The Sun.
London, England, 1819-05-19 00:00:00

France, and n communication bad been male to
her through the Duke of Richelieu, to invis: her
to accede to the European league, much in con-
sideration of what she had d4-me under his admi-
nistration, Oleic seemed to be sntne knowledge
and sortie guarantee of what would be her poli-
tical conflict. But in a short month the Duke
of Eichelieu had been' removed, and he feared
that Fiance was now considered as having'dc-
parted from the principles which had procured
her a place among the. five Allied Powers. Was
it not the bhject of the late war to controul her
power. and to prevent her from recovering- that
influence which might enable her once more to
shake the world? Bat what was the present si-
tuation of France? Her strength was recruited,
her finances were arranged,- and chiefly too with
aid derived from England. She possessed a free
Constitution, under a. limited Monarchy, and
might she long 'preserve it ! Anti her people could
now speak through the medium of their .Repre,
sentatives, These were great advantages, but
earned by sacrifices of blood and character, which
it would i.ake.many years to recover. She stood,
however,'in a commanding situation, whiely could
not have been anticipated two-yeats'sint!e. He
did not say this thrOUgh‘ a feeling of jealousy

against her. He sincerely hoped, on the con-
' trary, that any irritation which our triumphs
might have excited in a brave people, would be
soothed down into a sentiment of fair rivalry.
Bin it
.was impossible' not to feel that if France
was now our rival, she might one day become our
enemy. It was therefore necessary that we should
be prepared for the event. There was another
Power, 'America, who stood out of the pale of
the operations of the Congress, and with whom
we. had concluded a ,separate treaty of 'peace.—
With Out looking 'at the United States with an eye
of jealousy, it became. us to be careful, and to
prepare for the worst. Two British subjects had
been executed by the Americans : he knew dim
many arguments, whiCh he must own he consiz
tiered well founded, had been adduced on this oc-
cation in favour -of the American Government.
But he was old enough to remember the time
when the exec-ution of two British subjects in any
.country would nor have beeu borne with So much
patience. He did not blame his Majesty's Mi-
nisters for having acted prudently ; and, in
fact, on the score of prudence, they had seldom
erred. He thought they had acted right in not
pushing the matter too far. But they must rel.
Collect, that any country which does. not seem
prepared to defend. her rights,.will soon he exposed
to greater insult. There was also a question of
territory, which was of the greatest importance.
At the Congress of -, Aix-la-Chapelle, two Mini-

sters could not have exchanged medals without
an express- being immediately dispatched to the
Noble Lord, so important was it considered that
there sliould,be a perfect balance between all the
'Allies. Bat the Americans were allowed to add
to their territory a state which would subject our
colonial empire in the West Indies to the greatest
danger. He had no doubt some representation
had been 'made by Government em the subject,
and he helieVed- it was most moderate. In that
Ministers hail not been wrong, for it was right
for those who coat do hut little not to talk
much. This, however, showed the different sitna-.
'tion in which we stood, with impaired, or with
unimpaired resources. Our only security lay in
being prepared. He knew that it was difficult to
ascertain the point where prudence ended, and
abject submiSsion began. But he knew such a
point roust exist, and he trusted we should not be
forced towards it; We •most convince the world
that it we spoke of peace, it was from the love of
pelUe, and not from inability to support
Peace,- on such terms, would be war postponed to
its most dangerous period. 'lle did not see the
necessity of relying on a large military establish-
merit, on colleges -calculateil to give a mili-
tary education,, and inspire martial ,ardour.—
All he Wanted was, a great and invincible Navy,
and a well-furnished 'Exchequer. With these
two, he should feel that he stood on a rock,
which nothing, could remove. Let the douse
,give him a Navy, and flourishing finances, and
lie would set the whole world at defiance.-7-The
next point to be considered was, the manner in
which• our affairs had' been conducted, and the si-
tuation in which we siood. - From the first mo-
ment of peace, Ministers • had ceased to do any
thing for the internal welfare of the country. To
show the situation of trade, little more would be
necessary than to refer to the evidence given be-
fore the Cominittee an the resumption of cash
payments. -It might -not point out a decrease in
particular branches, bat would prove a general
and total stagnation. It had never occurred to
Alinisters that it might be proper to do some-
''thing in the shape 'of 'a commercial treaty, except
in the case of America. And yet, by this very-
treaty, they had scattered more dismay among:
the persons connected with the Newfoundland
trade than any treaty had done before,. There
was a 'cheering hope arising from the struggle of
a brave people contending for ,•national indepeo
deuce. An opening seemed preparing for our
trade in South America, but as if this were too
favourable, a Bill 'novas now depending in the
House, which Would exasperate those nations
whom it would be our best' policy to conciliate,
and would close that last and•lOnely hope. When
our mauutacturers were starving at home, this
wide issue for the sale of their goodS would thus
be entirety cut-off by the impolicy'of the Govern-
ment, and we should throw the whole trade of
Smith Anierica, if we could manage it, into the
hands of other nations. Ministers had therefore
dpite worse than nothing. They had deeply in-
jured our trade, and violated ail the feelings
which'used to form the of the British cha-
racter. He would now Call the attention of the
'House very briefly to the financial situation of
the country, from the.sth of January 1816, the
firait year of peace after the return sot Buonaparte,
'to the sthrof,januarY 1819. This period 'would
tamd a fair sample of what !Idea ,be expected
front his Majesty's Government on subjects of
finance.. On the fith of Titulary 1816, the total
of the- Nude(' and unfunded debt amounted to
860 Millions. -One might have thought that, with
syeti,a mass before them, ‘Ministers would have
nn time in making arrangements to rope with
fiirmiltable an adversary, They had made a',
weak attempt of this kind when they proposed