Star.
London, England, 1802-12-16 00:00:00

pnic (late of the Bikini empire, that until the abi!
lities of that great man who prefided in the late
,idnimiaration, be recalled, there can be no hope
for the permanent profperity and fafety of tilt
country. I mid} aim fay, that thole who obftruet
that great and falutary meafure, are, in my mind,
gin
In. of as great a crime as any which can be
coy:Mittel in a political point of view. It is ar-
gt►cd, my Lords, that fpecific charges fhould be
broueht forward again(' his Majeity's Minillers ;
and if this be the pt inciple which is to regulate
our decifion, are not the lame and inadequate
communications from the Throne, on the fubjea
of the Peace Ellablithment, alone fufficient to
contlitute a fpecific charge ? Have not Miniaers,
by their general condua, by their indecifion,
and their filence, furnithed ample grounds to
conflitute a fpecific charge ? I do not, my
Lords, alk for the fecrets of negociation. 1 do
not with to pry into the Arcana of State,
which it would, no doubt, be impolitic to divulge;
but I auk for thofe proper communications which
have been uniformly made. Thefe, to which I
conceive mvfelf, with every Noble Lord who
hears me, constitutionally entitled, I am pofitively
refuted. Inflead of franknefs, clearnefs, and de-
cifion, we have nothing but contradiairm, fludua.
'W
tion, and confiifion. hat is the prefent Rate of
our military and naval eftablifhment ? Inftead of
a force of 250,000 men, which we porefred at the
conclufion of Peace, we have ditbanded our troops,
and our force is reduced to 130,000. Our naval
firength isalfo reduced in a mon material and alarm-
ing degree. Inftead of t so,ooo feamen, for fnch
it may he eflimated, confidering the difference re-
felting from giving up the prifoners we held here,
we have but so,ooo for abranch of the public ler vice
above all others great and important. Our naval
force rdi'lting from our naval flotation, mug
alto he taken into the account, and in this point
of view its reduction is confiderable. It is confi-
derable by-the furrender of the key of Jamaica,
and fill more fo by the furrender of the Cape, and
the poffeffloa of Cochin, which are calculated to
inepite the melt ferious apprehenfions with refped
to 'he fecurity of our Eall India poffeffions.
[Here his Lordflip went over feveral of thegrounds
which he had before taken againft the Treaty of
Amiens, and the many als of injuftice evinced by
the French Government towards Holland and
Germany.)—" All thefe events, continued his
Lotclfhip, happened when Parliament met laft
year. Since that period, others have happened
much more alarming. Cochin has been taken,
and Bonaparte can occupy that port only with an
intention of annoying our Empire in the Eaft.—
Thus, fence Oftober z, 1804 the Continent of
Europe has experienced great alterations, the
power of France has continually increafed, while
that of Great Britain has been impaired. I 'with
to be informed what are the canfes for the prefent
Peace Ettablithment of the Country, and furely
I am juftified in demanding what grounds now
exift, for not reducing the Army and Navy, as
they were formerly intended, to 90,000 foldiers,
and 30,000 feamen I with to be informed vaity
orders were fent for the evacuation of St. Domin-
go, and why similar orders, iffued for the evacua-
tion of the Cape and of Malta, were afterwards
countermanded ? Thefe, my Lords, I take to be
grounds fufficient to conititute a fpecific charge."
—What, his Lordfhip faid, he would auk, were the''
principles recommended by his Majefty's Mini-
tiers, by which alone the alled"ed peace and fecu
rity were to be maintained ? By a faithful adne-
rence to the Treaty of Ansieos—by a fcrupulous
fyliem of furrender, of conceffion, of conciliatory
ecocide ?—by tenactoufly refraining from eve!),
thing like afperity of language, or even remark
tem the aggrandizing ftrides, or rapacious en-
croachments of France, and by cautioufly guarding
axainll alliances on the Continent? But if his Majef-
ty's Minifters imagined that this was the mode of
maintaining Peace, of conciliating the friendfhip,
or restraining the ambition of France, they would
Ind themfelves indeed woefully minaken. They
would find, alas ! too late, that the refult of fuck
concluet would be exaelly the reverie ; and that
every meaftire of furrender—of conceffion—or of
timid acquiefcence, on their parts, would but
operate as new and powerful tlimulants to the am-
bition, to the enterprize, and to the rapacious
fpirit of that Power, whole chief object was the
total denrudion of this country. They would
find, that however ready they were to make
facrifices for 'the- prefervation of peace, the
maintenance of it was not at their option ; and
that exactly in proportion as they Phew an anxiety
to maintain that object at any expence, exactly in
proportion as :hey withdrew all alliance, and the
endeavour of cultivating it with the Continental
Powers, and circumfcribed their force to the means
of felf-defence, infomnch would they point out
to the French Government the proportions in
which it was to increafe its force, and the time
and place when and where attacks upon the Britilb
domieions were mall likely to become fuccefsful.
But if he were to advife, a fyilem, the dired reverie
of that adopted by his Marlty's Minifters, would
be purfued, as the only means of fccuring peace;
a fyftem of vigour, and of dignity ; and an en-
deavour th convince the Powers of the Continent,
if not by cultivating their alliance, at leaft by the
force of our example, that a fpirited refinance to
the encroachments of France was the only mode
by which the aggrandizements of that P9,wer were
to be prevented from overwhelming Europe. As
to ae aiting the chances which time might be like
ly to produce, the idea was weak and ridiculous.
As to the fenriments this nigh expreffed by the
Noble Lord on the woolfack, he gave that Noble
Perfon the hi hell credit for his lincerity, but was
convinced, that if the Noble and Learned Lord
would bend the whole force of his enlighteneu
bind to a due confidA ration of the whole detail
tithe fubjeet, (great as the public lots might be 01
arth an abflraftion of his talents from the juftie(
and law of the Country), he would bold opinion•
very different indeed from thole be had expreled
this eight.
The LORD CHANCELLOR rote to exprefs his re.
Cie lag, thattattheex his alenea
prellionofht
perefeNonbtle Lord
ha
who
his confidence. Intereaed as he felt in the with

he mnft re M that lofs. He could- a ffure the
Noble Lord,-that there was no point of view under
which he had placed the fubjeds of this night's
fitcutfion, in the very able fpeech he had juft con-
cluded, in which it had not already occupied his
own confederation with the utmoft anxiety; and if
he were at liberty to declare the circumfiances
which governed the conduit of his Majefty's pre-
fent Minifters, in the meafures which they had
adopted, he was convinced the Noble Lord would
agree with him, they were influenced by the bell
confederations for the profperity of the Empire.
He had the confolation to refle&, that he had
aged to the bell of his judgment for the interefts
of the Country, and would continue to do to as long
as he held a place in the Councils of the Nation.
Lord PELHAM withed not to trefpa •s on the at-
tention of the Houle at fo late an hour, by fol-
lowing the Noble Lord who fpoke laft but one
through the whole detail of his fpeech, the fubjed
of which already had been fo fully and fo ably
ditcuffed : he thould confine himfelf merely to a
few points. The Noble Lord had laid great ftrefs
upon an affertion which he had made, that the let-
dement of Cochin had been furrendered, by a pri.
vate treaty, from Holland to France. He would ,
not pretend to fay the Noble Lord had no good
authority for his affertion; but he would offal, that
Wroth an event had taken place, his Majefty's
nitters had no intimation of the circumtlance.—
The Noble Lord and his Friends had declared,
that in the whole of their fpeeches on this topic,
they were aduated by no with of removing from
their tituations his Majefty's prefent Minitters ;.but
if fuch was the fad, the Noble Lord and his I
Friends not only purfued a conduit extremely op-
polite to their proftffions, hot fell far thort of
that duty to their Country, which the tenor and
purport of their fpeeches demanded ; for if they
really thought his Majetly's prefent Minillers fo
wholly unworthy of confidence, the Country had
a right to expect they would go farther than mere
fpeeches, and move an Addrefs for the removal of
thole Minifters. At leaft, were he to change
places with the Noble Lord, and to hold that opi-
nion of the Noble Lord, which he proCeffed to hold
of himfelf and his colleagues, whatever might be
his private refped for the Noble Lprd and his
Friends, he fnould feel it his duty to move an Ad-
drefs to his Majefty for their removal. The Noble
Lord had aliened, that any man who would inter-
pofe to prevent the return of a Right Hon. Gen-
tleman (who was at the head of the late Admini-
ftration) to office, in the prefent critical fituation
of affairs, would be guilty of a crime againft the
profperity and eziftence of his Country. For his
own part he would fay, that the circumtlancesunder
which he accepted of office, upon the recedence of
that Right Hon. Perfon, was no !Woof that he
withed to fupplant him. Office he never coveted.
He affirmed it with no other view than for the fer-
vice of his Country, in a critical and awful period.
So long as he filled the fituation he had the honour
to hold, he •thould all to the belt of his judgment
for the honour and intereft of the Empire. But
he should not defire.to hold his fituation a moment
longer than the Country thought him deferving
the confidence attached-tnit. With raped to the
quellion before the HOufe, it was merely, whether
or not the firft Bill of the Supply voted by another
Houfe of Parliament, timid p 4 ? and the argu-
ments againft it were, that his Majefty's prefent
Minifters were not worthy of being entrufted with
that Supply, which they were likely-to abufe. Bur
as this was a perfonal charge 41iiinit himfelf and
his Colleagues, he would decline entering into it,
rather choofing to.reft the Wile upon the candour
and judgment of the Houfe.
Lord Min TO agreed in the charge againft Mini.
tiers, that fufficient grounds had not been laid be-
fore Parliament to warrant their demand of the
large fupplies they had claimed. There was one
thing extremely myfterioos, upon which he con-
ceived the Houfe had a right to explicit informa-
tion—it fefpeded the affairs of Switzerland.—
France had at firft menaced that country with
military interference. His Majefty's Minifters con-
ceiving, no doubt, the honour of this country in-
tuited, thought fit to make a remonftrance to the
French Government in behalfof Switzerland ; and
what was the next confequence of which we heard?
why that Switzerland, that unfortunate and nnof-
fending country, had been invaded, over-run by
French armies, and dragooned into a complete
fubjugation to the French power. Thus it was
pretty obvious that the honour of this-country had
been in force way compromifed. His Majefty's
Minifters had thought fit to withhold from Parlia-
ment all communication upon this fubjed. How-
ever, he should feel it his duty to take the earlieft
poet+ opportuhity, after the Chriftinas recefs, to
bring forward a motion, the oiled of which would
be, to obtain from his Majefty's Minifters the ne-
eefary explanation on the fubjed.
The queftion was now put and carried in the
affirmative ; and the Houfe in a Committee went
thro' the Bill.—Ordered to be reported to-morrow.,
The Houfe, at half pall eleven o'clock, adjourned
till to-morrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Read a third time the Navy Bills Bill, potted, and ordered to
the Lords.
Reported the Refoloams of the Committee of the Houle on
the Importation of irllh Malt, and Exporting Britifh Seed Corn
to Ireland, and Iriih Sugar Drawback Duties. Leave given to
bring in Bills purfuant thereto.
Read a fecund time the Bill for amending feveral Statotes re-
fpedting the woollen Mamufaenre. Committed for to-morrow.
Lord YOU/MT* moved, that the Papers prefented to the
Wide from the London Dock Company be printed. Ordered.
Reported the Dublin Baking Bill. Ordered to be engrafted.
Mr. VAIII4IT7AUT prefented a Bill for regulating the Draw-
back on &kith Linens tesported. Read the left thne, and or-
dered for the famed reading to-morroar, and to be printed.
Went into a Committee upon the Expiring Laws. To be
`reported to-mornile.
The Huufe in a Committee of Sspsy. on the motion of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, molted, that a Punt not envied-
logss,r6o4 cc 6d. be granted to His Majoßy, to make good
the like fum iffued (rem the Tresfury by His Majeity's order..
In confequenee of Addreffet from this Houk, and not yet pro-
... Ned by Parliament. To be reported to morrow.
eld a fecund time, the Milt Militia Laws Confolldatlon
Bill. Committed for Friday.
A Mane was received from the Lomb, requiting die area,
dance of this Houfe at the Bar of the Lords, to hear the R I
Affent declared by Commifre to the Mlb Militia
:sill. The Hoare attended accordingly.
a •

. • INILITik. •e- ' • '
•
The SICRITARY at WAR obtervea, that the
litia Law, which had 'paired in the laft Sellion, had
been, in a very great degree eluded by perfons pro-
curing licences to preach ; he therefore moved for
leave to bring in a Bill, to amend fo much of the
faid Bill as would
.go to remove that fpecies of
evalion.—Leave given.
Mr. SECRETARY at WAR again rofe to give no-
tice, that he fhould, immediately after the Recefs,
bring forward a Bill for the Pay and Clothing of
the Militia ; and on this ground he felt it neceffary
to announce that Tome, confiderable 'alterations
would be introduced in this Bill from the Bill of
the laft Seffion ; and particularly, that with a view
to perfect the difcipline of the netv levies, it would
go to enaa, that the Militia be embodied twenty-
eight days in the year inftead of twenty. There
was another point on this fubjeet, to which he
thought it neceffary to call the attention of the
Houle, as one to which he Mould think* proper I
to apply a particular clattle in the bill. He under
flood that Societies had been formed in feveral
places, and efpecially in London and Weflminfter,
for the purpoie of receiving fubfcriptions from
perfons liable to ferve in the Militia, engaging to
infure or guarantee them againft fervice, in the
event of being chofen to ferve upon the ballot, by
providing fubftitutes. He under Rood alto, that
it was the intention of the perfons forming fuch
focieties to extend their influence throughout the
country, and receive infurances upon a fimilar en-
gagement. He was ready to admit that there were
fume inilances wherein the interpofition of fuch
focieties might be extremely defirable and ufetul, ,
particularly in thofe diaries where adual fervice
in the Militia, would be peculiarly injurious to
many of the inhabitants who might be ballotted
to ferve. In London, W.- Aminder, and many of
the great trading or manufadltiring towns, for in-
'lance, where fubilittites mull be procured. But
as be underftood it.was the intention of thofe fo-
cieties to extend their project over the whole coun-
try, he thought the fubjed particularly called for
the vigilance of Parliament, on two grounds ;
firft, *to take care to guard the poor men who I
might be inciined to avail themfelves of the prop-
fals of thofe perfons, againft the poffibility of their
projed being altogether a fwindling one; for, it was
poffible that the agents of thofe perfons, after hav-
ing colledled fifteen or twenty Millings each, as an
infurance premium from the majorityof poor work
ing men in a diftrift, might abfcond, and the poor
men afterwards drawn to terve could by no means
plead the cireumflance to the Deputy Lieutenants
as an exemption. The other ground was, that the
project would militate, in a very ferious degree,
againft the fpirit and objeet of the Militia Law;
the purpofe of which was, that the men deftined
to ferve fhould, as much as poffible, be raifed with-
in the County for which they were to ferve.;
whereas, by the project he alluded to, the diaries
were to be exempted, and the corps for the feveral
Counties filled with the very dregs and outcafts of
fociety, fent down from London ; and thus ren-
dered inefficient in the firft infiance.' Feeling,
therefore, the importance of this confederation, he
thought it neceffary to give the Houle a timely
apprifal of his intention,

MEDITERRANEAN TRADE*

General GascolGNE rofe, he faid, for the pur-
pofe of putting a queftion to his Majefty's Mini
fters, their anfwer to which, he hoped, would fave
him the neceffity of moving for certain papers to
inform the Houfe upon a matter of ferious im-
portance. The (*Won he wifhed to be folved
was, whether it was the intention of his Majefty's
Minifters to move for a renewal of the temporary
ftatute for regulating the intercourfe between this
country and Malta, which would expire on Tuef-
day next?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCH EVER faid, he
was not aware, until a few minutes before he entered
the Houfe, that the ftatute alluded to by the Hon.
Member was fo near expiring • he thought it did
not expire before the 28th. Not ',kiting had time
to confider the circurnflance, he hoped it would
ferve the purpofe of the Hon. Member to receive
an anfwer to his queftion to-morrow, when he
should be prepared to give it.