The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-01-20 00:00:00

Went concluded, we left America iu a State of hos-
tility and alienation, apparently with great pvoba.
bility of a connexion with Frame leading her into
a state of war with us. The commerce of America
has suieredasuch—ber own measure of embargo,
(whether Ate or not) was iti itself a prodigious re-
straint on her trade, and indeed nearly tended to
its total annihilation. It was always alleged that
we were justified in our " Orders in Council," be-
cause that neutral power had not taken the neces-
sary steps to obtain from France a revocation of her
decree. The American Government seems to have
conducted itself with much activity on this subject.
An application was made to France, which 1 think
seems to acquit that Government of any wish to
favour France more than England, and also to ac-
quit her of a desire to do any ttriugmore than pro-
tecting her own interest. America now tells us,
that she will take off the embargo with regard to
England, and enforce it us far as regards France,
the latter power being the first transgressor against
her commerce, and tliat we shall thereby have all
the advantage of her mule confined to us.—
The Right Honourable Gentleman opposite, in an
answer, assigning his reason for refusing that pro-
position, states, what I think rash anil uujust &able,
that His Majesty cannot avoid hostility with Aine-
rice, by a concession, not made to America, but to
Francf. Now do the facts of the case bear him
wit in this assertion ? Did she not enable you, by
that offer, to make your own " Orders in Council'.
infinitely inure eflearloos than they otherwise
could here been ? America suffered in her com-
merce, you sutured also, cud you formerly said,
that America had not applied to France to recal
her Decree ; she has now made that appli-
cation,• and yet you will not accede to her
proposition. The Right If maineable Gentleman
assigns fur his conduct sootlwr reason, which, if
he does not review with vigour and energy, must,
with deference ro him, .seeiii to imply a degree of
levity and intoxication, arisiog from momentary
success ; he tells the Americans, that the system
of blockade is harmless, and is now broken np into
contemptible fragments. If the plan to be adojited
with America is to be continued in this way, 1 sin
not surprised that His Majesty's Speech should
have been silent on the subject. When .the
papers shall be laid before the House which have
heen piornisetl, I shall then he able to eider more
fully into the discussion of the affairs of Spans, •
I am anxious that this coutitty *lmola employ it
&aeons towards effecting our siernianent interest.—
I no desire to disturb the unanimity of the
House so this occasion, hut I thought it my duty
to state my opinion upon these points of puLlie
affairs. as other oppo ties will arise. The par-
ticulars to winch 1 wish to call the attention of
the Hon-c' on a future occasion. are the disgraceful
Convetitiou iu 7ortugal. the conduct of Ministers
in re.,:tril to the Spanish war, and also their con-
duct with r•spect to America. With the assist-
ance of my frieods. I itite:O. as soon as possible.
to bring &se matters before l'atliaintot for dis-
cassion anti Ater this pretious notice of
my intent I cannot surely he accused of mak-
nig r factions opporiticia. in order to disturb the
proceedings of 'Ministers, without beuelitiag the
otnintry. -

Lord CASTLEREAGH began by observing. that
as the Right lion. Geutteinaa was willing to con-
cur in the Address, and had also an intention to
propose to the consideration of Parliament an in-
quiry at a future day, lie wools( forbear from tres-
passing long upon their tints, and entering into a
minute discussion of the plots to which that Gen-
tleman had called their attention. He would not
have thought it necessary to trespass on them now,
if the speech were not of a more hostile complexion
than the occasion seemed to justify ; but, whatever
the opinion of that Gentleman was, as to the con-
'duct of the war, and the viAmir of the present Mi-
nistry, he felt little apprehension that they would
bear a contrast with their predecesaora; and little
doubt that the country would derive no consola-
tion Croon the experiment of a change. It would
require no great effort of recollection to carry them
back to the period when the Right Hon. Geode-
man nod his Colleagues were in office, and %ben
they evinced their ability by doing nothing. this
Lordship (down that the first instance which
the Right Hen. Gentleman hit.l given of the vi,zoar
of the present Ministry, was one most unfortu-
tritely selected for the establishment of his censure.
He bad stated, as a cha:ge, the circumstance of
their having sent a fleet to the Baltic, when the
spring admitted naval interference; but so neces-
sary, and so opportune, was that interference, upon
our part, that the Marquis de la Remain acknow-
ledged it, and represented the delay of another
day as fatal to the cause in which we had embark-
ed. With respect to the propriety of sending a
.iiititary force to Sweden, His Majesty's Govern-
ment had other opinions on the subject than their
own; they had opinions from a quarter, which,
with all his respect fur the Right flon.Gentleman's
judwnent, lie must still consider superior even to
his—the opinions of His Swedish Majesty's Govern-
meat; and he felt no difficulty in stating, that thy
troops were seut out at the instigation of We Swe-
dish Majesty's Minister resident here : that Mi-
iii,tcr was desirous to tight the battles ef his coun-
try. he preferred it to the Right Hour. Gentlenieu's
adyltle to *ell that countl. With respect to the
circumstances attetoluig the abrupt departure of
Sir John Moore, he felt confident that the House
would not then call upon him for an explanation.
Meer I hear It was sufficient for him to state,
that their confidture in that meritorious Officer
was expressed in the command to which they had
since appointed him; a command, the most import-
ant in its object and consequetices, that ever was
comniitted is 1111C4 %Vail respect to die injury of
our trade in the Baltic by gun-boats, against which
our ships could not act. lie differed from the
Right I loneizaible Gentleman as to its extent ;
that in calm weather, or near the shore. where our
shipi timid not pursue them, they might do ate,-
chief to oar merchme alto with inipuniti, was a
truth he did not wenn to contradict. Bet he asked
whether the W,.ht Honoundile Gentlemen pre-
Mailed to say, that our ships had no influenee upon
the Illgt4glllll field ill Ile Baltic ? Tins he could
not. Oar tr.ele was not injured. as represented ;
on thei.untrary, it was so succeAful, that- the ex-
tensive end influence which France exer-
cised veer the rest of the world, was scarcely per-
its orratiou upon Sr4i6ll commeice.