sed
in the negative.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

PETITIONS AGAINST THE CONVENTION.

The house, in a committee of supply, voted twelve thousand seamen for
the service of the ensuing year, and the standing army was continued
without reduction, though powerfully attacked by the whole strength of
the opposition. The commons likewise ordered an address to his majesty,
for the copies of several memorials since the treaty of Seville,
touching the rights of Great Britain, or any infraction of treaties
which had not been laid before them. These were accordingly submitted to
the inspection of the house. By this time the convention itself was not
only presented to the commons, but also published for the information of
the people. Divers merchants, planters, and others trading to America,
the cities of London and Bristol, the merchants of Liverpool, and
owners of sundry ships which had been seized by the Spaniards, offered
petitions against the convention, by which the subjects of Spain were
so far from giving up their groundless and unjustifiable practice of
visiting and searching British ships sailing to and from the British
plantations, that they appeared to have claimed the power of doing it
as a right; for they insisted that the differences which had arisen
concerning it should be referred to plenipotentiaries, to be discussed
by them without even agreeing to abstain from such visitation and search
during the time that the discussion of this affair might last. They
therefore prayed that they might have an opportunity of being heard, and
allowed to represent the great importance of the British trade to and
from the plantations in America; the clear and un disputable right which
they had to enjoy it, without being stopped, visited, or searched by
the Spaniards, on any pretence whatsoever; and the certain inevitable
destruction of all the riches and strength derived to Great Britain from
that trade, if a search of British ships sailing to and from their
own plantations should be tolerated upon any pretext, or under any
restrictions, or even if the freedom of this navigation should continue
much longer in a state of uncertainty. These petitions were referred
to the committee appointed to consider of the convention. Another
remonstrance was likewise presented by the trustees for establishing
the colony of Georgia, setting forth that the king of Spain claimed
that colony as part of his territories; and that by the convention,