Star.
London, England, 1814-05-11 00:00:00

*larch, stimulated by the execrations of his people,
opposed one of Edward's daring encroachments, Sew
to arms, and being crushed by his adversary, meanly.
surrendered his crovin and rights into the hands of.
Edward. And what did Scotland do ? Wben her
Nobles had fallen or submitted, and when Bruce had
joined the conqueror, Wallace—who- had not heard
of that

K Great patriot hero, ill-requited r
undaunted, and almost alone, drew his sword and
stemmed the torrent of. oppression, .and made all na-
tions resound with the fame of his Matchless exploits.
—(Thar )—And who blamed Wallace ? who did
not ii•vere him as the invincible: champion of free-
dom ? and who did not wish to have fought by his
sid,, as they perused his wonderful tale ?—( firao.)—
Did not every one. deem. his conduct heroic ?* and did
not his execution foi ever, tarnish tbe.renown of the
m gnu Ed ward ? The work that he commenced
was cialsummated by Bruce, Whom poets and histo-
rians ha vc Alike deliglated.to celebrate.; every bosom
beat, and every heart grew warm with Burns's heroic
welcUme of the Bruce of Banockburn—
“ Scots wha bar we Wallace bled,
Scots wham Armee has alien led,.
Welcome to your or bed,
Or to victory.
Thit bosom had little sympathy with freedoM or
with poetry that did not glow with the perusal of that
admiral poem. :Another poet of the same nation
(Sinollet ) had nobly characterised Independence:
by spirit, independence ! let me share !
Lord I the lion heart and eagle eye ' •
Thy step, I follow, with my bosom bare,
Nor herd the storms that howl along the sky r
Who.had read the sirong.sentimems of the
,Scottish
historians without. admirauon ? All the world con-
curred in the deliverance of Scotland, and execrated
the cruel policy of its baffled invader, whose renown
h ,d" been sullied. by the Cruel treatment of the illus-
trious- Wallace. Who could say the rights of a na-
tion du uld be destroyed, and the people alienated
from a' chosen governmelit against their will? (Hear.)
most now call their Lordships' attention to the
next question for-their consideration. It was a matter
of regtet,•that the inlormation he had moved for,
had not been produced, only to a certain extent.—
Their Lordships wouid remember he had moved for I
an MCC. out of the number'of troops brought into the
&Id by Sweden, azcording to the stipulation contain-
ed in the Treaty, and the only account produced on
the, table was, that of the number of troops said to
be supplied on the 6th of June, 1813. To say the
least, and speak in the mildest manner of this return,.
he must charge upon the office from whence it came
a conduct that was not ingenuous nor fair. It pur-
ported on the face of it, to in\imate that the troops
wise then on the Continent of Europe, where hostili.;
ties were carried on, and their presence was necessary.
`Phis was not true, they were then only at Stralsund.
—( Here the Noble Earl read the account from the
Foreign Office.)—Neither did the number stated
appear to be correct, for it declared that 30,000-and
odd effective men were supplied, with other contin-
gent juices; but it also appeared from another ac-
count of last year, from the same office,. that' about
28,000 only were in readiness at the tittle. He there.
fore had a right to put this construction, that the
prev at return was not true, and he had the authority
of his Majesty's Ministers themselves, by their prior
account of the same event. It was very clear, how.
- ever, titan the money stipulated to beadvanced bythti
country to the Crov.oPrince, had been regularly paid,'.
and therefore it was just to expect that the conditions.
of the Treaty should have been fulfilled on his part.—
t what was the fact'? Was it not apparent.that while
the Allies were engaged against France, after the in.
'Aston of Russia, Sweden made no esettions to unite
ith them in the Calls; ? Did- the ..Crown Prince
advance when the battles of Lutzen and Bautz-tt
had suspended the success of the Allied Powers,
and once more placed in the hands of that man an
°pp nullity, which, if he had taken the 'advantage of
t, would have averted his overthrow, and have sup-
died him with fresh meanvof subjugating. Europe ?
;yen afterwards where was the Crown Prince, and
what was the amount-0i his services? After the bat-
tle of Leipsic, did the Crown Prince push forward to
,ke advantage of the enemy's defeat ? Fpr what
purpose the Noble Earl knew not, but we found him
at that time marching to Hanover, and presently he
turns his 'attention to Norway. It were much to be
wished that their Lordships could have had that
noble and veteran hero, Blucher, examined at their
bar, and they would then have known his sentiments'
as to the conduct of the Crown Prince of Sweden.
After settling with Denmark, the terms of the cession
of Norway, in. February, we find the Prince at Liege.
and there a paper, which he believed to be demi-offi-
cial, contained a ktter which went to account for his
not being present.'with the Alliei; for Bernadotte,
like his roaster, was so fond of liberty, that a paper,
where be was resident, would be cautious of having
inserted what would incur his disapprobation. This
1-tier, after anggesting theprobabilitytbatmany might
woudar wisy tbeßrince remained inactive, except in at.
reviews and fetes, watts, that be had no repro.
'curative at Chatillon, and that he had remonstrated
Ipon the subject, and should not advance till that dif.
fereoice was arranged. Assoon as these misturderitand-
i rigs were adjusted, the Crown Prince proceeded to join
:he Allies in 1141,4—but while rivers of blood were still
flowing in France, and the fate of Europe was as is
were upon the cast of the ctie, we found this man in-
active. He had not performed the conditions of the
Treaty : and were we therefore to be called upon to
Juitil, in return for a breach of faith, a contract doubt-
ful in its construction, odious in its supposed stipula-
tion, and void in the legality of its principle ? If a
general peace should happily realize all our present
expectationss we ought still to regulate our conduct
upon the probability of future difference. France and
England would ever have separate interests, and the
inclination. of Sweden would lead her more than other
Northern Powers to favour the preponderance of that
country. He did hope that every care would be ever.
cised by Ministers, io the present juncture of affairs,
to conciliate all nations and all parties; and though
we had reason to hail the fortunate change which had,
taken place in Frances and that the ketiniare Sove;
reign had been restored, still there were •SO
jealousy and distrust, and if their r
• wao•
put themselves in the pine, gf Fristchiptth they would.
feel something about %is =like the deradation?
of concidest- There was leint to which be
*c4l44re4ueK tits 1110411014 glAirt 144

...

been intimated that Danmark, though she outwardly
ceded the kingdom of Norway, she was not sin-
cere in her professions ; that she favoured, at the
same time, a faction, in the ceded country ; and
that the presumptive Heir to the Throne of Den-
mark was the person set up for the sosereignty of
Norway. If, on the one band, it were true, this was.
only a faction us Norway, there w. neither justice,
nor necessity in' our blockade of their ports ; and
if, On the other band, it was the determination of
fr
whole kingdom not to be ceded to a foreign power,
our interference by starvation was repugnant to every
principle of moral justice, arid the rights of nations:
As to the Prince the Norwegians had chosen, he might
very reasonably consider, if left to his choice,
Norway alone preferable to the other part of the
Danish territory. Norway was happily situated by
a long line of coast, and on the other side by inacH
cessible mountains, which formed a complete barrier;
of defence against the attacks of her neighbours, and;
in the Noble Earl's opinion, rendered that part of the
Danish dominions preferable to the other. He next
adverted to the comparison between the cession of
Spain by Ferdinand, and the cession of Norway by
the King of Denmark, and contended that the prin-
ciple in-both countries was precisely, the same., He
could assure their Lordships that had they seen the
Norwegian Deputy, and had heard his noble and
animated representation of the distressful situation of
his country, it would have affected their feelings,
With tears in his eyes, he requested him (the Noble
Earl) to make the sentiments of his countrymen
known to the public of this country, for the Norwe-
gians were determined not to submit to a Foreign
Power, and in that resolution they would spill the last
drop of their blood.. The Noble Earl made along and
eloquent speechoto which our limits will not permit
us to do all the justice we consider its due, and he
concluded by moving, “ That an humble Address be
presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent,
requesting that he would use his mediation with the
Powers of Europe to prevent the reduction of Norway
to a Foreign Power; and that, while discussions should
be carried on for that purpose, he would give direc-
tions that all hostile measures on the part of this coun-
try, against Norway, should be suspended."
Lord HA RROWBY said the object ottheTreaty
had been to enable Sweden, without danger, to turn
her ants to the aid of the common cause. And the
price of such co-operation was to be the annexation
of Norway to Sweden, Denmark being then at war
with Sweden; in consequence of' this Treaty, this
country agreed to co-operate, if necessary, wi:h Swe-
den and Russia, to obtain from Denmark the cession
of Norway. This, he contended, was not the mere
nominal cession, hot the bona.fids possession of Nor-
way by Sweden. The Noble Lord proceeded to con-
tend, that such-a treaty and such a cession, on the
part of Denmark, was justified by universal practice.
He was ready to pay all possible deference to the
opinion of those great men whose names had been
mentioned by the Noble Earl, but these men were
not infallible. Like the Pope's infallibility, it only
carried authority with it when supported by the opi-
nion of the universal church. It the Noble Lord
would look into the history of Europe, he would find
that"there was scarcely a State in Europe which had
not at different times made transfers similar to that
now proposed. With respect to the comparison which
the. Noble Earl had drawn between the case of Nor-
way and Spain, it did not, in his opinion, at all agree.
The two cases were as dissimilar as possible. No
person had ever contended that a Sovereign, had the
power of transferring his whole dominion.; or that
more especially he had the power of doing eel wbe
in confinement, and under the entire controul of-the
person to whom the cession was made, as had been
the case with P•rdinand VII. when he ceded Spain
to Bonaparte. But would any one coniend, that if
Denmark had been reduced to such a state that only
by giving up Norway could she have preserved her
own existence as a kingdom, that she would not have
had a right to give up Norway ? The Noble Lord
then entered into a justification of the conduct of the
Clown Prince. and 'contended that he had always
had his full ci n:ingent of troops in the field, accord-
ing to the stipulations of the Treaty ; and that the
common cause had derived the greatest advantage
from his co-operation. The Noble Lord concluded
by declaring his opinion that this country was acting
in a manner most beneficial to the Continent, and
thetefore most honourable to itself.
Lord GRENVILLE contended, that nothing
could, in his opinion. be more unjust than this attempt
to subject Norway to Sweden, who was always her
most inveterate enemy, and against whose aggres-
sions it had alitass been the pride and boast of this
country to have protected Norway. How much,
therefore, was he astonished to learn, not from the
open avowal of the Noble Lcid (Liverpool), but horn
his.silence, more eloquent than any avowal. that we
were using our utmost efforts, not by open war in-
deed, but by blockade avid starvation, to reduce her
to the dominion of Sweden.—The Noble Baron ob-
served, this was the conduct of France, which this
country had been opposing for the last 20 years by
the greatest sacrifices ; and if we wished to draw a
veil over all the atrocities of the man *Mee inieSi
had so lately been overthrown, the Government of
this country would persevere in the line of conduct
which we tad adopted towards Norway. If we wish-
ed to restore comparative tranquility to Europe, we
must commence by restoring the old
.order of things,
and not by an attempt to overturn the established
Law of Nations, as had been recommended by the
Noble Lord who spoke last. The Noble Lord con-
tended, that according to the laws of nations, as laid
down by Grotius, Puffendorf and Vattel, no Sovereign
had any power to alienameither a part or the whole
disk dominions but with the assent of his subjects.,
There were two cases in which cession could exist,
namely, of a country in possession of a conqueror;'
and that of a country not in possession of aconqueror.
The last was the present case ; and be trusted in Goo
it would continue to be so; for he hoped the decision
of to-night would prevent the Sovereign, to whom
Norway was ceded, having the aid of this country to
conquer it; and, without that aid, be was convinced
Sweden never -would conquer beta The comes, how-
ever, were different. When a country was already
conquered, the Sovereign ceded only bis own right.
He did not attempt the transfer; the transfer bad
already taken place by conquest, and the Mimi**
of the people was at an end. Not so its the present.
instance : the Norwegians were still unsubdued, and
bad A right to mast, The Noble Lps4 who wok

•
last had 'contended, that" a Sovereign had a right :to
cede a part, though not the whole, of his kingdom.
Here then was an answer by.his own mouth. Nor-
way was the whole of a kingdom : the King of Den-
mark was not. King of Norway because he was King
of Denmark, but because he was Kirig of Norway by.
descent. Norway was a kingdom as ancient as Bri-
tain, or more so ; and the King of Denmark could
no more cede Norway for the benefit of Denmark,
than the King of England could cede England for
the benefit of Hanover. It was said the Norwegians
were -to be removed from under the controtil of a most
despotic•Goternmeet to the enjoyment of a free Con-
stitution; but what was the first article of this free Con-
stitution? Why, that the people of Norway should
give up their arms and resign their fortresses. If such
were the effects of the free constitution offered to them,
he hoped the Norwegians would not suffer their free-
dem to depend on either party, but do what they
were so well able to do—preserve it for themselves.
The Noble Lord then adverted to the services per-
formed by the .Crown Prince ; and contended, that
the aid given by him to the common cause, even in
the first part of the contest, was doubtful ; but that
he had failed to do so in the latter part a the contest,
was obvious to all Europe. He would ask, after the
battle of Leipzic, when the aid of the Swedish troops
would probably have put an end to the contest; and
saved rivers of blood from Sooting, where were they
gone ? Where ? to Paris ? No ; their backs were
turned upon France, and they were marching to the
conquest of Norway. There was one question he
wished to have answered : had sneden discharged
her engagements to the satisfaction of this country ?
The House hack a right to an answer on this point.—
Before he came into the House this evening, he was
_of opinion she had not, and the silence of the Noble
Lord on that point had convinced him his opinion
was well founded. The Noble Lord then proceeded
to take a review of the state of the North of Europz,
and contended that notonly justice, but policy, valid
on us to prevent the innexation,of Not way to Ssie-
tclen—Saeden which would always incline to France,
and thus give that power too great an influence in
the North. The Noble Lord concluded by declaring
he would agree to any measure which might be pro-
posed, which should give Ministers time to reflect on
the impolitic measures in which they were engaged.
'rite Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that after the
assistance given by the Crown Prince of Sweden to
the Allies, he turned his arms against Denmark, then
the ally of France, and by conquering Holstein, and
taking the fortresses of Glue kstadt and Frederiiklnt,
laid open the province or Jutland to his arms. In coo-
sequence of this the King of Denmark ceded one part
of his dominions to preserve the other. Nevertheless,
he thought that no Monarch could cede a part of his
dominions to which lie had no right if the people were
averse to the cession. But in this case the King of
Denmark could not be said to have ceded any rights
which he did not possess, for he was, perhaps, the
'only really absolute Monarch in Europe. Indeed
there was none so absolute by the principles of the
law of his kingdom. At the time the treaty wiih
Sweden was made, the whole of the kingdom of Den-
mark, emelt the island of Zealand and Norway, was
under or open to, the power of the enemy. If the
principle of cession was one which could be recog-
nised by the national law of Europe, it appeared to
himohat this was one of the least exceptionable of
those COGill that equta cake 12Froidea fro
collected, the protection and asylum which Norway.
had afforded to the enemy's cruizers preying upon our
commerce. Norway hod been at war with us merely
as a province, but she had new erected herself into an
independent ,kingdom for the purpose of preventing
us from fulfilling our engagements with our Allies.
—He denied that in this case they could assume, that
the deal trim of independence of 'Norway had been
made by the free voice of the people. For the halo
presumptive of Denmark, by the delegated authority
,of Regent of Norway, takes upon himself to declaaa
Norway inds.pendent. Was not that an act ri rebsd•
Doi, in refusing to agree,to the Treaty made by chi
Courts of Sweden and Denmark.—(A cry of Ne.'tier
from the Opposition).—He contended that it wilaa,
complete assumption of power; and that even ellte
People of Norway had been led to believe, at theist*
Diet in that country, that he was sere of the coattail.
rence and protection of this Government. Thus mo
tifices had been used, and the truth suppressed, **-
bring about these disturbances in Norway. For theme
reasons he could not agree with the.proposition of the
Noble Lord opposite.
Lord HOLLAND said, that the whole of thn
Noble Earl's aigunootts went to say that we should
do a crying injustice, which would attach infamy to
this country during all time, in order to fulfil our en-
pgentents with an ally. He contended, that by the
Treaty we were not bound to use force, unless Den-
mark had refused to cede Norway to Sweden by
Treaty ; but as that had been dime by Denmark, we
were of course released from the obligation of using
force to compel Norway to accede to that Treaty.—
But the Noble Lords on the opposite side were like
every one else who did apinjury to the feelings of an
individual or of a,courstry ; for nothing of that kind
was ever done, but the excuse was, it was done for
the individual's or the country's benefit. He agreed
with all the principles of, public policy as laid down
by his Noble Friend (Earl Grey), and he would
thevefore vote for the motion.
Lord BOR RI NGDON thought it impossible not
to take the measures now recommended by his Ma-
jesty's Ministers. From the words of the treaty in
the original it appeared to Min that they sboild even
employ their naval force, if necessary. The Treaty
implied as much. -
Earl GREY rose to reply. The Noble Earl (Li
verpool) in his speech ;tensed to ge upon a different
'principle from that which ought to direct the conduct
of nations. The principle was fiat jtutitia rotas calms.
His principle seemed to be real jastitia, let justice be
disregarded, but let the political interests of the coma.
try be preserved. If he had sheens that the oblige.
dons into which his Majesty's Ministers had enter-
ed were incompatible with right end justice, the
circumstances were not so pressing as to warrant
a breach of them in this particular case. (Hear)—
Were they, who always condemned so straggly the
same conduct in other Powers, now to east away the
principles of public law for a mere political object
The Noble Earl (Liverpool') cootended,,that Nor-
Way, being ooly a part of the kingdom of Demisarit.i
it may be sacrificed for the salvation of tine whole...
This ha would not allow. -Norway was-net ammo

part, it wit a -separate crown, aid it could-not be
violated without' as infraction of the principles o'
j_astice.'.. Norway. was in the mate situation. as
Ireland, or Bohemia, or Heavily. Denmark bad
*filled her part of tbe Treaty, by the cession of
~14istway and atter that tlits .country wee not
rdfted to use force for that purpose.—plrar.
—Doubt was exposited 1110 so the good faith of Den-
mark in her conduct. Ile did not think that either
the King of Denmark or Prince Christian were likely
to act in the way that was repressing/. Prince Chris-
tian was the presumptive heir to the Gown, and he
had a righgto select that part of the kingdom to which
he was disposed to adhere. He did set *et as the
Delegate of Denmark..but as amen lay the people of
Norway, who bad as gond a right to sale* him. and
confer the power lie now held upon lam, as the people
of Amsterdam lately had to coder it en the Pilate
of Ohms,. A Convocation met in Norway, by
which the Constitution was to be' settled. They se-
lected Prince Christian as the bead ti the Govern-
ment, and in this they °lily followed the example of
the people who had done the same before them. The
country oughtnot tube compelled to submission by the
horrors of a famine. Their resistance was legitimate,
and their Lordships had no right to join in any act of
compulsion against a people time circumstanced...-
If their resistance was not general. this country bad
no occasion to interfere, for Sweden herself would be
able to enforce submission. They should seed Nig°.
ciatore to Norway, and point out to the people the
advantage of the change. It, sifter that, the people
accepted it, he should have. no objections otherwise,
he would oppose it so long as it was in his power to
make opposition. He Should 'be. glad to know, if
Sweden had fulfilled her treaty *kb this country, or
employed the number of troops for which she had
engaged ? It was his firm belief, that from the time
the armistice was broke riff, in August, no effectual
service had been'performed by Sweden.
The Hails?. divided—Far the motion 31—Against •
it Ils—Majority 81..-Adjourned.
. • HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. CREEVEY postponed his motion, which
stood for this day, for the productloisol copies o• the
Correspondence between the. Board of Contronl and
the East India Company, respecting Pensions, to Ibis
day se'unight.
the House resolved into a Committee en the Brl.
Halt .Fisheries Act, in which Mr. Ross obtained leave
to brine, in a Bill to amend and coetinue the 48th. of '
the King, as far as it ielates to the Fidieries.
CoiensLl vas heard in a Committee on Green's Di. -
voter Bill, and witnesses examined. The Bill was -
then reported, and ordeted to be read a third' time on
Friday.
Mr. ROSE brought up his Bill to continue an 4 -
amend several Acts 'elating to the British Wili:eHer.
sing fishery, which was re.d a fiestlime, and ordered
to be read a second time to-mon-ow.
Mr. TAYLOR presented two Petitions from King; -
horn, in Scotland, against any alteration being made
in the Corn Laws.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Sir G. CLERK presented a Petition from Mussel-
btirth, against any alteration in the Corn Laws.—
Ordered to lie on the table.
Several other Petitions were' presented from sari.
ous places against the Cora Laws, and ware ordered
to lie on the table.
Mr. WHITBREAD moved the second reading
u:f.thF tin:bury .ewe pot.
Mr. MELLISH opposed the Bill, and moved that
it be read a second time that day three months.
•Mr. BYIiG seconded the ameadnieto.
Mr. WHITBREAD replied, and the House di.
sided—For theater:and reading, 49—Apinst it, Ilk
The Bill Was then read a second time.
The CHANCELLOR of the ExcHF.Qtrts
brought a Message from his Royal Highappli
Prince Regent.—(See Lords.)
The Message was ordered tO be taken into toola
deletion to-morrow.
• Sir G. CLERK moved fora Committee to midi
into the Laws ' Weights and Measttea.... •
He expatiated at genie on the impatient" 4
the subject, and on-the etpedieacy of Legislative.inas;
terference, with s+ view to remove the evils and 61111111_...
gelarities which at present existed.
Mr.' WHITBREAD highly approved of dill
Hon. Bereest's object, and hoped that he wool./ halt.
more suecessiul in the -attainment or it than his pros•
deeesiors weft in the same effort.
Mr. D. GIDDY approved of the melon. aal #
Committee was appointed. •
Sir J. NEWPORT gave notice that he timid as
that day week move for a Committee to alee
consideration the punishment for murder.
The Repart of the Committee of Supply was t 0...
ceived and the Resckition agreed to. '
Ths Report of the Committee on Excise, Customs,
and Hides 'were received.- The' Resolutions were
agreed to, and the Bills °Wiled to be bsought in at.
curdingly. •
The House then went into a Committee no the
Sugar -Bill- The Bill *at ordered to be received to.
morrow.
The Irish Ecclesiastical Courts...BSl. and the &Mali
Verdict Bill were read a-third time and passed.
COPY RIGHTS 91 AUTSOIIO.
Mr. D, GIDDY called,the ettentioo of the Howe
to a measure which he had aubmitted to it last Session
of Parliament, reipectiag 'certain hardships relating •
to the Crpy-right of Tooki. A Committer was
formed, and it was there . 'hewn, that great hard. •
ships existed from the lleiversisies and ether Bodies
demanding copies of books. When a man enter-
ed his work at Stationer's Hall, be was obliged to
deposit gratuitously 'number of copies of
it for the use of these Public Bodies. He thought .
that it was wrong to establish arch a gratuitous
distribution of expensive works MOOD; the Uni.
varsities, which, otherwise, would most Me be she
best customers for them. The object of his Dili vas,'
that no person who should give up the copy.rigbiot '
his work should be obliged to furnish the Universities
with gratuitous copies ot it. lie then moved fur leave
to bring in a Bill to amend the several Acts for the •
Encourayement of Learning, and for securing the
Copy-right of Books.
Sir F. FLOOD hoped the Bill and its provisiohs
would-be ilitenti44l to 'rebind.
Mr. D. GIDDY said, that the whole kingdom of
Ireland having but two Universities, he did not ate
any great necessity of altering the law on that subject,
as fat as related to-Ireland. Leave was then given to
bring in his NIL Adjourned.

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