The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-04 00:00:00

-;Vr- ' .72

-6 a taNe

-they actually remained in London the done' ee'
of the Anieter Atuireoefil. 'Thongh the he/Asian of
Holland was a manifest violationof the Peace of
Amiens, and took place as fat back as the I etb of
Nov. the Ministers never presented any written re-
monstrance against it whatever. 'I he invasion of Swit-
zerland, which began on the 13th of Jnly, and was
not only a just ground of interference, but a justifia-
ble cutlee of war, was not attended to at first in an
open manner. The Swiss were in arms to oppose the
French on the teth of Sept. Mr. Merry, cur resident
at the time in Paris, com.nitinicatesi this on the 3d of
Onober ; and about the same time the swiss Envoy
at Paris, after having all the doors of the different
European Ministers in that capital shut against him,
at length came to Mr. Merry,-and informed hire,
that the Swiss had no hopes left, butin the generous
interference and assistance of England. On the 10th
of October another remonstrence was made to the
French Government, and what was the answer of
Bonaparte ? It was this insolent one, that England
had nothing whatever to do with the Powers of the
contiuent,and hadnothing to look for but to the. provi-
sions oftheTreatynfAmiens; and on the arrival of Mr.
Moore, on the '2lst of October, the first intelligence
he received was, that the Diet of Schwitx had sur-
rendered, which put an end to any further pro-
ceedings that might have been intended. The whole
of this transadion exhibited the most striking proofs
of the miscondud of the Ministers, who never in-
terfered with any vigour and effect, and remained
inactive till the season of the year rendered it
impossible for any Austrian, or even Russian
troops to ad in that difficult country. Nothinls.
, therefore could he more preposterous than their pro-
ceeetinge, in letting the time pass away when any
etre:dual measures were practicable, and when every
'thing was lost, sounded it in the ears of all Europe
as a ground of quarrel. On the 25th of April
came on the final decision relative to the execution
of the article of the Treaty of J'emiens, by the sur-
render of Malta, when it was said, that Russia had
offered to guarantee its independence; and Talley.
rand unequivocally said, on the 10th of March, that
if the island was not forthwith surrendered, France
would consider it as a declaration of war. Then
followed a number of what were called ultimatums,
one of which proposed that we should be allowed to
hold Malta for ten years; and the last of all con-
tained a proposition that Lampedosa should, in lieu
of Malta, be ceded to us, the effc of which would
be, that after all our exertions we should be left in the
possession of a receptacle, not for reern:a but for ma-
gads. The demand made by France, that we should
alter our laws, and change the basis of the Constitu-
tion, was certainly. one of the most insolent and
atrocious. that could well be conceived ; but even
there, instead of saying to our Ambassador, "Tell
that man, that Bonaparte, or that Talleyrand, that
the demand was such as British spirit could not for a
single moment listen to;" our Ministers, with their
usual weakness, replied only, that it was such a
thin" as they were unable to effect. The last
of all, if not a more impudent was a more
-scandalous demand than any he had yet men-
tioned, in requiring us to expel the unfortunate
Princes of the illustrious House of Bourbon and their
adherents, who came amongst us as being the
ceuntry in which they were most likely to obtain
the sacred rights of hospitality, because they pre.
sunned to weir at a foreign court these badges of
nobility and distinEtioa, to which they were entitled
by their birth and quality ; and what in that case
was the despicable answer of the Ministers ? Not
an expression of manly indignation, or an assention
of these orders so long sanctioned in this country :
No ; nothing of that kind ; but a paltry reply, that
they acknowledged it was improper for them to
wear these badges ; but if they chose to continue the
use of them, they were sorry for it, but were un-
able to prevent it. To wind up the whole came
the final demand to send home the poor and
helpless clergy who had sacrificed every thing to
their religious tenets and their duties. He begged the
House to mark the pusillanimous answer to this,
which was, that measures would be taken to send
them or dporter them of his Majesty's European do.
minions ! From all these he concluded, that though
the Ministers, from the first moment of signing the
Treaty of Amiens, saw Bonaparte carrying with
him the same views and the same hostile spirit
towards us, not only concealed that and his subse-
quent violences and aggressions from Parliament
and the country, but also at the same time misled
them with delusive prospects of being in a pro-
found peace, which promised to be permanent; and
that with all these flagrant ads of provocation, they
neglected to make written and strong remon-
strances ; and when they did, had omitted to take
measures for properly supporting them. If, after
all this, the House should think them proper per-
verts, and capable of conducting the country through
the wart they would of course support that opinion
by their votes; but he must supplicate them, at
least,'not to sacrifice the country at the shrine of
any set of Ministers. .
Mr. HOI3HOUSE entered into an elaborate de-
fence of the Administration, and accused their op.
portents of endeavours to calumniate them, which
was not deserved on their parts, as they always at-
tributed no other than hcnourable motives to those
gentleinen in opposition. The charges against them
may be reduced to three. Ist, That thy had not
afforded constitutional information from time to
time r—eel, that they had given delusive prospects
of peace:--and 3d, that they had not displayed
proper degree of spirit. To the first he answered,
that after having made peace with sincerity, it was
right that they should be anxieus to preserve it.—
ro the second, that his Majesty's speech to Parlia-
ment, at the Opening of the Session, announced the
contrary of certain peace, by stating, that he was de-
termined to keep a strict eye on the proceedings on
the Continent. And to the third, that their spirit
waeevinced by their preferring the chance of arms,
to any humiliating concessions demanded by the
First Consul.
Sir WILLIAM YOUNG rose to state his ap.
probation of the conduct of Ministers, in their endea-
vours to support the war which now appeared to be
inevitable ; and observed, that he could not pats
over in silence many of those articles containeolin
the documents laid before the House, most of which
appeared to have furnished the grounds of war. It
was his opinion, that the Treaty of Amiens had
been violated on the part of France, and the ag-
gressions of that cewttry were clearly proved.—
The governing power had there maintained a spa.
tem which had „threatened to beat down
tish commerce, bat at the moment such attempts
were made, Ministers should have made a comma-

creation antler such circumstances h Was necessary
,to have brought beforeithe Wuse every informaLcil
thatt az:743e Ittliatr.ereYnomwiginhvt(i..lveêd j4indagceond fttersit,l'ietnlvs,a‘tiv;;l-
-crummy tdcarry it on with s.piritand rigour. To ascer-
' rain how far Ministers had iv,nl regular in their cpn-.
dud re.speilink the rupture, it was pioper to nifer
to those ads of France which had led to the pre-
sent posture of our affairs. He begged the House
to attend to the persons sent to Egypt, and of the
edit which the First Consul had published respefling
Bi itish subjects and their property in the Island of
Malta; also one lately made, direaiig that all
English merchants, residing in Martinique or St.,
• Domingo, or clerl:s who might be there to transmit
business, were to leave those places by the 20th of
June 1803, under the penalty of 6,000 livers ; these
circumstances, and nrany others, led him to refled
upon the ambition of the French, and the desire of
the leading power in that country to undermine our
commerce. He again gamed Ministers for not
giving timely notice, but advised a stria unanimity
in carrying on the war. France, he observed, ought
to be considered as a great military republic, and
the First Consul an aftive enemy, whose power
ought not to be treated with indifference ; it was
likely to be an arduous contest, but perseverance
and English courage could not fail to succeed, as
in an instance where an English midshipman, but.
14 years of age, took a French ship with 83 marines
on board and her complement of sailors ; for which
he was made a Lieutenant. He concluded with a
belief, that Ministers had been forced to enter into
the war, in consequence of the proceedings on the
part of the French Republic.
Mr. FONBLANQUE said, he was happy to ex-
press that he did not think it proper to throw any
reproach on the conduct of Ministers ; on the con-
trary, it was fortunate that they had come forward
and were now prepared to make that defence which
could not fail to prove satisfactory to the House.
With reference to the actual state of Europe, k was
the duty of his Majesty's Ministers to interfere, par-
ticularly with respell to the people of Switzerland,
in the nianner they had done; and he would refer
to the papers to shew, tha: their conducthad been
fair and proper. There never was a period, he
said, in which the .cti-operations of the country were
required more than on the present occasion. The
conduct of France, since the Treaty of Amiens, had.
been one continued series of aggression ; bat Mini-
sters had been the means of preventing their designs.
The charges brought against the latter were of a se-
rious nature • they were not only accused of being
wanting in that respect which was due to France,
but of having occasioned the war, by refusing to
!take timely communications. With respect to such
communications, itwas his opinion that his Majesty's
Ministers ongnt to hare made them at a proper pe-
riod, but it was necessary to find out when that pe-
riod was, and whether the aggressions which occa-
sioned the war took place any considerable time pre-
vious to his Majesty's Message; if there were no
aggressions on the part of ranee, Ministers had
availed themselves of what he called a pretence for
war ; but hostile aggressions had been committed,
consequently they were justifiable in their condu6t.
With resped to Switzerland, they were justified,
as it is the duty of all great States to affOrd pro-
tedion to the oppressed. It had been said that
our commerce had been undermined, and that we
arrogate a considerable portion of the trade of Eu-
rope. He submitted we did so, and it was that
principle which had raised this country to its pre-
sent situation of unrivalled commerce. He pro-
ceeded to state the nature of the aggressions, as
they related to the coadud of France, in the insult
offered to his Majesty, by the Report of Colonel Se-
bastiani, the intention to subvert the liberty of our
press, and the other charges formerly exhibited
against the governing power of France ; and con-
cluded with observing, that Ministers were not only
unanswerable, as to what they had omitted to do,
but also for what they intended to do.
Mr. ARCHDALE said, he spoke of Ministers as
he found them. They were accused of having con-
dated the negotiations so as to deceive ; he thought
they were by no means responsible for not having
introduced a new order of things, with respell to
the war ; they were not justified in going to war
upon trivial occasions ; but it appeared that France
had indicated an intention to injure our commerce,
and destroy the freedom of the press ; in which case
war was justifiable. On the other hand, when war
is dangerous, and on the commencement, it may
be proper to observe where it is likely to be carried
on, and where our interest is vulnerahle. He called
the attention of the House to Ireland, but did not
think our interest was vulnerable there, from a va-
riety of causes. He did not mean to flatter Mi-
nisters, but in their late tratisadions with Fram-e,
the people of Ireland knew, by the condnL' of the
First Consul, that they had nothing to expect front
him. If be was himself to land in that country, he
would find himself resisted not only by the natives,
but by many of those Jacobins who had been landed
there for the purpose of creating bloodshed and re-
bellion. He concluded with expressing his wish, that
unanimity might prevail among all parties for the '
general good.
Mr. CHARLES WYNNF. observed, that the
Treaty of Amiens was no longer spoken of as the
foundation of a peace which was, some time back,
considered as the greatest blessing that the people
could enjoy. He called the attention of the House
to the public desire which was manifested for peace
at the time when meetings were formed for address-
ing his Majesty to accomplish that objed. An
Hon. Member had said there was more fortitude in
suffering an injury than in resenting one; but Mi-
nisters treated all remonstrances with contempt.
Ile contended, that while such persons were at the
head of the Government, we were not likely to pre-
serve peace.
Mr. COURTNEY agreed with the Hon. Gentle-
man (Mr. Archdide) who stated that we ought to
join hand in hand upon. the, present occasion, but
differed from the Hon. gentleman (Mr. Wynne)
who spoke so warmly against Ministers. They
however were as well as before he expressed his sen-.
timents. That Gentleman had taken the opportunity
of maintaining silence. He had followed the zivice
of Hippocrates, who. asked a headstrong person
"What he had been doing ?" " Breaking my head,"
rejoined he; "then break it again," said the phy-
sician.
Sir W. MILNER approved of the condua of
Ministers only in the instance of their having libe-
rated several-persons out of prison, ainciig• therm
was the late Colonel Despard. He observed, if
there iris any blame attached to the Ministry for

the prxeraings riittive to the war, it wits for er'l
haling gone to a greateraeewitt than they heal 4.1-
r/tidy in their preparations toe :n end.
Mr. T. T. MF.TCALVF. spoke eptinst the ha-
page used by an Her rtferaber'(hir W. Miliser),
as it appeared levelled against the Right Hon. the
tharfceTfoioNher fltcheq ace.
'Mr. C.'eßEGOft spoke in ftvor of Ministers, end
observed, that we were placed in an animus come
test, which it was the duty of all to eapport with
unanimity.
prt. GRENVII.Iet said; he had experiertercht
degree of surpriseie find the debate of this evening
nearly' confined to one side of the question.
had waited in exix-dation of hearing, from some of
those Hon. Members who supported the resolutipns
some of those expressions, which they hid so free
, quently urged before. He had only a few observi,
tions to make upon those objections which had ale
ready been made; he alluded to those remarks which
have so often been used in debates, rich as wines
different Members of the House had been told their
motives for espousing the part of Government was
all interest, party, and violent opinions. (Hear 7
Hear!) Such, however, had not been used
this debate. He had only to remark to an arras
ment made by an Hon. Gentleman, whom Le
thought hehad heard say, e. Are we in the mornett
of calamity to give information to the enemya•
He thought that Ceovernment, before it entered in-
to an arduous contest, ought to investigate the
cause openly, in the face of the country. And ac-
cording to the opinion which he entertained upon
the subjed, he had a desire to be the means of
bringing those observe:ions pubhcly before the na-
tion and the world at large. The general oleic& of
these resolutions was to call. in question the candid
of his Majesty's Ministers, and to appreciate. the
justice of those resolutions, it was s:ecessary to look
at the country at the time when it appeared neces-
sary for Ministers to resent the conduct of Franie.
It is stated that this House has not had the proper
means of information, and the inquiries made by
all, on this evening, must go to ascertain the f 3&
There appeared a disposition on the other side of
the House to quiet the rest, and to prevent such in-
quiry. He was not disposed to ad in opposition
himself, but the opinions of persoas in high otaial
situations had fallen with great weight. lie would
begin to recall to their recollection what teas the
opinion of the Chancellor of the Excheqner at the
signing of the Treaty of Amiens. He had collected
words to prove his assertions on the 14th of June,
180'2. These expressions were made Imhof in the
House:—" I am impressed with a convincing belief
that the probability of the continuation of this peace
is to be expected."—u I know nothing in the dispo-
sition of the French nation, or on the part of the
person who is the Governing Power in that country,
that warrants any reason to believe why peace may
not be maintained." He had then the honour to
be one among the number who supported the go-
tion for an Address to be presented to his Majesty
to take into his consideration the various subjeas
that were described in the Treaty of Amiens. Many
were then the topics of observations but none was
urged with more strength than to settle imrcediafely
all the doubtful points, and to confirm that pease
upon the propositions on which we depended. If
we are to look to the information. for what has
been done to that end, we shall find that an Address
was presented to his Majesty upon the advanteges
which arose from the Peace, and that the warmest
expectations were entertained by Ministers of. its
proving permanent. Such was the complexion
of affairs at the dissolution of the last Par-
liament; and he could net avoid observing, that
he never found in our history a stronger resoluion
to convey peace to the people than at that per{
The Right Hon. Member did not know upon what
grounds the two resolutions could be supported ;
but by one it was urged that his Majesty's Minis-
ters had not communicated to the House timely'uo-
tice of their proceedings in the negotiations. The
question, in that case, v.-as, whether the imputation
was just ? The Right Hon. Gentleman did net
know of any other way to do justice to that inquiry,
than by referring to his Majesty's Speech, which
contained strong indications of war.. With respect to
the attempt made to subvert the liberty of the press,
that circumstance was not immediately communi-
cated, nor did it appear necessary it should have
been. The Right Honourable Member said,' he
would glance at the molestation of our commerce.
The first attempt made to injure us in that respect
was in December 1801, near the time the shipwas de-
tained by the Republic of France for having English
knives and forks on board ; this was previous to the
meeting of Parliament. On the 25th of October the
connexion iihmed agains; the interest of
this country was discovered—on the ;id of Oaoher
Ministers were in possession of the intelligence re-
lative Lo Switzerland ; and the next point which Lee
came the subjed of discussion was Malta. The
great question relative to that island was the time of
the evacuation, but it did not appear that any date
was prefixed to that event.--On the .17th
of April Colonel Sehastiani's Report took place.—
Those were the material points to be considered, as
stated in the Declaration ; bat others that refer to
the Continent, such as the German arrangement,
were-also tlacobje&of enquiry. The G ertnan arrange-
ment comprized a very considerable British interest;
an interest which the Members of the House could
not avoid feeling, and which it was the duty of Mi-
nisters to protect. The interest of this country
was also attached to that of the House of
Orange, by the same continental arrangement.
The Hon. Member proceeded to the consideration
of the point respeding the Cape Good Hope.
He maintained that his Majesty's Ministers, by their
noiheeecution of the stipuletiott respeding the Cape,
had been guilty, of a dire/ breach of the Treaty of
Amiens. Having enlarged upon this point, he, pro-
ceeded to the general heads of argument upon
which these resolutions were propoeed to be adopt-
ed. The object of those resolutions was, he said,
to induce an opinion that his Majesty's Ministers
had not done all in their power to ascertain, with
certainty, the hostile intentions of France, at au
earlierperiod, and thatthey had not remonstrated with
sufficient energy against the aggressicau on the part
of France. He first referred to the conduit of France
in seizing our merchants' property and vessels, be-
cause there happened to be a plate, knife, and fork,
of English menufadure ; and he Contended that
Ministers had not remonstrated as they ought to
have done. The neat subje& he adverted to was the
'conduit of the French Government, relative to the
Commercial Consuls. He begged leave to read two
lines on his Majesty's Dechuatior, in which his Mae

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