The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-04-20 00:00:00

STATE OF THY NATION.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
'roved, " that his Majesty's Speech to bikth Houses
of Parliame-t, on Wednesday the ‘23d of November,
be now read"—which being complied with, he far-
ther moved," that the House should, on Thursday
se= resolve itself into a Committe, to take into con-
aidt r itiou as much of the said Speech as related to
grantiog such accommodations and facilities to
mercantile transaCtions as may be consistent with the
security of the public revenue."
General :.;:ViCOIGNE observed, that before a
measure of such importance was brought forward,
the House and the public had a right to expc&
some communications relating to public affairs,
on the part of the Ministers of the Crewn. Six weeks
bad now elapsed since his Majesty had announced
that the country was in danger, and threatened with
hostility ; and surely, the commercial part of the
nation and the community had a right to know,
prstvicusly to the adoption of e,sential measures,
upon what ground we stood ; and whether these
plans were conneaed with a war or with a paace
establishment. It was with surprise and regret, he
obierved, that no conununication was made of the
nature he alluded to, though the trade of the conn-
ry experienced a considerable check and loss, which
not be remedied by the silence of Ministers ;
aad the suspense in which the country was held, af-
t, r so lons a recess. lie therefore gave notice,
that he should not admit the proposed Motion to
',ass, without taking the sense of the House on the
opriety of entertaining it while the Ilouse was de-
prived of the necessary mformation, at this time so
de,:rable, through the culpability of Ministers.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUF.R
64 What the conneCtion can be between the subjeas
referred to by the Hen Member, namely, the silence
of Nlini,ters, and the question, what the House
would, unciar any circumstances. he naturally in.
alined to adopt--I mean that of giving facility and
accommodation to mercantile transaclions, I am at
to conceive. Th, Hon. Gentleman has ac-
cused his Majesty's Ministers of persisting now in
!be same silence they preserved respeCting the situa-
Lon of political affairs before the late receFs.—
I can assure the House, however, that the silence
complained of on the part of the servants of the
Crown, was not wilful, but v rendered necessary, from
•

the nature and.iniportance of the case. There are no
men feel more strongly than they do the inconve-
niences land checks to which our commerce has
been exposed by the cincunistances alluded to, nor
ssaio can be mare ausious to relieve them. I should
therefore have expeaed trout the candour of the
lon. Gentleman, that he would have preferred to
s.ohstitute the word responsibility for culpability.—
Ministers strongly feel themselves responsible for all
tl kat has taken place, and are sensible that the I louse
has a tight to eyed a satisfadory explanation. I
can with confidence assert that his Majesty's Mini-
sters have omitted no eirort, which could tend to
shorten the suspense which is justly-considered as inju-
rious, and I must add, that at this moment I am nut
enabled to make any communication of the nature
that Hon. Gentleman requires. I am not therefOre
prepared to pledge myself to any thing, but have
TCASUn to think that in a very few days I shall be au-

thetrisellso Mike n‘comMuniention on the stibjea of
what the public at large, and the commercial con-
cerns particularly are so materially interested." He
then gave notice that it was his intention, in the
Comrrnttee, on Thursday next, to propose a plan
which had been long in agitation for the consolida-
tion of the Customs.
Mr. FRANCIS contended that there was a very
material connexion between the mercantile interest
and the political subjeas, on which, in his opinion,
Ministers observed too long a silence. Nothing
regarding trade could be fully or fairly discussed,
until we knew in what situation we stood: and the
present state of delay and suspense was such as
could not long be endured, and which the public
would not long bear with.
No reply being made to Mr. Francis, the motion
was put and carried.
The b:xpiring Laws Bill was read a second time,
and the -House adjourned till to-morrow.