Star.
London, England, 1803-07-01 00:00:00

'I

was more plain than that the dared not to enter Int*
any fuch alliance. With broken and difpirited armies,
demolilbed fiirtifications, and deranged finances, the.l
confequences to hereof a rupture would be, that dm '
Emperor would quickly behold the French in the
heart of his dominions, perhaps in poffefflon of his
capital, and impofing on him a peace infallibly more
galling, humiliating, and difadvantageous than that
which he wUlaft compelled to rubs& to. Pruffia
would never unite cordially with Auftrie, and was as
unable to contend with France without alfillance as
the Emperor himfelf. And to all this, it muft be
added, that the dark, crooked. and covetous policy
of the Cdurt of Berlin, would rather induce it to for-
ward than oppofe the ambitious defigns of the Firft
Conful. Theo+, then, only remained Ruffia which
we could poffibly look to as our Ally; but fuppofing
the Emperor of Italia ever fo well difpofed to co-
operate with us, he could do but little unfupported
by thofe other Powers of Aultria and Prttllia, whole
dominions were between him and ay point of con-
tad with France. And, after all, fuppofing that
difficulty to be removed, what has France to b fear
from an army which mull have goo miles of a difficult
country to march, and many intervening obßacles to
furmount before it could came to the encounter ; and
the, fame embsuraffraent in the way of reinforcements?
Thus then were we reduced to our own military ef-
forts againft France. The Hon. Secretary at War
laid, that France bad vulnerable points. He would
ea him where were thofe vulnerable points ? (if /asszh
from t.Se Treifory Basch)—Gentlemen, he laid, might
divert themfelves if they pleafed, but he believed they
would find themfelves at a lots to defcribe any means
we could have of a dire& attack. He would even
defy the Hon. Secretary at War, fuppofing his go,ooo
difpofable men to be now in readinefs, to find a fingle
point where he could place thefe troops, and not with
immediately to have them back again. Whit, let
him a&, would be the purpofe of this war upon
France, after its (hips and colonies were captured ? It
would, perhaps, be Paid, that Bonaparte was unpo-
pular. It might be fo ;he would be the laft to be-
come his panegyrift ; but did it follow that he mull
he unpopular in France, laecaufe he was an objet of
terror to ourfelves ? (A univerfal and indignant •cry of
no! no!) Was he not at hall an objed of our appre-
henfion ? (T be exclamation of no ! no ! reiterated on all
fide:. He might, perhaps, he laid, have gone too far—
but though Bonaparte was at leaft an objeft of our
hatred, that did not prevent the people of France
from being ready to obey him. He may be, and
probably was, dilliked by many perfuns—but the ge-
nerality of the people werewilling to fupport him, to
wevent the return of that anarchy, by which they
ere fo long and fo Lerievonfly afflieed. It may there
fore be relied on, that the Firft Conful would endea-
vou r to keep this country in perpetual alarm,and would
continue to threaten invafion, though he may never
be able to died it ; but we Ihall continue to block up
his ports, though we may be unable after a while to
do him any further mifchief. The Hon. Gentleman
then took a review of the Revenue of France, which
he Rated to be 22 millions Ruling per annum, the
half of which proceeded from land, and only about
t,300,0001. from foreign impofts on trade, &c. Their
expences were very flight in comparifon of ours :
there could be no expedation of making any confider-
able preffure on the finances of France, and therefore
have little chance to make her &lilt from her military
projeds. He then adverted to a much more material
point—our own finance.—The Right Hon. Gentle-
man had affumed, that he could carry on the war
fur 16 millions, during 26 years. In his boafted
fur plus of two millions and a half, he deceived him-
felf and the country, (not wilfully he allowed), but
it was a fatal deception. He then proceeded to (late,
that in the prefent year, in which were five months of
peace and (even of war, the expences would amount
to 30,590,0001. and if in the five months peace there
had been the fame ellabliflunents as during the (even,
the increafed charge would have been 6,500,0001.
That taking our Navy and Army only on the fame
increafe as that of hit war, the whole expellee of the
year would be upwards of 44 millions; and he had
no doubt btu die next year the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer will be obliged to have recourse to a loan of
27 millionofor the two countries. Minifters had al-
ways raid, that the thong inclination of the people
for peace, had been the chief caufe of making the
Treaty of Amiens ; be was afraid that in three years
more they would be again more clamorous on that
fubjed. He might be ailed, amid ft thefe difficulties,
would you Puffer an enemy to go on —[Here he was
called to order by]
Mr. PI yr, who Paid that the prelim qiieftion was
merely as to the bell mode of arming to refill the
enemy; and he appealed to the Houle, if going into
a long hiflory of the negotiations for peace, was at
all to the point in quellion.
Mr. JonasroNC fAid, part of the Bill related to the
more vigorous profecution of the war, and he there-
fore thought he was petit:4'lly in order in giving his
fentiments on fuch parts as related to the attack of
the enemy; which this force was in fume events to
be applied.
Mr. Ptrr claimed the opinion of the Speaker.
The SPI•KER laid, it had for fume time appeared
to him, that the Hon. Gentleman was taking an ex•
creme latitude. It was always difficult to fay, how
far Gentlemen would go in illuftration of an argu-
ment, but he left it to the Hon. Gentleman to confi-
der whether he had not greatly deviated from the
queftion then before the Houfe.
Mr. JOHNSTON.; gave up the point, but laid, in
jultice to himfelf, be would only (fate, he could with
we had reconrre to mediation, more than, he feared,
we &all do. He would not recommend we thould
withdraw from all interference with the Continent,
but that we ilsould wait till the Powers of the Conti-
nent were diet:Mid to do fo. With refped to the pre-
fent meafure lie approved it (a load lace l,). He laid
his declaration was by no means inconfillent. As a
defenfive mealure he thought it good, hot as a gene-
ral fyflem he could not approve it. He thought that
this country was at pi cfent engaged in a war on the
mere affertion of Minitters, and that if we had given
Malta to Ruffia the war might have been avoided. •
Colonel HUTCHINSON raid. the Hon. Gentleman
who bad juft far down, the Honk and the country,
might rein afureel, that from Ireland this kingdom
would derive the moll cordial co-operation and moll
effeeual rapport. He bad no doubt of the hoftile
mind of the depot of France againft this country,
but was eonviniced the prefent sneafuee was well cal-
culated to make him repeat of his ambitious and in-

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Agent attempt► to invade its liberties, and to overturn
its invaluable Conftitution.
411doisel ARCHDALB fold, the Hon. Gentleman who
aitegsvd the prefent debate, had taken fo circuitous
route, that he believed the Houle would not be in.
chimed to follow him, nor thank any Member for at-
tempting fo entertaining a talk. There was; howe-
ver, one part of the Hon. Gentleman's fpeech, which
be had liftened to with confiderable furprize, when
be Paid, " that this country had loft the affedions of
one part of Ireland, while they had not conciliated
the other." How the Hon. Member had become a
Reprefentative of Irith affedions he could not guefsr
he Ihould be inclined to doubt the ir,eidain and far-
ads of the eleaion, and if a fcritthy were to take
place, he thought it would notturn out quite fo
pleating as a late fcrutiny ( te toe -Borough) to
thole who with well to aniltislithed and confii.
national Government. He thought. the only °bye
with every one at the prefent moment ought to be,
to join hand and heart in repelling the common
enemy. He was well convinced this meafure was
intended to produce that Co much defired event, but
u he did not fee it in the fame point of view with
many who had fpoken in its favour, he begged the
attention of the Houfe till be aligned a few reafons
why he prefurned to differ from thole who fupported
it. He thould not enter into its principle or its claufes.
What every Government, under fuch circumftances
bad to provide for, was the fafety of the country
grithout violating the Conftitution. At a time when
ire were threatened with invafion; when a great por-
tion of the community are addided to habits of plea.
fare, luxury, and the molt fafcinating enjoyments
when fo much depends on public imprefflon. and
more on public fpirit i when fome Gentlemen had
not (erupted to hold out that the people were almolt
in a Rate of abandonment, it was difficult for prudent
men to difeufo in a prudent manner a warlike queA ,
lion like the prefenvin a public a(kmbly. There were
two points to be confidered :—Whether it was pot
likely this new levy would prove as good railed in
this manner, as in any other ? Whether it was to be
railed as regulars or militia, it muff be polifhed and
Sharpened by Come means or other before it could be
ufed with effed. It will, at all events, have the ad-
vantage of being railed more fpeedily, and there was
much indeed to be expeded and hoped from calling
in Officers from the Marines, which were certainly a
corps that were held in the higheft eftimation from
the promptitude, zeal, vigour, and bravery. which
had uniformly and pre-eminently diftinguithed their
exertions at all times, on all occafions, and in every
quarter of the globe. The fecond point was, how far
it was ufeful 1 and in this refped, as it is to terve i 6
Ireland and the Wands, its extenfion mull be highly
advantageous. He could with, as the two countries
were now united, to fee the whole Militia of each
made difpofable to terve in both, as occafion might
require. Though this country is always much in-
clined to lean to its navy, he was certain it would find
the army in all cafes ready to exert their utmofi ef-
forts, and to die glorioufiy in defence of their coon•
try, and their deareft rights. He had no doubt but
the general indignant voice of the people of this coun-
try would penetrate into the inmoft recetles of the
Thuilleries, and convince the lordly ruler there, that
be would find it not the voice of a war faftion. as he
Ind been pleated to name it, but the united fent►
mean of a whole nation, ready to die in defence of
its liberty, and to hurl its dreadful vengeance on all
thole who &mild attempt to invade, overturn, and
defiroy it.
Lord BLAQZ) trill rote and delivered his fentirnents
in dire oppoiition to thole of the Hon. Member who
(poke firft (Mr. Johnttnne). He thought that loch
an opinion of matters in general, tended to thew a de-
fire of placing us again in the fame abject fituation in
which we were in by the late Treaty of Amiens, and
he thought that, from the whole tenor of that Hon.
Gentleman's arguments. he (Mr. Johnftone) ought
not to have ended by denting to the Bill. That Hon.
Gentleman, in his opinion, Teemed to aim at nothing
elle than a furrender of every thing that was dear and
valuable, and worthy of confideratton, by this Country
to France. In his opinion, fo far from France being
invulnerable in every point of view, the was complete-
ly vulnerab e on many points ; and he was convinced
that there was not a tingle individual in this country
who would not moll heartily join in the prefent wet,
were fuch individuals to take the trouble to confider
minutely the whole Reps of the negotiation. He was
furprifed to hear the leaft difference of fentitnent in
thefe .particulars at this time, when the opportunity
was afforded us to avenge our wrongs, and eftablith
our rights among the nations of Europe. It might
at prefent be reckoned the pride and glory of every
Briton, that there was Rill one nation left to abate
the arrogance, and humble the pride of France. He
was glad- when he heard a Right Hon. Member call
that Hon. Gentleman to order. on account of his
having gone fo far from the fubje& really before the
Houfe, but he was forty that Right Hon. Gentle.
man (Mr. Pitt) had not been in the Houfe at the
time that certain words were uttered by the Hon.
Member, which in his apprehenfion were Rill more
reprehenfible, he meant the fpeaking of Bonaparte as
an object of terror and difmay to this Country (a
hurgb—rard cry of bear hear !) He faid he did not
rife at prefent to give his entire approbation of the
Bill, as he thought it deficient in many refpeas, but
he wilted principally to Rate his opinion in regard
to the fentinsents he had heard. He thought there
could not be any defenfive force which could be
reckoned fufficiently fecure for the Country in its
prefent fituation, in which there was not a very large
proportion of Volunteers, for if we had not the power
to annoy the enemy, we had not the power to defend
ourfelves. There were many favourable circumflan-
ces which might a:cur to this Country, during the
courfe of the prefent conteft. It was not ineonfiftent
with reafon to fuppofe that the people of Holland
thould grow impatient of their yoke. In his opinion
it was more than probable, that the time was not
very diftant, when thefe people would with to break
their chains. There might even be Come provinces of
France, which might Coon tire of the tyranny and op.
pteffion of their preterit Governor. On filch Rippe,.
fitions, he would a& any man, if it would or could
be reckoned of no avail to this Country, that theft
was a force of not lets than so,oco men, all at the dif-
pofal of Government. He was convinced, that the
Gentlemen who condoled the left war would, on
many occafions, have been glad to have had an ad-
ditional difpnfable force of even is.ooo or ro,ooo
troops. If fuch had been the cafe, no rebellion in

Ireland could have stifled: if feet to fupport tho
troops in Holland, the Britifk Randard might hay,
been fiyik ; the battle of would never have
been fought, or if fought snot have ended in
the manner it 'dually did ; and he might even ventnrs
to fay, that Toulon might dill have been io our pot.
feffion. His decided opinion was, that there never
was a time in which Ibis people of England would.
more readily and heartily join in offering their fervi.
ces to their King and Country ; and he (hould even
venture to affirm, that the people of Ireland were
never, in the memory of man, more cordially dif-
poled to-unite with Great Britain in the fupport of ;
the common mule. There was, in his opinion,. no
heavier grievance which could be impeded upon the
people of thefe United Kingdoms. than for Gentle:
men to imprefs their minds with any degree of difaf-
fedion at fuck a critical conjundure as the prefent,
efpecially fusee it teemed fo evident to the generalityli
of individualsthat there tailed no real caiife for dif.
affeCtion or -defpondency. He thought. that notwith.
[landing all the calumny which had, on feveral oc.
cations, been thrown out by tome newfpapers againa
the caudal of thofeGentlemen at the head of afairs,
that the people of the Country were very much in.
debted to thefe Gentlemen for that very condo&
which tome obfcure individuals prefumed to difap.
prove of, The enemy, perhaps, already thought they
knew our weaknefs, but they did not tnow the tali
amount of our ft rength.
General Gescorua Paid, that though he entertain.
ed Come objedions to the prefent form of the Bill, yet
be was inclined to fupport the nseafure on a matur e
confideration of the prefent exigencies of affairs He
could not, however, refrain from riling at pretences
principally to exprefs his entire difapprobation of the
fenttmeurs delivered on this fubjed, on a former oc- I
cation by an Hon. Member near him (Col.Crawford)‘
As far as he could underhand that Hon. Officer. ths.
opinion which was delivered on the oecafion alluded
to was,that if ever the enemy landed in this country,
and acquired the &final poffeffion of the Capital, they
might then be conlidered as if in the polreffian of thei.
kingdom. IA cry as! / oad is trier.) lf hts
was wrong in the stainer he underhand that Officer,
he (bould not now treflifs farther on the time of the
Honfea and therefore Ihoold entirely drop that fah.
jell. As for the ether Hon. Member who had this
day opened the difcuffion by a lengthened addrefs to
the Chair, which was concluded with ao approbatim;
of the very Dill agoiod which the fpesh-feemed Eli
much directed. be could not help enreffing his furl
prife, to hear tech sosclufion in diced med otradic.
tion 16 the train of argument with which it was cowl)
menced. He thought, that is the Ferenc &nation of!
the Country, there wasa greater Blare of merit at.,
tachable to thole who fupported Government, thwtl
could be attributed to the Government itfelf.—Not-st

. _ .
withilanding all that had been raid againil the pre.
fent Bill, he, for one, was really convinced in his own
mind, that it was one which was more likely to be
effcattal for the purpofes intended, than any whir*
Could be propofed. He thought, however, that I/
might be rendered more palatable, were it to be 14
optional on the part of the men afterwards to earnti
themfelves into other Corps , for we were to look toi
their patrlotifm, and we fhould l the end hare every
benefit patriotifm could afford,
Colonel CRAWFORD role, and espreffed the feelnart*
with which he was.thee itapreffed, on hearing fen '
al
menu delivered with Inch freedom relative to th
opinion he had given on the oecarton alluded to b
1 tome Hon. Members. He fated that he had never
1 on any former occafion, prefumed to offer his fend.
menu to the Houfe on matters of Inch material bat
portanee, nor even, he might fay, to addrefs the Chair
on any tut** whatever. Ha appealed to the Houl
whether or not it was proper to perinit fuch 'obferva.
Lions to be made on the op anion which the urgent -
tuition of the country called upon him to expreh 1
and if found irregular, he felt himfelf called on t i
crave the indulgence of the Houfe. He fhould n
pretend to fay. that he was entitled to that indul.
gence from any degree of regard which ought to be
paid to the opinion which he had espreffed, nor in
the arguments which be might have ufed on that on.'
cation, but from the liberty which he conceived every
Member of the Houfe enjoyed, of delivering his ream
fentiments with every degree of freedom. He wait
entitled to fay, let the fallacy of furl opinion—let
the weaknefs of filch arguments be proved.
.Lei
them be proved to be the effect of a defpooding Imam
gination, before any Member thould offer his fent':
menu with filch freedom relative to the opinion de.
livered by another. Were his opinion really fort
ou4
to proceed from defpondency, he protefted it w
give him the moll heartfelt fatisfafion. Col. Craw.:
ford was proceeding fill farther to exprefs his real
feelings with regard to the fiutation of the Country;
when

The SICRIT•ItT It WAIL /Ore to (peak to order,—,
He Paid, he obferved that the Hon. Member was
about to enter into certain military details; on which
account he Ihould beg leave to move the mints:emelt
of the handing order of the Route, for the exclufw4
of flrangers. I
Strangers were accordingly excluded for the re
minder of the evening, and the Houfe continued
bating upon the bill.

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