Star.
London, England, 1801-03-21 00:00:00

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MI

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this deflination Egypt, and bad our troops been
kept on thip-board for almon 16 months, carried
round to fo many parts of Europe, in ord^r to be
prepared for this farther denination ? The change
in his Majefly's Councils has been mentioned. Of
that change I than only fay that I fbould have
confidered it in itfelf fortunate for the country if
the caufc alledged fir it did not mitigate the fair-
faCtion. Though Milliners have quitted their of- i
fices, they have left behind them the unhappy cf-
fats of their fyltem. li, however, a Milliner,
who ha, condoCted the affairs of a country to its
ruin and difgrace, chides to retire upon the pre-
tence of a popular quetlion which he has fur a mo-
Milt taken up, ought this pretence to Ihield him
from enquiry and horn cenfirre ? It is need-dry
to (hew to the country, and to Europa, that thel
vigilance of Parliament is not to be diverted by
filch maratuvres. It is neceffary to enquire, to
centime, and to punifh the authors of pall ca-
lamities, that we may prove that the fyilem of '
confidence is at an end ; that in future that fyr-
tern of vigour may be expeded which a waile-
ful fuperintendence is calculated to produce.—
With raped to Ireland, I have no helitat:nn to '
fay, diat a fyllem of conciliation ought to be
adopted, and that there fhould be a total removal of
thole diftbilities under which the Catholics labour.
,1
But I cannot give credit to thofe men who were
formerly the enethies of the Catholic claim's, for I
do not with to employ the word Emancipation,
for being now fincerely connected to their fupport.
Thofe mcn, who in 5795 opnofed conciliation and
conceffion ; thofe men whole meufures brought on
all thole misfortunes, and gave rife to thole pro-
ceedings which have defolated Ireland, cannot be
the friends of any lib,ral and enlightened concilia-
don. It is not that they have been moved by truth II
and juflice to give encouragement to the Catho-
lics.
The battle of Marengo, the battle of Ho-',
henlinden have produced the change. The claims
of the Catholics were decided by the arms of 80.
uaparte. After there events thole Minitlers who
had failed in all their enterprites, who had fur-
rounded
thendelves with foreign and dnmeflic
embarralments, aid that it might be necettary to
make conceffions, which in other circuraftances
would never have been thought of. But becaufe
the late Minifiers have thought proper to go out
of office, on pretence of being attached to a popu-
lar quenion, mutt the criminal efcape ? Mull all.
the calamities, difgraccs, and difafters of a long
Adminiaration be immediately forgotten ? That
the new Minifters come into office hoaile to the
Catholic claims, is of itfclf a circumftance that is
fufficient to raife a doubt that they cannot carry
on the affairs of the nation with fuccefs. It; how-
ever, they thew themfelves ferioully difpofed to'
treat for peace in the fpirit of peace, if they are
willing to repair thofe breaches which their pre-
dccefrors have made in the Conititution, they will
at leaf! foften much of that oppofition I fhould
'
give to their meafures. The bell pledge they
could give of their intentions, however, would be
to vote the enquiry that is proofed, into pall fail-
ere and mifcarriage. An attempt has indeed been
made to maintain that the war has been fuccelf-
ful ; but how can thole men who profeffed to fight
for the deliverance of Europe, pretend to have
Cucceeded id their defigns after fu many failures ?
After having fcen all alliances forfeited by every
nation in Europe, how can it be pretended that
the war has been fuccefsfal? If thofe who have
been the authors of our misfortunes were to devife
how they fhould infult thofe whom they have re-
duced to fuch diftrefs, it would be to tell them
that they had left their affairs in a fituation of
unparalleled glory and profperity. Whatever•
may be their language on this fubjeft, the bell con-
futation of it is their conduit. Had they not been
aware of the mifery, diftrefs, and difficulty in
which the nation is plun,zed, the Catholic Quettion,
froth which the late Minitters expert fo much po-
pularita, would never have been heard of.
• The Earl of WE sr molt Lan D began with obferv-
ing, that the queftion had taken fo very large a'
far that he tiardly knew where to commence the
oblervations he had to fubmit to the Houle. One
point,.howevor, alluded to by the Noble Lord I
who fpoke fall, had (truck his mind with peculiar
.'force. That Noble Lord had declared his warmed
with to grant to the Catholics of Ireland the moll '
unqualified conceffion, and had introduced the
phrale of Catholic Emancipation, while he feemed
to be unmindful that Catholis Emancipation had
been the watch-word of treafon and rebellion.
How, be would afk, could any man prefume to
ufe that word, who was at the fame tame fentible
that the Catholics enjoyed every privilege, every
right miler the Britilh Conffitution, which tended
to the teem it y of their perfons, their property, and
their happinefs, with the exception of fitting in
Parliament, and fome flight reflrietions ? What
did the Noble Lo d mean to point out to the
Houfe ? Wli it fulalitute did he mean to place in
its room? What he in:ended should be carried in-
to eft in its (hod, it was necelary for Parlia-
meet precifely to know. With refpca. to the gene-
r,l conduct of the late Adminillration, he might
junified from the propoliai inquiry in loppdfing
that it was asked, what misfortunes had ranked to
the country from the fyllem which formed the ha-
fts of their Councils? Had our Fleets been de-'
teated, our ports blockaded, and our coats been
threatened? No !—But with regard to the ene-
my, how flood the anfwer to that quenion ? Had
dull- fleets been defeated, their ports blockaded,
and their malls threatened ? They had, even
when their arms enjoyed the ‘greatea triumphs
en the Continent. The Noble Lords on the
other tide of the Honfe were not in the habit
of praiting Minitlers for thole exertions which
Dad teemed the uninterrupted tranoaillity of
the country, and the fafety and catention of its
commerce. They were accuftomed to argue
sig.kinii die unfitnefs cif their own Government,
from diappointments and diallers which it was
inlPsAble to forefee ; but they never argued
againftthe unfimefs and incapacity of the French
(,Tovernment from the defeats of the Republicar
Armies, and the conquefts of our allies : they did
not expide the incapacity of the Government of
France when the Archduke Charles routed the
trim-
es of the Republic, and wins Moreau was

compelled to retreat before his via•orion3 army ;
they did not indulge thenifielves in (trains of in-
vetaive again the Republican Atimini Ilration, and
argue aLainft tl:eir inability to condititt the war,
when the fotir Expeditions undertaken againft Ire-
land failed. litere was certainly no ground fir
determining whether any expedition failed or not,
unlefs the Ipecifie objcift of the exr edition Wtiti
certaincd. Since cenfure had lic.n thrown out a_
gain!' the expedition againit Petrol, he Ihould ily
tnat it was dircitted to the accomplifhaients of fe-
veral obje&s. It was calculated to a& as a diver•
Pion in favour of Au ft ria, by keeping the enemy in
:ilarm, and dividing his forces, while it WAS de-
ligned to co-operate in the defence of Portugal, by
engaging the attention of Spain, Nv:iich threaten-
ed that kingdom with invalitm. As the Noble
Lords ha :l uniformly blamed Minifters for forming
alliances, and fuldidi :ing the powers of the Con-
tinent, they could not now, with any confidency,
cenfure Government for (landing alone in the con.
teft. As they had always upp.ifed the fending of
money out of the kingdom, Minifters were, in
confequence of that mode of re:diming, entitled to
their fupport, (ince they were left, according to the
camel withes ofthe Noble Lords, entirely to them.
felvss. The Earl of Wellmoreland ne a took a re-
view of the armed neutrality, or Northern confe-
deracy, and after exposing the abfitrdity of the
views which it profe:fed in direa oppotition to po-
fitive and repeated treaties, he concluded with ray-
ing, that he was fitrprifed to hear the principle
queflioned, which was recognized and lifted upon
by this country with refpeet to the powers of the
North. That his Majetly's Minitters had made
every pollible exertion for the attainment of
peace, confillent with the dignity and interefis
of the Empire, no man could ever deny who had
fairly confidered the beginning and progrefs of
the negociations. But the tyftem adopted by
France was no longer concealed, and the objea of
it was, with the pretence of rctioring trail uillity,
to continue the war with encreafed vtqour , and to
exhauft our refources. If the French 'Governm tit
dared to (peak out to the people of France, what
would be their language ? Have patience under the
preffure of the prefent contell, and you fttall ulti-
mately enjoy the benefits of your perfeverance.
You !hall ruin the manufaaures, trade, and com-
merce of Great Britain; you (]tall increafe her
taxes, and diminifh her revenue. Have patience,
and you fhall have your colonies which have been
torn from you rellored ; you than have yonr Laft
and Weft India potreflions given up; have patience,
and the poffeiEons of your Allies and Dependents
(hall be reftored ; have patience, and you (hall
have Pondicherry, Martinique, the Cape of Good
Hope; Minorca, &c. Such was the real obit& of
the enemy, which admitted of no lincerity in ne-
gociation. He was aflonifhed to find the com-
mencement of the war imputed to Government
only. Hoflilities had been brought on by the juft,
alarm entertained by the people of England in con-
fequence of the dangers with which their deareft
rights and interefts were threatened ; and it was
the peculiar praife of Adminiftration, that they
had, throughout the whole of the ednfliet, extend-
ed and defended the territory of the Empire—fe-
cured and amplified its commercial advantages—
and prote&ed from imminent peril the Conflitution
under which it flonrifhed. _ _ _

The Earl of CARLIII.I4 My Lords, although
I have on various occalions given my bell fupport
to his Majefty's Minifters, I believe it will not he
therefore contended, that I am bound to refill the
invelligation which is propofed to be inflituted by
the motion of the Noble Lord. If fads are noto-
rious and obvious, as it has been Rated, i mull
confefs that there would teem, thould this enquiry
be refuted, tome myltery of a fingular nature.—
We fee the fabric of a ftrong Adminittration
broken down without any apparent and fatisfafto-
ry caufe. The difficulties we Rand in, under the
prefent circumftances. are very great, and in
proportion as there difficulties prof- upon us, we
require the affiftance of a ftrong and wife Admi-
niftration. I am, my Lords, no trifler, and it is
my earneß with to call your attention to the dan-
gers which furround you on every fide, and to
provide a remedy adequate to meet them. The
difficulties under which the country labours teem
to inereafe, and to receive an augmentation every
freth moment of the day. lam not of a nature to
deny confidence to thole Miuitters who are now in
office, but I feel it my duty to Rate to your Lord-
(hips, they do not polrefs mine. It is fufficient
for me in this critical moment to urge as my ob-
jeCtion, that they are not tried, although I may
be told that fuch a fentiment goes to prejudge men
before they can be tried. This, let me remark, is,
however, no time for dangerous experiments. We
all know that thole who preceded them in office,
were men of great talents, wifdom, and experi-
ence ; and although their (tweed:n.s are perfons
highly refpeftable, we are left to afcertain the na-
ture and extent of the powers and capacities for
the adminittration of public affairs with which
they may be gifted. We may indeed fay, in their
defence, with the Poet :

" Full many a gem of par& ray ferens
The dark =La:honed caves of Ocean bear
Full many a flower Is horn to btu& %infirm,
And wtfte its (weenie& on the Merl air."

But. my Lords, amid the emharraffments in
which we are involved ; and the perils with which
we are threatened, we have not time to explore
thofe caves, we have not leifure to wander over
thofc Jefarts. •Thus fituated,• I feel it incumbent
on me to fay, that we ought to go into the pro-
pored Committee of Enquiry. I cannot allude to
the moment of public alarm and danger which
has jolt fublidcd, without feelings in which I am
confident every Noble Lord who hears me mull
participate. What was our lunation very lately ?
Who were the refponfible :millers during that
period of univerfal concern and anxiety? Who
were the refponfible men that advifed his Majeßy
to (horde new and inexperienc:cl Ntinii/ers ? %Vho
were the pert-oils who counrcUed his Maiefty on the
dawn of his convalefcence to change his old and
approved Miuiflers for new men ? I am convin-
ced, my Lords, that fome enquiry ought to be in-
aimed. It is due to the ditircfes of your coun-
try, and to your love for the conilitution. I *lk
why, in that period of cabarratiment, the coo.

•• . . . . •
mon mode 6fproctrding •ras not Adopted ?
'was not reCource had to the appointment of his
ROyal Hightlir; the Prince of VV.:,les—a men-
fui c warranted and called for by the Conftitio-
tritlim ? r mutt fay, that during the whole courfe
of niy public life I never witneffed an Admi
nitration fo ill formed, and fo calculated to prove
iaeflicient us the prefent opc. Befides, we arc told
in defence of it that it is formed upoo the fame
principles as that which went before it ; and here
me plainly fay, that I am truly concerned to
Ice the removal of fo much talent and experience.
I.Ve are alio told that the profpeet of a reconcilia-
tion with France is a rcaron with hone why we
lhonld !;ive our fiipport to the prefent Nlinillers ;
while it is at the fame time evident, that if they
are weaktr than the former, the demands of the
enemy mutt rife ii. proportion to their compara-
tive ineapacity. Again we learn, that the whole
builmls is a myikry, and we are informed that
the former Mindlers are to fupport the new Ad-
miniliration.
This is, however, a repetition of old
language, which I have been accuftomed to hear ;
and we are Jed to afcertain the meanin:; of the
word fopport. If it means unqualified litpport, I
fty the new Adminitlr.ttion cannot laid—she myf-
tery inercafcd, and the whole affair predes for
immediate and minute enquiry. I beg pardon,
my Lords, for trelpafling upon your time, hut I
thought it my duty to call for an invelligation
which may clear up this lOyficry.
Lord Ft? a obferved, that he gave his cordial
fiipport to the motion. He had a title to be fuf.
picious, becaufe he had been deceived. Ile coald
witnels the prefent dillreffes without expretling
his earneft willies that the propofed enquiry fhould
take place. He was not in the habit of malting
long ft.-:Lches to that }Joule, nor was that, in his
opinion, the proper mode to procure redrefi. Ads
were indifpentibly necelfary, and it was requifite
for the fatisfaCtion of the country that their Lord-
Ihips Ihould go into the' Committee. They were
irrefilliblycalled upon to centime thofc whohad done
wrong, and bound never to truft them more with
their confidence. For his own part, he had no
ambition at the age of feventy for a place or a pen
flon,and his only objea was the good of hiscountry.
The Earl of Su FROCK, after exprefling his difap-
pointment that none of his Majesty's former Mini-
Eters who were prefent, had rifen early in the de-
bate to meet the charges preferred againft them,
went into a Ihort review of fume of the military
operations of the war, particularly the late Expe-
ditions, on which he commented with great feve-
rity. He :tilted the Noble Lord oppofite to him
(Lord Grenville), what wal the amount of the
Secret Service Money for the lalt ten yeirs!? and
he particularly requefted the Noble Lord would
anfwer the queftion. The Secret Service Money
would be found to amount to no let's a fum than
800,0001. ; yet the information obtained refpcd.
ing Ferrol was evidently deceive. That alone
conftituted, in his mind, a tit fubjed for invefti-
gation. If it were refufed, there would be for
ever an end to all .conflitutional enquiry, and the
refponfibility of Minifters would be hut a name.
It was their advice that had reduced the Emperor
to the ditties and humiliation which he had expe-
rienced by the raih continuance of hoftilities ; and
here another prong ground prefented itfclf
cient to induce the Houfe to go into the Commit-
tee. When he compared the councils by which
the Noble Lords oppofite to him were influenced,
and the plans which they had adopted, with thee
of Bonaparte, he felt himfelf juftified in laying of
that great man— •
He doth beltride the narrow world,
Like a Colotlits; and they petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find theinfelves diihunourable gem..'
- -

Earl of Motes.—" My Lords, I was in expeda-
tion of hearing anfwers from the Noble Lords on
the other fide of the Houfe to the ferious charges
which have been brought againft them on this fide.
Since they think proper to decline all notice of
there accufations, I (hall not prefs them into a de-
fence ; but proceed at once to the confideration of
the important fubjea before your Logaips. It is
abfurd, my Lords, to repeat at this moment a
fyftem which has ptevailed for a long time; to
canvafs the condud of Minifters as we have done
lemon after fettion. We are called upon to con-1
fider the prefent moment, and to turn our atten-
tion to the prefent fituation of the country. It be-
comes us to begin our invefligation from this day
alone. Yet form obfervations have fallen in the
courfe of debate, which I think it neceffary to no-
tice. The Noble Duke has expreifed an opinion
that.the motion fubmitted to the Houle is calcu-
lated in its nature and operation to imprefs the
public mind with defpondency. But let me tell the
Noble Duke there can be no greater defpondency
than that produced by a define to fhun the con-
templation of the danger which prefents itfelf :
true fortitude is employed in contidering, without
difguife, the perils which are at hand, and in pre-
paring the means of counterading them. We
ought firlt to behold them in all their terrors, to
enable us to combat them with wiCdom and fi: rn-
ilea. By the cootie which the Noble Duke propoles
welhouldtake;it feems his defire that wt thould rufh
into defperation. lie wifh% us to (hut our eyes to
the dangers which threaten us, that we may con-
front them with more effed. Another noble Lord
advanced an argument by which he attempted to
defend the application of our land forces through
the whole campaign, and which, if admitted,
would neceifarily juftify all expeditions, however
ill-planned, and wretchedly executed. He main-
tainedthat the expeditiob againft Ferrol was intend-
ed as a diverfion in favour of our Continental Al-
lies. But give me leave to fay, that this diverfion
was not the fpecific objeCt of the expedition ; for if
it had been fuch, there would certainly have been
no occafion for tholanding of the troops which was
aceomuliflieil. The divcrfion would have been to
the full as efficient had not a tingle man landed,
I and the objet would have been as completely
attained. It mull be obvious that the infor-
mation received by Government refpeding the
ftrength and force of the place was fallacious, and
the charge of the failure of the Expedition fhould
reit upon the Minifters whO projeded it. I would
ailt if the unproteeted Coafts of the South of Italy
had been menaced by our fquadrons, with a CMS-

cient fore... on iloate ~.,10,1 11,•$Laparte have at,
ta.iripted the taill,ge o: the Alp. ? It the principle
ad.tataed in extenuation rf the unfuccefsful at-
tempt :i.;aitlil Fel rol, I mean, that of net exporing
the lives of the trnrys to danger be admitted, I
Inuit fay, that the Noble Earl oppylite to me ( Earl
of St. Vincent) (lands here a et iminal of no mean
order, fence lie. Jiff-o.d an action with a very superior
force, without giving to that principle the due con-
tidcration to which, in the ftaitiments of many, it il
entitled. The Nubic Duke fay we are attacked
on all hands, and demands, Is this a time for de-
11iondency ? But Irons Inc own hatemeat I feej my-
fell juilitieel in asking, Does nothing more oc :lit-
to him ? Is he no:, 1,,r the very reason which he
advances, bound to enspi:te into the eatZes which
11,tve reduced him to the diarcfs of winch he
c4,mplains? He laments that we arc left alone in
the coraft ; hut why does he flop there—whY does
lie no; enquire into the motives that have feparat.
-cd us from our Allies ? Wc know nothing upon
this fui)je6l that tends to our fatistaainn.
—All Lyon this head is there (peculation and
co.:ji.aure. There are no facts, no documents be-
fore us. The me.:iiires which have been hitherto
taken, inflead of dirtnnilhing, have,
,on the con.
terry, increafrd the number of our difficulties.—
You all recoliea, my Lords, the mutiny in your
fleet—you recollat :hc floppage in your Bank—
you recollth the rebellion in Ireland ; are there but
the ordinary circumftances of war ? It is true that
you were carried throukli all there difficulties:
but the abilities which enabled you to surmount
them are no longer employed. Are you to con-
tinue every day to calf dice for the (al-cry 'of the
country ? Peace is defirable to all, but who is to
propote it ? The New Adminiaration is undoubt-
edly compofed of perfons highly rerpeeable, but
as Minillers they are little known. There are
alfo fume circunifLoices peculiar to their coming
Ulm office, which cannot be paired over with indif-
ference. They are as little known to Bonaparte as
to this Country. He mull confider the alteration
which has taken place as a trick, a juggle defign-
ed to deceive him ; and what an& er have we any
reafon to exp.& from hint, fhould proporals for
negociation be made to him by Miniflers of this
defeription? . Wculd he not he juftified in follow.
ing the example, and adopting the language of
their predeceff :rs--.4 teat he mull wait for expe-
rience and the evidence of Etas?" Couid he hope
for a truce with men Who have nothing in com-
mon with the''.lirmer Miniflers but the fpirit of
holtility ? It teems to me that you have put in
the way of peace the molt material ohaaeles you
could find, for by the failing of your Fleet for the
Baltic, you have precluded the hope of amicable
negociation. It is not, my Lords, the enemy you
have fo much to fear as the Rate of your interior;
as the failure of your internal refources ; as the
prefrare of your manufaaures; as the contraaion
of your commerce, and the depreffion of tour cre-
dit. Is this then a moment for experiment, when
we arc attacked, as the Noble Duke obferves,
by the whole world. He calls upon you to meet
the danger with firmnefs. - So do I; but I con-
' tend that you ought not to Ann your eyes againft
it. NVhat grounds have we to cape& the ruccelf-
ful iffue orthe Expedition againit Egypt. Our
hopes mull be ardent that an objea of fuch great
importance will be accomplifbed ; but I mutt fay
that the chances are againtt it. The ruin of the
country is a phr ale which we have often heard ;
but let us al-certain what it really means. You do
not mean by it the produce of the country, but
the •diffolution of the bonds of fociety. Since
then the poor are to ferioully diareffed, thew them
that you have a common intereft with them. Let
them know diftindly the Rate in which they are
placed in common with your Lordfhips. No.
thing elle can fave us from convulfion. I believe
there exitts no ferious difaffeulion againfi the
Government, but it mutt not be forgotten,
' that they do not to much confider the Wettings
they enjoy under the Conilitution as the pref.
' lure of the moment. There is no method of
Satisfying them but by agreeing to the motion of
the noble Earl. If I had it in my power to fubmit
any propoßtions to the Committee, I fhould pro-
rote firit, an examination into our finances and re-
sources. The Cuftoms have fallen thort this year
in the turn of 700,0001. and the Excite has been lets
by a million. I Ihottld in the next place, move
an Addrefs to his Majelly, entreats him him to in-
dicate fomething that would feisty the minds of
the people with rcfpea to the object of this Ad-
miniftration. As to the profpea of peace which
may arife from the prefent Minitlers, it is very
faint, for they oppofcd, no obflacle to the fluting
of the feet, which mutt prevent all amicable
negociation. \Viten I fpeak of peace, I mean
a life and. honourable peace ; fuch as might
be concluded nn terms fatisfaaory and perma-
nent tot both countries; but hitherto the at-
tempts to negotiate have been delitliye. It has
been even admitted that peace ought not to be
made, though the voice and outcry of the country
were in favour of it. if it were fairly and can-
didly offered to the enemy, and rejefted, one in-
',linable advantage would at all events refith from
the refural. We fhould all unite in ono common
fentiment, and there would no longer exert any
difference of opinion between us. &fore I fit
down, my Lords, I mull notice an opinion which
predominates now in the country, that the former
Minillers could not make peace, and therefore
Rept aide, leaving the chance of it to their foe-
ceffors. The change has, however, operated very
differently from their expeaations, for it has in.
created the general conviaion ;of danger, by im-
pairing the confidence of the people. Under all
there circumflances I fupport the motion forgoing
into a Committee of Enquiry."
Lord Gutsiest tut fully admitted the right of
Parliament to enter on enquiries into the state of
the nation, when they conceived fuch enquiries to
be ufettil, but did not think that in the prefent caa
any necetlity for a Committee of General Enquiry
had been ettablithed. It the motion now offered to
the Houfe had appeared to him in the fame light
as it had done corm* other Noble Lords, if it had
*neared to him neccfTaey that aCommittee fhould
be appointed either for the purpofe of enquiring
into the real Rate of the nation, of of providins re.