The National Register.
London, England, 1813-02-21 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

enemy's provinces. We have the Canadas as much under
' as she has the ocean ; acd the way to conquer her on
to drive her from the land. I am not for stopping at
any where else ! but I would te*ie the wir.le continent
and ask them no favour; ? Het fleets carinot then ren-
!alifaX as now; and having no place of resort in the
;m!ot infest our coast as they have lately (tom-. It is as easy
r them en the land, as their whole navy could conquer our's
•an. As to coping with them at sea, we cannot do it. We
them, but n;t meet them on the open sea. I would meet
. hurt them, however, where we can. Wo must take the
trorn them. I wish never to sec a race 611 we do ! GA
us the pt,‘Ner and the means ; we are to bl:nre if vie do not
f 6et the r:ontincht, ske must allow us the freedom

P;PERI.2!I. PA RL IA M ENT.

HOUSE Or LORDS.

MOXDAY, FF.D. 15.
ins were presented i,gairist the Catholic Claims from. the
t Gloucester„Oe Dio,ese nf St. David, from the relidea.
'Carniart hen, Brecon, and Cardigan, from Pent yn and from
Ordered to lie on the table.
vas were presented lro:n Edintiorgh, Montrose, Stcrl.ing, and
tam apinst La India Monopoly. Ordered to lie on the
.djourncd.
TDESr•AY, rta It.
The WADI; Of NORWICH pfesente Petition from the Archilea-
conri, of Stailk and Clergy of Sudbnry, in the tame County, against
the Catholic Claims.—Ordered to lie on the table.
The Marquis of STAFFOi.D presented a Petition from Bilston, in
Staffbrdshirc, pray ing for a participation in the trade to India .end China; and Lord WALSINCH Ass one to the like effect from Welling-
ton, in Som::rsetshire.—Ordeved to lie on the table.—AdiJurned.
wroNtsoatt, FEn• 17.
Lord R0i1...! presented a Petition from the City of Exeter, praying
that the Catholic Claims may not be acceded to. Orderd to lie on
the table.
Lord Viscount Stamourn presented one to the same einct from
the Township of Leeds, in Yorkshire. Ordered to lie on the table;
as Was a Petition presented hr the Bishop ot OXFORD, from the
Debtors confined in the gaol of' that City, praying relief.—Adjourned.

TITURSbAY, FEB. Ig.

AMERICAN WAR.
Earl nAvtiustsr rose to call the attention of the House to the Pa-
pers which had been lately laid 1-,efo:e it respecting the late negocia-
tion between this country and Arrelica. His Lordship commenced
its speech with stating that there was no disposition on the part of
his Majesty's government, to shrink Icon: any investivat;on with re-
gard to their late negoci:itiot with Arnerica, for they were confident
there would be but one sentiment as to the rejection of the propoti.
.bons made on the part of the government of that country. ‘llhen the
Orders in Council were rcpeale't, it was expected that the concession
on our part would have been met with a due t!es?ree of conciliation on .
the part of the American Government ; that, liliwever, wa
nsced more
not the
case ; instead of attending to our pacific overtures, they evi
openly that spirit of hostility by what they had been long actuated.
They then first insisted upon the renunciation, on our part, of the
right we canned to the impressment of British seamen ; tins right
we never could renounce ; and it was then proposed, not that the
declaratian of war should be withdrawn, but that an armistice should
take- place, for the purpose of ascertaining by negotiation, whether a
substitute for that impress might not he established, which would
prevent the present exercise of that right, but we coti:d never agree to
an armistice for ne,;ociation about which were justly deemed undis-
puted rights. Upon this position it was (to necessary to our incle-
petidence as a nation), that he now called on the House to say, whe-
ther his Majesty's Government had acted properly or not ? On this
right not only depended our own existence as a maritime power,
but the rights of Europe in a great 'measure, and of America herself.
The Americans had never exercised any power to prevent British
seamen from entering on board their merchant vessels, and even those
of war ; but they would harbour deserters from our men of war, and
keep those who had been trepanned. He would state two instances
of these facts. In the affair of the Chesapeake, the men deserted
from the boat, and openly insulted their officers in the streets of
Boston. Yet whien they were applied for to the American Govern-
ment, it WAS not till a considerable time that they returned an answer
that the men were not on board of the Chesapeake. Tile Captain of
that vessel also gave his word of honour that they were not an board
of her; but when she search was enforced there they were found. It
Was true they were under fiCiitiOSlS natnes. but it was proved
of the
on the
Court Martial that twat by command of e Captain
Chesapeake. The ne ILt
conveyed on board the'

susamommodcomiii...oulivii=
sole of intoxication. He deserted from het,..afterodatirg likosAlf
to-
be a Britisli stiblect, and not wilting to serve in their navy. H :was
brought back, flogged, and sent on boarct-the Constitution.e
At
len,th he made his escape from her at Spthead. Not withstand ag
riliresentation of these facts was made. to :h' Government of AM e-
rica, no steps were taken to redress theni—no Court Martial was het. d
on the. conduct at these Officers. With aGt vonment of .his deeritt •
!ion, which claim-el the right of absolving out subjects fr. m their all•
ance to their natise country, at a time when it was involved in it
war for the general interests of Mankind, what hope of co ciliatiors.
could be entertained ? He called on the House to say whether his
Majesty's Government was to give up the light of impressing subjects
of this country without even the shadow of an equivalent ? He then
ni.,ved ao Address to the Regent, i° That the House had taken into
i:s serious consideration the papers laid before them in regard to the
war with America ; raid while they deeply regretted the necessity of
commencing hostilities. they yet. entirely approved of the resistance
made to pretensions which could nu have been acceded to without
abandonitig the most essential tights of the country ; and that hls
Royal Highness the Prince Regent might rely upon their zealous
support of such measures as might be calculated to tarry on the war
with -vigour.
Marquis LANstursiNE Coincided generally with the speech of Batt
Rathurst, but contended that our maritime force had not beenae.e.
quote to crush, as it ought to have dote, the American navy at the
outset of the war.
Lord Mst.eti.t.c said, that there was a suffic'ent naval force en the
American coasts to have kept their navy in. check. On the amount of
this force he challenged any Noble Lord to ga with him into the ties
'Fite Marquis of WeLsesszy understood that there were four points
in the Address—first, the justice of our cause secomlly, the impot.
rant points at issue ; thirdly, the prosecution of the war with vigout ;
and, I .urtilly, that the House would support his Royal Hi.2liness in
the poisccution of it. I n all those points he age dto it cordially t
yet he trusted a Um:. would corn.:, and that ver. shar• ly, for a* in-
quiry into the mode of c intruAing this w:t. Suaici i.t force should
have been stationed off the Anteri,:an coasts, to have debtro)4d their
navy, if they left their ports wit in.entions.
The Earl of L:vexroot. said, that no one caul I deny but that the
right of impressment might be abu ed ; but it was of such vital in.
terest to the country, that it could not be given up . 0.1 this subject,
it was notoilfotts, that the Eastern States of Anierca (the only -part
that could suffer from the exertion of this right) were almost unani-
mous against a war with this country. The people of this country
would hear in miind that the war which America had declared against
this country was not one of neceszity , but of passion.
Lord ERS RINE agreed that the war which AMrTiCR was waging
against us was a war of passi n, but it was a pas ion provoked by our
aggression. As to the proposal respecting the impressment of
seamen, in his mind there was a great difference between suspending
a right, and altogether giving it up. America did hot call upon us to
give up this right, but to take time to eon-iciar whether it might not
be suspended.
The LORD CHANCILLOR replied to Lord Erskine, after which the
motion was agreed to without a division.
Lord WELLESLFy"then moved, that the Peers should he summoned
fcr the 4th of March, on which day he should bring forward his mo-
tion relative to the inisterial con iuct of the campaign in the Penin-s
khe House then adjourned.

FRIDAY, ITZZ. 19.
The Bishop of DURHAM presented a, Petition front Carlisle against
the Catholic Petitions.
Lord K THYON moved for a return of the names
eeable of those
the English
it
Catholics, who 1 .tve taken qualification oaths, agr to Sl
of the King, cap 32 within the last ten years. After some conversa.
1 tioit on the subject between Lt.r:;s Holland, Etadnor, and Redesdale,
the motion was agreed to. -
Lord HOLLAND presented P2titions-from the prisoners confinetl. for
debt in the Gaol of Carlisle, and in the Fleet Prison, London, praying
the House to grant them relief. . . ..
Lord Mot ta A expressed a hope on the occasion, that the Bill intro.
l by a Noble Lord (Redesdate) would atiorci the Petitioners the
ducet
most efiectual and speedy reliet. The Petitions were ordered to lie on
the table.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS'.I3II..L.
The House went into a Committee on this Bill; for the Relief of
Insolvent Debtors in England, and after a few
to verb 4 am
end on Moendments,
n. it
was agreed to, reported, and the Report ordered be rece
day.—Adjourned to Monday.
lIOI.IbE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY, ?as• lb•
Mr. Davis presented a Petition from 8000 of the inhabitants of
Bristol ; Mr. SWAN one from the inhabitants of Pertryn; and Lord
YAaMOUTH one trom between 14 and 16,000 of the inhabitants of the
• of Lancaster against the Catholic Claims"—Ordered

Inv =arca w;:
under ficaitioiss names. but it was proved on the Rrisivi "" • .-“••• - -
:tent
ellirt was e date
thatb command
Oal 1
tYO Awn:loZ TcHouonntey from
&abetween r 14
.andi
ilibtrcuaxola
rde red
I the ;Instal Si ales sloop of war the We sn a to lie upon the table.

Mr. A azacaomay appealed to the candour of the. Noble Lord (Cas- 1
tlereagh) for time between the: Committee and the report, fur a ma-
ture consideration of the measure.
Mr. Hoanz signified his approbation of the Bill as a remedy for an
evil of .great pressure and magnitude.
'Lord Casti.zazacti said, he had no wish to hurry the measure
through the House. The course of proceeding he should propose
to adopt, if the House allowed the Bill to go through a Committee,
would be to delay the report Upon it. till Friday, or this day se'imight,
when it would, as amended, have been a sufiicient time in the hands of
Members.
Mr. PONSONBY signified his approval of Monday next for this pur-
buse. liriday, he observed, would be occupied with other important
siness.
Sir S. Rost LLY spokein favour of the plan suggested by Mr. Leach,
which he saidhad nothing new in it, but simply proposed to have re-
course to what was already in existence to remedy the evil in question.
Mr. BATHURST defended the principle on which the gill was
founded, and gave it his Warmest support.
Mr. STErntsr WAS in favour of the Bill. .
After a few words from Mr. STIP/LIN, Mr. MARRVATT, and Mr.
SISARON, the amendment was negatived, and the original question
carried.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill, Mr.
COARTENEY in the Chair.;
Lord CASTLICREAnH proposed several Clauses to the Bill, which I
were carried. They were, that the salary of the Vice-Chancellor
should be. 50001. per annum ; 15001. of which to be paid by the Lord
Chancellor from the emoluments of his office, the remaining moiety
to be paid out of the Suiturs, or Dead Cash Fund; that 60,0001. be
invested for the purpose of coveting the latter moiety.
Mr. R. Goanox herenbseeved, that it would be better that the
salary of the Vico-Chancellor should be paid entirely by the Lord
Chancellor.
The other clause proposed by Lord CASTLIRZAGII was, that neither.
the Vice-Chaticetlor nor any of his Officers should be allowed to take
any tees except salary.
Mr. FRESTON, adverting to the Suitors Fund, nut of which it was
inten Ito pay one-half of the salary of the Vicc-Chancellor, thought
that rnti measures should be taken to restore the property in that
ADA to those persons who had a right to it. For this purpose it would.
be proper to appropriate part of the fund to discover the persons who,
had a claim to any part of k. •
Mr. SistcoN said a few words, expressive of his surprise that the;
Hap. Gent. should not know that such a plan as that which he pro.%
'posed was impracticable.
Mr. CoUstranzy agreed with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Preston,)
the opinion, that as the property or Suitors Fund was unappro-,
priatecil a great portion of it might be distributed among those who,
had a right to it.

The Call of the /Joust was poiipnnett till this day se'nnight.
Mr. It L ASKRUit Nr. presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of Lan-
caster against the Catholic Claims, which, alter an observation from
Lord Stanley,• was laid on the fable.