The Sun.
London, England, 1808-03-01 00:00:00

Ova distress or importunities of our manufacturers ?
Was pot the very plea; on which they urged' their
ohject a powerful obstacle to obstruct its attainment ?
He gave the Hon. Gentleman full credit for being
sincere in the opinion he expressed. But he would
contend, admitting negociatton to be desirable and
goad, when there was a prospect of its leading to
-peace, that it was a mischief when .it did not. afford
that proSpect, it tended to•excite deceitful hope,, and
taparalise exertion. The. Hon. Gent. was satisfied
that when Russia said, we 'may have peace on honour.
able wild, the ilia was so. But why; in that case, did
not Russia state those terras ? What _Russia may
have looked. upon .as !honourable terms may not be
so looked upon in this -conutry. • The manner in
which Russia ailed reapeeling 'Prussia, the. manner
in which. that Power surrendered the guaranteed Re-.
public of the Seven Islands., the phrase of maritime
peace always used by France in a,sense which was
wholly inconsistent with the maritime power and
presperity of Britain, and-in that sense forced into all
the diploinatic.papers of the Powers ,reduced under
the,contreul of Buonaparte, the apparent-compromise
°lane independence of Sicily. All these were grounds
foKtsnspeeting.that the terms which Russia described
honourable, may:: be in fat very far.from being So.
on the principles 'that a . British Government was
brawl t 9 ea' upon. A' statement-'of the basis on
Which France, was ; prepared-to negociate was de-
man4e43...,4l:bet iMportauce of adjusting a basis before
coming-_toategotiate was obvious, as.well from the
effea it must have in confining the negotiation with-
in. fixed _limits and principles, as from the confusion
that arose from the want of an-acknowledged .basis in
the last 'negotiation, and the labour. thaemas after-
wards ,bestowed in fruitless cndeavonr,, first-• to ar-
rapge a basis, and afterwards,to re-establish it when
it.svaa lost sight of by. the French. Government.—
Apdhertst,he; could not help making a remark on
the strange manner in which it:was..rnade a matter
of argument-Jor a long -time; in the course of
- which. France' admitted ahe• . basis of the uti pas-
si4eas at the outset, while that admission was
li, repeatedly: denied on ' the- part of the French.
It was wonderful that all -this - toil and troeble.
to refresh the measures of. the French nego-
ciators and their Government, there.. was ono
very -short way .out -of all the difficulty, and
it . was to call on the French Government to admit
Or reject the basis at that time. le vras-astonish-
ing, indeed, how this plain point escaped the com-
bination of talents that was then entrusted with the
Government. Another material fact, tending to
spew the disposition of Russia and her devotion, to
France was, that the inclination of the Russian Go-.
vernment to complete the Commereial Treaty with
Britain ceased, on account of the influence of France,
and was not concluded because it was disagreeable to
that Power. He had himself no doubt, that the -
Declaration on the.subject of -Copenhagen was
forced on Ru4sia .by France. It was thought
strange, that while the mediation of Russia was
thought suspicious as between Britain and France,
the mediation, of that Power was solicited as be-
tween- Britain and, Denmark. But this applica-
tion was perfectly consistent. with -the character
Of Protector of the North, and' by preserving
any part of the independence of that State, there
:fly bp Av ,yet room•to hope that all not irreco.
vorahly, lost. The rim offer of mediation from
Austria was immediately subsequent to the battle
of Byline described, in the Gazette published by
the late Ministers as a complete vielory on' the part
of. the Ailie4, It was accepted .y.ithout any other
conation than that it should be accepted equal-
ly all. the. ,Belligerent Powers. The oiler
was made accordingly, and accepted by France
in terms so offensive' to Britain, that it .woold have
been a question, whether any negotiation could be
instituted upon it) But, befere'lhis point could
come to isautr, the battle of Friedland had totally,
destroyed the hopes of the allies and when Lord
Pembroke mentioned.. the Matter at, Vienna, he
was told, thinks were so changed, that . nothing
could be done. From that time nothing more
was heard till the communication made by Prince
Stabremberg, on the V 011) November. The terms
and tone ot the offer made thcin way very different
than the former, and it became the more necessary
to ascertain the basis and the source from which
it prmeded, as when Lord Pembroke asked at
'Vienna for some explanations of things stated by
Prince Stahreinherg 'here, in September,,.the-Aus-
trim) Government denied having given any aulhori-
trfor such a statement. The whole of the proceed-
ings on -the parts of Austria,: with respea to. the
livened offer, bore evident marks of French diaa-
tion., It was ex peaed that one of the last Notes of

the ll'rench Government would have produced a
treat. explosion here. But • Prince Stahremberg,
lio.was as ouxion4i as he could well be to continue
to 'reside in thi.4 Country, hirbore,to cormnunicate
this offensive Paper, and thus the explosion did not
t ke place, Mr. C. entered into some verbal
41anutions of the Note of Prince tit.ahrtSmberg.
The:Powers at war with Britain must mean certain-
ly. the enemies oLßrit,tin, and not loose on the.• same
and...t.he expression t" on" may signify any
1 ody or ratty thing.. . In the inquiries about the time
Ott Mr. :Adair hbviug left Vienna, it •-Was foiind out. •
tl.at Prince .Stahrtimberg had ,received, no orders
'from his Court subsequent to the 20th'of Oelober,
though he had iresented a Note hereon. the ,goth
Nov. Could a Power that left its' Ambassador in
this manner be called independent ? If it had 'been a
fair* offer it would' have been accepted, and Britain •

would have Availed herself °fit in such a manner as
,
'to restore Austria, in some degree, to the eminence
from which she has fallen. He should give his.nem
gative to the motions.
In answer to a question. frtun Mr.
CANKING stated that• the some Messenger who
brought over the le.ttttr..pf recall to:Prince Bsdhrem-
berg also brought, over ,the Itionitiur containing the
:Answer to the Declaration of this Country.

. Mr.. Hitanaler explained.
Mr. W. Surru thought his Majesty's Ministers
did not -*hew sufficient anxiety for peace. He
would thetetbre vote for the two first Resolutions;

I;ut lievrould not vote for the third, as be thought it
wailti,be a great mischief to encourageYetitions for,
• Petite. _ _

Mr. SuEittostr spoke in • favour of 'all the -Ma-
tions: He 'could assure the Hon.. Gentleman uppo,,
site that the difference of opinion observable-on this
question among those. on each side of, him would
be confined- to this question. He .maintained the
full ability of the Country to. carryon: the war, but
condemned Ministers for indisposition to peace, and-