The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-25 00:00:00

French to give redress for any injury complained of,
or make a prcper satisfadion, he could notesehide
the time, and the propriety of the demand. •He
could not examine the nature of the address without
enquiring, at the same time, into the general con-
dud of the Ministers. The address proposed to
thank his Majesty for his uniform efforts to preserve
the peace of the country. He could not be suppoied,
in Parliamentary language, to say any thing per-
sonally of his Majesty or his efforts, but consider
the address as relating to the Ministe, s only ; stud as
the papers exhibited quite the reverse of any such
proposition, he for one was far from feeling a dispo-
sition to thank them for their uniform consistency
in endeavouring to avoid hostilities. The Right
Hon. Gentleman who spoke last wished that there
should be a truce with the conduit of the Adminis-
tration till to-morrow, or some future day. 44 I
am," said he, " for some time past so much un-
used to political affairs, that I find myself
unqualified to form any accurate udgment upon
parties." For these two days past we have had,
what was rather unusual for a considerable time
amongst them, a Right Hon. Gentlernan (Mr. Pitt)
of great weight, and justly admired talents ; and
probably it is in deference to him that the House has
been called upon not to discuss this 'natter in his
presence. But however much we may rejoice in
his re-appearance, I should rather wish him again
absent, than that his presence should impose upon
us a silence injurious to the most essential interests
of the nation. The sentiments of some Gentlemen
seemed to be, forbear for the present, and have at
him to-Morrow if you please; but I can acknowledge
no cause now for a restraint which was not deemed
necessary in a case of such a subordinate nature as
whether the House should adjourn front Friday till
hnalay. Gentlemen have not been sparing of ge-
neral principles in reference to this subjea, and the
House, I presume, will think me the more excuse-
able in stating some myielf. First then, without pre-
tending to deeper study than others, from ull these
heads, I cannot hesitateto maintain, that, throughout
the question there is no just ground of war, except
the refusal of satisfaftion. If an injury be received,
the proper mode of prdceeding is by the demand of
reparation, and the justice of the quarrel.will then
depend on the refusal or acquiescence of the party
said to be the aggressor. Some who possess power
will occasionally take that reparation into their own
hands, bet it will scarcely be maintained that. it is
the most justifiable means of proceeding.• -Excep-
tions might perhaps be made out by such ingenuity
as we have been for some time in the habit of own-
ing, but I speak of the general rule, which I believe
to be scarcely controvertible. The question in my
opinion is this : Has the conduit of France towardi
this country been unjustifiable since the conclusion
of the Treaty of Amiens ? As tet any aggressiop that
reighthave been committed against other nations, I
deny that it is a just cause viwar to England. We have
not, as far as I know, any guarantee unbind us to mai
tain the independence of Switzerland. The aggran-
disement of a rival country to a certain extent may
furnish a grOUnd of quarrel for self-defence, and in-
duce a country such as this to enter into a qaal.tel
with another circumstanced as France may be supe
pined to be. Within oueown yecolleaion we kat*:
Of two divisions which have. been distinguished fiir
their eminence in profligacy and ambition. In point
of justice and liberality it was the duty of Fratiee•
and England to have united to oppose it. Diiithe
Right -Hon. Gentleman, who was Minister: at-
the time, then make it the cause of war ? I never
heard that he did, though there could be no • doubt
of its injustice. Suppose France had, as rumour
rhatsscge4,.. invited us to join in that objea, and
tlieltad•tefu,sid, may we not be eqUally accused of
• .
possessing the 411/1111 anitnsu. The Continent was in
no better state at the time that the peace of Amiens
was so zealously defended. Neither the Ministers -
nor the people of :this country could, have"
any reliance ou the disposition of the French Go-
vernment. Every security of this kind must be
more. or less imperfeet according to circumstances.
HaileNs-criutury.always gone on the principle of
sieloaegiai security, instead of the few intervalt of
pesee-iwe occasionally enjeo ed, England would
have been in a state of perpetual and uninterrupted
war for the last 'two centuries. France has been
arraigned for the part it has taken in the settlement
of the indemnities of Germany. My indignation
on that snbjed, is not .direked particularly against
France, but
.against all the powers of Europe that
have been concerned in them, as such indemnities
and compensations cannot be made to some powers
without the oppression. of others. These indem-
nities were admitted by the head of the Empire in
the treaty of Luneviile, and France and Russia
principally regulated thetn as the mediating powers.
Austria certainly was and must haler• been a loser
then from its unfortunate canithigas, and the
triumphal career of the First Consul. France
having then joined with Russia in their pro-
posals, was no more ground of quarrel with the lat-
ter than the former power. With regard to the
complaints alledged respeeling the incorporation of
,Piedmont, I can only consider it as a matter of mere
Word, Long before that event, and before the
Treaty of Amiens was ever thought of, France was
in the occupation of Piedmont, and held it under
the new revolutionary name of the 57th military di-
vision. It was, therefore, as much the property of
the French then, by conquest, as Gibraltar has been
so loqg one of the possessions of Great Brita;n. The
Noble Secretary of State very lowly said, on a for-
mer day, that all treaties must be considered with
reference to the Situeion of the contrasting parties
at the time ; and upon this principle the retention of
Piedmont could be no ground• of quarrel to us as
It was x province of France at the moment that the
treaty was concluded. The next point towhich I have
to refer is certainly in every respect of much greater
importance. I mean the condua of France in re-
gard to Switzerland. France was enjoyed by a
solemn treaty tc withdraw its troops from that un-
!mum* country, where it had previously esta-
blished a gpvernment repugnant to the sentiments,
the feelings. the prejudices, and the habits of the
people. • No sooner were the troops withdrawn,
Conformably with the treaty, than the different
Cantons attacked and abolished that new govern-
ment, which furnished a pretext of the troops of
the First Camel to enter into and occupy that coun-
try again. There is no man existing who feels more
sensibly th4i 1110. the gross injustice of France; in
every moral and political point of view, towards
that devoted .nation but lam ready to maintain,
that it was, not an as of hostile. aggression against
this country. It seems for some time past, that the
very name of the Fast Consul has be considered

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