Star. — London, England, 1801-02-03 00:00:00

review of the prefent fituation of this country, cont.' pared with what it was a year ago, it was hardly poflible to conceive what could he adduced to op pok fuch an inquiry. France from being compa. ratively humbled, from having a vietonous and well difciplined foe to combat with, had laid her enemies at her feet ; had carried her conquering arms into the heart of Italy, then in poireffion of our A I iies,and had diCtatt.d the terms of an armiftice almolt at the gates of the capital of Auftria. It was in this Rate of aggrandifement and of triumph. when fhe WAS prepared to turn her arms againft this country etch:timely, that the Houfe was called upon to pledge itfelf without examination to the fupport of Mtnifters in a new cont . eft. It was to be recolleCted too that in 1780, it had not been thought neceffary particularly to interfere, when a convention fiw.ilar to the prefent was entered into, and from that time the principle on which it was adopted had gradually ceafed to be an objet of , material intereft. At prefent indeed it was revived, but the fulleß confideration was requifite before it was determined " to cut the knot by , the !word." The Honourable Member then adverted to certain events that took place under Elizabeth, and from them drew an inference in favour of the argument he held on the fubjet. Having • notice of the ftrong affertions with regard to the long-eftablifhed and undoubted nature of the right in queftion. On the principle that this was really the cafe, which he did not feel inclined to deny, it was of confequence recognifed in former treaties betwixt this country and ; the Northern Powers. Thefe powers, however, at prefent pro. felled to regulate their convention on the principle of former treaties; and it was proper that thefe profeflions fhould be put to the tell by means of an inquiry. The queftion betwixt this country and Ruins, and betwixt this country and the other Northern Courts, was befides very diftinet in its nature. In the cafe of the former it related to a pretended claim on a particular ifland, and in the other it referred to a mifunderfianding refpeiffing a long-eftabliflied right. The Honourable and Learned Number next pro ceeded to view this difpute in all its feveral rela tions, as conflated with contraland goods, with the doEtrine of free bottoms making free goods, and with the various definitions of the nature of a blockade. He prefented a view of the difcuf fions which have taken place, and the opinions which have prevailed on each, and inferred that every thing in the nature of the difpute requires a cool invelbgation. On the fuppofition that it flan be finally refolved to go to war, he pointed out the little comparative value of what we have to expe& from the poffeffion of thefe powers, when controlled with the vaR exertions and facri hces neceffary to mair.tain this new contell. In the prefent Rate of the country, threatened as it was with the whole force of France delivered from her enemies, it was to be reflelted on with coolnefs before our fyftem of war was extended. Thefent was a moment rather to appeafe than to i nflame, rather to deftroy the fources of anci ent animolity than to kindle hatred againft us among Rates hitherto conneeted with us in friend. ly intercourfe. He concluded, by preffing . on the attention of the Houfe the necellity of fenous re &pion, before their fupport was pledged to mea tures on the propriety of which they were hardly prepared to decide. The Soticivox Grimm. !poke next. He , confidered that the prefent was a crifis of fuch a nature as to have precluded all diverfity of fend matt, and anticipated that even thofe accuftomed to oppofe the general meafures of Adminiftration would have concurred in the motion for the Ad drefs. It had been Rated, that the prefent was a moment of difficulty and danger. If it was fo, it called for a proportional exertion of energy and vigour, to fupport thofe long eftablifhed rights which a formidable confpiracy was railed to de. ftroy. But we were not now, it was alledged, in a fituation to affert thofe rights, becaufe doubts yet exifted as to their propriety, their expediency, or . their juffice. It was of importance to enquire into the foundation of thole doubts, and to afk when they arofe in the prefent difpute ? If the opinion of any individual in this country, at all competent to judge of the affair, had been required to Rate on the day previous to the figning of this convent lion, whether he entertained any doubt whether thefe rights were founded on an antient ufage, or whether they were intimately connected with the fundamental interefts of the country, it is contrary to all probability to fuppofe that a finale doubt would have been entertained on the fubjed. The doubts then which had arifen fubfequent to the fignature, were doubts fuggefted not by enquiry and the examination of the accurate autho rities, but fpringing from party, or originating from fear. Such language, however, was calcu lated to have a very unfavourable operation, by leading the confederated powers to fuppofe that we were afraid to affert our antient rights. It wap of conkquence to ails the Honourable Gen tleman (Mr. Grey), to tell the Houfe when fuels doubts had previoully occurred. Had they oc curred to any of the molt virtuous or enlightened Adminiftrations which bad ever adorned the hit'. tory of this country ? Had it ever occurred to Earl Chatham during his glorious and tuccefsful career? Never ; and In far was that great Raterman from ever propofing to yield up this right, that he was complained of by the Northern Powers for having enforced it with unufnal vigonr. If the Hon. Gentleman was doubtful of the juftice of this right, it was lingular that he had never previcoußy Rated thefe doubts to the Houk ' bat had deferred bringing them forward till a confederacy was formed, whole objefe was to wren it from us by force. After this, the Learned Gentleman en tered at great length into an anfwer to what had been advanced by the laft fpeaker, and contended that it would be highly inexpedient to give up the right is queftion in the prefent circumßances of the country. The Learned Gentleman next contended, that the blow which this confederacy teemed to midi. tate, was aimed not only at our maritime lope riority, but even at our national exigence. To wiard again!! and ward a that blow, a regard both to the juftice of our eaufe and the rnainte-P name of our rights loudly called upon us to take . every precaution. How then could the Addrefs be oppofed which promifed that the necelfary meafures of precaution fhould be adopted ? The Honourable Gentleman, however, who propofed the amendment, had made a fpeech in fupport of it, which was calculated to excite defpondency in the country, and which fecmed to be addreffed to the fears, not to the wifdom and good fenfe of the Houfe. He was far, indeed, from imputing fuch intentions to the Honourable Gentleman ; for fuch intentions would argue the extreme of folly or treachery. Yet thc tendency of his arguments went to raife doubts refpeding our refources, and to damp the fpirit of thc country, in which, if there arguments could be fuppoied to fucceed, would: they nut frulirate our means of providing for our fecarity, while they , encouraged, the hopes and magnified the power of the enemy ? If the Gentlemen opponte him were not prepared to ad a manly, they Iholild at lealt endeavour to as a continent part; and not be at variance between the objeds they profefs and the means to be employed for their attainment. It was his with that the higher orders of the country would imitate the fober fortitude of the inferior elafs of the people. The latter felt real diftrefs from. the burthens and privations to which the expenses of the war aid the prefent fcarcity expofed them : but they fupported both with exemplary patience and in lubminive lilence ; while the upper claffes, whom no fuch (offerings could approach, were torturing their imaginations to dikover inftances of calamity and diftrefs over which they might eloquently la ment. Such mock lamentations would ill fupply the means by which France and thofc who united in her hollility againfl this country were to be re filled. That refinance, to be effedual, mull be i upheld by fortitude, vigour and perfeverance ; and as thefe were recommended in theAddrefs,itthould have his moil cordial fhpport. Mr. TIEIKEY Paid, that had the Learned Gen tkman abilained from the latter part of his fpeech, he thould not have troubled the Houfe with a tin gle obfervation ; but he could not remain (lent after hearing the lung train of mifreprefentations in which, that Learned Gentleman had indulged, and the artful arguments by -which he attempted to inflame the minds of the Houfe and of the Country againft his Honourable Friend (Mr. Grey,) by imputing to him fentiments which his Honourable Friend had never uttered. He would here appeal to the candour of the Houfe, and to the amendment of his Honourable Friend, and then defy the Learned Gentleman to point out a fin gle word in it which had any tendency to excite defpondency, or to facrifice the juft rights and liberties of En liftmen. Were Gentlemen on his fide of the lioufe to be told that they . dealt in nothing but difpiriting pidures of the melan choly (late of the nation, by which they depreffed the fpirit of the people, while they increafed the hopes of the enemy, beCaufe, after being deceived during eight years by every promife made, and difapposnted in every enterprise undertaken by Miniiters, they, at the dole of thefe eight years of a ;Waitrons and difgraceful war, refuted, with out Come previous enquiry, to continue to entruft the remaining refourees of the country to thofe hands by which they had hitherto been fo !home fully rnifapplied, or improvidently lavithed ? As to the quellion of the maritime rights which we claiitied, and which the Confederacy teemed de termined to difpute, he only withed that the Houk might paufe and examine whether thefe rights might be furrendered without vitally affeding the interefts of the country, or whether the queftion concerning them wasnot now prematurely brought into difcuflion and difpute The Houfe was called upon to come to avote on this delicate and implicat. ed fubjea before any documents to guide theirdeci lion had been laid on the table. The Right Hon. Gentleman has indeed promifed to produce papers, and told the Houfe that he had made up his mind ppon the queftion ; but as the Houfe had not the fame means of forming a judgment, he trufted they would flare his feelings, and not alfent to the Ad drefs in its prefent form. The Learned Gentle man had obferved, that the lower claffes of the people (offered much, but that they (offered with out &murmur of enmplaint or difcontent. It was true they did—but did not the middling and upper claffes of the community Coffer alfo ? Was not their pride humbled by the privations they mutt Cub ism to, inlowering the eflablithrnents tranfmitted to them by their fa thers ? Yet they are accufed of indulging in idle lamentations, and this accufation is made an an Engin }ionic of Commons, who have already Coffered fo forcly from the war, while perminion is denied them to a& why, and for what, are further facrifices to be deemed necef- Cary ? If an attempt is made to Chew the country the fatal confequences of blindly perfevering in the mad conteft in which Miniften have Involved it, thole who make the attempt artaccufed of sid ing, not only in eppofition to Government., but almoft in league with the enemy. The blind con fidence which the Houfe uniformly repofed in the prornifes and the projelis of miniftersi would in evitably accelerate the ruin of the country; yet, if it were allowed to be examined, it would appear that they did not poffefs a tingle claim to fuch confidence. The Hou. Gentleman then proceeded to thew how miferably the War Department had been concluded by a Right Hononrable Gentle- man (Mr. Dundas), for whom that office had been exprefsly erected. On his meafures attended nothing but difgraee : box if we are so fight on, why not permit-us to fight under better aufplces ? Was that Right Honourable Gentleman to con tinue lavithing the treakre and the blood of the country with the moft perfed apathy, the molt callous in difference hosiery of onkr ! order 1) —upon which The Sr aria interfered, and raid he felt it his duty to admonith the Honourable Gentleman that fuch language was irregular and unparliamentary. Mr. TIUNIY allured the Houle that he meant no perfonal imputation of inhumanity to the Right Honourable Gentleman (for his (ukeptibility of humane feelings was well known), he only in. tended to obferve that the official conduit of that Right Hon. Gentleman, efpccially with regard to . • die Dutch tpeditiort, wore the appearance of being utterly callous to the miferies it had pro duced. Mr: Tierney concluded by obferving, that it was the drift of the amendment to place our re maining refources in Ilan& more capable of em ploying them, and be Ihould give it his molt de cided fupport. Mr. SECRETARY DUNDAS faid, the Hon. Gen tleman who fpoke lafl had very often of late made life of very peevifh, irritating, hard, long-legged words towards him ; he was ready to fupport any meafure he had ever advifed, from a confcientious certainty that he had given filch advice from the pureft motives. As to 'be queßion of the Armed Neutrality, during . the American war, it was to be remembered that it came on at the very end of the war, and after this the country was entirely exhaufted, which made it a very different queition to what it was at the prefent moment. But it was evident for what purpofe the Honourable Gentle man had introduced it, which was clearly to draw the attention of the Houfe from the queftion now before it. Honourable Gentleman had ac cufed him of being callous ; and he was fo callous, he, allowed, as not to permit the ill-natured lan guage of the Honourable Gentleman to put him out of temper, depending alone on the rectitude of his own intentions, and difregarding the clamour endeavoured to be raifed againft thofe meafures he had recommended or fupported. Mr SULRIDATII." I fhould only, Sir, have troubled you with a few words upon the prefent occafion, if it had not been for what has fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman oppofite me, and from the Learned Gentleman near him. It is not for sue to inquire how far it is Par liamentary to alert that any Hon. Member riles not to (peak to a queflion, but to miflead the Houfe. But whether that be a right method to purfue or not, it is a fpecies of manmuvre pradifed by no one fo often and fo fuccefsfully as by the Right Hon. Gentleman.— By a kind of humour that is not natural to him, and by a jocularity, he does not feel, he endeavours to divert the Houfe from the impreffion made by the fpeech of my Hon. Friend. I have always remarked, and the Hoak may take it for an in variable rule, that he never feels fo fore as when hefeems to be in abundant fpirits and quite de lighted. The Right Hon. Gentleman thinks, that my Hon. Friend avoided all argument upon the fubjed ; with great fubmiffion, I think he Rated diftinEtly the purpofe for which he rote. He declared, that he fhould not have fpoken at all, had it not been for the left part of the Learned Gentleman's fpeech, which' did call for the animadvert - ion of every member in the Houle. For what was the jut of that fpeech ? —Very eloquent it certainly was, but it was in fad a charge againft my Honourable Friend that, with mock lamentations, he was endeavouring to encourage' defpondency, and ailing almoft as if 'he were in league with the enemy. But the learned Gentleman's argument is a curious one.— Is it not, he Pays, encouraging defpopdency, when our fituation is fo defperatz ? We contended that we could not fucceed in the objects of the war, and it was then faid that we were encouraging def pondency. pondency. The event turnedeen as we predicted. Again we (aid, paufe ; for your Allies will fall off if yon go on with the war. Again we were told that our difficulties had become greater, and that we were only encouraging defpondence by our ad vice. Again we afferted that if the war was con tinued, we fhould at length bring the re ft of the powers of Europe againft us. That day has ar rived. Onr Allies have fallen off; and we have all Europe againft us. It is then fuggefted, that we ought not to take the affertions of Yfiniften for granted, and that we ought now to paufe. Then comes the eloquent fpeech of the Learned Gentleman, afferting, that all who made ufe of fuck language' ought to be confidered as almoft fn .. .league with the Enemy.— This he illuftritid by a fimile, which he thought to be unanfwerktle. What, Pays he, would you fay to a General who should harangue his army, ' and tell them that their refources were unequal to the conftid ? Why Sir, let me fuppofe that any General, gifted with this co* fasA had made this language and that a Colonel, if he dared to (peak to his General, fhould fay to him, you have often told us before that our refources were more than equal to the conteft, that we fhould find allies in every nation, and friends whereier we went ; but (if this Colonel could add) we have difcovered, that in all thofe promifes you have de ceived us, and allihefe predidions have been dif appointel—we have found ambufcadeg where we expeded fupport, famine where we expeded plenty, anti a boll of enemies where we looked for none bat Mends. Jolt fb is the cafe with the drefent Minifiry. But the learned Gentleman proceeds to contrail the conduct of the lower orders of the people with the language held in this Houfe. Sir, I havealWaysehtitight it &Aprons to endeavour to make difference between the lower orders and thofe above them. But I confers I fcarcely ever heard any doctrine of that nature more dangeroull urged than I have heard it this night. We talk of quiet; Sir, I:am more alarmed at the unnatural quiet, this (Era pier, than I fhould be if I heard corn plaints accompaniedeven with Come tendency to diforder. But why don't you hear complaints? You have gagged the people, and bound them band and foot, and - then you fay, look how quiet they are. Sir, I would alt. , is there ant place but this where a man may (peak his (mils/tents freely? If that be the cafe, is it not Idle to talk of this quiet of the people? My Honourable Friend deals in no mock lamentations; no mock principles, nor mock profellions—he feels deeply the (amnion of the country ; if be wants to look at thofe in whom the diftreftits of the country produce no painful fenfationi, he will look to thofe who profit. by the war ; he will fee there no difturbance of repofe, and no privation of enjoyment. But, lays the Learned Gentleman, is there any man capable of the meannefs of making fub millions to Dance? Yes, Sir, his Majefty's Minifters, for they have done it. We have heard it afked, whether we could make peace with regicides, and whether a man could be found, diet would be the bearer of fuch a propofal Sir, Minillers have done it ;—they have done it three times, after as lofty boalis as thofe whi c h the learited Gentleman has bccn making for them this day by proxy." Mr. PITT laid a few wprds in explanation, alier which the queition was loudly called for, and t::: Houle divided on Mr. Grey's amendment.—iiyes 63, Noes 245—Majority 032. Mr. SHFRIDATI gave notice, that on Thurfday next he thould bring forward a Motion relpeZtMg the late negociation with France. Mr. STURT gave notice, thatAn Monday rt he would &brim a Motion to;die Houk relative to the expedition againit Fe 1, and Mr. Jones pt,.. mifed a motion refpeeing Egypt, for to-mort4.4. formight.—Adjourned at half pail eleven. LONDON. TUP.SDAY, FrBRITAItY Free , or Stocks this cloy of one o'clock Cori',ls for mont.y 56 1 ,4 —tor time 56i. Itcduccd 57 5 per C. 9nli—N ew 4 per Ceut On Sunday Taft, a Cartel failed from Dover fel Calais, and returned yefterday afternoon, not having been fuffered to land at the lattc.r race, but was ordered to return to England, and told that a vifit from the French Arm-, would lnn-tly be paid to this country. By the Articles of the Armiftice conclud.J . :a Italy, which we yefterday laid before our read —s, it is nipulated that Mantua (hould only he aded, and fupplied with fuch provifions as t:le garrifon fhould nand in need of during the hut_ ',prima of heftilities! but it appears that the le fpeiffive Plenipotentiaries at Limey;lfr have agreed upon another Convention, which cedes that im portant fortrefs, and places - the whole Ilrengih and territory of the Cifalpine Republic in the hands of the French. Yeßerday the Ytwo, after giving audience to the Cabinet Mailers at St James's Palace, went in Rate to the Houfe of Peers. His MAJESTY was attended in the State Coach by the Earl of Cars. YERIPIELD and Lord WILLOUGHBY de BROKE. The Chariot of the Mailer of the Horfe was oc cupied by the Earl of liastaiwurom and Vilkonnt SELSEA. On the KING'S arrival at the Hoare, he was received by their Royals Highneires the Prince of WALES, the Dukes of YORE, CLARENCE, KENT, and CUMBERLAND. _ _ His MAJESTY was in high fpirits, and emceed cheerfully with the Noblemen who attended him. Her MAJESTY and the five PRINCESSES viewed the KING on his going to, and coming from, the Houfe, from the windows of the apartments of the Duke of Co MIEKLAND in Cleveland-row. An additional number Of Life Guards and Po lice officers were ordered out on the occafion. An exprefs arrived in town late yetterday even ing with advice of Mr. Poisson's'', having carried his Elation for the county of Wicklow, by a ma jority of 47 votes. Lord irrzwitttan's tenantry turned the Eleetion againft Lord PROSY. On Sunday arrived at Torbay, the Sr. Jost Pa, of its guns, Admiral Lord Nation, from Ply mouth, A Letter from Madrid, dated January to, fays, Whillt all the French newfpapers announce the peace of the Continent, our own prefent fceues much more diverftfied. They give in a lift of ap pointments, of extraordinary elevations, and of ferious menaces, of which the following {sets are the proofs. The Prince of Peace is named Generaliffimo pf - the Armies. Within thefe two days the piece of Confultator of the kingdom has been created for him. One of his Aids du-Camp is the Brother in Law offLutist; BOPIATARTE (General Bacaocni) General in the French fervice, and lately arrived in Spain with that Ambaffador. The Marquis de Moe°, whom it is neceffary to diftinguilh from the Marquis de Motu, for their fakes who know neither of them, is named Infpeeltor General of the Cavalry. He is the brother of the Prince of Peace, and has been created a Grandee of Spain. " CASTEL FLANCO, Major in the Body Guard!, is charged with an extraordinary million. He fet out in great hafte for Portugal ; and it is generally agreed that the °hie& of his million is to offer to Portugal the choice of the alliance of France and Spain, or to declare herfelf for Eng land. In the firft cafe, to require the evacuation of the Cattle of Lifbon, and of the forts, by the garrifons of Englifh and Emigrants ' • or, in the fecond cafe, to'cleclare war. The following dif ttions are making to enforce thefe demands: — Thirty thoufand French troops are on their march to fuccour their allies ; their paffage is fixed ; that fait is certain. One battalion of the Walloon, and one battalion of the Body Guards, are intended to march. Orders are given to hold them (elves in readinefs to march at the firft notice. It is thought that thefe difpofitions win influence the fuecefs of the million of the Marquis de Caftet Franco, who bears a conciliating charaiter, very fit to promote the work of peace.' There is in the Hotel of Invalids at Paris, a fol. dier, named Guitussess, who is to 6 years old. He is perfeetly well, and is not deprived of am' of his fences. He loft his wife nine years ago. He lies in winter upon planks, and in fommer on the graft' in the meadows. He eats and drinks heartily, and takes long walks without bligue. And if it ware not for the deep wrinkles in his face it would be inspoffible to furpeet his age. LONLiON: Printed ite dbllPtepelreors, by JOHN DAME: , ebe "tau Petnyare-Ornes.N. - ; aml pribilbsi by LEVEL Kurt . , Can toberpigiase. tarebe4. at No. r, Carey-ftrod. end at Sr.. a-omm Tarspb-bar ;to Yana) Offre commeas cadent dte Salt an are revolted to be Wavle/