The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-13 00:00:00

isrder for the iquiprneit arrived at Feri:ol on the
7th, and that on the I sth following another order
should hare been ient to contradi& it. If therefore it
could be true that it was a hostile movement concert-
ed between France and Spain against England, the
communication between Paris, Madrid, Ferrol ;
Ferrol, Madrid, Paris; and back again to Ferrol, must
have been the quickest that ever had been heard of.
'l-here were a number of other considerations to sherd

how impossible it was that France could have forced
its ally into so ridiculnui and unavailing a measure,
If the subsidy of half the revenues of Spain was
so great an objofi to France, how could it expeet
that the subsidies could be paid, togezher with
the enormous expences atteneant on such naval
armaments as could ever make the slightest irn-
ptession upon England, or that while the treasure
ships containing the subsidy were at sea, France
should urge Spain to a measure that must in-
fallibly at least en...anger them? He further
observed, that in Lord 1 larrowhy's first letter to
Mr. Frere, he insti nets him to lay the princieal stress
upon the naval equipments; and that in his second
letter, he dirten. him, should these equipments be
sn well expleined. as to lice them from being ob-
jaetinnalle, even to ourselves, then to return to the
subject ot the ceuvention. la tespeset to this con-
vention, it had been Asked, why Spain should re-
fuse to communicate it. if it did not contain some
articles injurious to the interesti et England? These
qiieeti•ns sounded well, and the House ougi.t be-
fore whey., been informed of what he had learned,
from very gnod authority, that this communication,
so much insisted on, had never been peremptorily
demanded, men the month of ()Reber last. There
eauid be little doubt, notwithstruding all this parade,
that the Ministers were fully informed of every
circum tar.ce and article of the convention. He
fof one believed they were and as they knew that
the subsidy was three millions a year. and diet
there was one aria(' that the King ot Spain would
would use his best offices in testate of Portugal, it
would be difficult to believe that they were not also
in possession of the rest of it. He next mentioned
an idler circumstarree, to show that ner ministers had
no disposition to keep well w'tli Pertugal. When
a personal difference arose between Mr. Frete
and the Prime of Peace, Mr. le-ere was re-
called, alter presenting an ultire turn to the
Spanish Ministers, requiring an utter:am in four
days in the interval or which he departed, leaving
his brother, who was also his S ir,etary, to trensael
business in his absence. So near a reietive as a brother,
was certainly a very unfit persoa w settle so many
difficult points, togeuier with the abruptness of the
ulainatuunwhich was a conduct he bell. ved never be-
f ne pursued by any minineis who were sincerely de.
siv.us of maintaining peace. At first it was possible
there might have been a secret understanding be-
tween this country and Spain to reseea its neutra-
lity till some favourable moment reieht arise for its
freeing itself front its fetters ; but, at all events, he
thought our best policy would b , to remain in
that hope, for while we remain at war with France,
the neutrality of Spain vreula ale eys Le or great
advantage to us. After adverting to a va: key of
other topic., he inveighed very strongly against
that pertinacity on our part, in expeCting Spain
to he explicit in tee: e thing, stud ourselves
in nothing ; but, most of all, he condemned
the unjustirieble attack upon the ships and
flag of the King of Spain. 'I here was a g.s.st dif-
ferense between detaining m reliant-ships ire our
harbours, and that of an attack upon the royal flag
of any nation. You may. indeed, restore the pep-
perty, but h w can you restore the honenr of cute
flag ? and, nn st of ell, the lives that have been lost ?
Was it not a terrble thing that the infraCtioil i t at, '
agreement, in a case capable of explanation, ehoeie
be followed up by immediate hostilities? tVhile llis
Majesty's Minister was in the ad of negocieting
with the Spanish Minister for peace, we had ireliZteil
the wound ot wee. 'I his was like promising to giee
a fair and impartial trial to a culprit, after he had
been condemned. He would venture to say, that it
was a proceedii g, without example in the
worst of times recorded in history. He should
wish to know what any man would say to the
Minister who should protra& nertiation, and
profess himself desirous of conciliation at the very
tine he was conscious that war had been actually
commenced ; while he knew that the flags of that
very nation had been insulted, her ships taken, her
treasures seized, and her sailors killed in battle.-
Ile would ask was there a man of the rank of a
Geutleman, who would putt himself into that situa-
tion ? Where, in the name of God, wexowe to find
precedent for this case. unless in the reign of Charles
11. which was reprobated by every hot e,t man of
the time, and will be handed down with disgrace
to the latest poet With respect to the seizure
of the Spinals treasures, it was idle to call it a pre-
cautionary measure. It was an act of war, and not
a proceeding of precaution. lie challenged any
man to produce a precedent of a case in which it was
considered in any other light. The Honourable
Member next adverted Lt., the arguments ad-
' vented, on the preceding night, by the Advocate-
General, relative to the declaration of war. He
b geed leave to quote, in answer, a Royal Procla-
mation, in the London Gazette, in the year 17R2,
regniri .g all His Majesty's Officers to make a return
ot the ships taken from the enemy, prei. ions to a de-
claretion of war, in order that the same might be
retuined, with a view to the preservation of the
rglits of nations. This, lie observed, was done for the
purpose of restitution, and he hoped there was some
such declaration in the present case. lie challenged
the Gentlemen ontheother side of the House, to ...hew a
case, in which, peedinganegocietion and an assurance
of explanation, hostilities had eftuelly commenced,
and while holding out tranquillity, and inducing a
nation to enter into engagements with other powers
for its prcservatinn, to break out into sudden and
open war. For his part, he could find no prece-
dent for such outrageous condo& With regard to
the caution given on the preceding night, that see
must take care not to damp the spirits of the peo-
ple—was he. therefore, to remain silent, and
suffer the people to be the dupes of Ministers?—
When Ili* Majesty ordered the Papers to be laid
before the House, it was for the purpose of full and
open discussion, and not in expectation of a tame
and silent vote. If a man wishes to convince man-
kind of his sincerity, he must begin by being tin-
sere ; and the best way to acquire confidence, and
avoid damping the spirit of the people, was to con-
ceal nothing, and sLew that day possess your full