The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-01-24 00:00:00

If so, the greater the talents in Opposition,
effraual the check. Now, as we must
the present Opposition to possess great ta-
follows, as a natural corollary, that the
the present Gentlemen remain in that state,
tter for the country. Although Gentlemen
divide the House, they wished to divide the
public opinion, and qualified their assent with re.
marks tending to lessen the popularity of a mea-
sure which intitled Mioisters to the gratitude of their
country, fur having upheld its honour during the
whole course of the transaflion, I mean, the late
Negotiation with France ; the proposition ori-
ginated with France, and the Nempciation com-
menced under auspices the most in opitieus. At the
heal of the Foreign Department was that Minister
whose loss the nation so justly deplores. A man,
wha, amid the endowments of a mighty mind, was
pent! Any gifted with those qualities which fitted
him for Negotiation in difficult times. To a vast,
comprehensive. and eultivated understanding, he
j• ified the moil intimate knowledge of the various
litre: es• s of Europe A weeks of manner, and a
spirit of concliation, engaged Foreign hlinisters to
to at with him; •vhile his prohity and knawn honour
if, sr-d the confidence of !heir masters. Devoid of
g,• c, he had nothing equivocal in his condnal, no.
t: as; amteguous in his language He mored sti :right
one arilt, tits 00*.`t, without turn mg into the paths
of tf noke.l policy, or left handed wi,d an There
was nothing counterfeit in him. TM. affability
Bowed from the heart. 'this natural greatness re-
qeired not the aid of assumed eringance to give
bins consequence. H. was too gre it to he haughty.
goo wise to be ennui g He was one of the few
Sta.esmen who knew the value of that ad ige,
which, though honiel is true in pol••es AS W.ll es
morals, that " hours y is the bestpolicy."-Far he
it fr sin me to atte ipt his praise; it would riquire
p • -r, as gigantic as his owo to do him jusece ;
we.f- '-a toting, I should be sileat. I never receiv.
ed • ten •: at NS hand. I leave it for those who
have, to iron l.is memory lightly. I speak of 1-m
as a man ti ho loves his ceints y mast ten, whist
dellorirg it. bright •st otna:l7,-:t. '111:s com-
menced the Negociation—ia ogress was
eonduCted, on the pan of England, in the true spi-
rit tat Peace, and wit!, a sincetity, which has always
chataelevised this country ; its rupture was ocem
sinned by tie duplicity of a Goveinment, whose ft.
delity to its engagements is measured by no other
standard, than that of its own interests. Now. Sir,
as to the second head. Whatever differences of opi-
nion may prevail in this House, upon the various
topics generally hr maht before it, there are two I
points ii pen whinh 1 cannot areic;pate much diver.
city of ee• tonere. The one, the increased danger
to whith this country is exposed, by recent Moto
spa the Continent. The other. the necessity of
meeting that danger, with the spirit and energy be-
fitting a brave peeple, determined to be free.
With re pea to the danger, I believe there sae
few sceptic, ; but I.ast cf Olean they be bond in he
rank. of (la se who comansed the late Adatieibtra.
tion ; for if the alarm C ev spteara •heoughout the
land. sea; then well founded, in what a multiplied
Noir• is the darter now increased. • But if any mate
doisb sit the defter, let him lock at thr extent of
coast from toe Iktatatic to the Baltic ; the immense
popu t ion ; toe nu •nerous Weil disciplined and well
commanded armies ; nJ fish la,rn considi r, that all
thee, resources ate at the arcererouled dispnsal et
ere man who h c bW"TtI upon his altars eternal
hate 43 to %nem but I learn, that an idea prevail.,
h tat tr is country is secisto as long as she preserves
- oria int ivy at sea . No opinfen mote natural te
be orn.eci no opinion mote t:AI gr.:tins to be relied
or.. It this wise true, then ihdred might every man
in the rare lay his head upon his primw in petite
security. It is impossible to value mete hifahly. or to
feel mere proudly than I do, the brilliant achieve-
ments of our galiata tats. I know, that when the
firers of France are met by those of England, vie.
tory is no longer doubtful ; and that the only qua.
Lion now asked by a British Commander is, not
what is the toice, bat, where is the enemy toe
But knowing all thi.. I also know that the sea is
wide, and that the el nienti ase tickle; and Minim
tet• must be enaowed with sum maw* powers;
they rust " ride in the whirlwind, and direct the
nom ;" they most be able to tell the sea• " Thus
far birth ti•ott go, and no farther. There shall thy
proud waves be stayed All this they must do, be.
tore I can trust the safety of my country, merely to
its superiority at sea. It is true, the ports of the
eaf my are blockaderi ; and, as it is affettedly expres.
see, then fiats are hermetically seal, d up. As brag
as this hteckade continu• s, and the seals unbroken,
tie rourery may be safe ; but the same gale that
trona cur fleets to seek salter in their own ports.
gives tier egress to those of the enemy to escape
from theirs. What has been may be ; none can
forget that the expedition under Hoche was p•e-
vented finm landing in Ireland, solely by the
interposition of a providential hurricane. New, as
I have not learned that Ministers have laid in a
stock • f spare hurricanes, or that they have entered
into any commercial treaty with the old Ladies at
Lapland, who ere said to traffic in this article, I
eaonot conclude the country safe, merely because it
is •Itill•flOT at e.'a. But in stating the danger, I
• mint noise will im.gine that I mean to create dis-
ma) or despondency. I know that if the danger is
great, the spirit and resources of the nation are
equal to meet it ; but I wish to alarm to vigilance,
cache to caution. and to rouse into anion, the
energies of the country, for its own salvation.—
But, above all things, I am ansious that we
should not slumber under 'the shade of false se-
curity, " Lest in that sleep we meet death."
—Having shewn that Government has not been able
to tei.nre the blessirgs of pence, and that the con-
tinif.e.au of die war is inevitable; having stated
the dasio,er as it appears to me, and having poisfed
out the fallacy of relying solely upon naval strength,
splendid ea its renown is, I now come to the other
arm of nor national force, so esomrial in skim of
the 'apposed cases. The excellence of our present
army is acknowledged by every man in the nation,
and it lives in the recollection of the enemies of
our enufitiy. Ent we are inferior to the enemy in
numerical force alone. I lay it down as a posi-
tion, as incontrovertible as any theorem in F.uclid,
that whatever arm the enemy assails you with, he
should he met Sy you with one of equal efficiency.
If the enemy were to invade you with the train bands
of Yarn, I should be coateot to meet them with the

Train Bands of London. But as he trill come with
regular disciplined armies, inflated on the one hand
by continued victories on the Continent, and impel-
led, on the other, by the prospe&ive plunder of this
couctry, he must be opposed by regular discip-
lined troops, prepared to conquer or to die. Hence
the necessity of increasing that force is evident.
But let me not be supposed to think lightly of that
bright effusion of national spirit, which burst forth
in the hour of danger, so much to the honour of the
Volunteers, and the manifestation of which spirit
could not have failed to impress dismay upon the
enemies of their country. lam persuaded, that, in
different shape, this force would be an essential
auxiliary to the regular army. As to the mode of
angmenting that army, there is a difference of opi-
nion. The principle upon which the Wa• Minister
has founded his measures for improving the condi-
tion of the soldiers, as far as it goes, appears to me
to be admirably calculated to produce its effeas,
but no measure of peispeCtive improvements can be
expected to come into anniediat.- operation ; I con-
sider the Flan as securing a regular and good in-
come, without racking the tenantry ; but it is neces-
sary to have a fund in hand, literally, as well as
metaphorically, to carry on the war. It is true,
our ancestors were justly jealous of large stand.
lug armies, as clan;erosis to their libertati.
With respell to the Estimates ••n the Table, the
able speech of Ihe West Hon. Gentleman has left
little ro be sat I on ? at hem,: and, it is the less rte.
cessary to each upitn them, as the d.tails will be
the subject or a future discussion. And now let
me implore Gentletio'n to ►ecollect, that the ryes
not only of this couittry, Isu. of Europe, and the
whole eivil.srd world, are anxiously fixed upon the
prover dings of tire British Senate ; aod let it not be
said, that the Impetual Parliament, forgetting the
great obj.-as worthy of it. ziptified character, shall
occupy itself wit., we lime di...pmes of party poli-
tics, cec•.•,.ding how to get this man in or that man
out I,t .• Government, insteau (*employing all its
energy t>kt up out that Arch-Enemy os Govern-
niel:ts. We are engaged in nu ordinary warfare?
We contend with no common enemy, unless indeed
the common enemy to all mank.:.d. He ..as sworn
vengeance: your sins are of f: nsture he cannot for
give !—You are loyal, c-oitent, and free I—You ag-
gravatethesecrimes! You resoive to continue tree! .
your punislime,.: would be extermination. He
cemes it conquest on!y, neither would pillage
satiate s math.—Desolatiee and destruction ate
his objeas—the detenda Geratage be applies to you.
The existence of all yore hold dear is at stake—
Property ! Liberty Life 1 You fight to preserve
a chaste and beloved wife from the violation of a
licentious soldiery, and your smiling infant from their
destructive bayonet. But your cause is just ; your
people brave and un:ted : be but vigilant ; let him
advance; he will be met by treemen, determined to
Lose theie liberties but with their liv(s."

Ci•lonel ‘VILDEit jo;nel with his Honourabe
Priem: t! e Baron:-t, as to tne propriety of the late '
measures adoptef hp tars M..) sty's islinisrers, and
said, th it from lie own expereii nee he had as oppor-
oily of perceiviog thvir ettic icy. particularly in the
incre.se of the number of rec. nits since use intro-
dation of the new alili.ary system.
Lad BEAYN EY recommended to Nlinti tat an
expedient to prevent impositio ,s, to whtcn he
thought the new system too subje•-t.
Colon.:1 l'i-fEW thought the Noble Lord's
apptehension with raped to imposition was un-
necessary.
fs,r. JOHNSTONE stated his surprise, on find-
ing that the statement of his Noble Friend. (cord
Castlereagh) on a former night, had not yet bee:,
answered. i-br conty.aturat.,l the friends of the
Ministry, on being waling to confess that the past
Administration, ankh they had so often cleated,
was the only energetic foist vigorous system of Ge•
treatment, vrhicn had been for two years past pur-
sued. lie coi,cluoes with observing, that the
tinnier Ministry had, without any boasting mani•
to toes, proceeded to ation, while the present had
only amused the nation with promises, and pro-
duced nothing.
Mr. ROSE stated, at considerable length, the
impropriety of the present Maniitay's conduit. lie
observed. that rte system of economy had been ad-
hered to; and took an opportunity of contrasting
the extravagance of the present Ministers, with his
own patriotic frugality, when hi office. He then
entered into the exorbitant rates of the Clothing
&tint rtes, and assured Ministers, that he had, in
his official capacity, not hesitated to reduce the
Contrators' prices of cloths, tapes, worsteds, kc.
With such views of practical economy, it was no
wonder he should differ from the prodigal spirit
displayed by the Ministers of the present day.
Mr. H. THORNTON spoke in favour of the
new system, as being likely to supply us with a
respettable army at a future period, but could not
hep fearing, that as to an immediate supply, which
we stood so much in need ot, it would be found ex-
eatxemelj detative.
Mr. JACOB and Sir ROBERT WILLIAMS
both spoke so favour of the conduit of the present
Administration.
Lord H. PE (TY said, that he had always enter-
tained the same opinion of the Military System,
which his Right Hon. Friend had so fortunately re-
commended and established. The Hon. Gentle-
man, it is true. had entered into a minute and
paltry calculation, unworthy of themselves, and
much more so of their country. There are some
ebjetts undoubtedly, where we should shape out-
selves to the means ; others there are of such great
magnitude, that we shouid shape the means to the
ohjeks. Such wa-s that grand objat, the establish-
ment of a respcdtable and poweiful army. Ills
system, however, was at the same time adapted to
both purposes, the establishment of a powerful
army, and ao economical system of finance. The
provision %% Inch it afkrded to the worn-out veteran.
would not certa'aly be a source of regret to any
other inhabitants of this land, hitherto so grateful
to its defenders, except the Hon. Gentleman and
the Noble Lord his Irhea&

After several obsiovations on the economy ob-
served by the Ministry, in every department of
Government, he concluded with °lncising. that he
wraild not, ocr would his colleagues act as former
Monsters luid done, iii oirhholding from the Gen.
tUenerr on the opposite side of the Rinse, every in-
fo-illation relative to the coriiiuct GI Ministerial af-
f sirs front lime to time.

Mr. ROSE spoke in explanation.
The Secretary At War and Sir John Newport '
both spoke in favour of the Reprz:, and the con-
duct of the present Administration ; as did al.so
Mr Secretary Windham. Colonel Wilder, and Mr.
B. Bathur t, to whom Lord Castlereagh and Mr.
Perceval replied at considetable length.
Lord IiOWIC% °bre, ye], he was sorry to per-
ceive tftat the Gentlemen on the opposite side were
determined ro harass eery individual of Ilia Ma-
jesty's Ministert„ by itittodueing again questions
which had long since been answered, and charges
which had been over and over refuted. This con-
duct was, however, though unfair, at least consist-
ent, on their part ; and, perhaps, the Gentlemen
were of opinion, there was a species of virtue in be-
ing consistent, even in error.
The Report was then read the second time, and
agreed to, and leave was given to bring in a Bill
pursuant thereto.
Mr. VANSITTART then moved, " That there
be laid before the House a coned List of the num-
ber of men raised by the recruiting service, from
the year 1800 to the present year, distinguishing the
number raised each year separately.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT' then gave notice, that
he would, in the Committee of Ways and Means,
me ye, " That the sum of one million, on Exche-
quer Bills, he raised for Ireland."

At THREE o'CLOCK the House adjourned
till Monday.

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