 1738 the Parliament was prorogued. Various motives concurred, nevertheless, to excite in the breaft of the Minifter an extreme reluctance firmly to refolve on a declaration of war. During B 2 |