The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-01-23 00:00:00

try' LAI. ex mil Copenhagen, would be advisable. Tie was sure every Member of the House would concur in an Address to His Majesty, merely expressive of their cordial support, in a contest which was arduous beyond example, and in which every day new difficulties were arising. The sole object of his rising was, to procure some explanation from Ministers, upon some sages in the Speech, which appeared utterly irre concilable with facts. They were told that His Majesty, soon after the result of the negociation of Tilsit was known, and the subsequent con trout of France over the powers of the Con tinent, was apprised of the intention of the enemy to procure a confederation against us, and specifically to secure the fleets of Den mark and Portugal, to favour his purpose. The speech then stated, that it was the duty of His Majesty to place those fleets out of the reach of such Confederacy. Thus then stood the reason ing of the Speech. Now the treaty of Tilsit was signed by Russia and France. upon the 7th of July, and intelligence of it reached this country upon the Bth of August. Upon the gtith of July Ad mind Gambier sailed from the Downs. It was indeed possible that Ministers could have re ceived an account of the substance of the treaty of Tilsit previous to its being made public, but he could hardly think that it could have reached this country within three weeks of the signature of that treaty. This was a point he wished cleared up, as he could not see that any allowance Lad bean nanle in their calculation for the necemmy preparation of embarking troops, and preprang instruments for the bombardment of 9 Copenhagen • in short, he did not see how it was posssible to be proved, that the news of this treaty had actually reached this country, previous to the fitting out that expedition. The Speech from the Throne was not merely calculated to meet the in spection of Parliament, but it was likely to be read every where as an Act of Government. It would find its way to the Continent of Europe, where Omit will be taken to pieces, and combated, point by point, by the writers favourable to Bonaparte, and they would net fail to remark upon the iiicongruity of British Ministers. The impropriety of their conduct would there be set in the strongest light. and therefore this ought to be, in the iniuds of po liticians, a serious consideration. Ministers, by their conduct, seem to have banished from their minds that maxim in philosophy, that cause pro duces effect; for, in the present instance, it ap peared that the effect produced the cause—Den mark having gone to war with as, in consequence of our unprovoked aggression. - - • Mr. HERBERT observed, that it would have been proper, before Ministers involved us in other wars, they should think whether the cause of them lied been just. He might approve of their con. duct as to Copenhagen completely, when further information was laid before the 'House, but with only such facts as those that had hitherto been stated, he could not possibly acquiesce in that part of the Address which implied a tacit acknowledg , ment of the propriety of their proceedings, and on that account he should wish, that that part of it should be left out. NVith regard to the question of peace or war, it had been said, that because we lave a roost triumphant navy, and are at war with all, the Continent, this is not the hour • to wrier TIM M • firr . trilr Tait, teelfver, he did fealty believe, that this was the moraeht, above all others, when it was both our interest and our duty to try to procure it ; it being recol lected that we had been no less than fifteen years engaged in an arduoas course , of warfare. lie was sole that the people of this country now ar dently long for it, and he believed too, that the inhabitants of the Continent were also completely tired of war. +le was convinced that we might have had peace long ago, bad effectual means been adopted to obtain that. great and most desirable object ; and he did hope and trust, that His Ma jesty's !Ministers, whatever may have been their um titer in omitting any ardent expressions for its at tainment, earnestly wished it to Le restored to their coantry. -Mr. YORKE rose, and expressed his conviction O f the veracity of the statement of Ministers, with respect to the information they bad received of the disposition of the Court of Denmark, and the dan gerous designs of the enemy on that power. Re felt with them equal regret in being compelled to adopt hostile measures to a power hitherto united to Great flritain in the strictest amity. Yet this feeling was not without some mixture of satisfac tion, in finding that since we were compelled to bike such steps, the enterprise had proved as suc cessful as our most sanguine expectatious could have devised. He had heard inuch said on the deficiency of information in the detail given by the Minis.`ry to the House in their kishtication. Whatever information mold be gieen, he was satisfied had been afforded the House, and the con duct of the Ministry had the support of established cwitinn, and the advantage of numerous prece dents, under former administrations. Under car . curnstances of this nature, the King had been known to exercise his premirative, in declaring im mediate war, and the Parliament, without any spe cific information, had proceeded, on the confidence they entertained of the fidelity of the Ministry, to procure the supplies necessary for the maintenance of hostilities. Information of this nature, he was apprised, was extremely difficult to obtain, in pro t he same proportion it was valuable. The oonduct of the Government, was, therefore, such as every friend to his country, every friend to sacred engagements, must undoubtedly approve.— He was of opinion, that improvident grants of pa pers respecting negociations abroad, and finance at home, had been productive of incakulable mis chief to the country, in displaying to the • neiny the Ministerial adjustment of the affairs of the nation. The furnishing the House with the details of the fai lure of tb! expedition to the Port of Toulon, had deprived the then Ministry of a source of secret . information Nhich England had powiessed since the reign of Queen Anne. The Hon. Gentleman, who had se pathetically described the distresses of the aiannfacturers of Yorkshire, should beware, kst„ by excitingcomplaints, he nii, 4 ht finally occa sion such a revolution in the state of things, as might place, finally, a French Csenvral in his own Vie, and subject the whole country to the dr.-ed ema sabjngation !of French militar, despotism— With respect to the gladiola of ri ‘i lit and policy, it mast appear evident to every man, that there bad been exhibited the clearest proofs of collation between theCeurts of Denmark and France. He' observed, Denmark was herself conscious of her weakness, and had even admitted, on a former oc casion, that she had been compelled to shut the Sound, in consequence of the iniperious tone of the French Government. The Opposition had argued so long on the abstract principles of right, that they finally concluded they alone understood them, and then accused the Ministers of having no know ledge of any other theory than the abstract prin ciples of wrung, which they had of course uui formly reduced to practice, throughout the whole range of their official measures. The contrary was the truth. The Ministry had not sent cut an expedition with instructions to plunder and destroy the Danish nation ; but had sent merely an armed legation to treat of an alli ance, if it could have been effected pacifically, but ultimately to secure to this country , even by force, the great desiderata's' of the British people, na tional security. They, he maintained, had acted on the most generally admitted principles of action among mankind, though the Gentlemen opposite had so eagerly laboured to confound the principles of abstract right and justice, with those of political and practical right and justice. The principles of their conduct were solely those of self-preservation, principles which require but little argument to elucidate, and less to effect a conviction of the expediency of their adoption. In such a case, he observed, had he been a Dane, he should have felt no objection in trusting the fleet to the fidelity of an ancient ally. He was anxious for peace, on one ex press condition, that it should be secure he believed France willing to come to terms—(Loud cries of hear ! /tear ! from the Oppositiou side)—we might immediately have a specious, but seductive peace. But if such should be ratified, ha maintained our ruin was inevitable. We must treat on principles of perfect equality, or not at all. He concluded with deprecating the spirit which had prompted the people of Yorkshire to petition, at this very critical moment, for the conclusion of peace, which could only tend to embarrass the Councils and decisions of His Majesty's Ministers. Mr. WIN DHA3I agreed on the principles laid down by the last Speaker, respecting the condi tions of a lasting peace. Ail •he could desire, though he bad beard much said as to the preser vation of our national honour in concluding peace, 1 was solely and exclusively safety ; he would say of 1 honour, as the Poet says of genius— " Groat ow T. Fates, bat snowy seal rhyme, " 11l leave ;right Gains to some oiler On the grand question of moral right and justice, he, however, differed widely from the Hun. Gentle man. Great in magnitude as was the question of our conduct to Deuinark, it shrank into insignifi cance when contrasted with the importance of the ' principles on which we had attempted a justification of this expedition. We, he said, had left all the old morality of our forefathers, and arrived at a new epoch in principle. We must act in future as a rench Convention, " Vi rtatent rerbusi." Ex pediency or convenience must be the future cri terion of the . propriety of our conduct to other nations, enemies or allies. This, he continued, will he an easy way to dispense with our provisional morality, with as little compunction as with an oath taken at Highgate. Here the fact peeceded the doctrine 0r the Miuistry. He should, he said, hare telt less irdi4iiicaon at hearing them boldly avow their reasons, whatever they might have been, than hear them attempt tojuatify their un warrantable outrages, by referring to the secret articles of Tilsit, of which they had admitted they knew no more tl an hod been already transmitted to the public. Had they first committed the out rage, and then Ciscovered this " salco" for the conscience of the nation ? or, was it only a mere conscientious adherence to the old principles of their party ? "Yes ; stick to our principles," raid the Ministry; " if we ilepart in one instance from them, we shall act hotel inslp, and ruin all ; let us die game. if the country expire in character and re sources, we have dune every thing for her, con sistent with our well-known principles of action ; she could expect no more." Thus, he observed, had the moral character and honour of the British nation been sacrificed by the ambition of the Mi nistry in appearing to Act with vigour. He con tended against the probability of the Danes hav ing entered into the confederacy against England prior to our expedition sailing, as they had, from the very dates admitted by the Right Honourable Secretary on the last night, no opportunity of being influenced by the conclusion of the treaty of Tilsit. This rather (he said) countenanced an idea, that the Ministry had not originally destined the troops and armament for this expedition ; but having once arranged an armament, they only longed for an opportunity of displaying their vi gour, and determined to find out an enemy to as sail, and an expedition for the employment of this. armament. If such had been their conduct, surely they had given a vital blow to the enure of justice and pledged faith throughout the globe. Such had been the new principles arising out of the chaos of the French revolution. Such had been the principles - which had reduced all Europe to a state of desolation. Mr. MONTAGUE supported the King's right to make war; and justified the Ministers in calling on the Parliament to support His Majesty in prose cuting it. Mr. WM. SMITH supported the statement of Lord Milton last night. He had hoped Ministers would spontaneously enter into terms of treaty with France: in this conviction he had opposed the Meeting at Norwich ; but should he find them dis inclined to prosecute peace on fair and equal terms, he should do his utmost to procure their removal from power and place. Mr. Secretary CANNING admitted he had only, apparently to him, satisfactory reasons for con cluding Denmark inclined to enter into the views • of FrarJe. The Ministry had only obtained the substance of the designs of Denmark, but pap , sensed nothing ostensible as proofs, either direct, or in writing. Ile admitted the expedition had been originally intended for Stralsund, but was of opi nion this did not derogate from the merits of the expedition. He concluded by saying, he felt no anxiety for that applause of which the Right Hon. Gentleman seemed to think be and his colleagues were so extremely desirous. M-. WHITBREAD remarked the inconsistency of the Right lion. Secretary's arlutission this eveti. ing, and his assertions in 4 the source.etl their secret *utforrnatiess o r n e rPreceding lie *as inclined to maintain, that more hair had been done to the country, within these fifteen veer-, by the suppression of intelligence, than could bete arisen from even betraying those secrets to •the enemy. He thought the present Petition for Pence would prove no embarrassment to the Ministers, if sincere in the wishes for Peace, and wished they might increase an hundred-fold, so its to compel them either to resign their places or thiir preju , dices in favour of eternal war. The report was then brought up Iwo' read ; MIA Mr. 1111.1SKISSON moved, That the Speech of the Lords Commissioners be taken into estsikide ration again on Monday next."—Ordered. The House then adjourned to Monday neat. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. HAMBURGH AND ALTONA PAPERS. BANKS OF THE MAINE, JAN. 2. So great is the scarcity at Koningsberg, that a pound of veal costa 12 grasheu, and a load of wood from 20 to 30 rix-dollars. A great number of French, who had arrived at Cana, iu hopes of being allowed to enter into the service of the King of Westphalia, have received orders to quit that city. It appears certain, that celibacy will ba dispensed with in the Catholic Church. Private letters from Paris announce, that Swit zerland will immediately resume a monarchical con stitution, and it is thought, that the Prince of Neufchatel will reign over that country. There is good reason to believe, that Ulm will not be ceded to the King of Wirternherg, as 1124 been reported. _ _ The particular Commission, and the• Direction of the Posts at Berlin, have been officially informed, that there are now no foreign troops on the Vis tula. The Direction, at the sometime, were forbidden to send any money to the other side of that rives.. They write from Italy, that the Repnblic of Ra gusa will be incorporated with the kingdom of Italy. OFT%, DEC. 80. The following is the result of the lest Hungarian Diet, Ist, 12.000 recruits for the Hungarian regi ment ; Rd, a considerable sum of money, the exact amount of which is not yet known ; 3d, the con firmation of the groat of Mary Theresa, by which the port of Fiume is incorporated with the king dom of Hungary ; 4th, the Abolition of Transit Tell. and Hungarian commodation, in the here ditary dominions.—( firenbergh Corresponticiatos, ~/en. 6.') • • PLITIVDSCRO. DEC. 5.'0. The Imperial French Ambassador, M. deiCiu lincourt, arrived here the day before yeitv i rday, arid is to hare to-mdrrow his first audienne of His Majesty the Emperor. He inhabits the hotel of Prince Wolchousky, which Government has bought for that purpose for 360,000 rubles. A few days back a duel took place between Count Chreptowitch, Lord Chamberlain, and Co lonel Arseniew, in which the latter was killed on the spot ; the dispute originated in a love affair.— Ilarebstrgh Cones. Jas J.) AUSTRIA. DEC. 31. All the cordons formed on the Austrian frontiers are to be considerably reinforced ; Ist, to check the contraband trade in sugar, coffee. arc. &c. which has of late been carried on to an alarming degree; Yd, to prevent the desertion of foreigners serving in the Austrian army ; and 3d, to obstruct the in flux of foreigners emigrated from Prussia, Venice, Hanover, &c. who attempted to steal into the Aus strian dominions.—(fbid./ FRANSFORT, JAW. 2. M. Demetri Fleury, Lieutenant and Adjutant of Admiral Siniavin, passed yesterday through this city on his way to Petersburg. He left Lisbon on the 14th of December. The English fleet, under the command of Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, had not at that time made the least attempt to attack the Russian fleet in the port of Lisbon.—(Mid.) LUDWEGLUST, .I• 11. e. Her Serene Highness the reigning Duchess of Mecklenburg Schwerin, born Princess of Saxe Gotha, died here the day before yesterday, to the great regret of the Court and the whole country•. This Princess was born the 9th of March, 1756. LISBON, DEC. 7. Since the departure of the Prince Regent, tran quillity is entirely re-established in the kingdom The French have taken possession of the whole of Portugal. The quantity of artillery they found was immense. From Fort St. Julien to Fart Berlin, there were more than 500 pieces of cannon. The Marine Arsenal is fully provided with tim ber for ship-building, iron, and all kinds of naval stores. There are in the Road six dips of war, which may be got ready to sail at the first notice; among which is the Kisco de Cana, of 7.1 guns, entirely new. six frigates, and twelve brigs. The Portuguese army, consisting of 24 regiments of infantry, and six of cavalry, forming, in the whole, 10,000 men under arms, will be organised into a . . ---_ • , ilirs . it iiiiAllpid, a IhaW. The Geneve/14n ' CGthefeeher;elJDelualit'abo.Nlidas in idecomniandt i Palacethe of city. The l-illi" Kun ; s sign squadrou 4 Admiral Siniavin is in the harbour. _ FHE lIRITISH PRESS. LON I)ON, SATURDAY, JAL 23. We have received A Rona and Hamburgh Pe. peri, to the 9th instant. They contain an article from Lisbon, dated the 7th last, which states, that the French have taken possession of the whole of Portugal, and that the most perfect tranquil lity prevails in that 'kingdom. This, we believe, is a fair representation. Surrounded and covered with enemies, Portugal may enjoy the tranquillity of the grave.--It is announced in a letter from the Banks of the Miate, that the French tro,pz have been withdrawn from the Vistula.—We hope that there is some truth in this statement. The banks of the Vistula have been almost de voured by these locusts. Among the numerous speculations of the day, it is said, that Switzerland is to asinine a monarchical form, with the Prime of NgurcHATIK, as King, at its head; and.that the little republic of Ragusa is to be incorporated with the kingdom ol Italy. A private letter from Holland, dated the ith of the present month, states, that the Decree hes been put in force against Neutral Vessels touching at the ports of this kingdom, or suffering themselves to be searched by our cruisers. The cargo of one vessel has been sold, for the crime of basing ban searched by a British cruiser. A vessel is arrived at Greenock, which left New. York ou the .2sd of December. The evening be fore, *lie was informed that a general embargo was about to tile place. About two o'clock. when off Sandy Hook, she heard the firing of cannon, and saw several vessels that had been under weigh broughteto in the Narrows. The debate in both Houses of Parliament, as Thursday night, of which we, yesterday, gate tdie best report that our limits would admit, wan skew treme interest, and cannot fad to make a pression upon the public mind. Although* peuhagen Efirlitiou took place to long since, we bare not bete at liberty to form an opinion upon it, until the prohnt moment. Every pool subject was bound, io fairness. to vreeume every thing in favour of the iseiuure. any 's Dedaration stated, as the ground for the attack upon Denmark, secret articles at Tilsit, affecting England, to which that power was a part:. No good subject could refuse credit to this assertion, hacked as it was by a confi dent report, industriously propagated in the Minis terial circles i positively stating that Ministers were in peasessiou of a copy of the articles, which they had cheaply purchased with a suns of sop The Debate on Thursday night clearly L red that they had no direct evidence of that deieription ; and we heard with astonishment HAWK'S.. MALY declare, that Ministers were i‘artly induced to form their judgment of the real views of Den mark, by information received from disaffected Irishmen, as if such men would give any informa tion to 'Minister*, but such as was calculated to lead them astray. One of the great arguments that disposed the public mind against Den mark, was derived from her conduct in the last Northern Confederacy. It was said that she was drawn into that vertex by Russia, and that as she must yield of necessity to the combined pressure of Russia and France, she must be considered now, as then, a mere in strument, which we had a right to wrest from their hands. This argument, however, which we do believe has had great weight, was completely oyer turned by Lord GRIN LLS, who declared, upon official authority, that Denmark was got the par tizan of Russia in that Confederacy ; but, on the contrary, its principal mover and fomenter. With respect to the Orders in Council restricting nentral commerce, there is one argument that appears deci sive against them in relation to America, the party principally affected bythe regulation. They have been jii.tified as measures in retaliation against Bom *- esters's Blockading Decree, but as long as that De cree remained inoperative, with respect to America, it was a mere nothing ; and, therefore, oar Orders in Council, which were carried into force against America. and consequently went farther than the French Decree, were not strictly mere acts of retaliation, bat acts of aggression, "0 far at they exceeded the evil which they proposed to meet. These are only tiro of a great variety of powerful arguments open two leading points of His MA.tarrer Speech, triumphantly an swered by Mr. PgicavaL, in the HMI° of Con ' moos, by an appeal to his majority Why don't you move an Amendment ?"—'• Why don't you divide F' were the arguments upon which the