The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-03-07 00:00:00

burthens they now impose, and be cattt4Oui• dad
eiey may not be such as peculiar!y to aggravate the
feelings of the people. I remember the day when
the charaaer of the independent country gentle..
men, for whom certainly no man can have more
respeft, than I have, stood much higher id this
House and in the country, than it does at present:
I hope Vey will this night recollea, that their rank
and japntation never were dimmished, till they
were sunk during the seventeen years of the former
administration of the author of this measure, whose
corrupt and unprincipled system of bestowing titles
to the number of more than one moiety of the other
branch of the legislature, at the same time, lowered
the ancient dignity of the Peerage, a•td impaired and
undermined the independence of the House of
Commons, and the confidence reposed in it by the
people of the country. I know that it is sometimes
represented as in►idioes to deal in distinaioos be-
tween one description of Members and another ;
but, it would be unmanly in me, feeling as I do, to
abstain from them. when, by detaching from this
House, those to whom the mass of the people look
with most veneration and confidence, there is a gra-
dual introduaion into the constitution of the ano-
maly of a popular assembly, uncontroulable by the
sentiments of the people. I therefore once more
conjure the country gentlemen to keep themselves,
on this occasion, aloof from the political prejudices
or the bustling of parties. I.et them call to mind
that, in the midst of the dangers that surround us,
it is only by gaining the cuntiticnce of the people
that we era stand upon an impregnable grour.d,
and meet any circumstances that may possibly arise
without fear or apprehension. It is by securing to
ourselves this confidence, that we can best secure
the co-operation and assistance. of those powers on
the continent who may be disposed to make a com-
mon cause with as; by convincing them that, in-
stead of having no more than treaties with the Mi-
nisters and with Government to depend upon, they
are making an alliance with the hearts and hands of
the people of this country ; and, most of all, it is
by this reliance on the hearts of our breve
countrymen. that we can hope, with a just confi-
dence, to be able to set bounds to the vast aad dar-
ing ambition of an overbearing, perfidious, aaive,
sad enterprising enemy; who employs against us,
with unparalleled craft and animosity, the same in-
struments that have already overwhelmed the most
ancient and magnificent monarchy in the world,
and. by doing so, have probably for ever. desuoyed
the liberties and happiness of a polished, brave, en-
lightened, and generous nation. I now, Sir, move
for leave to bring in a Bill for the Repeal of the
Defence Aft of List year." •

The CH INC: LLOR of the EXCHEQUER—
'. In proposing, Sir, to idler slime reply to the very
few parts of the speech jest delivered, which bear
any relation to thereat merits of this question, I by
no means • feel myself ender the necessity of follow-
ing the (tor,. Gentleman through all those collateral
topics which, h .wever irrelevantly, he has thoaght
proper io Weed with it. I shall not take up the
tin.e of the House iu making cominenti on
the two preanahles which he delivered in the
outset. tfr that which, I suppose, he thought
very impo: mars, winch he inuodoced towards the •
conclusion; but I .7.innot fOrhen on., or L•vo remarks
on what he supposed to have passed is, the min Is of
lain opyoner.o. at the time when he gave notice of his
intention to bring forward his pre sent Mfaion ;
though. iu truth, I arn,raih-r of opinion, that he
was himself th inventor of tha surprise or indigos-
deo %drink, due rxri, erns
.eapeessed on thittairkrof
the House, mere( to give him an opportunity of
Answ-ring what rtrvett 1143.1 any enhaeace, except in
his CAV4 itnaginatino. It is, iodeed, true, that there
was one of those cbullitinlis wifich sometimes are
found to break oat. but it came from a kind of an
acclamation asised by his Honourable Friends be-
hind him, and after a formal manifestation was
given of his opinion in another place out of the dim, a
of this House ; but the Hon. Gentleman might have
taken notice, that the loudest declamation was made
by those who reluiflantly and sulkily went out to
divide in favour of the motion for a Committee
of Inquiry, and who, no doubt, were glad to find
that the lion. Gentleman *as made a convert of by
the eloquence and brilliant talents of my Right
Tian. Friend who brought forward that motion. I,
in common with that Hon. Gentleman and every
other Member of this House, could not fart admire
the spleodid eloquence and brilliant talents displayed
by my Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Windham) on that
as well aeon every other occasion ; but my admira-
tion did not so far sun away with my judgment, as
to induce me to concur with him. The whole Hou-e
observed the Hon Gentleman taking very volumi-
nous notes throughout the whole of that able speech,
and the general impression assuredly was, that he
meant to have immediately answered him; but, to
our astonishment, instead of doing so, and after
having taken ten Jays to consider of the matter, he
now comes forth to direEl the artillery of what
little argument he has advanced against the speech
of my Right Hon. Friend near me (Mr. Canning),
and these skulkers, who failed of success, when aid-
ed by the shining talents of the leader of that night,
are now happy to engage again under the more au-
spicious banners of the champion of this evening.'
The Hon. Gentleman, I Assure him, was in error to
suppose that we on our part shewed any surprise or
indignation; for, if we espiesseid auy thing, it could
be no more than our present re/311110n to meet him.
The next preamble of the I lon. Gentleman was evi-
dently directed to conciliate my Right Hon. Friend
near him by a stream of panegyrics on his well
known abilities, but unfortunately, in the subse-
quent part of his speech, he quite forgets him-
self ; aod, by doing away all his former strain of
eulogy. dismisses all the soothing qualities of his
format associate, and openly attacks him on those
very points which he most strenuously retied upon.
He even 'larded all those as leading points of eon-
devastation, for which my Honourable friend was
most strenuous, and pitrucularly expressed his ap-
probation of a varied force. although my Right
Hoomwahle friend's beautiful theory was built upon
the system of uniformity of force. Withal* same
infelicity of conciliation he eapressed, as well now,
as on many other occasions, a pride in being the
champion of that voluniser system which has been
so utterly espieded by his Right Honourable friend.
Bet I skull two proceed arm this pint of contradic-
tions io their seasinsessts, as I wide not to breed any
taiskief between them. sr sow any dimension be-
tween two oewlysecescilediriends..Basorithout pro.