Star.
London, England, 1812-03-04 00:00:00

ORDERS TN COUNCIL.

Mr. BROUGHAM said he rose in consequence of
a notice he had given to bring forward a motion af-
fecting the state of our commerce and manufactures,
a motion which embraced so vast and so complicated
si variety of detail, that it he had been aware of its ex-
tent at first, lie doubted much whether lie would not
have consulted his prudence and relinquished his un-
dertaking. With such claims to the indulgence of
the Hiuse, he would only preface his observation
with observing, that his object was to induce the House
to go into a Committee fdr the purpose of enquir ng
into this important matter. He had to address Wax,
self to various descriptions of persons, all agreeing
that the voice of this country was raised in complaint,
and he hoped all were unwilling to say, that these
complaints wee without foundation, until they were
examined. Great difference of opinion existed as to
the causes of the present distress. Some disapproved
of the measures of 1806, which were followed up by
the Orders in Council df 1607. Others who ap-
proved of the further Orders in Council, might dis-
approve of the particular mode of relaxation which
was adopted. Others 'again, who -regarded the on-'
ginal measures as a grand experiment of counterac-
tion to the policy of France, would wish to examine
its effects. There was another class, of which he
must acknowledge himself to be one, who, having
condemned the whole from the commencement, were
willing to show that the predictions were fulfilled
even beyond their most desponding expectations.—
Last of all, there was a class who, undervaluing the
commercs and manufactures of the country, sup-
posed that nothing was to be apprehended while
agriculture was encouraged. To all those different
'classes he had to address himself, and he hoped they
would all concur in giving their voices for inquiry.—
His object was to enquire into the result of the expe-
riment of 1307, and to ascertain whether k had op-
pressed or assisted the enemy ; whether it was not ;
better that we should retrace our steps ; or, if. we
were to persist, that we should adopt a more effectual,
intelligiSle; and operative mode of enforcing our
measures against the commerce of France Unless
they were prepared to tell the people that otir present
evils were irremediable; that they were such as
must be endured by patience, rather than by hope,
the House could not refuse the proposed investiga:s
tion. The system upon which we had so long professed
so act, was, in the outset, retaliation.—What then
was the system of the enemy upon which it was a re-
taliation To sum up all in one word, it was a sys-
tem of hostility to commerce, a wish to sacrifice the
trade of France to the destruction of the trade of
England. It was true that, in some moments, while
suffering under the vexation of severe naval losses,
Bonaparte had expressed a wish for « ships, colonies,
and commerce ;" but no sooner had his mind re-
sumed its tone, than he turned to the prosecution
of his favourite policy of sacrificing his own trade to
the ruin of ours. Nay, lie (Mr. Brougham) was
disposed to go further, and say that he had a hostili-
ty to commerce itself, without any view to us, as if
there was something in its nature injurious to his views
upon the liberties of mankind. The conscription it-
self was inconsistent with trade ; it was a sacrifice of
commerce to power, and the same disposition was
manifested in the various measures of his Govern-
ment, as well as in his answers to the petitions of
his merchants. To them he had declared that " it
wits too late in the day SO think of trade that the