Star.
London, England, 1802-05-06 00:00:00

DEFINITIVE TREATY.

Mr. \Vice' A M actor faid, he rofe to move
for the production of certain documcnts, which,
in his opinion, were of the utmoft importance to
the difcnffion of the Definitive Treaty, and from
the candid declaration of the Noble Lord on the
Treafury Bench, on a former day, of his readi-
nefs to explain every part of that tranfaCtion, he
could not entertain a doubt that Miniflers would
be prompt to facilitate to the Houfe the attain-
ment of every information that might be need...
fart? to form a correct judgment upon that fubjea.
The firft paper for which he ghould move, was
the Treaty of Badajos. There were two Treaties
concluded at Badajos, one between Portugal and
France, which never was ratified, and another
between Portugal and Spain, which was ratified,
and which was the document he alluded to. By
that the important town of Olivenza was ceded to
Spain, and the integrity of Portugal was molt
materially violated. This paper was alluded to
in the Seventh .%rticle of the Definitive Treaty :
therefore no objeinion could poffibly be made to
producing it. •
His fecond motion fhould be for copies of any
Conventions or Armiftices concluded between
Portugal and Spain during the year 18ot, and
communicated to the Britt& Government. It
was to be feared that thefe contained many com-
mercial ftipulations highly detrimental to this
country, and one of them was the baits of the
Treaty, by which a great part of Portuguefe
America was ceded. The Honourable Gentle- 1
man now entered into a confideration of the fatal
effects of this ceffion. He Paid this diftria had
always been reckoned of the utmoft importance
by Portugal, not on account of its fertility, not
on account of its population, not on account of
its trade, though all thefe were confiderable, but
becaufe it was the only fecurity for the valuable
but vulnerable poll-dim of Brazil. This wa
forcibly illuftrated by the Treaty. of Utrecht, con
eluded in 1713, which was guaranteed by Great
Britain. By the articles of this Treaty France
was exprefsly prohibited from croffing the river

zoos. In the Preliminaries, it was declared that .
the dominions of her Moll Faithful Majefty fhould
be preferved entire. But on the z9th September,
two days before the fignature of the Prelimina-
ries, a Treaty had been concluded between Portu-
gal and France, by which the former power was
obliged to cede an immenfe track of country. in
America. When the Noble Lord was queftioned
upon this point, he was evidently very embarraffed
and perplexed. A lait an explanation was given,
from which it appeared, that by entire was meant
the dominions of which Portugal had not been
defpoiled. This flatement of the Noble Lord,
however, Was queltioned in the French Councils,
and no fatisfaCtory information could be obtained.
The Treaty of Badajos might be adhered to, but
the objeft of France was as completely gained as
if her original pretenfions had been admitted.—
She had fecured to beach* the navigation of the
Arawari. From a Dutch map he had, it appear-
ed that the only entrance to this river was between
the two Wands Nuova and Penetenza. France
thus controuled the commerce of Brazil, and the
whole wealth of South America lay at her mercy.
What means the might ule to extend her ufurpa.
tions he would not pretend to foretell ; or whe.
ther the might not halt for a while to confolidate
what (he had already ufurped. But after what
had taken place in Italy, not a doubt could be en-
tertained that fooner or later France would feize
Brazil and Peru. The words of the Definitive
Treaty inflicted upon this country a needlefs in.
dignity. It allerted the integrity of Portugal,
and guaranteed its difmemberment. We held out
our proteCtion only to difplay our weakncfs.
He fhould thirdly move for the Copies of any
Treaties entered into between Spitin and France
during the late negotiations for peace. Our new
Ally dealt in malked Conventions, and, after le-
veret mock treaties, one made its appearance, by
which the whole of Louifiana was ceded to France.
She thus got poffeffion of a large and fertile track
upon the River Miffiffippi, not more dillant from
Mexico than Northumberland from the Metropo-
lis of England. Much had been faid of capital;
here was a capital an which France would not fail
to draw; and the world might long rue that fuch
refources were in fuch hands. The French were
now brought up to the very confines of Canada,
and might limn re.eftabliffi their empire in that
country. But the United States of America had
moft to lea& Kentucky and the Weftern States
had little connection with the Ealtern ; they were
feparated by immenfe forefts, and peopled by dif-
ferent inhabitants, adventurers from every quarter.
The only outlet to their trade was the Mitliffippi,
and the American Government had flipulated with
Spain for the free navigation of that River. Now
theft States mutt be completely under the controul
of France. If France does not feparate them from
the tell, tee will make America at all times de-
pendant upon her, and will draw her into the con.
federacy againft our naval greatnefs and the dig.
nity of our flag—if indeed he could ufe the expect-
flon now, that the dignity of our flag, which had
once been reckoned our moft valuable pofleftion,
had been difgraced and degraded. It might be
faid tharthe spirit of Europl would life to prevent
thefe uturpations in America. Some people teem-
ed to confider ,the fpirit of Europe as a kind of
incantation. A foul and flagrant ufurpation had
lately taken place in the very heart of Europe,
while Europe inertly looked on. Yet the fpirit of
Europe was to protect the independence of Amc.
rica. Gentlemen who held this language had pro-
fited little by ten years of woful experience.—
When France had conquered the Continent of Eu-
rope, could the Continent of America be fate— .
The Expedition to Egypt was at firlt called
ii-
fionary ; but if the principles of the prefent day
had been afted upon by Miniflers then, France
would now have been in quiet polieffion of that
country, and perhaps other provinces of the Ot-
toman Empire would have fallen a prey to her
rapacity. He maintained that the ceflion of Loui-
fiana had changed the whole complexion of the
qneflion. Had this fact been known at the time
when the Preliminaries were debated, lie was well
convinced the Houfe would have paufed before
alfenting to them. He had great refpeCt for K
nitters as individuals, and he would by no mean;
fay that they wilbed to impofe upon the Houle.—
He believed that they were ignorant themfelves,
but ignorance would not excufe them. Did they
take the proper means to procure information'
—Did they peremptorily put the queftion ? Ii
France returned no anfwer, this was the greatelt
indignity to*the Government and to the Country-
If France returned a falfe anfwer, this was a fraud,
and in either cafe the negotiations ought to have
been broken oft At any rate they were acquainted
with the faa before the fignature of the Definitive
Treaty ; and before they proceeded farther they
were bound in honour to come again and alk for
the opinion of the Houfe. Mr. ELLIOT concluded
by moving, That an humble addrefs be prefented
to his Majefly, praying that he would be gracioufly
pleated to give direCtions for being laid before the
Houfe a Copy of the Treaty of Badajos, referred
to in the 7th article of the Definitive Treaty with
France, Spain, and the Batavian Republic.
Lord HawsEsauty confidered the mode of pro.
seeding adopted by the Hon. Gentleman extreme-
ly irregular. In propofing a motion to which there
was no objection, the Hon. Gentleman had taken
occafiun to enter, in the molt diforderly manner,
into the whole merits of the queftion with wh:c•i
that motion had only a relative connection. He
defied any Gentleman to thew an inflance, even
during the utmoft rage of factions, where any
thing fo unufual or fo diforderly had been retorted
to. The general and proper way was to a& for
fuch information as might be thought neceffary
upon any particular fubjeCt, and then to appoint
a day for the difeuffion of that fubjetft ; but the
Hon. Gentleman has canvaited all the bearings of
the fubjeil, which he (Lord H.) would not fol-
low, for Gentlemen had by this courfe the advan-
tage of being able to fpeak on without interrup-
tion until they made their motion, and any per-
fon that fhould follow them, if he uttered any
irrelevant obfervation, would be liable to be called
to order. As to Portugal, lrc fhould beg to make

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