Star. — London, England, 1801-03-21 00:00:00

„a red Le ith Z MI . • „ this deflination Egypt, and bad our troops been kept on thip-board for almon 16 months, carried round to fo many parts of Europe, in ord^r to be prepared for this farther denination ? The change in his Majefly's Councils has been mentioned. Of that change I than only fay that I fbould have confidered it in itfelf fortunate for the country if the caufc alledged fir it did not mitigate the fair faCtion. Though Milliners have quitted their of- i fices, they have left behind them the unhappy cf fats of their fyltem. li, however, a Milliner, who ha, condoCted the affairs of a country to its ruin and difgrace, chides to retire upon the pre tence of a popular quetlion which he has fur a mo- Milt taken up, ought this pretence to Ihield him from enquiry and horn cenfirre ? It is need - dry to (hew to the country, and to Europa, that thel vigilance of Parliament is not to be diverted by filch maratuvres. It is neceffary to enquire, to centime, and to punifh the authors of pall ca lamities, that we may prove that the fyilem of ' confidence is at an end ; that in future that fyr- tern of vigour may be expeded which a waile ful fuperintendence is calculated to produce.— With raped to Ireland, I have no helitat:nn to ' fay, diat a fyllem of conciliation ought to be adopted, and that there fhould be a total removal of thole diftbilities under which the Catholics labour. , 1 But I cannot give credit to thofe men who were formerly the enethies of the Catholic claim's, for I do not with to employ the word Emancipation, for being now fincerely connected to their fupport. Thofe mcn, who in 5795 opnofed conciliation and conceffion ; thofe men whole meufures brought on all thole misfortunes, and gave rife to thole pro ceedings which have defolated Ireland, cannot be the friends of any lib,ral and enlightened concilia don. It is not that they have been moved by truth I I and juflice to give encouragement to the Catho lics. The battle of Marengo, the battle of Ho-', henlinden have produced the change. The claims of the Catholics were decided by the arms of 80. uaparte. After there events thole Minitlers who had failed in all their enterprites, who had fur rounded thendelves with foreign and dnmeflic embarralments, aid that it might be necettary to make concef fi ons, which in other circuraftances would never have been thought of. But becaufe the late Minifiers have thought proper to go out of office, on pretence of being attached to a popu lar quenion, mutt the criminal efcape ? Mull all. the calamities, difgraccs, and difafters of a long Adminiaration be immediately forgotten ? That the new Minifters come into office hoaile to the Catholic claims, is of itfclf a circumftance that is fufficient to raife a doubt that they cannot carry on the affairs of the nation with fuccefs. It; how ever, they thew themfelves ferioully difpofed to' treat for peace in the fpirit of peace, if they are willing to repair thofe breaches which their pre dccefrors have made in the Conititution, they will at leaf! foften much of that oppofition I fhould ' give to their meafures. The bell pledge they could give of their intentions, however, would be to vote the enquiry that is proofed, into pall fail ere and mifcarriage. An attempt has indeed been made to maintain that the war has been fuccelf ful ; but how can thole men who profeffed to fight for the deliverance of Europe, pretend to have Cucceeded id their defigns after fu many failures ? After having fcen all alliances forfeited by every nation in Europe, how can it be pretended that the war has been fuccefsfal? If thofe who have been the authors of our misfortunes were to devife how they fhould infult thofe whom they have re duced to fuch diftrefs, it would be to tell them that they had left their affairs in a fituation of unparalleled glory and profperity. Whatever• may be their language on this fubjeft, the bell con futation of it is their conduit. Had they not been aware of the mifery, diftrefs, and difficulty in which the nation is plun , zed, the Catholic Quettion, froth which the late Minitters expert fo much po pularita, would never have been heard of. • The Earl of WE sr molt Lan D began with obferv- ing, that the queftion had taken fo very large a' far that he tiardly knew where to commence the oblervations he had to fubmit to the Houle. One point,.howevor, alluded to by the Noble Lord I who fpoke fall, had (truck his mind with peculiar .'force. That Noble Lord had declared his warmed with to grant to the Catholics of Ireland the moll ' unqualified conceffion, and had introduced the phrale of Catholic Emancipation, while he feemed to be unmindful that Catholis Emancipation had been the watch-word of treafon and rebellion. How, be would afk, could any man prefume to ufe that word, who was at the fame tame fentible that the Catholics enjoyed every privilege, every right miler the Britilh Conffitution, which tended to the teem it y of their perfons, their property, and their happinefs, with the exception of fitting in Parliament, and fome flight reflrietions ? What did the Noble Lo d mean to point out to the Houfe ? Wli it fulalitute did he mean to place in its room? What he in:ended should be carried in to eft in its (hod, it was necelary for Parlia meet precifely to know. With refpca. to the gene r,l conduct of the late Adminillration, he might junifi e d f rom t h e propol i ai inquiry in loppdfing that it was asked, what misfortunes had ranked to the country from the fyllem which formed the ha fts of their Councils? Had our Fleets been de-' teated, our ports blockaded, and our coats been threatened? No !—But with regard to the ene my, how flood the anfwer to that quenion ? Had dull- fleets been defeated, their ports blockaded, and their malls threatened ? They had, even when their arms enjoyed the ‘greatea triumphs en the Continent. The Noble Lords on the other tide of the Honfe were not in the habit of praiting Minitlers for thole exertions which Dad teemed the uninterrupted tranoaillity of the country, and the fafety and catention of its commerce. They were accuftomed to argue si g .kinii die unfitnefs cif their own Government, from diappointments and diallers which it was i n l PsAble to forefee ; but they never argued againftthe unfimefs and incapacity of the French (,Tovernment from the defeats of the Republicar Armies, and the conquefts of our allies : they did not expide the incapacity of the Government of France when the Archduke Charles routed the trim es of the Republic, and wins Moreau was compelled to retreat before his via•orion3 army ; they did not indulge thenifielves in (trains of in vetaive again the Republican Atimini Ilration, and argue aLainft tl:eir inability to condititt the war, when the fotir Expeditions undertaken againft Ire land failed. litere was certainly no ground fir determining whether any expedition failed or not, unlefs the Ipecifie objcift of the exr edition Wtiti certaincd. Since cenfure had lic.n thrown o u t a _ gain!' the expedition againit Petrol, he Ihould ily tnat it was dircitted to the accomplifhaients of fe veral obje&s. It was calculated to a& as a diver• Pion in favour of Au ft ria, by keeping the enemy in :ilarm, and dividing his forces, while it WAS de ligned to co-operate in the defence of Portugal, by engaging the attention of Spain, Nv:iich threaten ed that kingdom with invalitm. As the Noble Lords ha : l uniformly blamed Minifters for forming alliances, and fuldidi :ing the powers of the Con tinent, they could not now, with any confidency, cenfure Government for (landing alone in the con. teft. As they had always upp.ifed the fending of money out of the kingdom, Minifters were, in confequence of that mode of re:diming, entitled to their fupport, (ince they were left, according to the camel withes ofthe Noble Lords, entirely to them. felvss. The Earl of Wellmoreland ne a took a re view of the armed neutrality, or Northern confe deracy, and after exposing the abfitrdity of the views which it profe:fed in direa oppotition to po fitive and repeated treaties, he concluded with ray ing, that he was fitrprifed to hear the principle queflioned, which was recognized and lifted upon by this country with refpeet to the powers of the North. That his Majetly's Minitters had made every pollible exertion for the attainment of peace, confillent with the dignity and interefis of the Empire, no man could ever deny who had fairly confidered the beginning and progrefs of the negociations. But the tyftem adopted by France was no longer concealed, and the objea of it was, with the pretence of rctioring trail uillity, to continue the war with encreafed vtqour , and to exhauft our refources. If the French 'Governm tit dared to (peak out to the people of France, what would be their language ? Have patience under the preffure of the prefent contell, and you fttall ulti mately enjoy the benefits of your perfeverance. You !hall ruin the manufaaures, trade, and com merce of Great Britain; you (]tall increafe her taxes, and diminifh her revenue. Have patience, and you fhall have your colonies which have been torn from you rellored ; you than have yonr Laft and Weft India potreflions given up; have patience, and the poffeiEons of your Allies and Dependents (hall be reftored ; have patience, and you (hall have Pondicherry, Martinique, the Cape of Good Hope; Minorca, &c. Such was the real obit& of the enemy, which admitted of no lincerity in ne gociation. He was aflonifhed to find the com mencement of the war imputed to Government only. Hoflilities had been brought on by the juft, alarm entertained by the people of England in con fequence of the dangers with which their deareft rights and interefts were threatened ; and it was the peculiar praife of Adminiftration, that they had, throughout the whole of the ednfliet, extend ed and defended the territory of the Empire—fe cured and amplified its commercial advantages— and prote&ed from imminent peril the Conflitution under which it flonrifhed. _ _ _ The Earl of CARLIII.I 4 My Lords, although I have on various occalions given my bell fupport to his Majefty's Minifters, I believe it will not he therefore contended, that I am bound to refill the invelligation which is propofed to be inflituted by the motion of the Noble Lord. If fads are noto rious and obvious, as it has been Rated, i mull confefs that there would teem, thould this enquiry be refuted, tome myltery of a fingular nature.— We fee the fabric of a ftrong Adminittration broken down without any apparent and fatisfafto ry caufe. The difficulties we Rand in, under the prefent circumftances. are very great, and in proportion as there difficulties prof - upon us, we require the affiftance of a ftrong and wife Admi niftration. I am, my Lords, no trifler, and it is my earneß with to call your attention to the dan gers which furround you on every fide, and to provide a remedy adequate to meet them. The difficulties under which the country labours teem to inereafe, and to receive an augmentation every freth moment of the day. lam not of a nature to deny confidence to thole Miuitters who are now in office, but I feel it my duty to Rate to your Lord (hips, they do not polrefs mine. It is fufficient for me in this critical moment to urge as my ob jeCtion, that they are not tried, although I may be told that fuch a fentiment goes to prejudge men before they can be tried. This, let me remark, is, however, no time for dangerous experiments. We all know that thole who preceded them in office, were men of great talents, wifdom, and experi ence ; and although their (tweed:n.s are perfons highly refpeftable, we are left to afcertain the na ture and extent of the powers and capacities for the adminittration of public affairs with which they may be gifted. We may indeed fay, in their defence, with the Poet : " Full many a gem of par& ray ferens The dark =La:honed caves of Ocean bear Full many a flower Is horn to btu& %infirm, And wtfte its (weenie& on the Merl air." But. my Lords, amid the emharraffments in which we are involved ; and the perils with which we are threatened, we have not time to explore thofe caves, we have not leifure to wander over thofc Jefarts. •Thus fituated,• I feel it incumbent on me to fay, that we ought to go into the pro pored Committee of Enquiry. I cannot allude to the moment of public alarm and danger which has jolt fublidcd, without feelings in which I am confident every Noble Lord who hears me mull participate. What was our lunation very lately ? Who were the refponfible :millers during that period of univerfal concern and anxiety ? Who were the refponfible men that advifed his Majeßy to (horde new and inexperienc:cl Ntinii/ers ? %Vho were the pert - oils who counrcUed his Maiefty on the dawn of his convalefcence to change his old and approved Miuiflers for new men ? I am convin ced, my Lords, that fome enquiry ought to be in aimed. It is due to the ditircfes of your coun try, and to your love for the conilitution. I *lk why, in that period of cabarratiment, the coo. •• . . . . • mon m ode 6fproctrding •ras not Adopted ? 'was not reCource had to the appointment of his ROyal Hightlir; the Prince of VV . :,les—a men fui c warranted and called for by the Conftitio tritlim ? r mutt fay, that during the whole courfe of niy public life I never witneffed an Admi nitration fo ill formed, and fo calculated to prove iaeflicient us the prefent opc. Befides, we arc told in defence of it that it is formed upoo the fame principles as that which went before it ; and here me plainly fay, that I am truly concerned to Ice the removal of fo much talent and experience. I .Ve are alio told that the profpeet of a reconcilia tion with France is a rcaron with hone why we lhonld !;ive our fiipport to the prefent Nlinillers ; while it is at the fame time evident, that if they are weaktr than the former, the demands of the enemy mutt rife ii. proportion to their compara tive ineapacity. Again we learn, that the whole builmls is a myikry, and we are informed that the former Mindlers are to fupport the new Ad miniliration. This is, however, a repetition of old language, which I have been accuftomed to hear ; and we are Jed to afcertain the meanin:; of the word fopport. If it means unqualified litpport, I fty the new Adminitlr.ttion cannot laid—she myf tery inercafcd, and the whole affair predes for immediate and minute enquiry. I beg pardon, my Lords, for trelpafling upon your time, hut I thought it my duty to call for an invelligation which may clear up this lOyficry. Lord Ft? a obferved, that he gave his cordial fiipport to the motion. He had a title to be fuf. picious, becaufe he had been deceived. Ile coald witnels the prefent dillreffes without expretling his earneft willies that the propofed enquiry fhould take place. He was not in the habit of malting long ft.-:Lches to that }Joule, nor was that, in his opinion, the proper mode to procure redrefi. Ads were indifpentibly necelfary, and it was requifite for the fatisfaCtion of the country that their Lord- Ihips Ihould go into the' Committee. They were irrefilliblycalled upon to centime thofc whohad done wrong, and bound never to truft them more with their confidence. For his own part, he had no ambition at the age of feventy for a place or a pen flon,and his only objea was the good of hiscountry. The Earl of Su FROCK, after exprefling his difap pointment that none of his Majesty's former Mini- Eters who were prefent, had rifen early in the de bate to meet the charges preferred againft them, went into a Ihort review of fume of the military operations of the war, particularly the late Expe ditions, on which he commented with great feve rity. He :tilted the Noble Lord oppofite to him (Lord Grenville), what wal the amount of the Secret Service Money for the lalt ten yeirs!? and he particularly reque ft ed the Noble Lord would anfwer the queftion. The Secret Service Money would be found to amount to no let's a fum than 800,0001. ; yet the information obtained refpcd. ing Ferrol was evidently deceive. That alone conftituted, in his mind, a tit fubjed for invefti gation. If it were refufed, there would be for ever an end to all .conflitutional enquiry, and the refponfibility of Minifters would be hut a name. It was their advice that had reduced the Emperor to the ditties and humiliation which he had expe rienced by the raih continuance of hoftilities ; and here another prong ground prefented itfclf cient to induce the Houfe to go into the Commit tee. When he compared the councils by which the Noble Lords oppofite to him were influenced, and the plans which they had adopted, with thee of Bonaparte, he felt himfelf juftified in laying of that great man— • He doth beltride the narrow world, Like a Colotlits; and they petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find theinfelves diihunourable gem..' - - Earl of Motes.—" My Lords, I was in expeda tion of hearing anfwers from the Noble Lords on the other fide of the Houfe to the ferious charges which have been brought againft them on this fide. Since they think proper to decline all notice of there accufations, I (hall not prefs them into a de fence ; but proceed at once to the confideration of the important fubj ea before your Logaips. It is abfurd, my Lords, to repeat at this moment a fyftem which has ptevailed for a long time; to canvafs the condud of Minifters as we have done lemon after fettion. We are called upon to con-1 fider the prefent moment, and to turn our atten tion to the prefent fituation of the country. It be comes us to begin our invefligation from this day alone. Yet form obfervations have fallen in the courfe of debate, which I think it neceffary to no tice. The Noble Duke has expreifed an opinion that.the motion fubmitted to the Houle is calcu lated in its nature and operation to imprefs the public mind with defpondency. But let me tell the Noble Duke there can be no greater defpondency than that produced by a define to fhun the con templation of the danger which prefents itfelf : true fortitude is employed in contidering, without difguife, the perils which are at hand, and in pre paring the means of counterading them. We ought firlt to behold them in all their terrors, to enable us to combat them with wiCdom and fi: rn ilea. By the cootie which the Noble Duke propoles welhouldtake;it feems his defire that wt thould rufh into defperation. lie wifh% us to (hut our eyes to the dangers which threaten us, that we may con front them with more effed. Another noble Lord advanced an argument by which he attempted to defend the application of our land forces through the whole campaign, and which, if admitted, would neceifarily juftify all expeditions, however ill-planned, and wretchedly executed. He main tainedthat the expeditiob againft Ferrol was intend ed as a diverfion in favour of our Continental Al lies. But give me leave to fay, that this diverfion was not the fpecific objeCt of the expedition ; for if it had been fuch, there would certainly have been no occafion for tholanding of the troops which was aceomuliflieil. The divcrfion would have been to the full as efficient had not a tingle man landed, I and the objet would have been as completely attained. It mull be obvious that the infor mation received by Government refpeding the ftrength and force of the place was fallacious, and the charge of the failure of the Expedition fhould reit upon the Minifters whO projeded it. I would ailt if the unproteeted Coafts of the South of Italy had been menaced by our fquadrons, with a CMS cient fore... on iloate ~.,10,1 11,•$Laparte have at, ta.iripted the taill,ge o: the Alp. ? It the principle ad.tataed in extenuation rf the unfuccefsful at tempt :i. ; aitlil Fel rol, I mean, that of net exporing the lives of the trnrys to danger be admitted, I Inuit fay, that the Noble Earl oppylite to me ( Earl of St. Vincent) (lands here a et iminal of no mean order, fence lie. Jiff-o.d an action with a very superior force, without giving to that principle the due con tidcration to which, in the ftaitiments of many, it il entitled. The Nubic Duke fay we are attacked on all hands, and demands, Is this a time for de 11iondency ? But Irons Inc own hatemeat I feej my fell juilitieel in asking, Does nothing more oc :lit to him ? Is he no:, 1, , r the very reason which he advances, bound to enspi:te into the eatZes which 1 1 , tve re du ce d him to the diarcfs of winch he c4,mplains? He laments that we arc left alone in the coraft ; hut why does he flop there—whY does lie no; enquire into the motives that have feparat. -cd us from our Allies ? Wc know nothing upon this fui)je6l that tends to our fatistaainn. —All Lyon this head is there (peculation and co.:ji.aure. There are no facts, no documents be fore us. The me.:iiires which have been hitherto taken, inflead of dirtnnilhing, have, ,on the con. terry, increafrd the number of our difficulties.— You all recoliea, my Lords, the mutiny in your fleet—you recollat :hc floppage in your Bank— you recollth the rebellion in Ireland ; are there but the ordinary circumftances of war ? It is true that you were carried throukli all there difficulties: but the abilities which enabled you to surmount them are no longer employed. Are you to con tinue every day to calf dice for the (al - cry 'of the country ? Peace is defirable to all, but who is to propote it ? The New Adminiaration is undoubt edly compofed of perfons highly rerpeeable, but as Minillers they are little known. There are alfo fume circunifLoices peculiar to their coming Ulm office, which cannot be paired over with indif ference. They are as little known to Bonaparte as to this Country. He mull confider the alteration which has taken place as a trick, a juggle defign ed to deceive him ; and what an& er have we any reafon to exp.& from hint, fhould proporals for negociation be made to him by Miniflers of this defeription? . Wculd he not he juftified in follow. ing the example, and adopting the language of their predeceff :rs--.4 teat he mull wait for expe rience and the evidence of Etas?" Couid he hope for a truce with men Who have nothing in com mon with the''.lirmer Miniflers but the fpirit of holtility ? It teems to me that you have put in the way of peace the molt material ohaaeles you could find, for by the failing of your Fleet for the Baltic, you have precluded the hope of amicable negociation. It is not, my Lords, the enemy you have fo much to fear as the Rate of your interior; as the failure of your internal refources ; as the prefrare of your manufaaures; as the contraaion of your commerce, and the depreffion of tour cre dit. Is this then a moment for experiment, when we arc attacked, as the Noble Duke obferves, by the whole world. He calls upon you to meet the danger with firmnefs. - So do I; but I con ' tend that you ought not to Ann your eyes againft it. NVhat grounds have we to cape& the ruccelf ful iffue orthe Expedition againit Egypt. Our hopes mull be ardent that an objea of fuch great importance will be accomplifbed ; but I mutt fay that the chances are againtt it. The ruin of the country is a phr ale which we have often heard ; but let us al - certain what it really means. You do not mean by it the produce of the country, but the •diffolution of the bonds of fociety. Since then the poor are to ferioully diareffed, thew them that you have a common intereft with them. Let them know diftindly the Rate in which they are placed in common with your Lordfhips. No. thing elle can fave us from convulfion. I believe there exitts no ferious difaffeulion againfi the Government, but it mutt not be forgotten, ' that they do not to much confider the Wettings they enjoy under the Conilitution as the pref. ' lure of the moment. There is no method of Satisfying them but by agreeing to the motion of the noble Earl. If I had it in my power to fubmit any propoßtions to the Committee, I fhould pro rote firit, an examination into our finances and re sources. The Cuftoms have fallen thort this year in the turn of 700,0001. and the Excite has been lets by a million. I Ihottld in the next place, move an Addrefs to his Majelly, entreats him him to in dicate fomething that would feisty the minds of the people with rcfpea to the object of this Ad miniftration. As to the profpea of peace which may arife from the prefent Minitlers, it is very faint, for they oppofcd, no obflacle to the fluting of the feet, which mutt prevent all amicable negociation. \Viten I fpeak of peace, I mean a life and. honourable peace ; fuch as might be concluded nn terms fatisfaaory and perma nent tot both countries; but hitherto the at tempts to negotiate have been delitliye. It has been even admitted that peace ought not to be made, though the voice and outcry of the country were in favour of it. if it were fairly and can didly offered to the enemy, and rejefted, one in ',linable advantage would at all events refith from the refural. We fhould all unite in ono common fentiment, and there would no longer exert any difference of opinion between us. &fore I fit down, my Lords, I mull notice an opinion which predominates now in the country, that the former Minillers could not make peace, and therefore Rept aide, leaving the chance of it to their foe ceffors. The change has, however, operated very differently from their expeaations, for it has in. created the general conviaion ;of danger, by im pairing the confidence of the people. Under all there circumflances I fupport the motion forgoing into a Committee of Enquiry." Lord Gutsiest tut fully admitted the right of Parliament to enter on enquiries into the state of the nation, when they conceived fuch enquiries to be ufettil, but did not think that in the prefent caa any necetlity for a Committee of General Enquiry had been ettablithed. It the motion now offered to the Houfe had appeared to him in the fame light as it had done corm* other Noble Lords, if it had *neared to him neccfTaey that aCommittee fhould be appointed either for the purpofe of enquiring into the real Rate of the nation, of of providins re.