The Sun.
London, England, 1805-02-12 00:00:00

disputable riahts Of tiStions, and supported by the
most celebrated Writers on the Laws of N.tions,
vse tilitt that in the TrCelty coocluded in 5796,
between Fiance pod Spain, there is nq Wide hind.
in“tn the latter, otoagainst this Country, and that
there IN one article in it expres,,:y diretted ag.timit
its, we have in this an r nsive anti defensive Treaty,
which, according to Otte .iaimiest principlei of the
Law of N.tioo, juttify our treating Spain
ita, PI inet:, i• 1 the War wecatry ten wish. Fr;lnCes
from the moment the existence of such an article
v onced to us. But- when we know the dine
and circumstances in Which 'Franee- clittated to Spain
the (tows oltil'is'ltomiltat trig Treaty—when we are
aware of the utter inability of Spain, under all its
then existing circunwances, to have opposed any ef.
fedual resistance to the wishes- of its overhearing
Ally, we cannot be it any loss' for the motives of
Franca in reducing Spain to such a degrading vassal.
age, in orikr, that by depriving her of the . power
of cunsulting either her inclination or' interest in
her relations with other independent States, the
whole weight of lierstrength and Means might on
occasion he dir,-tted in conjundion, with those of
Irtance against the power of the Rritish Emp
ire.
was the aitAition it, which His Majesty's Mi.
rii‘ !PP. 4911)11 thintialves when the aggressions and
injustice of the present Ruler of France forced
into the present Rupture. This was the
situation of the relations between both Countries
when His Majesry'e Ministers,' aetitated' by- ten,-
timents which 1 cannot but applaud, resolved to
thrit dettuntnatiOn with respect to the light
in H1%4 they' should. regard Spain till they
eltnuld See in what mintier, and .to what extent,
si-din would he disputa to carry its observance
of the terms of the Treaty. In .whateverlight
th. 'Fre:4,y should he viewed, it could.not he con.
sidered on the part•of Spain, but as a eeluthnt. tri.
bite to the overbearing didates of its ambitious and
tytannic Ally ; yet, whilstetipulati,lne sn ditettly
• e to the interest and security of thiS Country •
remained in tnrce, no man, I am confident, in this
House, will deny, that it could Only he a,tributed.,
td ritretne pusillanimity On the part of His
,Ma..,
jest, Gaverinnent if they had not requited: the
clear, distinct, and' explicit renunciation ot the of.
resolve articles; but the feelings to which -I have
alluded, tor the degraded and humiliating situation
of that Country, and which so justly, influenced
fits Majesty's Ministers on the occasion, dictated
a 'pito. of !moderation and forbearance in the mea. •
lair% dill adopted with aspect 'to a Court, of
which, though an Enemy, I am not disposed
to. spe:ile with severity, at the same time that
I 'Cannot but admit that in its present state
it. seems to possess very little of that honour-
able spirit, and thoee high. Minded sentiments, by
which the Spanish Nation has been sit long charac.
tensed. On this ground, I am convinced that the
tenderness, moderation, and forbearance 'shewn icy
Ilia M.ljesty's Mi,iister4, from the impulse of such
generous sentiment*, not upon any principles of true
Or hound policy, for the 'degrading »titration to
necessity, not choice, had retiutel Spain,
will meet with the decided *probation of the
}house. 'lstate this particularly, nceatise it was,
in the filer instance, deemed expedient to 'gain
time, and the Spanish C curt seemed at desirous to
,
get rid, their entorments as we were, tit de.
rtach them Scum their Ally. ~But oefnitida*hitit.-the
situation in which Spain was plated, cotisidering the
situation and circumstances of Europe, Considering
also that theintemperate and preeipttatt coiduft lrl
the French Ruler might compel Spain to take an ac-
tive port with him in this War, the same. sentiment
to spate," the Same generous feeling* fie its dean&
eii situation, could no Binger be suffered to &Au.
*pee His Government to a perseve.
ranee in the of moderation. upon which they
bad hitherto tided. T rirro elk lir upon such a sys.
rem, under such discciurdging citetunstances, would
tint he to give way to the influence of generous ten.
timents, nr honourable feelings, but to enable Sotin,
tinder the dielation of Fiance, to accumulate re.
coorces, and armies, and fleets, and arsena's, to he
at 111rt140:Pial of Franee and for what purpose ?
Franee might at once tikmand the contingent of rit:
teen sail of the line and fouls ; he. could
11101 tier deli/and, th:ti ;von sh-n 1 put into atti.
vity the Wbille force that she Could command, At
ony tnoinent it was in the p,;Wer, of Franielo call
tier the whole, either of the treasure of :Spain hr of
the hlood of her :iiihjeMs, unless the contVgent,'stic..;
Coors should he dr AnetfsufLtent ; -and for what poi.
? i,orpose of aiding,the7Fteneh in the War,
country,; for a purpose announced at
fa
the very' outset el hey War, continued through every
ticte of its progress, and never once suTend,....i, hitt
in pr iota cry of bear! hear J.—for the
iatrpose ef destroying the power and independence
of this Country ;---fns the purpose of overthrowing
this noble harrier seinst, rite encreachtnents of
'French ,ophitinn on the liberties and independence
of mat kind (hear! hear I hiai' I) 1 Thlftie were.
the ed.xed duties which His, Majesty's .Ministers
bad pest' ;In when they had to ionic 10,
.* ,Rapp;.
Orr wi,h France; do/ ies the most difficult that the
IVlinisters cf so great a Nation as this could have to
discharge, in tendetness to a Nation forced to de.
'jolt itself to ruin tp promote the criminal purposeiv
of our moat inveterate Enemy. hare, perti.ips,
dwelt longer on this Whir than may he thought 6e.
afloat'', hut I was particularly desirous of .beiug
texlrlicil as to the tiattire of thoserelit'tions of bocci
Catantriri which it will be necessary to (oat ton.
sway in mind in Cider id krtua clear and ade-
situate judgerient of the whole cantina c5l His:Ma.
jesty's tltrrtctcs.. Havinksaid thus much, I hi,Pe
I shall go into a corontieretnn of iheP4pers,.with.
out rrolixity, from the earliest s'tegis tip 10-the
teiminati.iti of the discussion 'pentiernen have in.
go retl, t.'oether any into, ut-tions had bern;rcnt taut.
to our MiNtster at 'Madrid to prepare the Spanish
Colli lot the c, whill ws were obouv to
with respett to that Natitini They will rind,
by a refertnce to the l'aper,‘;' that so early' as this
mow her; sido2`. inorktionS, tsri'h a view
to a. cos, it ~e kol.tore y: ills I ratite; had been xnottotaf
to Mr. Frete, i.y 1 ird lia,kesbory) the sentiuserits
contained in which r very in in in that House could
riot htir al strove Onael huts I], as highly ho.:
mourable to the Government of this Country, and
sin 14VOttrabir to the situation anti intere's,ts of
',Spain. The leading points in these inattudiona