Star. — London, England, 1802-03-04 00:00:00

t, it 1. da iif ai s a 5n4 bat But bil be I z o proofs of his rooted determination to turn all eveaj to his advantage againft the interefis of this ioun try.—lf any thing like a cone& idea of a Prelim'' niry Treaty can be formed, 1 fhould fay that it is fiat Rate in which both panics Mould have Roam; Oa It prefents to the mind the fituation of a town befieg, ed, when the mere ceffation of WI& ties takes place. No moleflation is offered to Mote w ithin, but no notes or provifions are allowed to enter from without. The lief - moors carry on no new works ; nor do the befieged repair their'forti fications. In afcertaicing the tone or temper of th e oppofite party two things arc to be confidered; events that have fubfequently happened, and events that have fubfequently become known. The dif tinition is clear, and with thofe of the latter de fcriptionMinilters Mould have been made acquaint. ed. If intended by the enemy to be actually car ried into erred, and that they were not communi cated to his Majelly's Minilters, the party who con. cealca them was guilty of fraud. Some of there events are fo plain that it is impollible to miltake then.—They may be found in an ifland, in a fum of money, in a diftrift. Such was the violation of the integrity of Portugal, fecured as it appeared to be by the Preliminane.; hut the Treaty which deflroyed that integrity was kept ferret, and thus conftituted that fraud of which I complain. I, it not then right in my Hon. Friend to call the atten tion of the Houle to the Rate of the country, or rather is it not the crying duty ()revery man, who confiders the fituation in which we arc placed ? Although we are at prelim confide) ing v-:lat may be called a fmall point in the general (late of affairs, we are Dill juffified in having the whole Intuition of the country before us. What appears to me above all other things the molt dreadful confidera tion, is the unaccountable apathy of the moment. I know not exam ly by what name to call it ; but I Mould be inclined to call it in the language of Divines—a blindnefs, a judicial blindnefs. To trace it to its caufe, would be a talk, I fear, too difficult for any man.. What is the prefent Rate of Europe ? What are the Powers (till left which are exempt from fervitude or dependence? Take them all after ourfelves, and we (hall find Aultria and Ruffia only which can be Cad to exift. But when we fee the encreafing power, the fellacknowledged ambition, and the conflantly encreafing aggran dizement of France, what fecurity have we for our own power, our own independence? The head of the government of France plainly tells us that he has got augmented influence, augmented ter ritory, augmented dominion, and that he means toemploy them to the deltruetion of our commerce, and our naval pre-eminence. The fubjed, Sir, is fo dreadful, the prolpett is fo dreary, that it appals me with its magnitude. It is fo pregnant in appre henfion and terror, that I !hall not, from the inci dental remarks which have fallen to-day from my Hon. Friend and the Noble Lord, enter now at large into it. My Hon. Friend has ailed with pe culiar propriety ; his obfervations are completely juftified by the crifis to which the country is re duced, and his Majefly's Minilters may treat them as they pleafe : but I fear every new otcafion will furnilli new topics for timilar obfervations. I beg pardon of the Houle for having troubled them fo long ; but I thought it my duty to Rate my fend memos upon a lubjed of fuch importance to the Country." Mr. Basso faid, that fine the condemn of the Preliminary Treaty, events had taken place, which if they bad occurred during a period of profound tranquillity, would have turnilhed a jug ground for the commencement of hollilities. He could confider them in no other light than as ads of open hoflility. It remained however with his Majefty's Minifters to account for what had taken place fince the figning of the Preliminaries. Lord CAS T LE it BAG H deprecated the idea of Gen- Vemen being too fanguine as to the iffue of die pre terit negotiations fur the definitive treaty; and 'till more was the conduit of thofe defcrving of cenfure who condemned the preliminary treaty alt. gaiter. The one was calculated to place us in a Rate of too great feeurity, and the other to fill the public mind with defpondency ; either of which might be produffive of the mot mifehievous confequences. No unmanly fentiment of fear or difappnmtment Mould be Coffered to exift in time country, in cafe the negotiation fhould not terminate happily. He profeffed himfelf wholly unacquainted with the lentiments of his Maje y's Govcrnment,and, there fore, when he (poke of the negotiations at Amiens, he fpoke without any knowledge whatever of their probable termination, but lie had every reafon to hope they would be fuccefsful. The whole tenor of the arguments on that night were of fuch a na ture as tended to throw a defpondency over the public mind. He law no alarm that could exift for the fafety of our Weft India poffeffions from the failing of the French armament; on the con trary, the polTeffions of Franc; were in a very alarming and critical &nation ; fhe would now find it a very difficult talk to reduce her colonies to obedience; it was neceffary for her to retort the authority of the Whites, which was now in the hands of the Blacks, who, in St. Domingo, formed a great majority of the inhabitants ; and even if Touffaintlhoulil fnbmit to the power of France, it would Rill be found extremely di ffi cult to eta blifh fuch a government as would keep the Blacks in fubjeftion. If we looked to Guadeloupe or St. Domingo, and confidered the formidable infnr reftions which diftraded thofe iflands, and the power affurned by the majority of the Black inha bit.ints, it was evident that the expeditions which Lmiled from France to thefe places, were not of a magnitude beyond the obvious neceffity of the cafe. The whole of the force they fent thither would not be more than fufficient to, reduce and keep in tubjeltion the revolted colonies. As to the wad) tion, whether this expedition Mould have been Coffered to fail or not ? it might appeal that NE- Lifters had acted wifely in not interfering at all m the bufinefs. If the peace Mould be defini tively fettled to-morrow, France mull employ a great'force in the Well.-Indies, Gigot Britain would of courfe be obliged to keep up a eorrefponding km there, and dins be obliged to delay the time of retrenching her war eflabfilliment ; and at the fame time we could not call upon Prance to- re duce her force, without endanger:mg the tranquil _ lity then exiting; but now while the Negociations were going forward, we could call on France to diminith the force now employed there before the Treaty was brought to a conclufion. It was there fore more confiftent with the fecurity of Great- Britain that this force, which was indifpenfibly ne ceffary for France in the Weft-Indies, should have failed before, than after the figning of the Defini tive Treaty, becaufe in the latter cafe a war ex. pence might ultimately be impofed on the country. How far his Majefty's Minifters had on this fubjee exercifed a found difcretion , mu tt remain undeci ded until either the Definitive Treaty was conclu ded, or the War recommenced. At all events we were not juftified in entertainingany alarm refped ing the armament in queftion, unlefs we knew that it was intended to ae againft us. The queftion concerning the delay of :he Definitive Treaty could not be properly entered into at this time • and it was very juftly hated by a Noble Lo r d, th at ' there was no ground of jealoufy from the delay that had taken place, which was not greater than what had formerly intervened between the fign ing of Preliminary and Definitive Treaties.— The ceflion of Guiana was a fubjed which ought not to be difcuffed at this time. He was de cidedly againft the queftion brought forward that night being difculTed in this premature and partial manner. It was alto neceffary to avoid there -dig' cuflions, on account of the language which Gen tlemen thought proper to make Life of. It was not for Memb:rs of that Houfe to cenfure any of chore trent:o'oas which lately took place with regard to the affairs of Come of the Governments of Europe, becaufe what was faid there might not coincide with the views the powers alluded to fhould en tertain concerning the Rate of their own affairs ; they mutt be more interefted in what regarded them than perfons in this country, and therefore- Gentlemen fhonld, at the prefent moment, be very cautious as to the languae they ufed when (peak ing of the changes that lately took place in thofe Governments ; and it was equally neceffary not to hold out expeaations too fanguine with refpeet to the Treaty, left they enervate and unman the peo ple, by throwing them off their guard. It would be better to hold out fuch language as if it was thought that the Treaty would not fuccefsful ; and if the confequences thould be unfavourabl:, we fhould then meet them with firmncfs and energy. We ought to remain in fuch a Rate of mind as not to repofe any unwire confidence in Miniflen, but as if Minifters had left the country erpofed to dan ger, which it could eafily extricate itfelf from.— Such a conduct, in thort, ought at this moment to be obferved by Great Britain, that, if unfortunately the Definitive Treaty fhould not be concluded, and war fhonld be the confequenee, Europe, and the whole world, might know that this country was not anfwcrable for it. Dr. LAWRINCI could not help obferving that the Gentlemen who attempted to anfwer kis Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Windham) had wholly milm derfiood the main drift of his arguments. Thofe arguments did not go (as they were reprefented) to cnminate Dffinifters, but rather to raife a fpirit in the country equal to the dangers and difficulties to which it was again likely to be carried. Neither could he help obferving, that the Eftimates of the army had before been voted for a period at which Minifters expetted that the Definitive Treaty might arrive, and now again they were propofed for an other fhort period, in a fimilar expeftation that this their much -wiffied-for event might take place before its expiration. Thus, it might be feared that, in order to accomplifh the work of Peace, the Pra I ed period of two months would be further employ ed by them in entreaty, in fubmiffion, in impor tuning and profiration. Lotd HAWRISBUILY here rote, and called the Learned Gentleman to order. The languaguleld by the Learned Gentleman, he contended - to be extremely improper and dangerous under the pre !lilt palate of aff.tirs. He by no means pretended to limit the Learned Gentleman's Parliamentary li berty to deliver his opinions ; but to ufe fuch words as entreaty, ilibmiffion, degradation, &c. without adducing a fhadow of argument to prove that there really exiled any thing of that nature, appeared to him, and mull appear to the Committee, to be a language from which no pollible good could wife, and which might be attended withmuch mifchicf. Dr. Lawaescs contended, that he imputed no Each condua to Minitters, but merely was going to argue, that taking the climates for fo fhort a period was likely to give that interpretation to their condua. For his part, he rather rejoiced in than regretted the delay that retarded the con elution of the Definitive Treaty ; it might afford time to (hew that all was not to be abandoned and furrendr.red ; it might give room to hope that better fecnnty might be obtained, or a clearer tel of the fincerity of France. The tituation of the country at the conclufion of the laft war was com pared with its fitnation at the prefent moment, but they were effentially different. In all former trea ties there were certain limitations and modifica tions drawn from preceding treaties, which formed a balls for the negociation. The late negociation relied on no fuel' bafis—it did net revive any 'former treaties; it did not thus fecure the free navigation of the Miffiffippi, or guarantee any be nefit from the treaty with America. Thefe points, he hoped, would be attended to during the delay, and in that hope he trolled the country would look at the delay with patience. It was this vigilance and fpirit which his Right Hon. Friend endea voured to excite in the country : they by no mons bad for the objea of their ol.fervatians to crimi nate Minifien. But the Noble Lord who (poke laft (Lord Caftlereagh) teemed anxious to deal in political optintifia. He. endeavoured to derive confolation from every allied of things. That Noble Lord feels the neeeffity which France is under of fending out a great military force to die Weft In dies. - Without it the negroes could not be kept in fobjettion but whether that force is to att with fainters and generofity, or with duplicity and in the Noble Lord does ant fo anxioufly exa 'Ate. He Cams to forget that the country by which it is employed, is the rival of this in every objea of parfuit ; and will not this fpirit of rivalry influence the aft to which flub mans may be elated t • The Learned Gentleman next proceeded to (hew nnw futile were the gtonnds of fuch confolation, and how incontinent it was for Tome Gentlemen to employ them. Thole who boated of our blocking up the enemy's chips in all their ports, now exprefs no diffatisfaaion at their having got out: Thofe who loudly approved of refufing - permiffion to the French Government, when they folicited an armed truce, to fend out a fmall armament to the Well Indies, are now nearly as eager to fupport the propriety of letting a large armament proceed for the fame profeffeti objea— the reducing the Colonies to order and fubjeaion. The Learned Gentleman next alluded to the ceffion of Louilianz, which he could not but regard as a fraudulent tranfaaion, and as iutmduzing a fraud into the Preliminaries. He mull alfo afk, in what light was the Italian Republic to be viewed by this country? Was that country included in the Preli minaries, or are we now at peace or war with it ? The man who ruled over France, now alto guided the delinies of the new Republic, which by taking the name of the harm intlead of the Wallas: Re-' public, betrayed the extent of its ambitious views. , According to a proclamation of the Vice Prefident, ' it fhould now be the pride of its inhabitants to rival the glory of their anceftors, and, like them, no doubt, to extend their dominion. Thofe were points which the delay in the negotiation might afford time to examine and afcertam. We had a , coloffal power now to contend with, that placed one foot on the mouth of the river of the Ama zons,and the other on the mouth otthe Miffiffippi. What might not fuch a gigantic grafp of ambition aim at ? Indeed the country now flood in a crilis ' fuch as it never before experienced ; and to extri cate it from fo perilous a fituation required the ex ertion of fuper-human wifdom, of fuper-human abilities, of piper-human energies of all kinds.— For his part, he wilted the nation might be armed for either event, Peace or War; and for that pur pole he thought the climates fhould be voted for a longer period; it would at leaf give Minifters tome kind of weight in the eyes of thofe with whom they were now negotiating. The Arroan if-Gsmintat.began by reprobating the infinuation thrown out by the Learned Gentle. man ( Dr. Lawrence), that Miuifters would employ the two months to come in importunity,fubmiffion, and degradation ; but he was called to order by Dr. Lorraine', who contended, that after he had given an explanation of his words to the Com. mittee, it was unfair again to put a wrong con ftruftion upon them. The Arroansr-Geo 'am. was ready to allow that the Learned Gentleman had a right to put what conftruaion he pleafed upon his own words; but be alto had a right to take them in that meaning in which the teitimony of his own organs conveyed them to him ; that for his own part he mutt rejea all participation in the praife which the Learned Gentleman, who jull fat down, wiflied to bellow upon Minittersforhaving delayed the negotiations. , The manner in which the prefent debate was con dated led to no ufefnl conclufion ; nor anfwered any good Parliamentary purpofe. If Minifters had abufed the power versed in them with regard to the, treaty of peace, it would be the moft manly pro. ceedingforthofe Gentlemen who thoughtfo to move an Addrefs to his Majefty, to recal his negotiator at Amiens; and nottoventilatetheairinthat Houle in declamationagainft the peace itfelf. He deprecat ed this habit of indifcriminate cenfurt and expeao ration without coming to any manly and ufeful conch:fion : particularly fo when the moft delicate of all rubjeas was under confideration ; and when the deareft interefts of the country were likely to be endangered by this kind of evening's gencies. It was neceffary at one time to block up the fleets of France in her ports, in order to prevent them from vomiting their troops into a diforganized part of the Empire, which might be produaive of infinite mifchief; but would any man fay that danger could now arife from the failing of thofe fleets; which, if they intended mifchief, did no more than put themfelves in a tangible form; in a fituation in which they could be met by an equal force. He would not then give bimfelf the trouble to look over old maps, or rub the dull from old treaties —but he could fay with confi dence, that his Majefty's Minifters would put up with no national indignity. When an indignity, in the moft formidable fhape, was intended to be pff er ed to this country, when almoft all the mari time powers of Europe had combined againft her jolt rights, it was frefh in the recollciftion of Gen tlemen how, and with what vigour, Minifters re pelled that combination, and how it was termi nated. If the prefent negociation amid unfortu nately be broken off, or if, in the courfe of it, any indignity fhould be offered to this country, it would be refitted, not by fuper-human talents, or roper human no ans (for thefe did not belong to any country). but by that ardent (pint, that integrity and zeal for the public (Orrice, which had uni• formly diflinguiflied the brave defenders of this country—and by every thing that hitherto afforded us proteaion. The following rcfolutions were then read by the Chairman, and agreed to : That the rum of 3 0 94 771. be voted for the ferries of the Rquiar May by Great Britain. " za0,423L for the Regular Army in Ireland. * 386,6571. for the Forces in the Plantations, including thole in Gibraltar, Malta, Minorca ' Egypt, and New South Wales. " 6352 1 for four Troops ofDragoons and feventeen Compa nies of Foot, fupported in Great Britain for recruiting the Forte In the Eaft Indies. " 411,t89L for the Fcncibk Corps in Great Britain. * 84•0131. for the FaxibliCorps in [Mind. " 99,064 1 for the Barrack Deli:maw in Great Britain. 39,3071 for the Barrack Department in Ireland. 75,5 r :I. for the fupport of the Foreign Corps in the ferrite of Great Britain." The Houfe returned ittelf, and the Report was ordered to be received to-morrow. WAYS AND MEANS. The fionfe having relayed itfelf into a Com mittee of Ways and Means, The CHANCEI.I.O2 of the Exclaves' Paid, that whatever difference of opinion might take place upon other fubjeds he was palisaded that it would be generally a:slit:lined that, under the pre cept circumLlances, it would be extremely loupe dient and undefirable to enter into!any contra& for the ferrite of the whole year, and that the moll eligible method for the ftipplyof prefent Wracks would be by a farther as °UR:chequer Moots Ike therefore moved, 4$ That it be the opinion of. the Committee, that towards prov:dirit the fitpplx for the fervice of his Majelty, there be raifed the rum of one million, by Loan or Essikequer Bills." Agreed to.—The Houfe reamed itfilt, and the re port was ordered to be received cc-morrow. CIVIL 1.14 T. The Clf AmicaLLoit of the Excel's:wee appeared at the Bar, and Elated that he was commanded by his Majefty to prefent an Account, (hewing the amount of fuch Penfions as had been charged on the Civil Lift for feveral years, for the falai its of late Minifters, for Ambafradors to Foreign Courts, and for compenfation to Officers who had loft their offices, compared with the llatement which had been laid before the Houfe in the year 1786. — This Account was received, and referred to the Committee appointed to examine the expenditure of the Civil Lift.—Adjourned. LONDON. THURSDAY, MARCH 4. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK : s per C. Coal ataxy. 68} {—for acc. 6541. 4 pa Cent Bs—News per Cent. rots—Olds per C meg. The proceedings in the Houfe of Commons laft night were extremely interejling. The new Opp fition maintained that the proceedings of France, in every view that could be taken of them, were highly alarming to this country, and endeavoured to draw from Poliniftersfome explanation refpeaing the prefent ftate of the negociation. Lord HAwess au ay, however, declined entering upon general topics, and afcribed the fuppofed delay in the ne gociation to the multiplicity of the interests in- . volved in it. Thofe who augur ill to the ifue of the bufinefs going on at Amiens, from the delay that has taken place, will perhaps be Rill more confirmed in their fears from what is now going on in our different arfnals' and dock-yards. By our port letters, re ceived this morning, it will be teen, that inflead of paying off any more of our (hips of war, there is every appearance that the whole will be foon in commiifion. An immenfe number have already been ordered to be Gored and victualled for feve ral months. In all this, however, there is nothing that can be co:lamed into any thing like a confeffion on the part of Minifters, that they entertain any fears refpeding the iffue of the Treaty. In fait, they are only adopting wife and falutary arrangements, to thew the enemy that if there be any want •of fincerity on their part in the prefent proceedinr they (ball not bud us unprepared. Yeiterday Mr. BASSET arrived with letters from Lord CORIIIVALLIS ) at Amiens. GovertimEnt alfo received Tome important difpatches from Paris direa, Which are Paid to relate to arrangements making in favour of the Houfe of Orange. The Hereditary Prince ofos.Ax s has arrived at Paris, and has been prefented to the CHIEF Cox. su L. The fpeculations on the fubjed of his journey to Paris'are various. Some will have it that it is for the purpofe of concerting the re-eflablifhing of the ORAMOI Family in Come fhape over the Re public of the United provinces ; others think, that it relates to the indemnities which the Houfe of NASSAU is to obtain in the Empire. The vela which brought Mr. BASSET from Ca lais, brought alto General CRADDOCIC, Colonel SEENCIR, Lieutenant Colonel WINGFIELD, Major Douse, and Captain Rawness, of the 4oth, from Egypt, which they left the latter end of Otiober. The battalion is (till in Egypt, but the flank com panies are at Malta. This morning a Mail arrived from Hambnrgh. In the firft page our Readers will find every thing worthy ofnotice that has arrived from the Continent. NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, MARCII 3..-4‘lfilled the CAMILLA, of 20 guns, Cape. BRACI ; from Marcou.—Dropped down to St. Helen's the RANI Lits.—ln addition it, the Orders fent down Monday la, tofu out Rips to take troops on board for keret fervice, another Order has been received here to St oat all the Men of War, Frigates, and Sloops that are in a Rate of repair, iA confequence of which, the grcatelt buftle has prevailed here the whole of the day; and dire/lions have been given at the Vietualling Offsee, to (apply the fhips of the line with four mOnths provllloos, the frigates with three moo*, and the !loops with two t the above fireless have given , • rife to different eonjedtures, and thole who have miloufly looked forward for a fpeedy return of Peace, begin to feel themfelves greatly dif appointed.—This day arrived a Spool& Rip commanded by Mr. Rictuaos, laden with hides, tallow, cocoa, Bcc. prize to duce South Seamen, two of which are the Sally, Capt. Rowe, and the Lively, Capt. SNITS ; alto the Nancy and Mary, CONN ET T. with orange* from Lithos; and the following colliers, viz Argo, CORILLY from Newcaltle •' Cooftant Inereafe, Ports, led Nautilus, Dom, from Sunde rland. SHULINISS, MARCH 3.---Arrived Lis Majerty's Coop the Aaaow, from the Dorms; and remain in harbour the Su ssi a hofpical alp, with the Hass, JAMAICA, AM.VSCADI Dutch. RIIdRAIION frigates; AUTUMN,HARPV, and HERMES Coops; and Stasi:masa brig ; with the FIRM, BLAZER. MONKRT, CRASH, MANLIT, Wm.'. and TEASER guu-brigs.—All the frigates at this Part have received Orders to vidnal for four months,and the Coops for three months.—Wind S.W. moderate. YARMOUTH, MARCH 3.—Tnefibly Evening the EARL or LtICRSTIRI packet, Capt. CHARLES TIMIPSOH, arrived in there Roads from Cuxhaven, and landed her Mails, which were immediately forwarded to Town; the Paffengers landed here this morning,--,Salled the AaIADNE on a cruise off Scot land ; the Roar and STANDARD men of war, which are under failing Orders for the Nose, remain wind bound—Arrived from bidden with gonads the Providence, THEOaALD, and the Williani,Tsracia.--Salled for London with corn and goods the Miley, ELLA RD; Butane., MILES ; Thomas and Mary,ELais• GRA AAAAA 0, MARC. g.—Pa ff ed by, the Bettor's, Lana, mom Calcutta; Eimer, Mistross, from Bengal ; Perfevc ranee, Ir ; and Deaden. Baas, from Cork. Sailed the Hope, Nicaou.s. for Gibra ltar ;Venus, DASIIILL, for Baltimore; °RICO, lizscittar, fair Softie ;Albion, LILAC. /AVIS, for Dominica; lies, RICKARD/OY., for Leghorn; Mo. Coon, fa Aattgm; iod the Mercury, Me LTLR, for Ilutlasok 4