Star.
London, England, 1805-01-16 00:00:00


PAIRLIAMENTART PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, TUESDAY. JANUARY ti.

This day, about three o'clock, His Majelly came
down in State to the Houfe of Peers, and opened the
Minns of Parliament. His Majetly being arrived,
and arrayed in the Royal Robes, the Gentleman Ulher
of the Black Rod was fent to the Commons, to re-
qaire the attendance of %kat Houfe. The Speaker,
accompanied by feveral Members, forthwith attended
at the Bar of this Houfe, when his Majelly delivered
the following Speech from the Throne
" NT LOADS •ND CANTLIPAIN,

•• Sim:efts End of the lilt Scams. the preparations of the ene-
my for the Javan= of this king/don have been continued with in.
critint adtivity ; but no attempt has been made to carry their re.
ptated mtnaces into effea.
" The 001 and intrepidity of my navy—the refpediable and
formidable Rate of my army and Militia—the unabated zeal and
itorroared Welchem of a numerous Volunteer force, and the gene-
rd mlioer manifelbed by 'lidera of my-fubjeas, have indeed been
forioent to deter them from In prefumptuous and defperate an
enterprise. While this fpirit continues to animate the reentry.
aid its volnntarythertions for its own defence fulthit in their fun
vigour, we need not fear the coniquenees of the molt powerful
effuru on the part .f the enemy. net let einem forget that our
fecurky has ar.fen from the refointion with which we have met
and provided againft the danger, and that it can be preferred Only
by (toady parketten. end unremitting adtWity.
" The conduit of the Court of Spain, evidently, under the pre-
dominant influence end comrout of France, compelled me to take
prompt and aecifive stusfures to guard againft the effeas of Mal-
ley. I bite. at the lune time, endeavoured, u long uit was pof-
nble,to prevent the necdhty of a rupture; but, in cOnfequence of
the Waal of a fatisfadtory explanation, my Milliner quitted Ma-
drid; and war baste= been declared by Spain spina this country.

" I have direded a copy of the Manilas which I have mut-
ed to be prcptrod on this occafion, to be laid before you, together
with facts rapers mare nereffary to explain the difcutbOes which
have taken plate between me and the Court of Madrid. You
will, I trult, be convinced by them that my forbearance has been
carried to the utmost extent which the intcrels of my dontiQpits
would admit ; and while I lament the fituatlon of Spain, involved
in hoftilities contrary to its true interefts, I rely with confidence
on your vigorous rapport in a contett, which can be attributed only
to the unfortunate prevalence of French councils.
N The general coeds!! of the French Gerrenument on the Con-
tinua if Imola has Men marked by the utwoit violence and out-
rage, and has (hewn a wanton defiance of the Rights of Neutral
Territoeies, of the acknowledged Privileges fit Accredited Mild'
Rees, and of the eat:Weed principles of thsLar• of Nations.

Notwithilanding thefe tranfaaidas, fa remnant to every
ft:nth:tent of moderation and jultice. I MA" rceetwed a
Communication from the French GoirwiquOteosimfoing pro-
kllons of a Pacific difrodon. .
• - • •

" I have, in confoqueneeoteprefed my Wine oloire to em-
brace the deft opportunity et reitoring the tdentip of Peace on
&eh grousidtge ybe fnuEdent with the immanent &fay and
interellt of any ; but I am confident you will agree
with Me, that thole objects are cloddy cooneded with the gene-
:al fecurity of Europe. I have therefore not thought it right to
enter into any more particular exphuiation without previous
communication with thole Powers on the Continent with whom
l am engaged in confidential intercom& and minnettiou, with a
view to that important obJc i, aid efpeehlly with the Emperor
of Ruffle, who has gives the ftrongeft proofs of the wife and dig.
sided fentiments by which he &animated, and of the warminte-
reft he takes in &childy and inkispenelenee of Europe.
" OINTLIMANOIPTIR nor usa-wit_posaloNa.
I have diroßed the -,iftes for the public ferrite to be
hid before yet. I regret the neatlity of any additinal burdens
being imputed on my people; but I am hue you will be fallible
how much their future fafety and happinefs depend on the vigour
of our exertions, and that in the mode of railing the fupplies, yos
will continue to thew rim anxiety for the rapport of public credit,
and for reitraining, as much as pollible, the accumulation of the
National Debt.
" YT LORDS AND DINTLAWIN,

M in amfidering the great Mona and &wined which the nature
of the caitiff moires, it is a peculiar fatiabietion to me to ob..
raw the many proofs of the internal wealth and profperity of
the Country. It will; lam fare, be your great eked to main-
tain and improve theft advantages, and at the fame time to take
all tech meafures as, by enabling me to profecute the war with vi.
slur, may afford the belt profped of bringing it to a Life and ho
aeurable termination."

When his Majelly and the Commons hid retired,
Lord SIDNOUTH was introduced by the Lords STD-
asir and WINTWORTII, with the nasal formalities,
and took the cullomary oaths and his feat.
Shortly after four, the LORD CHAIICILLOR read,
from the Woolied, a copy of his Majefty's moil gra-
cious Speech to both Houfes. It was again read to
the Houfe by the Clerk at the Table ; when
Lord ELLIOT rofe to move an Addrefs of thanks
to his Majefty. His Lordfhip began by laying,
rofe on the prefent occafion to have the honour of
moving their Lordlliips to concur with him in an
humble addrefis to his Majefty, in anfwer to the gra-
cious communications his Majefty had condefcended
to mike to the Honk; in doing which he moved it in
compliance not only with the ufual prattice of the
liontk,but infupportof principles the molt clofely con-
naked with the intereft and good policy of the empire.
Witft'refpea to the grit points to which the Speech
alluded, it matt be impoflible for any amongft their
Lordthips to withhold the &ilea concurrence. The
nnceafing exertions of the enemy to increafe his force,
and advance his preparations for the menaced inva-
fion of this country, mull be obvious to all Europe ;
and confident be was, that every one of their Lord-
(kips tuna concur in the proud feeling, that the vigo-
rout exertions of his Majefly's Government, the
fOrtaidable and unparalleled !late of his forces by lea
and lapd, and particularly the exigence of that gal-
hut lininch of our prefent force, heretofore alma
unknown ist our country, and now formed by the
fpontaneoas energies and patriotic fpirit of the Bri.
da nation, had proved not only adequate in the tul-
le& degree to our krauity and defence, but to the
complete fruftration of the enemy, to whole menaces
we owed our fafety. To that vigour and thofe ener-
giit we owed the refult communicated in the Speech
this day; a refult in which every Enghthman mull
feel proud exultation—namely, that the haughty and
intuiting menaces of invafion and annihilation to this
country, which commenced the prefent war, on the
part of the enemy, &mild be fpeedily changed to pa-
s& overture-ratairrefragable proof that the enemy
wan confcious of his own inadequacy to carry his me-
mints even to the flightell chance of fuccefs, againft
the formidable force and unanimous fpirit of the En-
tifh nation. It was equally impotfibk, in his opinion,
to withhold concurrence from the fentiments of mo-
deration expreffed by hisMajefty with refpea toSpain;
or from the prompt and neceffary matures of vigour
his Majefty had been pleated to adopt towards that
country, unhappily for berfelf, involved in a condie
with this, through the mifchievons influence of
French councils : but as the neceffary documents re•
fpeiling the circandiances which led to this new con
tell, were not yet laid before their Lordlhips, it would
be premature now to go into any difcullion upon the
&him% .farther than to e refs his confidence that
the' ihnia principles of m ' and wife policy
which bad heretofore governed his Majelty's
fares, with eefpee to that nation, would be found ta

r

jullify the war into which we were now forced. He
felt he did not fay too much on this head, ern re=
fped to a country whidt, though not in a Ante of
open and avowed hollility towards us at that diste
was yet pouring her treafures into the lap of France;
in maintenance of all the warlike menaces avowacli
againft us. Whatever were the difpofitions for pt..,
cific overtures now profefld by the enemy, experi-
ence alone could prove his fincerity; and fincerely
defirous as his Majefty had expreffid himfelf for the
reaoration of peace and tranquillity to his fubjeftseed
to Europe, yet every man who viewed the statlitieof
the conceit in which we are engaged, and the cha-
rafter of the enemy with whom we have to contend,
mull concur, that the only fare mode of obtaining
fuch a peace as his Majelly had defcribed, a .peace
compatible with the permanent intereft, honour, and
fecurity of the Britith empire, would be, the ef-
fedual fupport of his Majefly in carrying on the war
with unabating %Pigott-1.. He concluded by moving
the 'dual addrefs.
Lord GWYDIR, in a thort fpeech, feconded the
motion of Lord Elliot.
Lord CARLISLE Co perfeely concurred in the
Addrefs moved by the Noble Lord, that he heard
not a tingle lenience in it from which he could dif-
fent : he, therefore, gave it his hearty concurrence ;
nor timid he have nfen tosinterrupt the proceedings
of the Houfe by (eying a word on the fubjeft, but
for one or two obfervations which had fallen from
the Noble Lord who moved the Addrefs ; firft, with
Write to the new war in which we were involved
with Spain ; and, fecondly, with refpeft to the very
flourithing, formidable, and effedive Rate of our pub-
lic force. With refpeft to the former, it was true,
that having no documents before the Honfe whereon
to judge of the ground of hankies, any arguments
upon the fubjeft at prefent would be premature ;--.1
but as the Noble Lord had indicated a with that
the Houfe mull give his Majefty's Minißers credit
for the juftice of the quarrel on our parts, alilictigh
no documents were before them, he could not let the
Noble Lord's implicit reliance on Miniflers, or his
declaration of the /office of the war, pals without
Tome animadverfion. It was poffible the capture of
the Spanifh frigates, which appeared to be the firft
oftenfible aft of hoflility, might be juftified by cir-
cumllances on the part of his Majefty's Government,
but it was not bocaufe a war was juftified by ionic
circumilances, that it was therefore wife to run ratti-
ly into it, without, at leak fome endeavour to ob•
tain redrefs by milder means. If, for instance, the
conduft of Spain had appeared mylierious, infidious,
or equivocal, was it not pollible to require by a cer-
tain day a fatisfaeory explanation, a refufal of which,
beyond fuch a day? might be confidered as an avow-
al of hoftile intentions. Surely, before afloat hoftili.
ties were commenced by the capture of the Spanith
frigates, fome fuels proceeding ihould have been had-
, It was not, perhaps, the kitties, fo much as the
poli-
cy of the war, that was, under prefent eircumllances,
the °Nee of confederation. Without documents,
however, he did not with to examine the fubjeft far-
ther. With refpee to the formidable Ila,e of our
public force, and particularly of the army, the Noble
Lord appeared to hold a language very different in-
deed from that in which his Majefty's Miniflers fpoke
of that part of the public force in the left Se%ons.—
He then underflood, that the arms of the line in
particular, was in a Rate of diffolution and decay,
and that the utasoft poffible exertion, and a variety
of new and extraordinary expedients, were indifpen-
fably neceffary to reftore it to any thing like an ar-
my fit to contend with the enemy. He (hould be
glad, however, to be convinced that an improvement
Co rapid and extraordinary had taken place, or to
learn how it was fo fuddenly effected.
Lord HAWKESBURY Paid, if ever there was a
moment when unanimity was called for in that
Houle, or a fubjeft upon which difcuifion was pre.
mature, it was the preterit moment, and the topic
upon which the Noble Earl had Oft made his ani-
madverfions. He believed the Houfe fully con-
curred with the fentiments expreffed in his Majefty'b
fpeech, refpeeing the unceafing exertions of the
enemy to carry into execution his menaced invafion
to this country. He believed alfo, the Houfe mutt
concur in the opinion, that we owed our fecurity
againft thofe menaces, more to our own fpirit, and
the unanimous exertions of the whole united empire,
than to any difinclination, on the part of the enemy,
to carry them into effect. He believed alfo, no*
that the enemy was brought to declare a pacific dif-
pofition, his Majefty was fully jultified in that fpirit
of moderation by which he had been guided through
the whole of this costa, to fignify alto his defire of
redoring peace to this country ; but on Inch terms
only as were confiftent with the honour and dignity
of his crown and empire, and the intercfts of thole
powers of Europe with whom we are connected by
amity and good faith. Under fuch conaderatious
alone was peace deemed, by his Majefty's Govern-
ment, to be defirable ; and whenever peace could
be permanently fecured upon fuch grounds, it
would be cheerfully embraced. Upon any other
foundation it was not defirable in the fenfe of the
country at large. With refpee to the conceit in
which we were involved with Spain at this moment,
his Majefty, by his Speech, called for no opinion
from the Rode, until the proper documents upon
the fubjeft thould be laid before them, and had been
fully confidered. But how was the Noble Earl war-
ranted in his conjedures. that the meafures previous
to the commencement of holtilities with Spain had
not been adopted- He could affore the Noble Earl, ,
that the condua of Spain had appeared to his Ma.
jetty infidious ; 'that explanations had been demand.
ed ; that his Majelly's Ambaffador had inftrueions,
if fuch explanation was refufed by a particular pe-
riod, to demand his paffports, and take his depar.
ture ; that he did in coufequence dimand and receive
iris priffpotts, and had taken his departure fome time
before the news of the capture of thofe frigates had
reached the Strati& Court ; that the Conduit of that
Court had long been viewed by his Majefty's Go-
vernment in a very objeitionable light ; that motives
of policy had induced them to avoid meafures of hof-
tilityt as long as was confilleat with the honour and
fecurity of this country, or the fair adherence to
any treaties by which that Court was bound I and it
was not until circumltances demanded meafisres of
vigour, that they were adopted. With refpea to
the other topic of the Noble Lord's animadverfion,
namely, the force of the country, he tuna beg leave
to remind him, that the quantum of that force, and
its adequacy for our home defence, was never deni-

ed. The only objeEtion to it was, that not fo great a'
pet of it ores as difpofable as could be defiradr, foe
the exigencies of general fervice. It would be pre-
nature, at prefent, to go into minute details as to
the tia;e of the public force of the United Kingdom,
at this moment. He could, however, Ohre the
Noble Lord, that in troops of the line, militia, and
volunteers, ready to take the field, it confiderably
exceeded fix hundred thoufand men; and that under
the operation of an At of Parliament paired the
Seffions before lag, commonly called the Army of
Referve Ad, the difpoftble part of that force had
been inereafed to an extent, and with a rapidity be-
yond all expedation, and had proved fuperior to
every other expedient.
The Duke of CLARENCE concurred in the mo-
tion for the addrefs, and Aid, he was glad to hear
that any meafure had been found adequate to a put-
pole fo defrable as that of increafing the difpnfable
force of the country, to the extent Rated by the No.
ble Secretary ; but as to the ridiculous and vexatious
Ad of the lad Seffion, for recruiting the Army, it
Teemed now to have turned out jolt as be had ex-
peeled ; and, he hoped, one of the firft ads of the
prefent Sawn would be to repeal it.
Lord GRENVILLE declared his molt hearty con-
currence in the addrefs, as well as his approbation
of that part of the fpeech which related to the paci-
fic overtures made by the enemy, becatile it was a
language precifeiy accordant to the principles he had
ever profeffed and maintained in that houfe. He
thought the firmnefs with which the Noble Secretary
of State avowed his determination to negociate for
peace, upon fuch terms only as were calculated to
fecure the permanent fafety, honour, and profperity
of the Brio& empire, as conneled with the general
interefts and fecucity of Europe, efpecially of thole
t powers with whom we are on terms of confidence ;
and, in particular, that power with whom it was fo
much to the honour and advantage of this country to
cultivate a conflation of amity and mutual intereft,
retleded upon the Noble Lord the higheft honour,
and railed, in his own mind, the hope of Acing once
more revived in this country the dignified language
and principles by which we were wont to maintain
our charader in the world. It was by fuch language
and fuch principles that we mull retrieve our reputa-
tion with the tell of Europe, from the degrading eßi-
mation of a vanquillied nation, in which the enemy
him Alf was taught to view us under the humiliating
terms of the lea peace—and in voting an addrefs, to
allure his Majefty of the vigorous fupport of the
houfe, in carrying on the prefent war to that iffue,
which is the ultimate purpote of all juft and legiti-
mate wars, namely, a fecure and honourable peace,
they were doing no more than the bounden duty of
a Britifh Houfe of Parliament; and concurring, he
believed, with the unanimous fentiments of a Britith
people, who had already (hewn, and were (till ready
to prove themfelves, willing to encounter every dan-
ger, and endure every privation, for ends fo truly de
tirable. With relped, however, to the contelt with
Spain, he would give, at this moment, no opinion;
as any opinion, wi bout the neceffary documents,
mull be premature. Upon thofc documents the
Houfe would, he hoped, have fpeedily an opportuni-
ty to form an opinion ; and it was poflible they
might afford ground to jutlify the mealure. Indivi-
dually, he had fume reafon to think they might ; but
from every thing which had already gone forth upon
the Abjed, the general opinion was againft the war, as
a meafure of precipitancy and rathnefs, which it
would have been good policy to avoid. There was a
particular expreffion of the Noble Secretary, which
hadcaught his attention—it was,that our Ambatrador
had demanded his pafpnrts, and taken his departure,
before the news of the capture of the Spanilh frigates
had reached the Court of Madrid. He hoped the
Noble Lord did not mean by this to affert, that even
the departure of an Ambaffador was to be confidered
as a juttification for the commencement of hollilities :
or even that a juft caufe of war always rendered it
wife or politic to commence that war, without any
means being taken to avert it by moderate meafures.
However, at prefent, he defired not to be underftood
as giving any opinion on the fubjed of the war with
Spain, but declared his cordial concurrence in the
Addrefs.

The Duke of NORFOLK could not give his cor-
dial and implicit concurrence to an Addrefs, in an-
fwer to a speech on the firft day of this Seffion,
which contained not the flighteff mention of a mea-
fure, which was very generally expetSted to have
formed one of its molt prominent features, namely,
the meafure ofjnal Emancipation to die Cadiolice of Ire-
land. When a Right Hon. Gentleman, now at the
head of his Majelty's Councils, formerly retired from
power, it was avowed by him and his friends, and
univerfally underßood, that he retired only becaufe
he was not allowed to carry that meafure for which
his adminifiration Rood pledged with the Catholics
of Ireland. When that Right Hon. Gentleman re-
turned to power, every one naturally conceived, that
one of the firft aft% of his adminißration would have
been to bring that meafure forward. The advanced
period of the IA Sef lion at which he was recalled to
his Majefty's Councils might afford a reafon for not
then bringing the queltion forward; but no ene
doubted that he would propofe it early in this ' • and
that it would have been noticed in the Speech from
the throne. Having himfelf had no communication
with any individual or body of men of that commu-
nity, and underflanding only from the public prints,
that the principal Catholics in Ireland had held Come
meetings, and refolved to prefer their petition to Par- ,
liament, he willies' now only to know what was the
intention of his Majefty's Minifters upon the fubjea ?
If be should receive for anfwer, that his Majesty's
Minlaers declined to bring it forward, becaufe the
Catholics themfelves -had refolved to prefs on their
own Petition; or if (which he did not expel) he
fhould be told by Minilters, that the Catholics, in
the prefent circumftances of the country, were con-
tent with the concefflous already made to them for
the feeurity of property, and freedom of religion, he
lhould urge the fubjea no further; but it not, it
muff form the fubjea of a future difcullion ; for, he
was convinced, that the heft mode of fecuring peace
and maintaining our refpea abroad, was by concilia-
tion and unanimity at home.
The queftion upon the Addrefs was now put by
the Lord Chancellor, and carried sum.
Lord GRENVILLE Aced, acrofs the Hoofe,
when the documents refpeaing Spain would be laid
on the table ?

.1.-o-rd-bIULGRAVE afford his Noble ?fiend,

I

that thongh he could not at this moment name a par-
ticular day, yet not a moment mould be loft in the
bufinefs, as be was equally anxious with the Noble
Lord for the dikulEon ; and he had the fatisfation
to be himfeif convinced, that when the Noble Lord
should perufe thofe documents, they would fully fa-
tisfy him, and precifcly coincide with the fentirnents
he had ezpreffed this night.

MR. JUSTICE FOX.
The Marquis of A BERCORN role and (poke to
the following effect :—" My Lords, I take this op-
portunity to remind your Lordfliips of a bufinefs
which i took the liberty of mentioning to your Lord-
fhips in the mule of the lall Seffion. I allude to the
charge of milcondu& which I have brought forward
again II Mr. Jullice Fox, one of his Majedy's Judges
in Ireland. It may be thought, perhaps, that there
has been too great delay on my part for an affair of
this nature. I can, however, fafely fay, that lam
a man who never threw away an hour in my Efe
which ought to have been devoted to any importini
bufinefs in which I was concerned, and of that def-
cription I confider the prefent to be. l can alfo pledge
myfelf to your Lorcilhips, that noon this occafina
almoft the whole of my time has been occupied in
preparing the charges, and the evidence in flippers
of them, for the purpofe of laying them before
the Houle. It is, therefore, with a degree of
fatisfallion, although I confefs the fubje& is aot
one calculated to afford pleafure, I can now
inform your Lnrclfhips, that every inquiry which I.
have made, and every information which I have
been able to coiled, have ferved to confirm me is
my original opinion upon this fubje& ; and that I
have all the charges and the evidence to fupport
them, perfealy at ranged and complete, except only
one, and that is the leaft important of the whole.—
The form of the proceedings your Lordlhips an to
dire& and determine, as you Quill think proper. All
that was neceffary for me to do I have done, and an*
ready to lay the documents before the Houle at a