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

W WI 7wmPFPNP , ,r.. , ~- long since to the full end of s oteesslon ; diet it was evi dent , that in proportion as they were attady to conciliate, the French Consul was alert, eager, and determined to take fresh advanta t ke r : of 'their. yielding natures. These.could be no o chance then of saving the country, but assont ini • vigorous measures, and sheaving the First Consul, decisively, that this -country would bear no more concession. That they were not afraid of meeting France even single-handed ; and that sooner then disgrace themselves, or suffer the small est particle of the honour of his Majesty's crown, or that of the nation . ; to be tarnished, they were pre pared for the immediate recommencement of hosti lities. His Lorthltip solemnly protested that no one' noble Lord was more sincerely desirous of *the continuance of Peace: and so convinced was he that nothing could more effe4ually establish and secure she conservation of the peace than vigorous mea sures, that he should give his hearty support to the nsolution, although he thought his Majesty's Mini ster's kid much to answer, for not having advised his Majusty earlier to re:ornmend to Parliament the Measure which was the great objea of his Royal Message. 'There was one part of the noble secre tary of State's speech which it would have been more satisfaa.ory to him, iralividually, if his Lordship had ham' a little more explicit upon —he meant as to the nature • and importance the discussiops now • stibskting between his Majesty and the French Government. The Message itself de emed them *to be of " great importance;" and they must r.ecessarily have been so, or they would not have been taken as the ground of so strong a measure as that recommended in the King's Mes sage. .But were they discussions that had newly arisen, or were they discussions of long standing ? Much depended upon that, as to the blame or praise due to Ministers ; according to the faft in these points, they ought to know the truth, or they could not • pronounce upon them. In that case Ministers shrunk from their responsibility. His Lordshipliii d great stress on this particular, and repeated in terms of great satis faction, his complete approbation of the measure re commended in the Message, as one that might lead to aline of conduit, which could alone' aitord the country a chance of being saved. . Lord GIIENVILLE observed, that though his tentiments On such an occasion as this must be pret ty well known, he could pot content himself with ;silent vote upon such a proposition. He was glad that his Majesty's Ministers had at length deter mined to 04 rid) more spirit than they had hitherto manifested; for he never saw any reason to con clude, that the late peace could have been perma ,nent, or of an; long duration. At the close of last Session the same hostile dispositions, v.-hid' were now made grounds of serious alarm, were squally apparent. The tour and derwanour of the First Consul. France had never changed from the beginning. Experience had sufficiently ahewn, that this .country could gain nothing by that meanness and concession which had for lonwtime been employed. Firmness and vigor were the only means which Great Britain had to sustain its dignity and its interests. He was sorry to observe so little energy in the language and condu4 of the Ministers of the Crown ; but though many advan /ages had been given up, it was not too late still to Souse the generous spirit, and display those innume rable resources which the country was capable of ein ploying: It was indeed to be lamented, that from the spirit of hatred, ambition, and aggression, al 'ways evinced by our adversary, prudence had not ,suggested the propriety of meeting the event, which now seemed to be inevitable, upon more advantage ens tevnts. We ought not, in his opinion, to have met it with naval and military disarmaments, with the cession of some of the most valuable of our con quered p possessions, and the best military stations and positions in time of war a but even a:. this late sits-1 son he was glad to see the resumption of some of _that public spiiit, upon which, and its enterprise, the ,nation had ultimately to depend for its salvation. :He acknowledged that he should have been much better pleased, if the communications upon this sub jet`l had been more esplieit ; but taking it as it .stood, he gave his hearts , concurrence to the Motion. The E.nl of 141.0113:A said, that he could not • simply give a silent acquiescence to a Motion like the present. The mere he . considered the inordinate ,Umbitaon which the First Consul of the Fatnc,h Re public had uniformly displayed, the more was he .convinced that nothing was to be effeetecfby a pusil lanimous forbearance on the part of this couniry. \ "hawser some inible Loo,li may think of the res . p :daltat. ought to be shewn to tin: Chief Nho .. .listrate •of a neighbouring nation, with which we were at • .p2ace, he did not consider this at least to be a time for theltrav;uage .e,l complaisance and courtesy. \\"e ;had too long seen'the insolence and aggression with which this countrY lial been uniformly treated. We ~sawhostilepreparationson all that extentof coast with which we were in a great measure surrounded. Our .enemy, fur lie would not now hesitate to bestow that _appellation on th e First Consul, had presumed to threa ten Great Britain with an army of 500,000 men. He .bad further the vanity and audacity to boast, that this country uaS no longer able to contend single banded against Erance. . He, on the other hand, • .trust;~ that the answer to this insolent represents- :lion would be a proof that this united realm was .abl.., .in a just cause, to contend against the world in -arras. What, he asked, :roust be the feelings of their „Lordships, as well as of all the inhabitants of this .country, if insults of .that kind were to be reczaved -without mentment.? France had already ' o .x . pe.-1- ,e;wed, at the ha:1 . 4,6.01 some of our naval and mili tary leaders, ,sOme of svhotu he had the _pleasure of seeing then in- their places, (lairds Nelson and wha,were present„, ware supposed to be 'here alluded to) that England WAS never so much ".t.) be drea , led, as when .;:ingle-liancled, and left to 7:t; own native and :valoi ous.esertions. It was still . t., -hew itself equal to every emergency, and, „perhaps, inelk . rustible in its resources. had ...rill the same gallant Officers and troops, whose scrxices had already achieved so, many laurels for their country. 'The spirit of the country was still unbroken, and, notwithstanding ate' recent eircum :stances. he was tatisSed then! rtmained very little, .of aitydisaCeilion in the nation. • It .was idle to .disgur= our situation, a: a time .viren we" were _likely to contend,. not 1;or honour only, but for the existence of the couwry. 'llaose were mistaken who supposed that this country 'was secured against that invasion which our envery was evidently medi tating ; secure, indeed, we were in some rt_lpesls on ,thitt head; with any vitr . 9r of .subjtaraticia, t::e very conten:plation of wh 7 A woulotfie too hum:liming but let U 0 man ~,,esnive himself with the idea th at an ~-. . . , , . • • invasion of a country ihe net to be 4410. Re made little doubt that we should' have to tight the enemy upon the soil of Eeglend, and we should, therefore, he ready to meet - any such event. 'I he firstarbjea, of the inverters would, uniereetionably, be to push for the capital. la that case, the General opposed to them ought, in his opinion, to forfeit his head if he suffered the enemy to advance from the coast without giving him battle. The Government and the nation had a light to consider any troops so 'stationed as a fortification, or an out-work between the metropolis and its invaders. Such a projea would,. no doubt, be a desperate one on the part of the French Republic, but that, in ail probability, we4l4 berg. great objen to Bonaparte. Not a man of the invading army would,. probably, ever recent to his native country. But the First Coestil, care less of that, calcedated between the deetreakin of a number of Fienclanen and the confusion which an event of that kind might be capable of pro: clueing in Great Britain. It was, however, long since manifested to France, and to all Europe, that England had, by reitereted eggressiens, been. form! 'hue Lll4 struggle, which it could not decline with out dishonour. Ile wished the language of his Ma jesty's Ministers to have been more , energetic, in order that it may enpear as sorneeehat in the light of an appeal to the French people, whether they would consent to be again involved in all the hor rore.of war, and Stan the world to be again de luged with blood, merely to gratify the restless and turbulent spirit of an inordinately ambitious and implaealde individual. 11 nth reseed: to Bonaparte himself, his views could not be mistaken ; all the op posite shores resounded with the din of preparation. His hatred to England was implacable and persever ine-. He had afforded too many proofs of his daring and enterprizing spirit wadmit a doubt of his attempt ing to execute any thing, however erdubee or despe rate which he wasresolied upon, and by that enter prising genius had more than once succeeded in ac complishing objeas and achievements which to ordi nary men might seem impraelicable. Against a man of that description, who had so frequently and felici tonsly for his views left every thing to tbrtune, with dominions vastly extended, and at the head of one of the most powerful notions that cver existed in the world, England had to voly on its own resources, its intrepidity, and the tried valour of its warriors. It should [row, to use the language of Shakespeere l 4. B e stirring us the time ; be fled with fire; 0 Threaten the threat'ner, and outface the brow " of lira egine horror ; sn shall infedor eyes " The borer,/ their behaviour from the great, `t now great by your example, and put uu A " The (Limitless spirit of Resolution." Such should now be the condua of this cormtry. The proud pretensions of the enemy had kft—had removed the veil, and let us see whet we have to expea from a demeanor of forbearance. Fnrtu ea,ely these encroachments and aggressions were rots long in revealing themselves, anti were now felt and every where displayed. He knew not what might be the nature of the negociations alluded to in his Majesty's Message, but that was of the .less consequence when he could conceive no symptoms of a pacific dieoosition on the part c: the French Government. it wes time to arouse the nation to its proper bent, and to ail exertion of all its resources. We should say to France in the terms which one manly Englishman would say to another: ~ It is my wish to rerretin with you on terms .Of friendship and tranquillity ; but here are the limits upoawhich that amity depends. Beyond this spot you are not to set your toot ; if you attempt it, the alternative is war." That alternative, though we might - Wish to avoid it, he saw no reason to dread, and though the terms of the Address might not include all that he could wish for, he was happy to be one of the fore most in. giving hie nioet cordial support to the pre sent Motion. 1 [We have seldom heard nay speech delivered in Parliament with more aeimation, whieh was better received, or seemed to make a suer:ger impression on the House.) I .ord W 1".3 FMIDRELAT.ID followed on the same side of the question, though he not exactly concur in every view that had been taken of it. He thought his Majesty's Ministers a4ed prudently in conch-el iag the Treaty of Amiens, though he agreed eith Lord Grenville, that there was little chance of its being ever carried into complete effea. It was, perhaps, to be regretted, that some advantageous military and commercial positions had been ceded, lust enough still remained !ire this country to con ' duff its hostile operations with every desirable ef lea. England could not diserv e re e ee iteelffrorn all conneaiune with the continent, and euuld not be in different to those mighty attempts et aggrandize ment which France, even since the peace et Amiens, had been pureuing in a rapid and rindeyiating course. Upon these end several other grounds, he • gave Iris hearty assent to the Motion. - Lard Ali (*WAND said, he was very sensible that any thing he should edd world but little aug ment the force of what 41 already been submitted by the Noble Lords who had preceded him. lie highly commended the principles tierni which peace was concluded, though he must oven, that he :vas not very much dieappcAnted in the molt of the late treaty. The whole of it he only censidered :tithe light of an' experiment, and was well aware, how mach must depend 'on the temper and diepoeition ' of the person who now ruled tne subieees of the 4enelt Republic. It was partly in antic:en:ion of spore event adverse to the wishes of thie country, end .pertly to.cottateraa end refute sonic statements he had heard, depreciating, in his opinion, the state of the .fineneee and resources of this coonive, tiert ,he had moved for, and caused to be laid beilire the Howe, certein statements and accounts neceesary to, assure the people of Engiaad, and preve to them, that the commerce and revenue of the conatry wc;;e pcyrr in et stnte so rapidly progressive end fouriehing, as at the present moment. War wits at all times iaevitahly nttendesl with calamities and disastets, but in proportion to the increaeo of de mands, and the widely-extended sphere of our et evtiens inehe course of the late war, in the same de gree was the augmentation of the public revenne, amid* the national opulence. The accounts would prove, to demonstration, that the income of the public reveatte was annually 17,000,w01. beyofid' the amount.of the debt with which it was charged. That debt was most rapidly diminishing by the .operation of that excellent 'finaucial syetem, the Sinking Fund, Which at present extinguished 20,(XX)1. of it deily e and must inereee .iti :talon in pro' portion as it v.-ent on. Uneder sneif .cireumetvi ces t ngieed, however kleOrotts.gt peacteheel nothing to apprehend from any war in which it could be 1 engaged ; and, ineteed of any hirer:or:4y, WAS inn. / „ . •-• • . 11.111. r. •,, t% • . .0 • • % , "•"'"'"1, " - . . ~,. , , 1 . nit.* superior to Dance to the eater of its re. sources. -Ina short explanation , which immediately afterwards ensued. between Lord MOIR A and Lord Aye Kt. Anl I, the latter pledged hiinself to the proof of every statement he had made. The Address was carried nemine rtiasenuette, and ordered to be presented to his Majesty by the Lords with white staves.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. WEDNESDAY, II t t RCH 9. 4116- MAJES . I' MESSAGF.. The CHANCELLOR, of the Feseireouga moved, that the Order cf the Dey for taking into considera tion his Majesty's most gracious Message, be now read ; which being cane, and the Message read by the SeEAK F R, he moved, that his Majesty's Message be row taken him consideration.---,Ordered. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then sssoke to the following eifea;— Sir, 1 rise, to - propoie an Address in consequitice of his Majesty's most gracious, Messeige, which the Honse has just heard read from the Chair, and I feel perfeftly con s &lent, that the. appeal which his Majesty has there by made to the wisdom, the public leak, die and the fortitude of his Pei-liar:tent, lies not becirmado in vain. There are two peints to which his Majesty's Message refers ; that of I t it sty pre, peration on the coasts of France and Hollaeel ; and the other, the discussion now subsisting isetween pi s Majesty and the Governmcre of France: either pf those points, separately eonsideeeel, woeld require e great degeee of vigilance and circneaspeCtion, on the part of hie Mejesty Government ; but - both corn; blued. require still more of eleit .vigiiance and at tention. 'lt has been stated to the House by his Me jesty, diet the preparedons in the ports of France ales: Heland, are .avouttelly directed for the purpose of Colonial Services. It is possaile, and *1 hope probable, that such is the purpose of these arma s milts ; but on the authority of his Majesty, it is ;deo stated, there are discussions of great importance subsisting, the result of which must, as it is obvious to the. House, be uncertain; his Majesty has there fore made his grac ioess communication to the House, for the House must be aware, that however inoffen sive these armaments might avowedly be tosyards ns, yea they might; under - eirenmstances, be applied to another Purpose, which it is of the utmost im portance to our interests to counteraa. With re spea to the discussions referred to in his Majesty's Mess:tge,.l trust the Horse will not expea that I should enter into the nature, still less the detail of those discussions ; but I have the satisfied= of thinking, that the result of these discussions may be consoitant to the true interests of this country. If, however, unfortuuetely, sech should not be the result, his Majesty, conscious cf the good ness of the cause, has expressed a determination to refer to the great resources of this country, the wisdom of the Councils, and the pride ofthe nation, io support of the honour of his Crown and the es sential interests of his people. If that unfortunate ly should be the result, the lioose may be assered they shall be possessed of every topic which could ceet light pn every sulsieit which may •be desired to come under discussion, on the condua of his Ma jesty's Government; froth the - moment of the ratifi eetion ofthe fleet) , of s ktniens to the present moment. I§ith regard to the nature of the measures to be adopted in consequence of the present state of things, I am not disposed to enter, at present, into that subjeil, but it will readily occur to the linuse, that there should be come angmentation of his Majesty's naval force, and probably some increase to pus internal security ; for the latter part .of which I have reason to imeehte, that an intima tion will he made by his Majesty to his Parlia neeret, that he has resulted, for that purpose, to the constitutional force, by 'embodying the militia. It would, indeed, be matter of regret, t h at those who had employed themsekees during a lung war, and had already done so much, should now be mil e ed on to make edslitioisal s:icriticee, but I have no doubt, if reqoested on such an occasion, they are sacrifices which would be cheerfully made; but here I be it to be understood, that ail which is stated in ills Majesty's Message has reference to a system of defence, and is enly mattel' of precaution. I am sanguine enough to hope, that - on this day, the House will give proof of an unanimous deter mination to enable his Majesty to adopt such mea sures as are essential to the true interests of the country. I should not propose to convey the sere timents of the House in terms by which any indi visited should be pledged, or committed, to any fu ture meastue, ,or by which the discretion of Parlia ment should be pre-engaged; but I trust, that What . ever Gentlemen's sentiments-may be on some of the measures of Government, either on the terms of the peace, or the supposed advantages of a e.ate of war, yet thet a<l w,ill concur in supporting the Motion I shall have the honour of submitting to the House; the substance of which is to assure his Majesty, that he tray .rely on his Periament jn supporting his Majesty in such measures as may be nikessery for the honour of his Crown and the essential interests of his people. I therefore move you, Sir, an Address to the following substance, " That 'an him - dile Address be presented to his ' Majesty, to thank his Ma*ty for his most gra cious Message : to as nee his Majesty, that his faithful commons arc invessed whit e fall sense . of this fresh proof of his efajesty's unceasing atten tion to the welfese of his people ; that under the present .ciectimstanees, they could- not hesitate to concur with his I'Vlujesty in thinking it expedient to adopt additioeai meeseree of precaution for the secerity of his slomielotes ; that though the papa wines to which his Mejesty referred \v.:re avowedly direaed to Colonial service, - yet as discussions of great ikrportence were still .subsisting betweee leis Majesty and the French Covernmeut - , the resuh of which might be uncertain i.diat they partake of his earnest and tinvaryints solicitude fot the continuance of peace . ; that hi,s Atjesty might rely . with confi dence on their exertions to . enable his Majesty to adopt stick measures as circumstances might re . quire for supporting the honour of his Crown and the es s ential interests of his people." ' This .Address being read, and the -question put, Mr. FQX. 61 No vote hes ever been given nn any occasion, and particularly by me, in such corn ' .p!ete anti utter darkness as that which es as now pro. 'posed. To thank his Majesty for his gracious • .cOrtemunication—to concur with him in the support • *l' the honour of his crown, and the essential -hue . ristSOf hiePeople ee were . prepasitionsewhich it eves !novelly ,itopoesibleeo pppov;. Meisagestazes tnO giounds:. irst, tite kruuni) qf the erreamentin , p France and Holland : this was matter of fila capa ble of proof, and therefore most be supposed to he correctly stated.. The fleet was the ground of dis, Cussion; and here I am entitled to avail ;nyself of wh4t .had been uid by the Right Honourable Gentleman in the opening of this subjet tq the House, which was, that the Address did not pledge the House to any thing. His Majesty stated there were subje ct s of discussion ; he 4i4 not give to the House the remotest hint what that might be : whether in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America ; upon no part of which did he give any opinion , whatever. I must assume, that whatever he state to be of importance was of importance; but f• have no means of forming an opinion upon it; I am left in a state of entire darkness ; That lam ready to thank his Majesty for his gracious com, munication, and to join in any measures which might be necessary to support the dignity of the Crown, and promote the welfare of the people, are propositions in this Address tq wksch I give my assent most read,ily ; but not fur ther, without some infine nation. Having said this l I would add, that any one who would examine the , present state of the British ern?ire, would feel there ' never was a period in which it was so essenti a l to this country to avoid the calamities of war as the present, and, there,core, if we should be involyed in war by any :Ink of Ministers, they would be more guilty than. any other advisers or counsellors of this or any other country." Lord HAW ISESBURV said, it ould net he ne t - cessary for him to trouble the House long upon the present occasion, he should therefore say but a very • few werds, In one part of his speech, the Hon. Lien tlvian who spoke last had r ather misapprehended his Right H. Friend. He Meant, in the ty . t.l obje.% 4e had stated, that of the preparations of armament in the ports of Frince and Holland, *and the discussion remaining between his Majesty at the Government of France. The Hon. Gentlem, seemed tq thjil, his Right Hon. Friend bad stated, that one of these grounds was gay fit ground 14- this address, whereas what his Right 1 - 1011. Friend. had said was this, that one of these grounds was sufficient for the circumspeetion and vigilance of Government, but that both combined, that was h the preparations and the discussion, called for some, thing more, and required that Ministers should ad vise-his Majesty to send the present mes,sair tp the House; and to secure that caution and that vigilance. As to what the Hon. Gentleman had said upon the Address, in the hitier part of his Speech,, lie agreed with him, that the Address did not pledge cr com mit the House to any thing. As to the subject of discussion which might at present be subsisting between his Majesty and the french Govereteeit, he could repeat what his Right Hon. Friend hat already stated : If this discussion should lead to war, it would be the duty of Government to lay before the House all the information it could, as to the cruses of the War and the condud of Ministers - 1 he would ge ferther and say, it would be right, un, der the present circumstances, not to confine it tq objeas immediately dependink, but he should wish most anxiously, -that the whole condu& of GO 7 vernment since the conclusion of • the' Definitive Tr.sity to the present moment, should fie laidlearlY befeee she House and the country. He was sati.ss fed on a review of that cendud hjs Majesty's . Ministers would have no reason to repent of it ; and when that came before dr House. he should be as ready to enter into the discussion of the whole Or any part of that conduct as any Gentleman in the Ilouse might think proper to require. Under thii present circumstances, however, lae thought no -ad vantages could arise by entering into the measure of negociation at present, or events that antecedently took place ; that would answer at present no useful purpose. The Address pfedeed the House to nothing btu that to whichthe House was not ready-to assent at all times, namely, to •support his .l'iajesty in main taining the dignity of the Crown and the essential interests of the country. Mr. NVINDHAM assured the House, he had no intention to claim its attention long. He agreed with an Flonourable Gentleman who spoke befeire lilt that the Rinse Was put into rather an 'hat.' 4 situation, because it was called upon to aft in the dark. lie did not think it was' sufficient for the House to be told that hereafter it shall be in pos 7 session of the ground on which the present proceed ing was proposed. The House ought to be in a Si tuation where it might have some knowledge of - events, in a crisis so considerable; the House - ought to know scmething upon this subjea instead of pro ceeding upon a nullity of information, for upon'this matte: ; r. ow occ u p ied itsmost serious attention, the House knew literally nothing, it was told only, kit terms not general, that exertions are necessary.- 7 The House indeed knew that very considerable ;rata : rants had been made, ay,id a great change made iu the system of what • was called Peace. He must therefore enter a species of protest against the mode gety adopte . d, the necessi t y, in hisnion, such as That to call for it, segnired exertion. That ' the force troposed to he used should be used merely as de :owe ; now all species of force might be so used; especially in the first instance, but it was here of last importance, when great force was necessary, know w:iat that force was, because prudence might require force of different sorts in differ,ent circum:- stilnees ; there was .some in its nature defensive, and defensive ,only ; that must be the case of tfii Militia ; but tOr the interpretation of the pre sent vote, nothing more .need. be said, than the Honourable • Gentleman concurred in it. • TheY pledged themselves to-nor t hing but that which had been already stated, and in that no man could have any difficulty. Here.he should haVe ended, if it had not been for- some observations made on the othereide of the House. It was said, on a former 'circcasion; by an . Von. Gentleman (Mr. Poi), that peace was his policy and first wish, said Mr. Wind : . ham, and that tar was come. " I am, at present, in no state to say . , I can be in no State to say, Whe ther war would be expedient or not ;If it were neces sary to cotne.to an opition,'no conclusion could be drawn from the condua of those who were the most vehement opposers - of the peace, what their opinion would be now. 'That they should be supposed to be • glad of what was now proposed, that they exulted in it, would catch with impatience at any prospea at the renei.vat 'of the war, would be a conclusion's false in . reasoning, as unfounded in fae. Tie ,very reverse was the * ilia ; he who was a vehement opposer ef the p....ace of Amiens, • who had no reason now to alter the opinion he gave then, but abundant reason to :Wilkie to it, might nevertheless not concludr now that war could be made with advantage: , he I might think otherwise, in proportion to the con- • = ■ iLi - .I