The Sun. — London, England, 1801-03-26 00:00:00

rind, an application was made lak General Vistas for succour ; this application reached Minorca' the very day General AB ERCROMUY arrived there, and he sailed the next day ; but the event of the- Battle of Marengo prevented him from any effeaual co operation with .the Austrians. I am therefore founded in asserting, that there was not a moment lost ; nor can any blame be attributed to them, un less they are culpable for' not keeping -up a regular and constant communication with Vienna, at a time when such a communication was rendered im pratticable by the severity of the season.—This, Sir, is a short, but, I hope, a distinft statement of the fats; and I leave it to the-House to de termine, whether there is any ground for the charge which Gentlemen have so frequently and so confidently advanced upon this subject. When I enumerated the successes which we had obtained in the present War, by•the joint operation of our • Meet and Army, I did not state those which had been obtained exclusively by our Navy. I will not go into any detail upon this subjeEt, because I think it will be universally admitted that the Naval Suc cess of this War; has not been rivalled in the most Brilliant periods of our History. I shall there fore conterrt myself . with stating generally, that since the commencement . of the present War, we have taken or destroyed 7o or 8o Sail of the Line belonging to the Enemy, 181 Frigates, and 224 smaller Ships of War, making altogether 483 Ships of War. • Besides. this, we have taken or de stroyed 743 French Privateers, 15 Dutch, and 76 Spanish, making altogether no less than 1370 Ships Ot . War. The.loss we have sustained since the com mencement of the War has been Three Sail of the :Line, of which one has been re-taken ; one so-gun Ship, .which has been re-taken ; and of the Frigates taken by the Enemy, only one, viz. the Ambuscade, e• mainsin their possession. I except those which May have been taken by the Squadron which lately sailed from West. I am therefore fully warranted io stating, that there is no period of our Naval I-listory which can equal, certainly not excel, that of the present War.• I must here, Sir, notice a cu rious distinetiOn which Gentlemen are fond of mak .. ing between the conduet of the Naval and Military Part of the War. Upon what pretence Gentlemen make this distinftion, it is impossible for me to Rues:, nth Sgrvices were entice the same Council, aireap;l, by, tbe,sanp.men • and unless , it is contend that, on one occasion Ministers uniformly, acted with e4treMe, folly, and on the o t h er w i t h t h e greatest wisclomunless it is contended that the nature of the elefuent on which the service. war to pe performed, a4feCtecl chi understandings of Mini, PiFccf4-671 !Oily.= at a loss to knowiatptv, what ponnri t tbis notable distinction is founded, There as no- man,,, I: am sure, will suspeet me of a. wish to de. Pr4;iate the tuesits ofaperson-whorn I esteeraand ye, iterate ,so much, as I,do the Noble LW W,ho lately presided. at the•head.of the. Admiralty, bit Lam sure that NtahleLord woulrif think that we paitthim a fiery poor compliment, if-we were, to. 4ive him, credit for b sing. gteki without concert. with the rest of his colleagues. The same obsexvation applies; to the Conthitt. of the Military Department. If, however, 4ny gentleman can sbew, that in any part of the basiness• which, was peculiarly, under my care, I dime(' .thi least .w.ant 'of diligence or attention—'lf say Gentlemen •can Ithe . mt: that I have foiled in snaking .the .nece,ssary. preparations, then will deserve censure; but hitherto L have iiear▪ d.,.n0 such charge made against me—lay any Officer. • I know that it will sometimes happen that deers willimagine themselves better, qualified to voncluti. an Expedition than those to .Thom the command is entrusted, just as we sometimes meet with.. persons who are firmly convinced, that-they would.make. much better Ministers than those .in w h om His. MAJESTY has. thought proper to. repose :,confidence. , I. stated in the beginning of what:: I .have had the honour of submitting to theirlouse,„ that. one of the great advantages we 4 ha t ail,dcrise from taking possession of. the Ene. mies' Coloniesi-avould,•be the procuring of Markets for. the. consumption of: our Manufadures, if the Markets of. Europe should ,be shut up' against us 1. will now -mention a few fads, to shew how sue cessfully the principle upon which., we. afted- has lieent applied : In the year 1793, the.' Manufaftutes seat from t hi s Country to the West Indies amounte d to above 1,800,0001. : out Exports to the East In. dies, "before the War, did not exceed 1,too,000l..; and. in', the last year, they•exceeded 1,600,00 0 1. aeciour Exports through the medium of Hamburgh to the tither parts of Europe, ui 1799, did not ex ceed 2,000,0001. Bur, Sir, notwithstanding all the clamour which has been raised about our being. shut out from all- the Markets of Europe, I will, state with confidence, that let the Powers of • the• Continent do what they will, the ManufaCtures of this Country will find their way there ; and there_ fore I by. no means admit • that Ivo , have lost -the Markets of Europe, because I 'am convinced-that the very teverse is the faCt. Upon these : grounds, Lain MOst •.clearly of Opinion that the.whole force of thii Country should be employed in destroying the. Commercial and Colonial Possessions of 'th e Enemy, except only such part of our Forces as -are necessary for the.defence of Great Pritain and Ire. - Having occupied so much of the of the HOuse upon these topics, it may be expeled .that I should-say a few words tipon the- internal means of defence which we have provided :fot the Country, 37)re House. will recolleCt,' that it- was in the ...year 1 : 796,- after - . Lord MALME&BURY • returnedfromya , r 4 N• that, the Enemy began to threaten us with'ln- Talitln. • At that time the whole-Force ()Oho Coun-, tty; 'including Regular and Fencible Cavalry, In. fantrY r R egu l ars an d-Mili t i a; amount ed to no more- . than S 8,000• men. In Ireland, the , whaita ;_ce: amounted to jt,600 men. • Since that .period,' the, defensive mean's • of ,this Country ha ve- been.very-•, much increased. We. .have now 21 ) 500 ry, Regulars and Fencibles ; and B.toodo Infan try, Regulars and Militia; we have also, 6c...- elusive of the Sea Fentibles„ 20,000 Volunteer_ Cavalry, and 107,000 Volunteer.' Infaetry. In, Ireland there are of. Cavalry and Infantry 'above 52,000 men, exclusive -of above 40,000 Vo lunteers. Upon this subject, I leave it to the House to judge whether His Majesty's . Mi n isters paid sufficient attention to the security of the Coml. ,try, when there, are, betweeri 3 ancl-4 00;4o4, men poical, ? le, to its defence and that of Ireland. I know ..j I lila)? meet with persoht *hti are pot disposed toaket the . .same:coefitlence jay Volunteer Corps that dp ; but really., Sir, it wiP tale a' great deal of reason' ing to.convinee me that 1 . 30,000 British men; with . British hearts in their breasts, and arms .in.their hands, will not afford the most essential means of defence against an. invading Enemy, especially when they. know that they have nothing to exped frotir the success of the Enemy but ruin and clestruc: tion, I know very well, that some Volunteer Corps did evince a degree of reluctance in acting upon the occasion of the late Riots on the High Price of Pro visions, but I hope • His Majesty's Ministers will not leave arms in the hands of persons who will refuse to obey any orders which may be legally given to them. But those Corps who evinced tliis role once, were few in number, and bearing no proportion to the numerous Corps who stood forward to repress inter nal commotion. Sir, if I wanted any proof of the readiness of this loyal body of men to repress riot and and confusion, I might appeal to the testimony of many persons present ; I might appeal to 411 the inhabitants of this Metropolis. Sir, when I consi der the means which we possess of defence, I con fess I am not affeCted by the panic which some Gentlemen feel aboin Invasion, even if I was not convinced of the impossibility of a successful Inva sion against a superior Fleet. Having disposed of this part of the subjeEt, I shall now recur to the comparison which was made between this and former Wars. I have been accused upon for mer occasions of presumption, when I said the pre- - sent was as successful, a War as ever was carried on by this Country ; I am now, however, ready to re. peat my assertion, and to prove it. When I speak of comparing this with our most successful War, the recollection of the SevenYearsWar will naturally oc cur to the House. I will shortly enumerate the Con quests which were made by the British Arms in that War —We took Senegal, Louisbourg, St. Lucie, Duquesne, Guadaloupe, Martinique, the Havannah, Montreal, Pondicherry, Grenada, Belle isle,. Ste. besides destroying the Fortifications of Cherbourg ; we also took or destroyed Thirty-two Sail of the L e ine, Fifty-eight Frigates, _besides a proportionate_ number of smaller vessels. . Now, Sir, it appears that we are in possession of every place taken in the Seven Years War, except qua dalottoe, the Havannah, and Belleisle. But, on the other band, we have taken the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, Demerara, Berbice, and, in a word, all the Dutch Possessions in the East and West Indies ; we have also, got Minorca and Malta ; we have also destroyed the, great Confederacy which was formed against us in the East Indies—we have pre vented the possibility of our being rivalled in that qnarter, by. any European Power, and have acquired a great increase of Power and Territory. I will therefore always. contend, ' that as far as depends upon Ministers, our success this War has been ectua,l, if not superior, to that of any former War. I must likewise remind, Hon. Gentlemen, that in thatllorious Seven Years' War, there were Expe_ ditions attempted which completely failed; hut the of an, Expedition was not considered as a proof- of incapacity or neglea in Lord CHA-1114m. Gentlemen, I. think, should shew us the same can_ dour, and; not be so liberal of censure upon Mini. sters, because every Expedition in this long and extensive War has, not been attended with full suc cess.. The Seven Years. War to was not free from, some unfortunate circumstances. I neeci.not remind the House of the .affair at Minorca. I do not wish now, to disturb the ashes of the dead, but upon that occasion even otrr Naval Glory was sup posed to have been tarnished.• Gentlemen, when talking of the Expedition to Hollatici, always use the term Capitulation : let me ask Ahem if the Con. vention in Holland was any thing equal, in point of extent, to that _which was signed at Closterseven In the present War, no allowance whatever is to be made ; if an accident • happens, if the winds are un favonrable, the Ministers • are exclaimed against, and the Country is• said-to be ruined; The failure of,an Expedition is now considered. as .a decisive proof of miscondud in Ministers; but Gentlemen should recoiled the unfortunate Expeditions. - to Rochefort and St. Cas, in the Seven Years • War. But, Sir, I will not let the comparison between the two Wars ;rest here—l will shew that we have had disadvantages to contend with, Which 'did not exist in the Seven Years War. , In the first place, we have had to contend. against a Revolu tionary Government. In this Country, the War has been carried, on by its_ fair resources, and its faitly has been preserved. In France,. they have had the power of calling forth, by means of Conscrip_ . tions and. Requisitions, the whole-strength of the Country, the. whole mass of its population ; and though these exertions are not of a nature to last . long, they are dreadful while they do exist. But this is not all; If the revolutionary spirit had been confined. to France, its efreas would not have been so-injurious, because. it is not merely Military Dis ' advantages we have had to contend with . ; we have had,Societies in this Country, aEling in concert with France, and this was a disadvantage which the Con du fors -of the Seven Years War had not to contend with. We have had persons ranging the Country, endeavouring to make, the Inhabitants of this Country .dissatisfied with their Constitution, and re commending, in its stead, the Jacobin Government of France. These,Sir, were difficulties of no common na ture,which we have had to contend with. Besides all this, we.had to.conteoci against EtIOMYS bound by no.principles : of,Pubfic Faith, who , invaded 'Egypt, a Country, mith which they were. in puled Peace. Had Lord CHATOM4 such Enemies. to contend with; suehttlifikolties to surmount I In these times • therc'was sets Party ; every man. felt, the danger of. the Country+, and men -of all Parties were unani mous in their efforts to died its security against the;attacks.elhe Commeo. -Enemy. We have not met.-with such. coradua:, Gentlemen. wig perhaps - say;,that.they-absented themselves ,frOm. Parliament, and , chat thereforeve ought to give them our thanks.;. WI,. Six, I Cannot return them.‘my thanks i .when I see thesinoment , at which. they thitsk right to return , to . their duty ;. and. when I. consider the, times•end • places. they ..have -chosen ,to difftge poisony'. I am.-much 'more, disposed. to pay my toributeiof,ap... ,platise to,those .who , hive., , atteoded its the , reguiar., discharge ut.their .dutr.-. I wide could . zgive,thdittyl equal credit for , the. topics, wlsieh 'they , ithese-for cession,. and. the,..manneu. irk -which - they- rdivtatiegi,t sewing, • what I hive .done, Sir, I feel !liaer:lav i e.discisarged a publio duty, arid, at tile ,elose,ofa long political life e I shill think I leave my cOatitry the best . legacy in my pnwer, if I have impres.sedsupon the minds of the Peope ,a due sense ofall the. horrors of a Revolutionary Government. I feel, Sir, that I have occupied a considerable portion of your time, and of that of the. Houses but there are two or three points upon which I must .say a few .words before I sit down.— The Hon. Gentleman sp'eeks of the War upon the Continent, and censures Ministers for its bad suc_ cess, as if we had had the controul of it. I amsure am as sorry for the ill success of that War as any dentienian on the,other side of the House can be but surely we cannot be responsible foe measure which we could not guide. Upon this subject I shall only add, that it . the Powers on the Continent had laid aside their jealousies, and lonised to the common danger which threatened them, they would not now have to lament over the unfortunate situa tion in which they are placed. Another topic upon which the Hon. Gentleman has commented is, the Change which has taken place in His Majesty's Councils, and he thinks proper to insinuate that there is something of mystery in the retirement of His Majesty's late Ministers. I confess I am very much at a loss to know upon what ground it is that any thing like mystery is attributable to that event ; for it appears to me, that if ever there was a transa&ion plain and simple, it is the one to which I am now alluding. It is neither more nor less than this His Majesty's late Ministers, finding their continuance in Office connected with the carrying of a certain measure, which they considered as essen tial to the interest of the Country, and finding they had pot the means of carrying it, they thought themselves bound in duty to ask His MAJESTY leave to retire ; that permission had been granted, and they had consequeptly retired from Office.— This is the vvhole.of that transadion, which has been represented as mysterious. I shall retain throughout life the same loyalty, the same at tachment, the same veneration for my Sovereign that I have always felt ; and I shall; in com mon with the rest of my Colleagues, with whom I ailed, give eery support in my power to an i Administration ading upon the principles of the Constitution. The Hon. Gentleman has expressed himself unable to give his confidence to the present Administration, but the Hon. Gentleman has very cautiously avoided stating his reasons why he does not think them deserving of confidence. The HOn. Gentleman, however, represents the Country to be in an unfortunate situation. He will not give his confidence either to the late or the present Mini sters; but I suppose he has a receipt in his pocket— he means to say that he and his friends are willing to _become Ministers, and that they are confident that they are the only persons who have the mean s of saving the Country. I do not wish to say any thing uncivil to the Gentlemen on the other side of the House, but as. they talk, very freely of others, they must in return bear to be candidly spoken to. And I beg to ask them what symptoms there arc that they.enjoy the confidence of the Country ?' I wish to know what appearance the People have shewn of wishing that His MAJESTY Should burthea those Gentlemen with the office of Ministers I have.not yet heard tkat the Public have put up prayers 'to tl*se Gcru.lc.tucir, - sUppticating EU interpose and save the Country. I have heard of no. ,such application, and therefore am rather at a loss to guess upon what grounds it is that,Gentlemen are so : satisfied of their possessing the Public Confi dence. The New Ministers will, I am convinc 4. enjoy the Confidence of the Country—they yr ill . enjoy the assistance and support of ;hose who wish to maintain the Government and Con stitution of their Country. But, Sir,, what is still more in their, efavour, they will enjoy the advantange of being opposed by the Gentlemen op posite to me.—l recoiled a story which have heard of CxAttt.Es the lid, which is rather applicable to this :subjeas His brother, the Duet of Yoatt, one day remonstrated with the King for exposing himself so much, considering how unpopular he was. The King replied,' " Brother, brother, do not be alarmed for my safety.; for the People know, if , I were to die, who would succeed me." His Majesty's Ministers, I am sure, in common with every ,other man who is a friend to his Country, will he happy to conclude a Peace,whenever it can be obtained , cons t ently with the Honour and Security'of the Country. As long as it is necessary to carry on the War, they will do it, I am sure, with that vigour which can, alone lead to , the-blessings of Peace. With , tesped, Sir, to the Motion before the House, I shall oppose. it, because I consider it as one which can answer no good,purpo.se; The Hon. Gehtleman talks .of In quiries having formerly been granted, and-of Com mittees having been appointed to inquire into the State of the Nation, but unless I am much mistaken indeed, the Hon.: Gentleman will not be able to produce an instance of an Inquiry having been in stituted, of the vague, general, undefined nature which he now proposes. Inquiries have, I know, been instituted into the State of the Nation, but on some specific objets ; and unless such is the nature of the Inquiry, it cannot, I am sure, answer any be neficial purpose. If there is any particular subject upon which the Hon. Gent. or any other Gentleman,' thinks an Inquiry necessary, it may be brought forward by a specific Motion, and the Housewill then have an opportunity of deciding,: whether. they e think an Inquiry necessary, or not. I ithink -it would be at impracticable as. it, would be useless, -to go into the Inquiry which is proposed by Motion ; and I am sure the Hon. Gentleman will" find it as. difficult to state a precedent of a Coins , mittee having been appointed to make such a vague Inquiry as that which he now calls for, as he would to suggest any . possible advantage that could arise from it, if it were instituted. As to the other parts of the Hon. Gentleman's Speech, particularly what he has said about Neutral Nations, I feel. that I have already occupied too much of theatime of the House to trespass upon fhem, upon , thatssubjefk, more especially as there are many Gentlemen who will deliver their sentiments this nigitt, who are better qualified than I am to discuss that-point; I shall therefore, Sir, now conclude with giving my vote against the Motion." Lord TEMPLE.said, he was sorry on the present occasion to feel it his duty to differ from those with ever itee he, hscl entered. unto rarhajtierft he kid almost uniformly attled. pr4es:ieti td eh. teftain. the.greatest 'itsped for the Right.. Hon. Gentleman (the new Chancellor of the Exchtlner) 4, 1 but he confessed that he would rather that lie had continued still to fill the Chair of the Rouse, which he had so long done with honour to himself and with usefulness to . the' Country.- - - Though upon the subjed before the House, he believed thak there are few points respeaing which he could agree in opinion with the Honourable Ge-ntleman Who Made the mo t ion, y et • set ti ng out ..from different points, led by different im pulses, and following different routs, they might agree in arriving at the, same conclusion.- For six years. ever since he had come into Parlia mem, he had supported the Measures of the Right Hon. Gentleman, when he was in power. 'He would not desert him now that he is out of power. But he would, support the present Motion, because he conceived the Country to be in a state.of great danger and difficulty ; because he thought Inquiry necessary, in order to ascertain the cause and the extent of the - evils with which it is affii6led, and to ascertain the remedy which ought to be applied to point out the means of rescuing it from its dangers.. To such an otljea, he thought it .wor thy the character of the House, to devote its most serious attention ; such an Inquiry, he• thought it called upon in duty to institute. The KING, in the exercise of his undoubted prerogative, had appointed a new Administration to direa tie Affairs of the Country in this important junc ture. He did not wish to speak harshly of this Administration, but it appeared to him to be " a thing of.shreds and patches !" made up -of men unknown and inexperienced—in whom he could have no confidence, because he had no experi ence. Who, whatever may be their . . talents, whatever their prudence oar opacity. for govern ing the Affairs of a Great Nation, can claim no confidence, because they had, never.manifested the - qualities on which alone it can be founded. In his opinion this was not the moment for making ex.. periments. He would not follow the Hon. Cert. tleman. who made the Motion, in attacks on the-con. duet-of the late MinisterS. Lie had given his con. fidence tcithem; because they wete'rried and known. But this was not the case with their Successors—ss He did not wish to prejudge their condua- or their abilitiei, but he could not trust to any abilities, untried, at a moment like the present. It was well said by an Author, whose Works have longer sur. vived. than-anonymous Works generally do, "'that suspicion is a sufficient ground for Inquiry." He conceived. this to be'a good principle- for a British House of Commons to ad upon. The Motion has many precedents: Committees of • Inquiry were moved for and granted during the American War ; the India Bill ;, and at the time of -the King's illness . .. He. presumed it would not be said that the labours..of those Committees had been nugatory. .Two of the, subjeas, on which it is proposed" that Inquiry, should now be. instituted, • the prim. ciples of Neutral Law, and the Catholic Emancie patios in Ireland, are of the highest importance in themselves, and intimately conneaed with •the most valuable interests of the Country.-.. —He did not wish that the- decision- upon these interests should be left to the Ministers, who had ,hiaterto given no proof of their talents. When they shew that they are possessed.,olabilities, when' their conduti..has proved their capacity, then he would support. there; but. of .all things, he deprecated blind confidence ; they may be satisfied of their own abilities, from the- arduous task they have under. taken. ,Phaeton;i the .son, of. .40//ay drove the ChAriot of the Sun for a day--.she,-,. was: . satisfied Of ability to do it—but the effect was, he set the world on fire I: Mr.,. Er, t n .ts and Mr. MAY said each a few words against the; Motion. . Lord Tz.vtrlE explained.. - ' Sir IV YOUNG said, he hail supported the late MinisterS because he had repesed confidence in them, and he did _nor, think 'his confidence was founded .on slight; grounds ; but he certainly would vote,for the:present Motion., , He .had opposed si. milar Mations formerly, on grounds-of policy arising from the -unseasonableness of the times for condutt. ing_such _; -but he supported this Motion on the same grounds ,of policy, that - the• circumstances of the present, .. times: rendered: :Inquiry necessary ; he had opposed:foriner Motion's:for Inquiry, be. cause he had confidence .. in the then Ministry. 7 -but he supported the present ,- Minion became he could not -.have confidence in new Ministers-i*i they 'profess .they . w ill aft- on ' the same general , prin. ciples with, their predecessors, but the House haS no assurance .that they will ad on all the principles.of their predecessorsi. Holvoted for Inquiry, not uponi. grounds of ;suspicion, but, because. hethought it 11e..• cessary for the salvation -of the Country. Mr.. PITT said,: that , after what the douse had . . heard from his Right Hon..Friencl, much as he, watn interested in the question, and some of the topics ' twhich.were. opened by the .1. - Icitt. Gentleman whose Motion was now before the Ilousei he should have': felt that he. had but little excuse for troubling the', ,House: much at ••large upon , the preent sUbjed, if ' the debate, had not, from. a few: words. which fell. ' from another Honourable' Gentlernan,-,taken. a turn totally. different; , from that. which IIiAS , introduced by the Hortuurable' Mover.:—The principal pare/ of the :time which he employed in the discussion, was consumed in endeavouring to satisfy the House,' that he. suspecting' some G6ttlemen had improperly resigned- their -situations .uncletovernment, - that "w,as sufficient ltetinduce the , House to go into an In_ quiry into. , the-State of the ,Nation.--If it had not been for .sotne..olservatkont, that. , were made upon those Resigtjations, and,iie had. been aware that , no :Gentleman : would give :his vote-this night upon any biit . a consideration.of this plainstatement of thii•simple question,, - Do -the.:arguments this night , , alter the principles. on:' which: you yourselves have . aced for nearlyuine years ?L;-if, he said, it had not een for some observations which_were independent f that question,: simply so stared, he should have felt t . hardly necessary for. him to. bane troubled the . House at ally but to. piss by in silence, and rely on the, judgment , of the House, every thing which telated to. his own- persoeal .conduft.—He hoped that-this .latlguagetwould . not be mistaken for indif. Pre= in , ESA 41 to the opinion of 'the House; or of-