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

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rnadt; except with regard to a proposed arrrange-
.Thent relative to the Maltese inhabitants. His Ma-
jesty's Ministers thought it consistent with their
duty to consent to the arrangement; but sub-
. Sequent to the Definitive Treaty an objeCtion was
niade with regard to the eleaion of tile Grand
Master of. Malta, which Russia contended would
be different from the mode which had previously
been determined upon. Lord St. Helen's proposed
That Russia should become a guarantee for the tenth
Article of the Treaty of Amiens ; it was at first
agreed to, but afterwards refused. The Men Hon.
Gentleman had complained, that there had been no
representation on the part of his Majesty's servants
in consequence of the various instances of aggres-
sion. It could not be necessary for him to state,
that in every instance of improper conduit on the
part of the French, representations had been made.
A Noble Lord had thought that a disregard of those
complaints we had made, was a sufficient ground
for war ; they might he grounds for representation
but not gronnds for war. The condua of the Ame-
ricans previous to that war, which terminated by the
grace 1785, in refusing the subjc&s of this country
redress for injuries committed against them, was
considered as a fair ground for representation, but
was not sufficient to justify a war. Strong represen-
tations had been made with regard to Switzerland ;
remonstrances had been made on the part of this
country, but this country was not the only quarterfrom
whichthose remonstrances had proceeded; there had
been remonstrances from other powers, which unfor-
tunately proved equally unsuccessful. In the case of
the injuries done to the merchants of this city,
strong repirentations had been made; similar re-
presentations had been made with regard to the
Commercial Consuls. The Right Hon. Gentleman
enlarged upon the duplicity of the French Govern-
ment in sendingover these Commercial Agents ; he
observed, that as soon as the obj'ec't of their mis-
sions was discovered, they were told they should not
leave the metropolis • with regard to one of those
agents who went to .lersev, he was ordered out of
the kingdran; and it was hinted to Gen. Andreossi,
that if the others did not withdraw out of this
kingdom, measures would be taken to oblige them.
With regard to Colonel Sehastiani, the conduit of
his Majesty's Government bad been very becoming,
it was, therefore, too much to be told, they had
not made any representation. He asked the I louse to
male allowance for the circumstance of extreme diffi-
culty in which his M.tjesty's Ministers were placed ;
he desired Gentletnen to examine the documents on
the table, and then say whether their minds have
rot been brought to this conclusion, that his Majes-
ty's Ministers had conduced themselves with a de-
gree of forbearance every way worthy of the Minis-
try of the British Government. lie next adverted to
the libel inserted in the liambursh Corre.rpondad.n,
observing that the French Government had maei-
fested a disposition to disavow this to the Bri-
tish Government.--If a specific arrangement
had been made, he had no doubt but that
compleat satisfaCtion had been given upon that head.
Having endeavoured to state the grounds upon
which his ':'aj..sty's Ministers hpd acted, having
stated his m( :.vex for abstaining while there was a
chance of pieice, making those communications
which would have lessened that chance ; all he
bad to ask of Gentlemen was, to peruse the papers
on the table, and then say, whether if they had
been only in possession of the information they con-
tained, they would ha re thought it prudent or ad-
viseable in them, to have communicated them pend-
ing a negotiation for peace. His Majesty's Minis-
ters, sensible of the aggressions they had experienced,
were known only to themselves, thought they were
justified in withholding them from the public ; but
the moment all hopes of peace vanished, they
had thought it their duty to publish them in
the most ample manner. He knew not of a
single document that had been withheld.—
Ail he asked or the House in return for this candor
on the part of his Majesty's Ministers was, that deci-
sion by whicil the I louse should not convey appro-
bation, but merely state that they had not merited
that censure which was the object of the resolutions
to impute to them. If they had merited that cen-
sure they should acquiesce in it ; if it were unmerited,
he asked that their minds should be relieved from
that torment and anxiety which they could not but
- feel on such an occasion. He trusted the House
would afford them an assurance that they still en-
joyed its confidence; he trusted they should not go
to the consideration of the important duties this
crisis required of them, with the opprobrium of their
having deserved the censures of the majority of the
House. All he asked of the House was to say
44 Aye or No," with regard to the conduit of his
Majesty's Ministers. If they said ,i No," he should
feel a sentiment of pride and gratitude. If they
said u Aye," lie should have the comfort of know-
ing, that every instant of his life Ise had served his
country with fidelity and zeal.
Mr. PITT said, he should not trespass long on
the time of the House. The vote he intended to
beve 'was one he had adopted upon the most deli-
rate sense of his public duty at this important
!crisis. It was one he could not discharge without
peculiar pain, especially after that forcible and
natural appeal on the part of his Majesty's Minis-
ters, calling upon the House for a positive decis:cas
on the subjeEt. If he was prepared to give that de.
vision either way to the extent he had desired, he
should give it as his conscience dijtated. If he could
be persuaded that it was important at this moment
not to make any retruspe9, or be induced to think,
that by such - retrospect those circumstances of
•weakness and incapacity would be found, which
would make it the duty of the I Louse of tor/malls
to press his Majesty for the removal of his Ministers.
Painful as such an opinion would be it was a sacri-
fice to duty which himself, and he hoped every
Member in the House who thought with him, would
he ready to make. On the other hand, if he could
feel that the explanation of the condat of his Ma-
jesty's Ministers was so clear and satisfaFtury, as to
justify the House in giving a decided and unquali-
fied negative, he should feel an infinitely greater de-
.gree of sate idlion in giving such a vote. He did
consider that many of the charges against his Majele.
ty's Ministers that were contain 1 in these resolutions
were nolounded or exaggerated. lie did feel great
objetekiee to acceding to the entire extent and scope
of "this motion, unless there was that necessity for it
which lie did riot see and cwtld not as'l upon. He
tion.rotAkat unkaithere was a case of extreme new
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by a parlia-
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