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

medics for dangers with which it might happen to his Majefty's late Minifiers ;be thought they were
de threatened, it Mould certainly have had his moll entitled to the thanks of the country for that re-
cordial fupport. He could never conceive a time tkement. Their eondua while in Adminittration
when it was not the foletun duty of the Houfe to had certainly been marked with vigour and ener-
know what was the true (late of the nation, audit gy, but whether alto with wifdom and propriety,
this was at all times their dety, it was peculiarly fo was another queftion which enquiry omit decide.
at a period fo alarming and to critical as the pre- They had begun and concluded the war in which
fent. He could not conceive, however, that the we were alien unhappily engaged, and what had'
determination of the Houle not to agree to a nue- been the confequence? The People had nothing
tion for a General Committee of Enquiry, at all left to ferve as the means of their fubfiftence but
involved any portion of negleft of its true interetts, paper—paper which could not be converted into
any refolution to (hut their eyes to its real fituation. gold or Myer. Our Traders and Manufeaurers
The queffien was not, whether at a moment fo were ruined, wbilft the enormous rife in the price
important and critical for the Empire, the Houfe of prOvifions rendered it impoffible for our menu-
ought not to make every enquiry into its circum- faeturers to rival thole of other countries in foreign
fiances, but whether they ought not to reckon a markets. He did not with, at that late hour to
general Committee for this purpofe unneceffary enter much into detail, but lie mull take up a
and inexpedient? If the Country was now labour- (mall portion of the time of the Houk, for the
lag under peculiar difficulties--Uit was threatened purpofe'of animadverting upon the quelliose ari-
by unprecedented dangers, he trufted the Houk ling out of the Neutral code.
would be fully alive to every thing conneatd with However it might be contended by Noble
that public duty which might be exerted with ef- Lords, that the principle now grinned by the
fed in delivering it from its embarraffinents. The Northern Nations was new in the Public Law of
appointment of -a Committee, be conceived, could Europe, and an ufurpation upon the hitherto ac-
he attended with no one beneficial contiquence, knowledged and eftablilbed rights of European
while, from its extraordinary nature, it might ex- Nations, it was an iudifputabk Taft, and hefpoke
cite an unneceffary degree of terror and alarm. to it particularly, becaufe he himfelf was concern-
He wifned to lay out of the prefent difcnffiun the cd in the trenfaaion, that this country did, in the
condua of fevered Expeditions which had taken year r 782, acknowledge, in the treaty with France,
place during the war, not becaufe either he or any this very principle which it was now maintained
of his Friends who had retired from office willed' was illegimate and fpuriotts. . This principle, that ,1
them to undergo no difeuffion e not becaufe they neutral bottoms make neutral goods, having been
were convinced' that either in their plan or their thusexprefslyacknowledgedbythiscountry,bennift
execution they were liable to any well-grounded deeply lament that unfortunate expedition; for he
cenfure, but becaufe he conceived they did not par- muftcallitan unfortunate expeditionwhichwasnow
tic ularly leen) to relate to the precept Motion. When fent againft our natural anies, Denmark and Sweden,
any of theft meafures, or indeed, any other parts whom the more we injured, he mutt contend we
of their Adminittretion came by a fpecific motion thereby injured ourfelves. Ruffle he would not
before the Houte,they would ever be ready to come clefs with Denmark and Sweden and lie was of
forward boldly to vindicate their condua, and to opinion that this country had been in * much
anfwer to anycharges of criminality which might be greater degree injured than benefited by any coa-
propofed againft them. Having raid this, he would tion or alliance with that empire. But the prin.
come to the queffion more immediately before the ciple maintained by the Northern Powers was not
•Houfe. His curiofity had been confiderably ex- only, he contended, acknowledged in the manner
cited when the Noble Lord who (poke fall had de- he had before alluded to, but had alto been ad-
dared that he would point out the objeas to be Initted and aged upon more than a century ago,
effeaed by the motion, bat never had cnnofity been when, in t 67 it was acknowledged in a Treaty
more fully dicappointed. When the Noble Lord with Holland If, therefore, the principle had
was able to give no more precife idea of the ma been admitted and acknowledged by this coup.
tion than that which he had now brought for- try for a century pall, ought the attempt to
ward, he could not helpehinking that it was cepa- enforce it to have been now treated as an
ble only of a vague undefined application. Its firft as of hoftility and a declaration of war? Was
objeft was to afiertain the (late of the finances of it juft or politic in Minifters to treat the at-
the country. But from the excellent regulations tempt as an hoftile aggreflion, for was it not
adopted on this &Neel, nothing could be a plainer their duty rather to aa upon principles acknow.
or more fimple operation. It was faid, indeed, that ledged in the country, than upon fpcculative
the finances, as tar as refpcaed the cuttoms and ideas of their awn? To attempt to prevent the en-
excite, had failed. Yet what was a more fallacious forcement of the principle was abfurd :-it might
mode of calculating the general refources of a have been done before the difcovery of America ;
country, than to lay hold of a deficiency in para. but how, he would alit, was it to be prevented
cular cafes, when this deficiency naturally arofe, as with refpea to the latter country ? Would any Mi-
in the cafes alluded to, from temporary cireum- nifter be fo abfurd as to attempt the impoffibility
fiances? The fecond objeft of the Committee was of curbing the trade from the vett and extenfive
to be the recommendaticht of an addrcfs to his Ma- country of America. If then the principle could
jelly, that he would be pleated to hold out fome. not be generally beat down, why should gurope
thing immediately confolatory to his people in the alone be denied the benefit arifing from it, and the
hope of the reftoration of peace. For his part, he Northern Powers refuted the exercife of what mitt
welled to go much farther, arid to arrive at fome. be acceded to other States ? At the fame time, he
thing more fpecific than the motion involved. He knew not that any good could refult from an en.
fhould with it to be afcertained in what manner this quiry into the reafons upon which this principle
defign was to be executed. The fubjeet was a de- was founded. It had been acknowledged in praaice,
licate one, and he fhould be anxious to enter as but he knew of no ettabliffied theoretical rules by
little as Fallible into its difeuffion. But the Noble which it was to be tried. If it was tried by the
Lord had (aid, that a myllery hung over the no- telt of inveltigation, nothing hut fpcculative opi.
mination of the new Minitlry. There was always Mons would be the refult, without arriving at any
fomething more or lefs extraordinary in the ap- precife decifion. It teemed to be rather a matter
pointment of new blinilters but he witted to of praaice than theory, and mull be rather tried
know in what refpea the late nomination was by eltabliThed cullom and well known precedents
myfterious ? Some Noble Lords had indeed than logical reafoniug or theoretical definition. He
chofea to throw out Come very injurious after. thought the Committee moved for by the Noble
lions on his Majefty's late labellers, as if they bad Earl, unimettionably tit-cell:try, and (hould moll
been now endeavouring to throw attacks in the cordially. agree to the propofition. •As to the
way of the public fervice. If they had a pleafure objeftion of its giving information to the enemy,
in thus impeding the public good, and in en- he would Rawer that they knew enough already
creafing public difficulties, they teemed, however, of our proceedings and our fituation, and that na
too late in beginning to aft on this (them, after thing dangerous to the country could ante out of
eight years, during which they bad lifted on prin- the propoied inveffigation. What the Noble Lord
ciples and views far different from thofc now meant by difagreeable principles, he was at a lots
imputed to them. It was ftrange, betides, that to know—He had heard of good and of bad prim-
a-all fuch views they fliould be going out of office ciples, but of tifagrecable principles he knew no-
with a pledge to fupport their fucceifors in purfu- thing: but it teemed as if they were to bethe caufe
ins the fame meafures which they themfelves had of war. We owed it, however, to our navy, to our
adopted and purfued. For bitnfelf, indeed, he officers, and to our Tailors, to arrange our conduit
abjured as utterly abhorrent to the principles of the upon fome ftxcd plan, either finally to admit, or fi-
Britifh Cotalitution the guidance of public affairs nally to rejeft the principle, that they might know
after his refponfibility had ceded. With fafety he decifively how to aft. It was due to them that
might add, that Inch were the principles of all the their conduit fliould be marked out by a precife
Noble and Honourable Friends who had afted with line, and that they fhould not be left unknowing
him in office. Having Paid this in juftification of what to do, and ignorant how to proceed relative
his own conduit, be was bound, however, to fay, to the (hipping and the trade of neutral na
that from his heart he believed that the new Mini- tions. There appeared to want Come fettled Law
fterohad accepted of their offices from a finfe of of Nations, both by tea and land, that might be ate-
public duty, and that they would continue to ex. pealed to on all occafions to fettle every difputed
ercife them under a full impreffion of public ref point that occurred, fome precise code that might
ponfibility. On a former occafion be had thought define the terms of the mutual intercourfe of Ne-
tt his duty to (late to the Houfe the grounds on tions, and not leave it wavering between fpecula.
which he had judged it proper to retire from his tive opinions and difputed precedents, unfitted
Majefty's councils. He was lorry to be again un- and undetermined. Aniongft other topics requite
der the neceffity of recurring to this fubjeft, and ing to be fettled by Come fuch code, was that re.
he could allure the Houle he had not come to the lative to Cartels, where frequently a number of
determination he had adopted till after the moll unfortunate tailors were detained, to the injury of
mature deliberation. The Noble Lord then pro- their health, and the abridgement of their hap
ceeded to enlarge on this topic, and argued that pinefs, before two countries can fettle the terms'
• though .bc confidered it to be confiftent with the of exchange. In them we teemed ins his opine
principles of liberal policy, that the Catholics of on to be retrograding in our .manners—to be
Ireland •thould be freed from the reftraints they becoming more barbarous inftead of more civi.
were now under, he was ter from wilhing that by heed ; and he fhould not wonder to hear Coon
this means the fafetyeither of church or Rate fhould of a repetition of the propofal made in the Ame-
be endangered. Though he thought the ancient
rican War for a mutual fele of Prifoners. The
other objeft of the Committee was, to advife the
reftraints were removed, other regulations might
Kin and he wished that the Privy Council and
be adopted'confiftent with a more refined and li.
beral Feeley. He vindicated with much force, the the Grand Council of the Nation would unitedly
advife his Majefty—let the general voice be for
- fincerity.of the Government in cefierent negoti-
ations, and eoncludea by enlarging on the right Peace, and be cared not who was Minifter. He
DOW difputed by the Northern Powers as effendi.] concluded with warmly fupporting the motion.
to all our tights and privileges as a commercial The LORD COUNCILLOR left the Woolfack, and
tuition. began with obferving that he had long found by
The Earl of C m defended the nio. his Parliamentary experience, and that thole (who
tion as neve(tiny to come to a full and fair deter- fortunately for themfelves had not bad fo much),
might Lave found by books, that a motion for a
mination on l e fubjeet of the right now difputed
by the Northea'a Nations, and to prevent the far- Committee to enquire into the State of the Nation
that enormous waste of the public money. was only drawing up the curtain of a theatre
'The Marquis of Lessoower oblerved, that for an exhibition of lonfe defultory obfervation on
'much had beta fait! relative to the thairemect of any number of futeieas that might cafuelly fuggett

itfelf to the mind of any Noble Lord, without
,pointing any one of the numerous topics dilated
upon, to an immediate, dininit, and dire& ob-
jet. That day they sad heard of many different
matters reccirum.ended as fit fnbje&spf enquiry into',
the conduit% of the war • the events of that war,
eves; fo far back as the affair of St. Domingo, the ,
more recent ones of the condition againit H01..1
laud, Ferrol, and Cadiz ; e Rate of the finances
of the country; the dithuffion of another import-
ant liibjed into which he would go no farther than
to i.ty, that it comprehended the intereftsolChurch
and State, not only in Ireland but of the United
Kingdom, for now the Churches of both WON
united, and mull Rand or fall together, and the
reafuns upon which tome of his Majefty's late Mini-
ftershad thought it incumbenton them to refign their
offices. All thefe objects, his Lordflip laid, would
admit of feparate difcuflion, and could with as
hutch advantage be deliberated upon and debated
in tingle Motions, as in a Committee on the
State of the Nation. His Lordthip combated
Lord MOirl% Ratement of the defalcation of the
Revenue from the contents of two accounts only,
namely, the amount of the Receipt of the Cili-
ums and the Excite for two years. if the Noble
Lord had craned for, or had before /Om' the fuU
ftatement of the amount of the recei sof all the
branches of the ReVenne, he would ve fowl(' a
fatisfadory anfwer, and defeat of own Rate-
ment of the diminution of the receipts, and ample
proof that the receipt Was no otherwife diminifhed
but by &much as might be imputed to the decreafe
of duty on malt, barley, malt (pinks, &c. He
challenged the Noble Lord, and all who thought I
with him, to a full dikuflion of this fubjed, and
declared he would vote againft a general and
vague enquiry as unneceffary and nugatory.
Lord Mow, role to explain, and to reftate his
obfervations on the receipt of the Revenue.
The Marquis of BUCKINGHAM laid, he had all
along approved of the war in its origin, and of
Minik•rs in every:part of their conduct of it, but
he neverthelefs thought an enquiry abfolutely ne-
celfary into two matters of fad--the neutral code,
which ought to be defined, and the grounds on
which foram of his Majefly's Minifters refigned their
official fituations, and the new Minifters came in.
Thefe were important, as the new Minifters had
not yet obtained the confidence of the country, a
circumftance which had alarmed the whole coun-
try, and added confiderably to the danger and
difficulty in which it Rood; for thefe reafons•he
fhould vote for the enquiry.
I,ord ELDON defended the manner in which on
the firft day of the talon he had explained the law
of nations, or, as it was termed, the neutral code,
on which all the marine rights of the European
and other maritime Elates Rood. A treaty upon
certain conditions and confederations of that neu-
tral code might fufpend it for the time of the
treaty between the Contrading Powers, but it
could not affed any other Power whatever. In
like manner Great Britain, not being the contrading
party, could not be deprived of the jut right the
enjoyed under the law of nations by any treaty be-
tween other powers. His Lordfhip laid, he would
be bound to fatisfy the Honk on this poillt when-
ever it came regularly under ciifcuffion, but he
would not fupport the motion for a general en-
quiry.
Lord AUCKLAND denied there was fuch a defi-
ciency in the cuftoms and excite as Rated by the
Noble Lord (Moira), and that the War had not
coil more than half the turn mentioned by another
Lord (Carnarvon), when the dcduttions were
made.—He thought there was tome myftery in
the circumftance of perfons retiring from refpon-
fible fituations in fuch a critical moment, but which
it was time alone, and not a committee of enquiry
could devolope.
Lord Sessicsa replied they had been aduatcd
by no other motive than that repeatedly Rated by
his Noble Friend.

Lord FITZWILLIAM was for the Enquiry, and,
explained what he had Paid upon the qq,eltion of
neutral veffels on a former night.
Lords 11/foiaa, Gatimitxt, and DARNLEY ft.
verally explained, after which the Houfe divided,
when the numbers appeared, for the Committee
of Enquiry—Contents 25—Non-contents 107.
Adjourned at Half pal Two this morning.

LONDON.

SATURDAY, MARCH u.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Cafoh S6l.—for 34...0mnium 34.
'RICE 01 STOCCI YESTERDAY I
Book Steak (but Imp. Ann. it m 44
3 per Cent. Red. flint OmMuso 3 al
3 per C. Conf. o+4 Irf~ Deb
4 Per Cent. Conf. (but /tank for Acc.
per C. Navy oat ori kulia for Ace.
Imp. 3 per C. 36 334 COOL for arc. 36414

w

In the Houfe of Commons, laft night, Mr. Joves
gave notice of his intention to bring forward ibme
obfervations in regard to the tax upon hair powder
and armorial bearings, fo far as they related to
the condua of Informers, Tome of whom, be faid,
got tOOOL a year by their practices.
Some further debate took place on the Irifh
Martial Law Bill, to which Mr. WHITBREAD pro-
pored Tome Amendments, but they were negatived
without a divifion.

Mr. Isaac Coats, save notice that he fhould
bring forward on Friday next, certain Refolu-
tions on the Ways and Means in Ireland. The
ample account we have given of the important
debate which took place kit night in the Houle of
Lords, prevents us at prefent from entering into
farther details refpefting the proceedings of the
Houle of Commons.,

Yefierday Lord Loucasoaouaa took leave of
the Court of Chancery, and this day he refigned
his Gtoation as Chancellor.

EIICILISH STATE Leer le v.—Seventeenth DIV.
No. 43,601, a Prize of Soot—Nos. 44464, t 3449,
and 1465, Prizes of tool.—Nos, 58,994, 37,635,
and 17,857, Prizes of soL