Star.
London, England, 1823-05-13 00:00:00

the freedom of Europe. • Much was said abovt.lhiti
moral influence of revolution.; •hut who eooldttok,'
at the history of France during the last thirty *ifs,
and not see that the FrenCh nation hid derived
only. advantage from the assimilation of its Constitn-
tion to that ut. Great Britain ? Did any one doubt
that the Spanish Constitution would ultimately prove
advantageous to that people ?—lf the Spanish Con-
stitution was deservedly assailed, could not an attack.
be also made by the assailants on that of Great Bri-
tain ? Was the Constitution of Spain more objec-
tionable than that of Great Britain, with its free Press
and its free discussions in Parliament? Did any man
doubt that those principles on which the attack on
Spain was pretended to be justified, would, if the
Holy Alliance could dare attempt it, authorise them
in their own opinion, to attack Great Britain? It
was futile, therefore, to say that Great Britain was
not interested in the result of the contest. If France
gained in personal aggrandizement, (heat Britain
would see the most fearful results arise. The attacks
of despotism would be as dangerous to Great Britain
as to Spain. Ile could not, therefore, behold the late
conduct of his Majesty's Ministers without entering his
protest against it, as contrary to its ancient policy, fa-
tal to its future pcace,and destructive of its best interests.
Why was Great Britain to stand by with folded arms
and behold danger approach, without making an
effort to repel it? Such conduct could not be sup-
ported on any principles of sound policy : it was un-
like the wise Legislature which had declared every
man to Le guilty of high treason ¶s ho did not join
one of the parties in a civil war ; fur from a spirited
contest only could the nation hope to come to a last-
ing peace. Influenced by those considerations, lie
felt that he could not 'coincide with the views of the
Noble Lord opposite as to the props iety of observ-
ing a neutrality, which seemed to him both unjust
and impolitic.

Lord CALTHORPE thought that war ought to
be avoided as much as possible; but although his
Majesty's Government had made great efforts for
that purpose, there had been a mistaken tone used by
them on that important occasion. He did not desire
that they should have dictated terms to France, but
that they should have boldly reuionsti ated, that they
should have shewn, that not only the welfare of Spain,
but that of France required a different line of conduct.
He lamented that his Majesty's Ministers had not
adopted that course. He had paid the Utmost atten-
tion to the Papers which had been laid before their
Lordships, and, after due consideration of them, he
could only say, that his Majesty's Ministers had but
just escaped censure, but that they did not deserve
approbation. He deprecated any future engagements
of Great Britain in treaties such as the present. which
shackled its exertions, and deprived, her of the right'
to co-operate in establishing firm principles ip any
country which sought its liberation
.flow bigotry,
and slavery.
The motion was then negatived vvititogt a die:a:ion,
and their Lordships adjourned at Ten o'Clook.