Star. — London, England, 1823-05-01 00:00:00

'as attEnglishihan, must transport him beyond him •self. In the part then which he took in that transac tion, he felt he had reason to he proud. But he would ask, what was the state of Spain then, and the state of Spain at present? What was the enthusiasm of this country, and how was it met ?. By. the de .monstration of invincible spirit on the part of our Ally. We were-then at war with Bonaparte, looking out for a theatre in which we could contend with him ith the greatest hope of success. Portugal was the 11 aural scene of warfare for the support of our engage ments, and that might easily be extended into Spain. "Re gi eat bulk of the people were united and loyal to :heir King, and the claim of Ferdinand VII. was a i-ailying point to every Spaniard. No man could then doubt if we extended the war into Spain, but that we should have one rallying point. One part of she po potation of Spain was now opposed to the other; and we! . e we to marshal Spaniards against Spaniards, or lii , ht in Spanish ranks and point our bayonets against Spanish bosoms? The foreign foe now fights with *:-;paniards. Then this country had oh foot a great :army, and we were rather at a loss how to occupy that force, than to supply it with means competent . To a great' object. Our population abounded with xnariial spirits, anxious for occupation and enter prize ; there were no hopes of peace, and an ab stinence from war on the Continent was sure to bring that %rat- home to our own doors—(Hear). — With all these reasons to determine us on such an un- .d , ..rta:ino• bs our troops were disembarked in the Tagus, • vdtere, after six ) ears of unparalleled exertions and successes, they debodched through the Pyrennees, al most to our own astonishment. Yet during those years of trial and of victory, had we no remonstrances, had vie no cautions, dealt out to us, no lectures read to us Session after Session upon our enthusiasm ; and from quarters too which I can scarcely designate by name, although of the highest authority amongst those who were opposed to the measurse of his Majesty's Government? He would read them an extract from the debates of that day, which ran as follows: " 1 cannot concede to the sentiments of the Noble :Marquis, the inference which his declarations as sumed, that, in order to warrant this country to em bark in a military co-operation with Spain, nothing more was necessary than to shew that her cause was just. In my mind, my Lords, in passing judgment upon such a policy, it was not enough that the attack of France upon the Spanish Nation was unprincipled, perfidious, and cruel ; that, the resistance of Spain vas dictated by every motive honourable to human nature; that it made every English heart burn with a holy zeal to lend its assistance against the, a op pressor :—there were other considerations of less brilliant arr.l enthusiastic, but not less necessary and commanding nature, which should have pre ceded the determination of putting to hazard the most valuable interests of the country. It is not, my Lords, with nations as with indiiiduals.— Those heroic virtues which shed a lustre upon in dividual man, must, in their application to the conduct of nations, be chastened by reflections. of a more cautious and calculating cast. Nations cannot afford to be chivalrous and romantic." Were the circumstances of the country anything like the same now, he was prepared to say; that he should be happy to act over the part again which he then felt a pleasure in acting. In taking a review of the times in which he had lived, a great man had ex claimed, lg . the age of chivalry is gone; but the age of economists and calculators has succeeded." How would the great Mr. Burke be surprised had he lived to these times, and found that the age of economists and calculators had fled—" qua nuninte reris I" and the age of chivalry had again revived? It was at least one consolation to his (Mr. Canning's) mind that in the revolutions *which had taken place in opi nion, his bad been one of the most consistent. With respect to Portugal—he would state, as shortly as pcsible, how the matter stood. It was true that treaty was of ancient standing. It was true that it was reciprocal. It was true that Portugal had frequently been brought into jeopardy by France and Spain in consequence of her alliance with England, but Eng land never, since the existence of the treaty, failed to fly to her assistance when circumstances required it. 'About the month of September application was made to this country to guarantee Portugal in the posses sion of her new political institutions. The proposi tion appeared so extraordinary, and was represented i such a light to Portugal herself, that it was given • up. This country never undertook to guarantee Por- 1 tugal or any other State in the new political institu tions they might feel it their interest to adopt. It tts as true that something of the kind had been done in 1786, with respect to the United Provinces; but no one at the present time would surely now advise to *volunteer a garantee of the political innovations that might take place in Portugal. or any other country in alliance with England. The propositian was de clined in a way that gave satisfaction to the Portu guese Government. He (Mr. Canning), as his Ma jesty's Secretary of Stare, 'informed them that they called upon this Country to violate the principle of not interfering in the internal affairs of that or any other 'independent State—that their treaty was to support Portugal in the possession and the independence of her dominions, but not to garantee any change which she might at any time make in her political institutions. They were bound therefore to Portugal only by a de- Tensiie alliance—first, by a stipulation of forces ; and secondly, by an obligation of assisting her with all their might against unjust aggression. If Portugal should join the Spaniards, unattacked by France, it was an error to suppose that this country must neces sarily enter into the war to support her. It might be a case for consideration, a maw of policy, but there v.as no existing treaty that made it a duty. His Hon. and Learned Fand (Sir J. Mackintosh) knew as well as he did, that the course they were bound to pursue was marked with singular accuracy in the treaty. They were bound in the first place to make remonstrance; and if that should ultimately fail, to support such remonstrance by war.— This Treaty they had fulfilled to the' letter in the pre sent instance. They did remonstrate with France, they reminded her of the obligation they were under to Portugal, and they received repeated assurances that it was the intention of that' Power to observe a rigid abstinence with respect to Portugal. At first Portugal felesorne jealousies and apprehensions, but they were not communicated officially. The Portu guese Ambassador, however, took Occasion to ask whether the affairs of Portugal were made a subject of discusion atVerona? He (Mr.Cannieg) informed that they were not even mentioned.' Arthis be 4t.; pealed to feel some surprise, and 'said 'srith'a . ppareitt astonishment; •• Not meutionelr •ai iritidignaut that Portugal should be treated with such disrespect.' No, said he (Mr.Canuipg) , , but now I do remember some allusion was made to the Slave Trade.L..(,l larryl 1 ).- 0 From the very beginning to the close of the'prpceell- - hies, not the least intention had been expressed of at tacking Portugal. Now, a i'vrd with respect to the policy of those Honourable Gentlemen who were such strong advocates for holding out the language of hos tility. Had the House any idea of the burthen im- I I posed on the country from the commencement to the close of the Peninsular war? Goo forbid ! what ever her hurthens might be, thathe should attempt to dissuade from war if their honour or their interests required it; but to bring that contest to a successful issue not less than £333,000,000 had been expended. He would put it to the House, whether they wcie upon light grounds to embark in a similar struggle? It might be short, or it 'might be long ; but, once t commenced, no human foresight could calculate when it could be brought to a termination.--- ' Had the British Government taken a decided part in support of the Spaniards, it might have produced a most material change in the aspect of affairs. Spain might have to contend, not with France alone, but with other Powers. This consideration was to be weighed when Gentlemen talked of volunteei ing their aid to Spain. No man could feel more strongly than he did the obligation of supperting, at any risk, the honour and interests of the country, if circumstances should necessarily force her into hostilities ; but he must say, that after the long and expeniive itruggle she had maintained for so many years, her means were now at that point of recovery—her difficulties at that crisis of solution—that any interruption of peace must inflict upon her more severe wounds than could have been inflicted by war at any former pe •riod, or perhaps at any period that could hereafter be anticipated. It was under the influence of this feeling, he would say, that if they must be drawn into a war sooner or later, let it be later ; let them not at pre sent impoverish their means, but husband them in such a way as would give a certainty of being able to maintain a struggle to an indefinite time, if here after it sho'uld become necessary—(llear, hear).— lie was old enough to remember what ha d been said by a Right Honourable Friend of his now no more— * pea son whose sagacity had never been exceeded by that of any other statesman—he meant Mr. Pitt. What he alluded to did not fall from him in the course of debate, but was uttered in the confidence and privacy of ie domestic circle. He said he ex pected the war of 1793 to be a short one, and yet it was not by himself, or his successor, it was brought to a conclusion. It was at length terminated suc cessfully, only by a combination of circumstances that could not again be expected to occur in the course of human probabilities. Could they again, therefore, enter into a new war, with any hope that it would be a short one? Having had a choice, therefore, should they have been led by delusive ex pectations out of the straight path into a labyrinth ? No.man could feel more pleasure than he did in wit; nessing the distribution and propagation of freedom. Feeling all the blessings derived from it, he did not grudge it to others. He did not grudge that other nations should kindle their torch at the flame of Bri tish liberty, but let them not think that such a state' of things contributed to the security and preservation of peace. SO far from thinking that France was now to be dealt with as under the Ancient Monarchy, he' hadoo hesitation in saying, that the language held in the late negociations, backed by the remonstrances of a British Parliament, would have formally pre vented the present war. It was in the Representative Chamber of France that spirit was found which could not be subdued, and rendered a war inevitable that might under other circumstances have been avoided. Let them look at the democracies of ancient or mo dern times, and, will the exception of the United . States of America, was not their whole existence one of war? The Republic of Rome hardly ever enjoyed an interval of peace so long as that which occurred under the administration of Sir Robert Walpole, which, after all, was broken up by popular feeling. 'Those circumstances which gave to England such predominant influence, when she was almost the only free'State in Europe, no longer existed. He would not be understood to entertain a wish for setting li mits to the progress of freedom; but in that nation', where i: was established, what they gained in internal strength was lost in external security. Their object was to . maintain peace; and this they thought could be best attained, not by professing themselves ready to aid Spain in her struggle, but by availing them selves of every opportunity that might arrive, to pre vent both countries from coming to extremities. By remaining at peace themselves, they would best se cure Portugal ; by remaining at peace, they would more effectually retain the power of circumscribing the ravages of war ; they would best enable the coun try to take an effectual,and decisive part in any future contest into which they might be necessarily forced, and best secure the supereminent station they had long enjoyed, of a country whose freedom had been long established, and hold the balance in their hands among . nations either stru ggling _ for freedom, or pertinaciously opposing it—(Hear, hear) The conditions required were, that no attack should be made on Portugal, or any permanent entrench ment made on the liberties'and independence of, Spain on the part of France. These conditions were assented to. In the language there might be the suaviter in mode, but that did not invalidate the de mand. If a person to whom a debt was owing said, I know you will pay ; did the confidence implied in the phrase leave no remedy in case of refusal ? was there no further resource for him in the laws? It was in this, and no other sense, the language complained of in the dispatch was made use - of—(Hoar).- Powerful as were these considerations, be should have been the last to decline a contest, if the honour or the interests of the country required it. If ditty compelled him to make a sacrifice, he should not i have shrunk from it. Whatever, therefore, might be objected to the feebleness of the style in which the despatches were.drawn up, however strongly a more nervous language might be recommended, and he did not mean to contend that he had fallen into no errors, in the last despatch at least they stated what they were determined on, and what they expected. Was this a ground for saying, that the honour of the country had been sacrificed, that she did not come out of ‘ the Negociations o th erwise than wi th 4414. : ll : 4lli : Ptirtitig that' high finitude to whit* slq i was en (dletlarnong the Opous of Europe,.elarcning all that was . clue to her,. anti securing She owed to her Atliest Shelreld high the balance, tiOngh she did notdot4 the sword. he still eraid ItoiSes, by maiSaining, a position of neutrAli erso6n rastoring /nice, if War was inevitable, and of circumscribing, in place o f extending ; the calamities that attended rt. tle Uvula' call the attention — of the House for a few Minutes to the motion immediately. before them. Now what was the:Addrest whiqt, after a fortnights consideration, the House v7as called upon to vote ?-- 7 It was ":to represent to his Majesty that the (Nap pointment of his Majesty's benevolent solicitude to reserveseneral peace, appeari to this House to have in a' . great measure ari•en front the failure of his Ma jesty s Ministers to make the most earnest.. vigorous, and solemn . protest against the pretended right of the Sovereigns assembled at Verona to make war on Spain, in order to comnel alterations in her political Institutions." He would take the liberty to state thatthat . was not a correct description. It was not. at present a war between the S6vereigns of Verona and Spain. as well as against the subsequent pretensions of the French Government, that nations cannot lawfully enjoy any civil privileges but from the spontaneous grant of their Kings —.—. He would take ; the liberty to say that that also was not founded in fact. He doubted whether the Hon. Gentlemen themselves , could have protested more strongly than he Ind pro tested ; and the proof of that fact was, that m the very next sentence, in order to express themselves with the utmost strength, they had borrowed his very words—(Loud cheers). The Address went on : " principles destructive of the rights of all independent States, which strike at the root of the British Consti tution, and are subversive of his Majesty's legitimate title to the Throne." So that in the very sentence in which they called on the House to condemn the Mi nisters for not using sufficiently strong language, they wet e driven to use that very language for the purpose of condemnation—(Lood cheertng). But what was the full and sufficient expression of opinion on this momen tous crisis contained in this condemnatory address ? It proceeded: " Further to declare to his Majesty the surprise and - sorrow with which this House has ob served that his Majesty's Ministers should have ad vised the Spanish government, while so unwarrant ably menaced"--(This " so" must refer to something out of doors; it seemed else a little out of place) gl to alter theirgonstitution, in the hope of averting Invasion, a con:ession which alone would have in- a volved the total sacrifice of national independence, and which was not even palliated by an assurance from France, that, on receiving so dishonourable a submission, she would desist from her unprovoked aggression." He denied this statement altogether ; it was a complete misrepresentation of facts.— The address proceeded :—" Finally, to represent to his Majesty, that, in the judgment of this House, a -tone of more dignified remonstrance would have been better calculated to preserve the peace of the Conti nent, and thereby to secure this nation more effec tually from the hazard of being involved in the cals. mitiei of war." There it ended—(4 laugh), with a mere conjecture of what would have been—(Cheers and Laughter). Was this an address for a British Par liament to take to the throne, without a word of opi nion or advice as to the course to be followed in fu ture? It set out with stating facts completely untrue, ene obviously so, the other by their own chewing ; and it left his Majesty totally in the dark as to • their opi nion of the line of policy he should adapt. Hi(Mr. Canning) begged the House not to agree to the.Ad, dress, for this reason amongst others, that as he would be called upon to advise an answer to it, he really should be unable to know how to frame one—(Larrghter).-- The King, on receiving it, might say, " I am rather sorry to hear it, but what is to be done?"--(Conti nued laughter).—This was the upshot of the question which had been agitated to shew Ministers were un fit to carry on war or maintain peace. This was the upshot of the question which was to dislodge them and supply their places with the HonourableGentle men opposite, every one of whom had begun his speech by saying that this was a question of peace or that it was not—(Continued - cheers and laughter). — The best speeches on the other side, tho s e of t he Ho nourable Member for Taunton (Mr. Baring), and of the Hon. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) turned on this point, that we were now near war, that the peace was insecure. If then we were near a war, this would be the first time, supposing the Address to be carried, that a British House of Commons had approached the Throne Without even a conditional pledge of supporting that war—(Cheers).-11 war was a matter only of pos sible contemplation, it would become a British House of Commons either to concur in an Address for the removal of the Ministers, who had needlessly incurred that contingency; or, as the Amendment proposed, to give his Majesty a cordial and more directly sa tisfactory assurance, that conformably to the honour and interests of t he country, the House would stand by the Ministers in sustaining the dignity of the Crown, the faith of Treaties, and the rights and interests of the People—( Repeated cheers).— Having before ascertained the sen-e of the country, the House would thus stamp he policy, which, feebly perhaps, erroneously possibly, but from the best of motives, sincerely and with all their hearts he was sure; the King's Ministers had adopted for the preservation of the tranquillity, wealth, and happi ness, not of this country, alone, but of the whole world, with that highest -authority, the approbation of a British House of Commons.—(? he flight lion. Oentkntan then sat down midst the loudest and longest cheering we alntost ever witnessed). 1-ter Aftt. the cheers which followed Mr. Canning's speech had, in some degree, subsided,' Mr. BROUGHAM said, he who rose after so able and eloquenta speech, had odds to contend with. He had also the disadvantage of addressing a jaded audi gence. Those who considered the case of the Go. vernment defended by the speech, however able and eloquent, must have shut their eyes to the facts. The Right Hun. Gentleman seemed to speak as if the censurable parts of the negotiations could be got rid of by comments. His objection was, that the remon. itrance to the European Mlles' was not such as the country had a right to expect. The Learned Gentle— man then entered into a review of the late negoCia tions, in the course of which he remarked upon the ignorance which prevailed on the Contir7nt sea; tive to the *ate of public feeling in this country.— The Hon. and Learned Gentleman; in a long and ~ ~ ided tha. '3Y able speech, contended thatthe w : d ia o is i t i e: O l nie ad we: • used that decided tone whiOh the y hoe done; and which must have tared. Spain ftoas k 'r i , war against . her liberties. He itiore to say, and that was, to implore the House oat ' 'to Come to a divided vote upon the present occasigo. ' 'ffe was ready to forego anything, r at h er than expo.. 'the House to an unintelligible vote —one uhiCh we sure to be misapprehended by the ignorance .c f Unite and. misconstrued by the interests of others (Cheers), He concluded by recommending his . Ron. F r i en k l i . under this general understanding, to withdraw/10v motion—(t heers). The LORD MAYOR - Said a few words in favotat i of t i e Anseiteiserte. • 31r. MAC OON A LD, in reply, said, he was ready to ON 1 to the suggestion of his lion. atni Learned Friend, and to agrys that the Amendment should stand in the form of an Ader e s t the place of the original motion.—(Cries of " No , no— di., oa TI .Mr. CAN N ING—" After having suffer e d for tktf, am , or frights, the coos cant, unremitting, unsparin g lectur e s fg G 7. , t o tlemen opposite, for a too ready concession to the views of fe. .Ii refs!, Power% it is now incumbent upon us to say, that w e h aw oh to profit by the lesson of experience which these Gentle al y i 1 ' have taught us, in return for our former alleged facility of ea , i evil etesion, and to decline assenting to the proposal for withd raw .. is the original motion.—(Loud cries of " Ilear.")--1 am ra V i li e e ss. admit with the lien. Gentlemen opposite, that their Is • k .ong now unintelligible, and lam satisfied with fie amend 21 I I which they partially complain. I repeat, however, that Immi x la concur in the suggestion of withdrawing the original modo e ,v4 fa (Loud cheers from the Treasury benches.) 'OOl The gallery was then cleared fur a division, amid a g r e y wit. ld and cries of " Divide, divide.") ve ' Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the or)gind '° l Motion was negatived without a division.—The House diettik t' , ' on the Amendment, when tbere appeared—, • ,t For the Amendment - - 372 'het For the original Motion - - so as 1 Majority in favour of Ministers —.452 P. Adjourned at HALF-PAST FIVE O'CLOCK this ' v" to Priday. The following are the names of the Gentlemen who to ' 1 , 1 1:1 the minority. It has been seated to us, that the Members ei m -- o - j whose names a star is not prefixed had really intended to reek/ ~ the Amendment. Maberly, J. Sir F. Blake. : be Maberly, W. L. • Gipps, G. 'jar Holmes, W. • Plummer, I. lip ; Lord Clifton. • Mitchell,.. • ark Ellice, E. lionywood, W, p iol. • Hutchinson, C. • Wood, I. . it Barrett, S. B. M. • Colonel G rant . Pa Lord W. Bentinck. • Grant, M. 011 • Lord J. Russell. • Lord Glenorcky. , • eat Tellers—J. Hume; Lord A. Hamilton. teal • - - Ir. , THURSDAY, MAY 1, I s'-'.3. rill tit Sr. PAH` ATM ST. Jonas.—Holiday at the Bank. • 'rip, STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. "'" Consols opened at 77i, ii, and got up to i,l, at whitli F i. aim they remain steady. , FOREIGN FUNDS. ' tick We do not hear of any failures in the Market since ycateadv i There is but little business doing. ' ' .ve . ttle Current Prices :—Chilian 87i , New Spani.h 311, N ew P res• r , sian 811, Old 81, Rambo 754, Danish 86, Colombian 651. et . Tb Fanten Fuens.—Tuesday, 85f. 50c. ' all . . • • V EXPRESS FROM PARIS. • MI I This forenoon we received •,,the French Papers . B Tuesday by Express. An article from Perpignan;ie the Co,: slitntionnd. dated Perpignan, Ap i 122, mall • i tions an insurrection having taken place on diatsisy 1 9 at St. Esteve in the corps commandei by Le Cars stk. ,troy who refused to twelve two Officers sent to 'him by okt 1 the French Minister of War. The principal inc. '' 3 Y gent was arrested, and conducted to Castiliet. The French troops are said to have 'destroyed t• vines and olive trees at Jonquera ; but on complain. All o being made to Marshal Moncey, be promised to ili. be es . . daintily' the sufferers. great II I The following are extracts:— (Nn .. PARIS, APRIL 29. OScl 11/ A recent letter from Vittoria announces that . Royalist General, - Carlos &Donne], is gone to . the chief command in Ohl Castile, and thatbe establish his Head-qtrarte r •s at Valladolid. . . Jo General Longa has entered Bilboa.. Yes:ad* itt • a four o'clock, a report was circulated on 'Char • that the troops of General Molitor had entered gas gossa without resistance. It was also said that .. . de Marcillac had left the head-quarters of ours on a mission to Seville: but the Ministerial ' w i t do not mention either of these - reports. • . • .1. The Royal Court of . Paris has Suspended the . . obi lication of the Courier Francais for 15 days. side FROM THE ETOILK. • t Volum., ?t, N. ,' iiii The Staff of Marshal Oudinot entered Barr . -.?. - ~ terday. The Army of the Faith has possessed '- . 1 4 of the town of Aranda, which is only titlark II leagues from Madrid. The Royalist guerillas: . cleared the country of the Constitutionalists befog* 1 The Staff of the Prince will remain tome.dlllS olio Vittoria, until the - different corps which area*** azd seas tion have taken their position. Never war stair army better received than ours is by the Spaniard' 2• 5 TOULOUSE, APRIL 53. The prisoners taken by Santos Latirons fix f u t number, arrived 'here yesterday. They Ai IF and marched to Avignon. • • The debate on the late Negotiations was i lastielt- 41 111 closed, and the conduct of Ministers appro u . , one of' the most triumphant majorities ever knew the annals of Parliament. 'tai dim " iFirn,i.mmtabe Majesty's Agents to y.iship pm LI AR o T yfs at remalsmyinrna, port,d a ed a )basb we., , S . " Howl in perfect tranquillity?' epo Fitin ri s stdhetilAstgenabtosutto2o privateers Lloyd , satG se eno s n a l t d i a s t g ed oss A s p : rii ; 12:j: 'di is .s Extract of a letter from the Agents to Lloyd's at l• • . . 4141 . April 20 :—" There is a report in town that an Selfll,, front Rochfort, laden with - pro v isions, bound to St. , 4 (nowinato asnnech state of siege), has been taken by a yet•daar4o carried in !li ff: t Extract of a letter from the Agents to Lloyd's at • 4 dated April i2:—" The Master of the French wisely lii Pauline, which arrived here yesterday from Smyrna, That on the 10th Inst. off Sardinia, he spoke the Madero "..th dinian brig, from 'Naples s bound to Cagliari, who ' i :,'1 that hostilities had commenced with Spain, and_tiiai! . 44 , 1 'privateer was on the southern coast of Sic. °sir. is 1:11 intimation we bare of Spanish privateers b ein g . . __, oo Front the Agent to Lloyd's at Constantinople, flarc,,,,a • • March :—" The Porte is obliging Swedish yeasts tollni etv returning from the Black Sea, to land ig eh artickii_fr o 14 4 • for. 11 s leet their cargoes, as they may. hate occa sion .. . t irß li nl a aco f wnk th s e:: oa d .!i n .av n e ot p i r n e t v e i n o d usl t y n ts allr ihe vee s se ardisian h with I t 114:7 1 .1 i :r4.411 — '" — "'""'"'" ----------".---.'-------" j-z- ------ 1)7 4 LONDON Noted arid pubirb3l.tvat t . )'lace, Teniple-Sar . • Its • . . • ' ,