The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-01-22 00:00:00

gns towatdsus. If yea &dna %Ilim:bp
reasoning upon it goe;lel'th art
ad be compelled to to • ofleralibea_
„04.;
wing the ship.; and of leoresiatibit 'us ;
t all these were prepaeiliii consehaelice of =the
animation of Frattee to loran a tairitiwe eoiva
Bracy of the Northern Powersr. All this' must
been resolved on ',leo the Peace with laureate
e Definitive Treaty war not signed until the
of July. In the begiuning ot August Lord
Solder arrived with his fleet before Copenhaen ;
that we cannot suppose it possible that these
rea could have been collected in that short in-
rat of time, in order to execute such a project.
there are proofs that a hostile disposition did
st on the tart of Deumark, then the expeditiod
ertainly justified : it then became an act of ne-
aity on our part, as it must be in all such cases.
r any natiou against which an hostile attack is
&tatted, has u right to antieipate the tame, by
king the first blow. Therefore, if such proofs do
st. I admit that Ministers are completely justified.
imit, however, remark, that the Proclamations of
rd Cathcart and Admiral frambier, speak of no
Rile disposition on the part of the Dauer. They
ly talk of the " cruel necessity" they are under,
attacking the city. As we are told that there
a a necessity, it onglit to be proved that the
ager to be averted was one of the greatest nag-
ode. In artier to justify ditch an act, it should
pear than the necessity was greater than the m-
inty which the act would occasion. The eae
nits to be so averted must appear greater than
e calamity that was inflicted. t 'is there amounts,
,ni grieved and. mortified for the honour of my
intry, when I think Allot no such necessity ex-
▪ ; and, I wish to Prod it may be proved, that
e danger was such as has been represented.
not believe that the seizure of Zealand by the
each would follow, w consailuence of their tuk-
cr possession of Hoistein. 'I he people of &a-
id might prevent the French from entering that
ind ; and even if the Belt should be 'taozen over.
that an prosy could march arrow the ice,
would he its the power of the people to break the
' so as to prevent the passage of that artily. But
seldom happened that the Belt was so fresco.—
it if Zealand was thus at the mercy of France, as
d been asserted, bow could the Danes accept
it offer. when we could not protect the island ?
aw as to tits emeassity of this expedition, I must
p, that I would not so depreciate the naval power
this, country, us to suppose fora moment, that
occupation of 14 sail of the line, eren were they
treaded to act agaiast us, was nee .:airy to our
lvatiou. (lifter.01 Aear ) There did not then
riot a sualeient necessity for the step which was
ken. Then I will ask, whether, on casting up the
roust, you are satisfied, that the balance of advert-
ise is so decidedly in your f•your, that you
In reemicile it with the means you adopted to ac-
woolkib it ? In fica, kis not ships you want, but
ten. You want mint and your shim are fitting
it with a rapidity that leaves them nselesia See,
laws whither yr. have not increased your danger
y the step you have taken. I wish to know, if
was necessary to seize the Danish fleet, why you
id not take the fillet of Russia? Was there not
remand to suppose, that the conduct of Russia was
'eh as to justify such a measure? But the transom:-
an now before us has excited a great share of
idiguatioa said odium. It. has furniithed a pre-
puce for hostility *pima this country, which did
at exist before. And I cannot view it with any
her feelings than those of regret amid theme.
linieters have said, they received positive juror-
tuitional' the hostile disposition of Deumark. Then
et theta produce that information. Yoa had a
let ground of.war against Rossi* after the Treaty of
Wig, then did you stiffer a Russia. fleet to
avigate in the Meiliterrailean ? Why suffer Rua-
iatt ships to peas into the Baltic ? But while you
your enemy escape, von attacked a weak. and(
contend, a friendly power. lied you attacked
WM*, you would hare struck at the ()trending
owes., saved Sweden, and spared Denmark. It
► a_ °vat painful reflection to me, that the great
bject of diminishing the danger in the Baltic was
nt Pursued. There was too divagor to be appre-
6eniled from the lames giving op Zealand to the
The Crown Prince omitted only to .pre-
erre his independence. It had h, 'ghee() the 110.
icy of this country) to uphold the laws of nations;
ind our priocipil charges egdnist Fralice were
hose of her violating the laws of nations. But the
!xistenet of the formidatile power, lea rived by
France, does not justify us in reostiug that
miser by the same means by which it was
awed. Such a eloetrlite is repugnant to the
ammeter of the British nation. lt is contrary to
he moral principle that has always regulated our
onduet. There is not a chats of met in this
nuntry who do not retain the old maxim—Ara
aseitio, rant canna. It is essential that tar should
ight France on principle* of national honour;
nid that we sluoilif contrast our marine power, of
rhich all States are so jealous, with the purposes to
illicit the military power of France has been aps
died." His Lordship newt slightly adverted to
he emigration ot the Court of Portugid. With
seam to the dispute with America, so the gum,-
ion of our maritime rights, he thought the Go-
arninent hail acted wisely in the Late order issued
ry them, in which they did not insist on the
ight to eeareli ships of war. We should not
re carried away with an idea of our power;
iad our restrictive policy should be conunen-
orate to this exigency of the ease. lie wisliol it
sad been long before made known that it was
tot fit to search ships of war on the high sees. ;le
earnestly recommended to Ministers to inquire
Ito the state of the West Indies ; and to aftwd them
mime relief in their distremed situation. His Lord-
hip. adverting to the subject of peace, took °y ea-
lion to applaud time conduct of Lord Milton, in
yorashire„ who had exalted his character, by die-
puading the people there from petitioniug for
iesce. There was no ground for ceiling in question
he disposition of Ministers to make peace, when it
!Gold be done with security and honour to the cowl-
ay. The way to restore peace was, to adopt a plan of
expenditure that should enable us to curry on the
war, and to couvince the enemy of the hopeleomeas
of Ilia pursuing the war with a view of mining our
'names. it was in vain to look for a secure peace,
salmi a military system should be adopted, that
.mll be available in peaces' well 1114 in war. Let
the *easy be once convinced that he bad nothing