The Sun.
London, England, 1808-01-22 00:00:00

NUMBER .4781.1

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

. -
HOUSE OF PEERS,
'.THURSDAY, JAN. 21. ;.
•
• This day His Majesty opened the Sitting of Par
-
Lament by Commission. The Commissioners who.
•
represented his Majesty were, the ARCHBISHOP of '
CANTERBURY the LORD CHANCELLOR,' the LORD
NESIDENT-Of the Cos, lam (Lord Cssunesr),. Lord
AVLESFORD, and Lord WINCHILSEA. SOOII after
three o'clock, the Lords Commissioners haVing taken
their seats, the following Peers were introduced
Lord Gees?, Lordimsz, Lord GAMBYBR, and Lprd
BROWSLOW.
A Message was then 'sent to the House of Corn-
mons, by the Black Rod, requiring their attendance
a the Bar "Of the House, to hear his Majesty's
Speech 'read: The SPEAKBR and several Members
attended accordinglyswhen the LORD CHANCHL-
i^R read ihe Speech from thaVoolsackas given .
in 'Tins Ssn yesterday.
Tlte, art
of GiILLOTP./11' then rose, to Move.
an Address to his Majesty, and
.delivered himself
nearly as follows :---
My Lor4--After the Speech Which your Lord-
ships have just heard delivered by his Majesty's
Command, it is expetled that some Aleinber of this
House should present himself to your notice, to
solicit that attention which the :importance of the
aubjea demands ; and by endeavouring to obtain
your cordial concurrence in an. Address of Thanks
to his Majesty,. for his gracious communication, to
mark your approval of the sentiments it contains. I,
Can assure your'Lordships I am perfeEtly .aWare of
the inadequacy Of my abilities to open subjeas of the
Magnitude and importance of those now offered
for your disCussion : but you will separate the Advo-
.cate from the•Caase, and I trust he dispesed to ex-
tend to the 'former that indulgence which it is year,
Lordship,' invariable pre ice to do, at the same
time doing ample justice to the serious import of the
other. 1 must clsiin also your Lordships' indul-
gence in. cotisideration 01 my habits. and pursuits,
which bay* differed widely from those which are
requisite to qualify me to make an adequate appeal
to an Assembly like this but again I trust this cip-,
tcieney on my part will is some measure. be supplied
by the goodness of the cause I have to advance.
will not COIISIIMIS more of your Lordships' time by
it longer preamble, being sensible many Noble Lords
mill be extremely anxious to deliver their opinions
also ; I shall tlierefcse proceed to animadvert upon
the prominent features of the Speech, leaving to
others the detail, who will be better able to do
iustiee to the same. In the first place, my Lords,
:we are informed in the Speech, that soon after
2*sisaty of Tilsit had announced the dere-
talon of Russia to the cause she had espoused,
. his Majesty's Ministers received the most clear
and positive information that it was the inren •
tion of the Enemy to compel the Courts of
benniark and Portugal to subscribe their navies to a
general Confedetacy about to be formed against this
ountry, and with a promptitude and deciSion that
sloes them infinite credit, they immediately resolved
to frustrate so formidable a combination. •It is
knoWn to your Lordships, that this has been effea-
ed, with respc& to . Denmark, by force of arms.
The hostile sentiments of that Court evinced In many
Islyi during some years past, rendered fruitless every
tither mode of proceeding. It was an unfortunate
tircumstance, my Lords, that the Danish Fleet, the
only obje& of our solicitude, should be encircled by
the 'walls of the Capital, thereby causing misfortunes
which every humane Mind %would. wish to have
avoided; but it is creditable to the arms of this
Country, and meritorious in the Officers command-
ing the Expedition, that every attempt was nude to
prevent a loss that was inevitable. As soon as suc-
cess, my Lords, enabled you to judgefor yourselves,
you found verified every predidion of the Govern-
tnent ; an arsenal °vet supplied with every material
,of equipment,' magazines replete with stores, ascer-
tained to have been purchased by the Agents of
Frauce, and those demonstrations which could not
escape the eye`of seamen, that the Fleet was upon
the eve of being fitted Out. The result I need not
add ; that, Fleet is qow safe and secure in the har-
bours of -England, ready, if necessary, to be cm,
Ployed in her defenee; and by so many ships of the
Mine of which it is composed, by so many degrees do
I consider the liberties of this envied Country more
secure. My Lords, it is justly said in the Speech,
`''hat to place out of the roach of this Confederacy
the Fleets of Portugal find Denmark, was the indis-
ensable duty of Majesty." And yet, roy Lorsis,
have heard it rumoured, that a difference of opi-,
nion exists upon this' subject (not in the COuntry,
but with some MeMbers of your Lordships' House).
If that is the case, I Own I ant curious to learn the
argument that is to be advanced. Is it possible, my
141,4 rds, 'that any candid and impartial person can
doubt,
the paramount nacessity'of this Expedition ?
Permit me, 'my Lords,' to `put the case the other
Way, and to suppose that his Majesty's Ministers,
Confiding in what is termed tholaith of Treaties, and
refusing all other evidence, had negleaed to avail
themselves of the naval superiority of this Country
to secure the Danish Fleet, what would have been
the result ? Will any man doubt that the Speech
would now dire& us to prepare against a naval Con-
federacy composed of . a force equal to forty sail of
the line, from supposieg the independent. Monarch
of SWeden had been able to remain a quiet spedas
that.this force was destined against. the
-`vulnerable parts of:thei Empire. My Lords, Would
not indignation 'have swelled the breast of every wan
in this country against a *Govern inept so deficient
and remiss-? Censure would then have. een appro.
priate,;' at pre.sotit I cannot admit it to be so, it the
Idea does t. It is gratifying, my Lords, to re-
flea upon the aean s sinployed to secure the .Navy
(,).I:‘P,Osituelals,*(o,snr. the siirattp Of „Frances by mom.