The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-02-04 00:00:00

!v,

!nPeftel, violations of trtith cud honour, so ne find
that the first measure of Ili, Maje,ty'a Ministers
with respect to Ireland has made it incumbent on
them to ad: sun: in their career of oppression and
injustice, until they have at length violated every
precept of morality, and disclaimed every respect
for tuitional character. Do the partisans of that
measure vaiuly hope, that its advantages will out-
live the dang._r and the calamitios that will spring
from it? Are they blind to the prospect of aftiiirs,
when Denmark or France shall have recruited that
marine with the hearts and energies which your
conduct ha. afforded thou) ? Yes, when the ad-
vantages have ceased, it will be found that we have
left to Denmark means of peril more itriminent to
us than the equipment of her ships. We will have
left to tlwat :tate unnaumeuts of our robbery and ra-
vage. We will have left to them those monuments,
which, whilst they protlaiin to the world the degra-
dation Of oar name, will infuse into the yet unborn
youth of Dc.'ninark the seeds of unappeasable ran-
cour unit the perpetrators of that measure which
fins," their city and butchered their forefathers.
That venerable church, the pride of their archi-
tecture, will be then approached with more rrve-
. rential awe. us it will inspire every sentiment of pa-
triotic indiginuina against the authors of its ruins.
:That sacred edifice will, iu its present state, until
'that asifcl time,'•when, in the cenivulsious of this
orb, one
.stone will not be left upon another, be
of •their *altering, and the

side, and contended, from the inordinate power of
Frauce, and the inability of Denmark to defend
her fleet, that it was the duty and policy of Minis-
ters to crush this elarinine Coufoderacy in its birth.
Mr. MORRIS did not canecive it at all ueceo
sissy for Ministers to limit the discussion of sins
question to the secret arsaugcuients of Tilst. It
was to be viewed both as it referred to the power,
. and means, and iuteutions of knwee, and to
the secret and long-entertaiossi ohjects of the
maritime powers of the North es Europe.—
From the sentiments Ate-erns tor Denmark, at the
period of the armed neutrality, and the disposition
sheen by her on carry occasion since, there was, he
colleen e I, little doubt to he eutertained of her iu-
teution of coalescing with France an the present
occasion. Ile, however, had no doubt, but that
if she could huve maintained lair neutrality, she
would lie disposed to do so. But he also thought,
that under her present circumstances, and the
inordioatn aggrandisement of France, that there
was every reason to believe she would have
joined common cause with that country against
Great Mails . He would call upon Gentleman
to refleet upon the imminent danger which
this country was threatened with, and par-
ticulerly Ireland; entertaining, as lie did, the be,
lief, that it was the intention of Bonaparte to earn
the fleet of Denmark to the invasion of that coon-
try. He thought this was the use this elect ass
destined for, and trot considering its magnitude,
mad the jarring and discordant elements of civil
war, which existed iu Ireland /Mar 1 /ear !S
great danger to the empire, was averted hy
our seising upon it. If ever there was a necessity
in which the viclation of a moral rule could- be
juatilled, surely it was the necessity of seiritig
upon this Beet. Could there be as possible doubt
oa the mind of any impartial man, of the inten-
tion of France. to possess herself of these ships, and
to use them aS instruments of vengeauce against
this country ?--Ile thought there could not. Feel-
ing, therefore, the straits and imperative necessity
upon which this act was grounded, and the inten-
tions of France, together with the facts disclosed
in the papers Laid upon the table by the ',tight lion.
Secretary of State, he was saustied it was an act
not only justitiable, but meritorious. A great
deal had heen 'treed as to the injury and tarnish
which oar character would suffer to the eyes of
I Europe sad the world; but he trusted that when
I all eircienstances were consideeed,.tbe indispeesa-
ble necessity there was for this ptocedure towards
Denmark, would fully plaid its Astilicatiost. He
had the authority of two most learned and praeouud
civilians, Puffentlorf cud Grotius, who recognised
the justifiableness, of the principle of Dramas-for
the breach of a moral law, what that necessity
was fully *hewn. He concluded by expressing his
conviebon, that the ilium in
vestigation
would this
would swore honourable and creditable to those
who had planned the late expedition to the Baltic.
Mr. LYTTLETON said, it was Rot his inten-
tion to have trespassed upon the House, particu-
larly at so late an hour, but be could not help
saying, that life-in;, as he did from the present
Administration on many its :Mat questions, he
coafesseel, that from the they load given
the House, on the mean** lira late expeditioo,
sestaiebee
he had become their proselyig. I-4 woe may to
be under the necessity of itfering ftam the. who
entertained different sentiments, feeling as he did
the highest respect for their learning and talents.
It co* not, - hc said, quite clear to liiin, that Dra-
ined; was capable of defending herself. fmm the
• attack* of Finney, if she were even dispneed to do
so, which be my much doubted. Her late sus-
&jobs cantina, and that of her Patriotic Crown
Prince (as he was called), were sufficient to spew
her disposition to coalesce with France, against this
countro Indeed, he had iso doubt upon hi. own
mind nut it, and therefore could not think the
representation of His Majeetfa Ministers to justify
this act, overcharged. He hardly thought it ne-
misery for their justification, to have -proved so
touch as they had dons. He expressed his convic-
tion of the certainty of this Bert being iutended
for the invasion of Ireland; which, Root the pre-
seat state of Ott country, it would be the object
of Frame to attempt. I those rheum-tances,
he was pefecey persuaded of the espedisney of
the mei/etre adopted be Ministers, in creating this
I Beet from the grasp of Bonaparte.
Mt. WIIITBRE.ID said, he had listened with
considerable attention to the argumeats of the
Hon. Gentleman behind him. He felt, however,
not a little surprised at the observatious and con-
clusions of that very ingenious Gentleman. As
well as he could cotlectlim. he understood hint to
have said, that the satisfactory manner in which
His Majesty's Ministers had accounted for the late
expedition to Copenhagen, bad made him a pro-
selyte to that measure. He eery much feared that
the proselytism of the Floe. Gentleman was rather
hasty, and hoped, that ail review of his conclit-
sine respecting this measure, he would. be inclined
to cane back to his former opinion. What, he
would salt, were the documents produced? A set
of garbled and mutilated papers and letters, the
selestion of the Right Hon. Secretary opposite
him ; than whom there were few more ably gm- ,
Stied to select what were most fit to answer his
purpose. Ile,. for this reason, regretted that the
possession of those papers was entrusted to that
Right lien. Gentleman. He was very sorry that
the lion. Gentleman behind him should he carried
away by the evidence of scraps of letter*, &e. whe-
ther authentic or not, he could not divine. Minis-
ters had confessed that they were in possession of
papers which would folly justify them in the late
attack upon Copenhagen. If so, whir not produce
them? and not put us off with what thee have
thought proper to select. He did contend, that
it was absolutely necessary to the understand-
ing of those letters, that every one or them
should be laid before the Hone. Without
this, and without being possessed of the con-
text of the whole, and of the fluctuation of the
opinions of the writers, it was utterly impassible to
understand their meaning. He was thoroughly
persuaded that this countryseinld, in no instance,
be rendered more secure, 6* this most violent and
unjustifiable measure. The comparison drawn by
the Right Honourable Seeretate, between the ex-
pa:Piton to Cnnetantinopie and that to Denmark,
be did hope would not have been mixed up with
the present dismission. He flatly hoped Ric
Right Hon. Gentleman and his Colleagues would

let us go to their. trial, as we invited them to
conic to our's. The Right Honourable Secretary
asserted there was not a man in the country who
was not eoteided of the expediency of the exitedi-
tion to Copenhagen. He was sorry to differ with
the
,Right Hon. Gentleman, and he was convinced
that the eterutry would feel the falsehood and delu-
sion of the assertion. and the wretched and puerile
effort by which it was attempted to justify this vio-
lent and unprincipled measure. Ile could not help
saying, that the Right Hon. Secretary and his
euileugues were so ebmplettly at variance in the
manner in which they have endeavoured to
justify tins . act, and so contradictory and in-
consistent with theinselves, that one was et
a loss which .of their stories to believe.—
Tiler were like a set of witnesses who had agreed,
among themselves, to tell the same story, but when
Micro-anis examined in separate rooms, they varied
in their evideace. He then took notice of the sari-
awe between the statements in the King's Speech,
and those since made by the Ministers. His Ma-
' jesty was made to soy, that the Powers of Europe
had combined to form a oonfederacy against us;
but the Right Hou. Gentleman, in his speech,
statel,that Denmark, one of these powers, was iu
ethanivance with France against this country. And
ode naval and military Commanders, who led the'
late expedition, in their proclamations, recommend-
ed it to Denmark not to listen to cruel advisers.—
Without going into the various details of contradic-
tory statements, he would take it as a fact, that
Denmark did wish to coati 111 l e in a state of neutra-
lity; and lie desired Ministers to give seine more in-
forinsitiou. Let hir. Gerlicke he called to the Bar
of the House and say what he knew of the disposi-
tion of the 15enisth. Court. He sorely was in no
danger of being seised by Bonaparte. Let the
whole of Lord Flutchirmon's letters be laid before
the House... AA Lord Granville Leveaoa Gower state
whet he knew of the disposition of Russia. A
heavy charge we; made hey Russia against this
country, for net atlording her any co-operation
daring the minpaigu in Poland. Now, was there
any fountlaeou for the reproaches of Baron Bud-
. burg ? Every body knew that a fame of 10 or tome)
wen, expozuf u. they mast he be certain destruc-
tion, could never have everted the fatal battle of
Friedland. But, if' Ministers were in possession
of the secret artialto in the Treaty of Titbit, why did
they not produce it? It had been said, that s hos-
tile mind ezipttal in. Russia against this country ;.
and that tha wield seize on the Danish navy.—
" Now," coatiuued Mr..Whitlassai, " I ask Minis-
ters whether it was known to them that Russia was
hostile to this totuitry previous to the attack ask
Copenhagen?" [Mr. Canning answered across the
table—" Yes."] " l sun net," replied Mr. Whit-
bread, n disposed to dnubt that the Right Hon.
Gentleman thinks what be says is true; bat let
that be peoved—let witnesses be ae to the
fact." Frequent mention had beet/ amide of the in-
veterate hostility of France: but what else could
be expected from France except hostility? The
endeavour on the part of France to combine all the
.powers of Europe against us was no mote unjus-
tifiable than the attempt of this country to form
combinations agaium France. It was, however,
evident, that Russia was hostile to this country af-
ter the attack on Copenhagea ; and, on that ao-
couilt• he contended it was a meanness in this coun-
try to ask a power so hostile to us to interfere for
the purpose of making up the quarrel between us
and Denmark. Ile was ready to admit the Right
lion. Gentleman had that night aulvanced strong
reasons why at attack should not be made en Crnu-
stadt. With respect to the value of the Danish
ships, it was stated, in some accounts, that they '
were very gond slaps becalm they stood the wea-
ther an well in coming home. But it appeared,
from Admiral Gambier's account, it was necessary
to repair some of them before they, were put to stn.
From the regularity and preparation in the Danish
navy, an inference was drawn, that they were in-
tended to be made use pfatraind us. But it must
appear, to any person who ever visited Copenhagen,
that, for fifty years past, it had been the practice of
the Danes, a practice in which they prided
themselves, to have their ship. laid up in ordi-
nary, in so complete a state of repair, that they
could be fitted oat in a very short time. But wheia
we took the ships, we took the least efficient
pert of the Danish navy. We kftbehiud 18,000
seamen, who. would be ready to enter into the ser-
vice of France; and France had ship. enough
for herself, The Euglish acted like shabby thieves.
They took only we half of their booty. Why
was not the Freuch property at Copenhagen seized
Also? The only effem of the expedition was to
arm the people of Denmark against us, and to
shut us out from the Baltic trade ; while Holland
was entirely tinder the power of France, without
the hitter being at the expense of sending troops
to conquer it. If the act to question was justified
by necessity,' he was ready to admit that it was jus-
tified is morality and in the sight of God. But it
could not he justified. .mister wanted to
imitate the energy of France. How did they
do that? France had slain a giant, sod thee
England must go and kill au innocent helpless
child. The question now was, not whether
the expedition was justifiable, but whether that
House was bound to thee credit to the assertions
of Ministers, and whether it ought not to require
nesse information?
Lord GRAN VILLE .L.EVESON GOWER
said, hishould not trouble the House, it that late
hour, were it not that he was called on by the
Hon. Gentleman who just sat down, and therefore .
be felt it his duty to idler one or two observations
on points connected with the situation he Lately
held at the Court of Itualia. He denied positively
theft!), hostility of Russia was caused either by the
neglect of England to send her succours, or by
the attack on Copenhagen. The real cause of
that hostility was the !mule of Friedland. The
moment the Emperor Alexander arrived at
Petershurgh, from Tilsit. after Ageing tile pease
with France, the bit person he visited wits his
Minister of Marine; and the first order he after-
a aids gave was, to repair the batteries at Cron-
stadt. He bad heard it said, that our attack on
Copenhagen was a subject of reprobation among
the people of the Continent. For his own part he
could affirm, that almost all the people whom he
conversed with in Rosa*, approved of it, because
try that attack they considered thernseltes as re-
leased from the danger to which they might others

-

'Q T.-

wive be exposed, if the French were to make Sire,
Jen the high road for marching into Russia. He
thou; ht sufficient explanation had been vixen on tine
subject, and would put it to any man who had eve,
been in a diplomatic capacity, whether the went
inconvenience would not be produced by the die.
closure of secret intelligence F He knew men ,be
Had objected to furnish him with such intelligence,
because they did not know but the same might bt
exposed at some future period.
Lord CASTLEREAGH entered into a!ong
tification of the Copenhagen expedition; anal
'tended, that Ministers ought not to be required to
disclose the secret information they received. Ifs
described the various endeavours by His 'Majestv's
tiovernment to bring the Court of Denmark toy,
explanation as to its views, but without effect; nut
• drew a conclusion, that the Crown Prince, iu the
• whole of his conduct, had secretly favoured the
• views of France. He denied that Denmark woo
competent to defend itself against the power
• France. With regard to the assertina; that we ought
to have remained in Copenhagen, he would inform
the House, that Government had given that question
every discussion; 'and that the earal and militarj
Officers being consulted on the occasion, the rt.
enit of their opinion was, that it would requites
mach larger force to keep possession of Zealand,
than this country could spare, and much greats
that t wits then in Zealand. It was considered improper
to call upon Sweden to eontributo any troops for
that purpose, because she must thereby be exposed
to attack on the part of Prussia. It was altos asked
of the first nand authorities, whether the island
could be mu-manliest by our vessels, so as to pre.
vent an invasion on the part of the French ? The
report of Admiral Keith was, that on the Jutland
side, there were seven or eight forts, in which troops,
to the amount of sixty thousand men might
be collected, and that if the ninety pendants
which were then flying round Zealand were to
occupy tae Belt, they must be five miles each dis-
tant from each other ; and as some of these might
be driven from their stations, the Fneselli could, 411
that occasion, seed over their forces, in the small
craft, of which there was sufficient number along
the shores of Jutland.
The Right lion. THOMAS GRENVILLE
spoke in favour of the motion, Sir C. PRICE
avian it.
Mr. PONSON BY closed the debate, of which the
lateness of the hour, mud our limits, will net allow
us to give a detail.
Upon a division there appeared
Fee the Mahal los
• Aping it ft)
Majority wile the Maim . .
The House adjourned at HALF-PAST SIX
O'CLOCK this morning.

TH EATR ——DRICHT-LANR :Th Ewe/6c Tee
Sueenceows HUSIII6II O i W WIWI le= be tablet, Tye
Davie. To Per.---COYENTJHARDEN: TW !rm.
kg, The IVosenesie i efleriebieb, Two Wars, Ben.

.
the moutimeot of -their suffering, and de! ince:i-
-lls:11.W their hostility. Churches might full, uuri
. .10 their plitre etier buildings might nee, but the
' spapathy of the country will, tiU the end of
',Line, preserve these hallowed rime. Whilst na-
lure lasts, they will preserve tee eternity of the
tomb. To the cirenninangators who sail aloog
their coast, these ruins will excite in sosue Ow
*Wigs of scorn, for the debasement of our coo-
''
s . elfthOis ; in others of pity, from the proud recollec-
• fiou of oar once glorious history. Tlitoi. with all
, ..
our love of plunder, we will find the value of our
.;possum to have been woefully di:pry:Mad. when
theapared with the evils entailed by their adoption.
we will is vain reflect upon toe lees of moral
tea, sal the importance of the sacrifices we
made. When theie teraponuy benefits have
• .
,there will remain nothing to compensate.
a Wleahawle sell store are spent,
new 101000 i b ionsitpscelleue-
Viilt what joy will the Envoy of Britain corn,
. peat upoi4 thia were ofhostility, on this a1..:41-
&Amen% .if ,mitry snood end salutary. prima-
• eA Bit there is a dispoition to. admire those
0t outrage Capon acknowledged rights. There
• it dagger and a spirit to be observed in their vio-
ion. Thus think out" mettlesome, 'high-
. rited Ministers. They. dWain to truckle to the
:sof Nations, M' to be fettered by restrictive
They illustrate the observation of an
0 e sod e.ent. writer, 4. that. gsrood Mist and folly
were, so lon,k considered synaminous that the re-
' verse of the r reposition has Crown into a eertaiaty,
aid eve desperado thinks himself a man of ta-
• lasts." It was true, morality was a weak iulverwary.
`lt is as freak as air to those who dare to encounter
`'will it, bat let those who violate it, prepare for its
rearseien. . This war of plunder and of blood will
etiteilita owe distresses. No bracer can we say—
. awasor lisoiss, ammeters teem, Immleives. siasebeset.
Not the kiwi the ~ewers will net tong
cam era ; or if it it will be only as the bye-
.word to all outrage, as a sort of coulter:mace to
nil lbeattheithis of trante and °opener's. Now
' lilawapagte may lay. 0 ! Cato, thou art as great
,11 DI i t . There Ire • claw. of men 10 :wale
to. the narrow views and sordid inducements
.ethat ao escainre appears of Wee
I. bat is the sordid profit it produces. These
men will greet with aeclainittion eiery Get of
,spluedere and of rapiue, carelna of the area and
atemeofluirkieh it is etfectej. But I wish to hear
the, afinaloPniaf your learned Doctors of the Law,
ilyerropfsaad sate_s and learned eisiliaes on the
allateAlidgeof ,the House. Are they converts to
pew iocteista? will they disclaim the efficacy of
that public jaw of cations which they have taken
suds mighty care to understand and to commuisi-
cote ? Are they prepared to throb oil' their wigs,
bury their books, break their treads, in order :to
substitute the Dew system of unprovoked outrage.
in place of .the eopioded doctrine of moral
justice ? Will, they also, • wits the facility of 1
the Lady, of whom, on a certain oC:a.erms,
the public beard a rod deal,. throw away
their camphor bag, aud with lier exclaim. it Adieu
fair virtue, and welcome pleasure ?" There is yet
one point to which 1 beg leave to advert.—Namely.
.the insolence and petulance with which these doe*.
pents are refused. Certainly, in my recollection
of the usages of Parliament, the House was never
treated so contuinehously. A due and proper con-
fidence in Ministers, I would be the last man to
deity ; but, under the prevent circumstances, 1
must tell them, that from int they have no latter of
Attorney to iuvulve the credit and honour of
the country, and to taraish it with a stain which
no future circuoistasices can remove."
Mr. MI LN ES ettpatiated largely on the line of
conduct adopted by the Gentlemen opposite. The
ealy change observable lois, that it did not im-
prove by repetitiou. It was attempted to impute
to Mieisters a disregard for the abstract principles
of justice. 110 . insinuation was more incorrect.—
It was not from aneh principles he dissented, but
from an improper and culpable application of a re-
lined and casuistic morality, lie knew that the
measure had the approval of thatchers of men who
had minds to think for themselves, and never
framed their opinion according to that of a Noble
Vise-oust or a Member of that House.
Mr. BRAGGE BATHURST argued with
great precision, and a statement of strung facts,
against the conduct of Ministers, in refusing to
produce the document , on which alone the House
could forma proper opinion. He warmly- defended
a Noble Relative of his (Sidmouth) from the impu-
table of the Noble Lord (Castlereagh), who had
ascribed. ID a former .eenitig, a similar motive to
him for the teinpiwary preiseseion of the bland of
Madeira. as governed His Majesty, :a Ministers in
the espedition against Copenhagen..
Mr. FOSTER, jag. r, Member for the University
of Dublin.) warmly supported the Escpeditioe te
the Baltic. and st.-... aorta in his panegyric of 31ini.
ters compared with the oegligence and imbecility
of their predecessors.
Lord PALMEIik4TON followed on the same