The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-03-10 00:00:00

• ~_-- tid'on of his mind at the time he did opeow the peace. He might he the less ready to catch at war now than he was then, because he might be of opi nion that we had lost the opportunity which might haoe been then afforJed, and therefore persons en tertaining the opinions which he did, would consider this as a very serious matter. An Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Fox) had often 14d, that no evils could be stated which were equal to the evils of war. He believed that it now began to be sus peeled, perhaps felt, that there were dangers in peace as well as in war, and they might go on as ra pidly too in that state as the evils of war, and might lead a country into that state in whi c h no war could stop them. Now • he would beg leave to observe to the Noble Lord who spoke last, that there was a double responsibility attached to a Mi nister, that of making an imeroper peace, and also that of making an improper v,itr ; the danger of the one might in some cases Le equal to the danger of the other. Consigning this, as he did, ecmeletely to his Majesty's Ministers he could only remind them of their responsibility, and that it applied to either side, the alternative of peace or war. Mr. SHERIDAN-4, I should not have thought it necessary to have tronbled the House, had it not been fur something which fell from the Hon. Mem ber who spoke last, of a nature so extraordinary that it cannot be passed over in silence. The I lon. 1 Geettleman tells us, after all his past declarations, and those of smite of his friends, of his reluaance again to enter into the war ; but his argument is ex traordinary : he says, that in consequence of their having been oppo scrs of peace, they must neces siirily-be reluOint to War; for, says he, " my &ejec tion was, that the peace n lefe the country in a situa tion which has rendered it impossible for the country ton renew the war. He says, that % . %-e were left by the pe;nee in that state which precluded, us from the pow er of defending ourselves. I know that such language has been used elsewhere. I know it has been modest ly said by the First Consul, that si., rie-licinek.! this coun tty. could not contend with Frence, (a videni cry of hear! tsar!) We shall, I trust, foliose the course which has hitherto distinguished us : let. usen.leavour by mo deration and a proper degree ef forbearance to aeoid e volisg to war, but if war cannot be avoided, I hope that, :ideated by one general spirit, we shill prove to France chit, rine/eel/arida, we are able to contend against her. I hope and trust the same sentiment v. ill animate the breast of every individual in the country, and that we shall imitate the example this deyeset before us, by the firsesubjeft of the country, who has Constantly expressed a disposition to sacri fice every personal con Aeration to the public esi gericies. 1 have nothing to add, at the present snoment ; I truie that; upon a subject of such mag nitude and impertanse, the House v. 411 c::pre..s its sense of the commue its made by his Majesty, vtith that perfed unanie•ey which, upon such an oc casion., ought to distinghisli Ls vote. Mr. WINDHAM desired to explain. He ob served; that as a proof he had not said the words imputed to trim, he had expressly stated he had furined no decided opinion. Miff. CANNING said, it was highly necessary, whether the result was war or peace, that the House sitould know if the explanation given this day was all the explanation the House and the Country were tb have. He waited till that moment, because he Was not willing to suppose the existence of any dis ability on the. part of Ins 'Majesty's Ministers to give a proper explanation, till after a full opportunity had been afforded them. It had been saicl by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, .that in the event of War, the fullest explanation should be made ; hut aiat was• net sufficient • it , was necessary the ground of this most :harming communication should be explained to its very founele don.— It was a measure, compared with which any thing in his memory ,was trifiieg and unimportant—it lied alarmed and agitated the niinis cf all the peo fe of the country, and yet he had not lusted dint the snitallea communication, as to the cause which had produced it, was to be laid before the House. He did test mean to Lftain the House with com menting upiin . the Message of his MajeXty, hut it did seem to him hard to be thus dealing es ith the feelings of a tjenetotis people. It was not .that de gree of cernmnnication which ought to exit be• tireen the Executive Government and the people. There had been shewrein the two fretful, feverish and elixir:ins years which had last passed, that there had been a docility in the minds of the people to adopt &impression of the Executive Government. Those 'feelings ought not to be met by a reserve which, he would venture to say, the most despoiicGovernment itevet maintained towards the most enslaved people. He did not believe there ever was an event in the itorld which had produced a greater sensation than the one announced yesterday, or one which had ever been less expeled. If it should be announced that communication would, at all events be made, and that it was intended to be sufficient, ample and sa tisfadory, in such case, the few observations he had itiatie would have been thrown away. He had waited with impatience, but had heard the intention of a commurncation to Parliament antounced only in the event of one alternative, Not that it could Make the least alteration as to the vote, limited and understood as it was; he only meant to inter that it was not a proper mode to he adopted towards the Country, consideling the uniform declarations of its los/Mtv. The CHANCELLOR-of the EXCHEQUER— " The H. Gentleman has stated truly that no in tention has been expressed with respell to any corn mutiication, except under the alternative of war. I beg, however, to have it perfedly understood; al though the intention of a communication hai not been stated under the other alteenative, that it is. not to be taken for granted no cemmunicariOn will be made. I will give no pledge ; but I w:11 say ge nerally, let the generality cf my statement produce what comments it may, that I disdain the reserve imputed to me, and that I never will, upon this or upon any other occasion, withhold any thing fruni Parliament, with resped to the public, that can in the least degree affect the interest of the country." Mr. T. GRE.NVILLE rose, .to make a few ob servations upon what had fallen from a Right Hon. Gentleman respcding the answer which had been given by the Minister. He admitted that, which he was sure was felt by every Member in gist House, that upon such a subjed as this there Ought to be. no dissenting voice, but a question had been put to the Minister, whether in any alterna tive, except that of war, they intended to lay any Information before the House ? To this question the answer was, that no pledge whatever had been idea upon the subject. Now he could nut lire) mfr . ...41V r 4.41.1 74 777 ~: . . . . • • o 7, serving; that the very Mole in which this answer hat been given was a saristaaory justification of the I-ion. Member wild had put the question. Having said thus much, he bt.ggAl to observe, that no man was mote unwilling than• himself to enter into any discussion whatever that could operate to retard, or even to throw a shale upon the resolution which had been proposed. He did fzel a great deal of entbar rassment on his mind as to the ignorance in which the House was placed on this occasion, for when Government proposed to the House - an Address, which the Right Hon. Gentleman had described as containing no pledge whatsoever, yet the House must be supposed to be pled•vd in the customary manner to the faas to which they assented. He could not help remarking, that if on the one hand. unanimity \vas felt to be so desirable, yet on the other the effed of it would he considerably lessened in the eyes of all mankind, if 'the present vote did not convey the 'tangible opinion of any man in that House. For so it must he, when the House voted an A idress without any information respecting fate. With these few remarks he should conclude, assuring the House that there WAS no man in it more ready or eager titan he was to carry up to the Throne the Answer contained in the present Ad dress. His mind was certainly impressed with sen timents of great anxiety upon this subjea, but he trusted that tae measures now proposed would be of a nature to produce peace and tranquillity. The ATTORNEY GENERAL said, he could not be set prized that any gentlemen who concurred iu the vote should wish to lay in his protest against giving airy pledge as to the future s entiments he might think proper to adopt --4'.e thought nothing could be More reasonable, than that at a time when a Message or this sort was brought from the throne, and when the house was called upOn to eepzess its thanks for the gracious communication, thoe: Gen tlemen wi? were of opinion the statement was not suilcient to justiry the war, should lay in their claim to erpress their sentiment's, whatever they mieht be, on a future occasion ; but he could not hi think:n e e that the Honie had no reason to deem itself hardly dealt with, by information being kept bac k,when in fita no information had been called tor, and when the question to be considered was only a communication from the Throne, stating there were certain measures which rendered it necessary for us to make defensive preparations and head ourselves on our guard, and when it was etpressly stated too, that a satisfaaory communication would, in due time be made to Parliament. The Hon. Member who had last spoke had said, the Message seemed to arj;ue well, because it manifested a disposition to exertion; but he thought he might as well have spares: thit observation : it inferred, that no conclu sion the floase should adopt could be too violent. With respth to whit had fallen from a Right Hon. Gentleman behind him (Mr. Canning) he conceived him a little premature, as to the disposition he had anticipated of his !siajeay's Ministers withholding any commanieetion upon the subjea. There had been no disposition expressed by his Majesty's Mi nisters, that in the event of war being unnecessary no information would be laid before the House— Whether such information should be laid before the House, must depend upon circumstances. When it was pressed for, if it was withheld, it would be in the power of any Member to demand it, and the House, if it thought proper, would enforce its pro dation. He would not prolong the debate, ex cept by mentioning one circumstance. The- WI. Gentleman he had mentioned seemed to have re curred to the opinion he had expressed respeaing the calamities produced by the conclusion of the de finitive Treaty of Peace of Amiens, on the ground that it was calculated to promote a war; and that, in the event of this country going to war. we should be so crippled, that the circumstance of having had peace would he attended with the elfett of render ing a future war more diiiicult. He wholly dis agreed with Liao He maintained, that the opinion of the people at large, going along with the opinion of Government., upon a question so important as the present one, w• e. infinitely mere to he considered than the precise state of the proportion of military force, referring to the period when the peace Was concluded. - If it should uttimatily turn out, that this country should be obliged to tenet.. hostili ties, the Govetarnent, he had no doubt, would be able to state to the House, that those hostilities had not been provoked, and that they could not, by any proper, temperate, and honourable conduit, be pre vented. If his Majesty's Ministers should lay before the House this state of the case, he was persuaded, that the spirit of the, country would be in unison with that which aauatcd his Majesty's Niinistert, and that the absolute necessity of renewing hostilities, would give More strength, vigor, and energy - to those which should be undertaken, titan could pos sibly be imparted, by preserving the exea natary position of a particular period. He trusted the House would think the question was left open to discussion, and that whatever tire measures of Go vernment had been; they Would be fully enquired into. He hoped Parliament and the country would tint be too fond •of Peace—an unstable, delusive Peace. He trusted they would not be induced to think, that nothing short of an attack on the coun try would justify hostilities. He flattered himself they would bring their minds temperately to the disctission of the subjeat, and to the con sideration of—whether his Majesty's Ministers had adted wisely in taking the course they hid done. With regard to both these points, he was persuaded there could be no materiel differ ence of opinion on general grounds ; and respeaing the question immediately before the House, nothing further was proposed, titan that supposing the case to be exailly its it was stated in his Majesty's Mea: sage, the House should pledge itself tints far and no farther; that it should admit it to be a case which jatifled Military preparations, but nothing more. If afterwards it should appear that the circum stances and situation of the country did not jus;Ay the present application, it would properly be a sub jet% for future consideration. To give his Majesty an assurance of our determination to guard against surprize, was all the House was at present called upon to do : he trusted, therefore, there could be no reasonable ground of complaint on the one hand, and that on the other there would be no reluctance in giving 'lather information. Dator LAWRENCE said, he was from the be ginning of opinion, that the Peace we had con eluded would nut be permanent. He was, how. ever, of opinion, that the renewal of the war, if necessary, situate! be upon principles which would secure us from a ssaie of inferiority, and lead at • Wl , hr I . • length to what was do wi:d: of all--.a Peace founded on a solid and per:wok:sat basi*. The queqion was then put, arid carried n: m. CON. and th. 2 Addreis ordered to be carried up by such Members as were of his Majesty's most 116 n. Pt ivy Council. • The CHANCY.I.LOR of the EXCHEQUER gave notice that he would move, on Friday nest, in a Committee of Supply, for ten - thousand additional seamen and marines. On the motion of Mr. COP Rl', the Houtc revolved [self into a Committee of the whole• House on the ;rich Revenue till. Mr. CORRY said, he had given notice, at a very early period, of the measure 'he intended to intro duce, and bad delayed it to so late a period, in consequence of the absence of a considerable number of Iri , h Members. He should be sorry to press a measure with .precipitancy, and as far as it was consisteat with his duty, would ever be ready to meet the wishes of gentlemen. If, there fore it was the opinion of the Committee, that fur-. ther time should be allowed, he had nu oblation on his part, but was rather desirous to postpone the in troduaion cf the system he wished to establish, un til full time was given for considering the merits of his plan, and for doing away the objf.dions which were made to it.' He would not therefore - take it into consideration dtiring the present Session of Parlia ment, and would propose to continue cr renew the Duties and Customs of Ireland for one .year, on the sane plan they were voted by the Parliament of Ireland, which would give Gentltmen an opportu nity of acquiring all the information they could wish fur an the subject. Mr. WICKHAM perfeetly agreed with his Right Hon. Friend, in the pmpriety of abandoning the measure for the tresent, but hoped it would not have any etre& in lessening the confidence of the public creditor. Mr. B -k.(IW El .11, observed,- that as the Right lion. Gcndcman did nut pledge himself to bring it forward at a future day, he would urge the pro priety of sending a schedule of the duties to the principal plerchaats of Ireland, to have their opi nion on the subjat, before he proceeded farther on the business. Mr. LEE said a few words to the *same purport, ' and paid some compliments to the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer for the readiness he manifested in complying with the wishes of Gentlemen on this subjed. Mr. ATKINS said a few words in favour of changing ad valorem into rated duties. Mi. CORRY said, he was happy to meet the ap probation of the Hon. Gentleman, and should ever endeavour to merit the good opinion of his country men in general. It could not be supposed that he had made out all the calculations' himself ; he had employed the Most competent persons for that pur pose, and should always be ready to make any cur redion or alteration which was founded on good in formation ; as to consulting the merchants of Ire land, there was always a sufficient number of mer chants in the House whose opinion they could have on the Snhied. Mr. bA GWELL was well convinced that there were merchants in the House competent to give informationi but they were not those immediately interested, as he believed there was not one Irish merchant in the House. Colonel V EREKER was glad the Right Hon. Gentleman had abandoned the measure for the pre sent, and said the manner of bringing up Irish papers was rather strange; a person appeared at the Bar, delivered accounts, and was ordered to withdraw, and the House then ordered to take them into consideration on the very next day.— Greater resped, he said, was due to the Irish people• and their representatives, than to treat their con cerns in so light a manner. The 1-louse being resumed, the Report was or dered to be brought up to-morrow. On the Motion of the ATTORNEY GENERAL of IRLLAtiII, the House, in a Committee of the whole House, went through the Irish Chalking A@.— Report to-morrow,—Adjourned. THEATRE-R0 rAL, DRUR LANE. TIIIS EVENING will be presented a New Historical Play, in Three Ally, called THE HERO 9F THE NOWIII. The Overture slid Music corals:bad sail selected by Mr. Kelly. The principal Charsiters by Mr. P.spe, Mr. Wrotightun, Mr. Kelly, Mt. Paylorvid, Mr. Dowinn, Mr. lianniNter, Jun. Mr. 1k Camp, Mr Caul:nail, Mr. Sed , r,wick, Mr. Grincildi, Mr. GiLhons, Mr. Fisher. Mrs. Yaw:l4 Mrs. Mountain ' Miss Tidswell, Miss Menage, Mrs. Biand,Miss Tyrer Tu which will he Wed, THF. CHUM OF NATURE. • On Satin%lay, the Tragedy of Hainiet— Hamlet, by Mr. Cooper, who was received with such unbounded aw.lause wt Monday evening. To which will be atidixl AU the 'Worid's a Stage. THEATRE-ROYAL, COVENT-GAR DEN. THIS EVENING will be performed a New Comedy cii.led 301 IN BULL; Or, AN ENGLISHMAN's /IRE-SIDE. • The principal Char-Livers by Mr. Leath', Mr. Coulto, Mr. Fawcett, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Mr. Mr. Entern Mr. Wall). firs. (Wills, Mrs. Daveoort, and Mrs. H. Johnston. The Prologue to be spoken by Mr. Broncos. With a Lyrical Epilogue by Mr Johnatuue. To which will b.! addA, THE FARMER. • • The New Comedy calied John ; or, An Englishman's Fire-Silo, being receivill with app;aose perfectly unequalled, it will be inieat.si eve , y Eveaing till further notice Oa S. turd ty, with the giaker. TILE BRITISII PRE S% LONDON, THURSDAY, Marten 10. nose who expeEled that the parliamentary de bate of last night would throw a light upon his MsiEsTv's Message, and give a distina view of tl•e grounds of al'irm, will find themselves much dis appointed. That the Minister would go into detail and disclose the particulars of the cli , cussions now subsisting between his MAJESTY and the Frei) , 11 Government,. tone but the ignorant and' ill..inform ed could . suppose, but it was by no means un reasonable t 4; presume that some expresSion, some hint in elucidation of the subje6t might casa- Ali, fall in the course of debate. Nothing, how- e . • - r ~ 7' -. ~ f ' ~A3'~''~.. re ~v. .+ ~., ,Z' it tht ever, of that tendency could be perceived in . I louse of Commons. The CH ANGELI at of the Excitr4u,:a called for an unanimous vote in favour of the address, upon the ground that it would pledge the House to any one of the points in dis cussion wkh France. Every thing that might in volve a difference of opinion was avoided, and it was only reposing a j•ist confidence in tat .tlinLter to presume that he would not create an uniiecess..ry alarm, and call for measures of precaution without any appearance of danger. When then the ques tion was merely whether the House was ready to assert the interests of the country, and to place it in a situation that should bid defiance to France, N , e , could e:tpetft no other answer than an unanimous vote. • The brief and general conversation that preceded this result is remarkable for its delicacy, its mode ration, and its firmness. It did not contain one ex pression that could give the slightest offence to • France. It held out no threat, it conveyed no in sult, it made no boast. ii it betrayed any extra- • ordinary warmth, it was only in the part of Mr. SREIIDAN'S speech in which he threw from bathe taunt in the Consular Manifesto, where it baasts, that "England, single-handed, is not able to con e-rad with France." Here the Honourable Mein- • her was greeted with loud and universal cheer's, that plainlyevinced what the sentiment and sensations • of the House would be, were France to urge us to . that extremity. We never witnessed a more anxious and numerous attendance. The body of the House and the galleries were completely filled with Nim bus. In the House of Lords, as in the House of Com mons, nothing transpired respeccting the particular nature of the. discussions or military preparations alluded to in the Message, but the conversation dis played more spirit and energy. The Earl of Mo ta w made an eloquent speech, in which he seems to think that the preparationi making in the ports of France and Holland are intended for an invasion of England. Indeed that appears •to be the most probable danger in the contemplation of Govern- ment, as the measures of precaution to be adopted are defensive. The Militia are to be immediately embodied, and 10,000 seamen and marines will be added to our present establishment. In this state of things, his Royal Highness the Prince of WALES with becoming spirit, delicacy, and liberality has declined any farther assistance from Parliament, to enable him to resume his princely state .and splen' dour. - i • Every part or the town was, yesterday, full of bustle: the 'Cliamge was the great objea of attra&ion at the east end of the Town, the Admiralty at the West. Iklore than 200 Navy Captains attended at the latter place, and left their addresses, under the idea that their services may be wanted. Fifteen hundred able seamen were picked up in the course of theda-i in the c ity, and expresses were sent off to the scveral Having discovered that a system of 'moderation and concession will not preserve peace, Government may, probably, expeCt, that measures of vigour and energy will prevent hostilities. The means of safety, however, necessarily suggest the idea of danger, and it was impossible that the funds should stand in the face of such warlike symptoms. Atone time yesterday, they were so . low as 624,. but they left off at 631. ; Press-Warrants were issued from the Admiralty, 4 an early hour on Tuesday ; and about six in the even in g they were backed by. the • Right Hon. the Lo an !via oR. We painfully witnessed these war. like appearances in the heart of the City yesterday morning. The Officers-Seized every senor that was passing through Cheapside, Cornhill, ac. even the RuyalExchange, the seat of trade, was no security to the poor tars, for a large press4ang, in the middle of the Charge, was tearing them away to the tenders. At night a . general press took place on the River, and in the city : in consequence of which, about fit teen hundred men were procured. In addition to these, we also understand that a number of vagrants and disorderly persons, confined in the Poultry Cumpter, ware ordered to be sent on board his Ma jesty's ships. The strong sensation which these ac tive measures of preparation has excited in the minds of the monied men, is apparent from the sudden tall of the Funds. The LORD MAYOR went on Tuesday, in state, to Oilman-street church, and held a Wardmote for the eldtion of an Alderman for that Ward, in the room of the late Alderman Macau LE y, when Mr. LEE was chosen, without opposition. After which his Lordship held the annual Court for: licencing Victuallers, at Guildhall. The Duchess of DORSET is far advanced in her pregnancy. Preparations are already making at the tlotel de Charost, to winch Lord Wiiiewolien re: moves in April, for her Grace'S lying-in, which is expeeted to take place before the end of May or early in June. Last week two complete new vessels were pm.- " chased in the River for the Company lately est d• blislied at Waterford fur carrying en the Nymph Bank Fishery in an extensive mann:r. These ves sels contain wells for keeping the fish alive, and fitted out and manned the same as those employed from hence to fish cn the Dogger and Well Banks, in the North Sea. Thee are the first vessels of the kind ever eiriployed to tish on the coast dirt:laud. The third meeting the Irish Harmonic Club was held on Wednesday lest, at Herrington's Cral ton-street, Lord EttasoroaT, Piesdent fur the year, in the chair. About 160 neenil••••, attended. The ntusicah feast exceeded every thing el the kind attempted in this country.- (