The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-05-06 00:00:00

THU gTATEsitias

occasion, America heti sent do Agent to Jamitiea to'
foment or create disaffection to the British Goterne
rent ? Mr. Henry rippeated, according to the Amee
rice!' statement, which still he wished to discredit, to
be the authorised and accredited agent of the British
Government, as the various items of the alleged cor-
respondence sufficiently showed. It was, undoubt-
eele, tery strong presumptive evidence. Former
services of Henry were alluded to in Sit James
Craig's letter. He conjured their Lordships, in the
consideration of the subject, not to confine their
fhenghts to points of policy merely, either of Arne+
fiCI et of England, but to procure, by an express
reel unequivocal contradiction on the part of his Mae
le ti's Ministers, of the disgraceful charge exhibited
:eeriest them, a viedication of the national honour.—
If such a fort contradiction should not be afforded by
Ministers, he should feel it incumbent on him to bring
fuse and a specific motion' on, the subject. At present,
he should content himself with moving for Copies of
the Correspomiqnce between Sir James Craig and the
Secretary of Stale ; and also for Copies of the Cis r-
respondence between General Prevost, Mr. Ryland,
end Capt. Henry.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL immediately rose and
said, he agreed with the Noble Baron that the pre-
sent was a question which had no reference with the
line of policy proper to be pursued with respect to
America. It stood upon general principles, which,
atcoeling to the circumstances, were applicable to
the case of any independent state whatever. It was
therefore from a strong sense of public duty that he
dissented from the present motion. He would state ,
the circumstances of the transaction, as far as they
had come under his view. In the first place, he had
to state, that the employment of the person in ques-
tion (Mr. II.) as an agent, by the respectable officer
who then governed in Canada, was never authorised
at the time, nor was it even known to his Majesty's
Government, that ouch a person had been employed
until many months after the transaction. It was
true then, in leoB, at the time an important nego-
tiation was pending, a person 'lamed Lavater, had,
of his own accord, opened a correspondence with a
person connected with the Government of Canada;
the purport of which wife, the procuration of a spe-
cies of information, which it was the duty of every
Officer a ce-curestanced, to acquire. He returned
to Canada about the end of that year; and before he
proceeded further, it was proper their Lordships
should consider the situation ia which Canada was
then placed, with respect to the Government of the
United States. A very great heat and clamour pre-
railed in America at the time, and the country as-
sumed a very warlike and menacing attitude. Not
only defensive measures were then set on foot, but
on the ‘2sth of November the Governor of Boston
had received orders to hold 10,000 mot, then under
his commaud, in readiness to march at a moment's
notice. This circumstance was puldicly notorious,
and stated in the public papers. This was in the •
province nearest to British North America, acid if
that lorce could be applied at all, it was to the inva-
sion of our dominions. This was General Craig's
conviction at the time, as he even prevented the ex-
pedition then ready for sailing from Halifax against
Martinique ; but retained them because it put all of
our North American possessions in great hazard.—
But that was not all : on the reth of November, Con- •
gress voted 50,000 volunteers, on the requisition of
the Executive ; of this Mr. Erskine, our then Mi-
nister, very properly demanded an explanation.—
What possible eventual object could such a force be
for, but to attack the British American possessions ? •
The answer of Mr. Madison to Mr. Erskine was,
that the conduct of the Belligerents was such to- •
oards them (the Americans) as to authorise the
commencement of hostilities, Without any ftirther
notice ! [Cries of Hear, hear, hear !] Mr. Erskine
then very properly sent off an express to Sir James
'Craig, informing him of the circumstance ; and it
was known that Canada or Halifax were the points
first to be attacked. These circumstances served at
least to thrown colour upon the relations in which
the two Governments stood at tae time. [Hear,
hear!] But other circumstances might be mentioned,
hostilities were actually committed at the time; some
British boats were sei4ed oo the Lakes, though no
reprisals were attempted. [Hear, hear!] The
four Eastern States of America took the most active
measures at the time, w ith reference to the commence-
atent of hostilities, and their Lordships must feel
),ow desirable and necessary it was at the time for
the Governor of Canada to know the sentiments Of
the different States, and an opinion generally pre-
vailed, that in the event of a war, some degree of
!epatation would take place. lie believed that no
pan would say the conduct, of Gmieral Craig, on
such an emergency. was improper. NVhatever may
be said as to the question of policy, there could be
little's to the point of runrality,w the state of pre-
pietism, acid the menacing attitude of the American
Coveinment was considered; when they declared
tostiiities may be commenced without further notice.
[Hear, Var.l] But having received communica-
tions from Mr. Henry, and thinking that he was
well acquainted with the general sentiments of the
Laste; J:ateS, he sent him thither in February 1809.
.A great deal which appeared in the papers, however,
leas false and unfounded ; but as far as authentic in-
struction went, ho must contend the directions were
loot for the purling! of exciting discontent, but wholly
for the purpose of obtaining information which in the
event of hostilities might enable Sir J. C. to avail him-
self o!' the preva lent temper a nd disposition in the States.
There was eo presumption warranted in any thing
or measure adopted by Sir J. Craig, that such un-
fair or improper objects were in hie view. So far
from it, that when he beard the points in discusSion
wereadjusted between Mr. Madison and Mr. Er-
skine, he sent orders to Mr.' 11. to withdraw from
the United States—[hear, hear!] and that proved
that all his instructions were given in the contempla-
tion of hostilities. With respect to what was said
of the applications which were made by Mr. Henry
for remuneration, he had to observe, that when such
applications were made, it was naturally an object
with him to enquire into the character and conduct of
the individual so applying : and on the security of
the recommendation from Sir James Craig, and it
appearing he had been employed in procuring, cer-
tain information, and that some remuneration had
been promised him for his services, he had no hesi-
tation in saying, that as be thought he had been so
employed') antLuothing appearing against the time

•
Meter of the individual at the time, he hold it his
duty; as he should in all cases df the kind to have
acted, as was mentioned, in the correspondence with
General Prevost: Such a line of conduct was adopt
ed, as the impressions of what the individual might
have done in the way of rendering a desirable ser-
vice fairly warranted. Neither was it afterwards
deemed consistent with delicacy to say any thing
which might have reflected in the least upon the cha-
racter of Sir James Craig,• who had returned home
from his government under a mortal distemper, and
to survive but a few months.—[flear, hear!]—
But he could not think the course adopted bY the
Noble Baron the most proper to be taken ; it should
rather be left to our Government to take such-mea-
sures as they deemed proper, to explain and set
forth the subject in its true light. Neither did he
approve of the course adopted by the American Exe-
cutive; they should hare demanded an explanation
in the first instance of the British Government.—
[Hear, trusted these were principles
and convictions on this delicate question, which their
Lordships would feel and entertain ; and if they saw
that no blame could fairly attach to his Majest% 's
Government on the occasion, they would do them
the justice to believe they would not be wanting to
themselves, or neglect their duty on the occasion ; a
part of which he (the Noble Lord) felt it to be to re-
sist the motion.

Earl GREY argued at some IPngth in support of
the motion, and maintained that on a question of
such importance, Goverummit ought to be anxious
to justify itself to the world. Ha contended that
the person alluded to, instead of being sent as a legi-
timate agent, was authorised to sow dissension among
the United States. if America had shown a hostile
disposition, it ought to" be met by a declaration of
war. llow would ►►e have felt if France had sent
emissaries to stir up the Catholics of Ireland ? lie
thought the Noble Lord's conduct rather incautious
in appinting Captain Henry without any other do-
Cumeats, and the transaction being known to Go-
vernment without any expression of disapprobation,
was a circumstance highly objectionable in their
conduct.

I Lord LAUDERDALE said, that Sir James Craig,
by recalling Mr. Henry as soon as the apprehension
of war was over, showed that he was aware of some-
thing against the law of nations. Lord Liverpool's
letter, recommending extreme caution, was another
proof of the nature and character of the transaction.
„It was not, as had been statel, the affair of Sir
James Craig, but the of of Governmeut, and
America could have no security that we would not
send spies to that country now, if we did ndt take
steps to di,clr.int this disgrace.
Lord W ESTMOR LAND opposed the motion,
and stated, that Sir James Craig's instructions were
only t.; be acted on iU cases of hostility.
! Lord DARNLEY said, that though lie could not
hope to add any thing to the unatisn ered and unan-
swerable arguments of his Noble Friends, yet feel-
ing much for the honour of the country, he could
not avoid declaring his protest against the proceed-
ing. In the absence itf more authentic documents,
he would refer them to a letter of Mr. Henry's, in
which he spoke of the approbation given by his Ma-
jesty's Ministers to his conduct. Let the Noble
Earl come forward and deny the whole transaction,
and he was sure the House would be satisfied; but
if not, he considered it as already established, that
Mr. henry was employed for the purpose of foment-
ing division. lie called upon their Lordships as the
persons most peculiarly called upon to vindicate the
honour of the country, to remove the disgrace under
which it at present lay.
Lord HOLLAND replied, he should not leave
the house with satisfaction to his own mind, were he
not to express his grief at, and his abhorrence of,
the side-Winded way in which Ministers had attempt-
ed to evade the abominable charge made against this
country by America. It was true they did not step
forward boldly, and by throwing off the mask, ad-
mit the charge; but they did what was much worse,
they removed all blame from their own shoulders to
those of Sir J. Craig. They panegyrized and eulo-
gized that gallant man, whose remains have recently
been removed to the silent tomb; and immediately
proceeded to load his name nit,' having been con-
cerned in so diabolical a traesaction as that described
by 'Henry. Such was the friendship of the Minis-
ters—such was the value of their eulogiums! Every
word that had been uttered by the Noble Lords op-
posite went to palliate the whole business, though
they had taken special care not to justify it in direct
terms. As to their excuses for it—the situation of
the provinces—that Ministers had had nothing to do
with it—the impropriety of such a discussion, they
went indirectly to justify the whole business. The
Noble Lord then commented on the unfairness of Mi-
nisters, in quoting a letter which had not been pro-
duced. As to the question itself, he called for a de-
nial of the charge by that House in the face of Eu-
rope. He wished for its refutation—on that ground
he made his stand; he demanded to efface all suspi-
cion, to remove all charge that tended to sully the
honour and chiracter of the country. But nothing
. had fallen from the Noble Lords opposite which di-
/ rectly refuted the charge; if the arguments that had
fallen from them meant any thing, they went to a
justification of the charge. It was necessary that a
public charge should receive a public refutation ; but
. it would now go out to the world that America had
I brought a charge of infamy against England, and
I that the Ministers of England, after a mature deli-
! beration had not refuted it. They would give no
decisive explanation ; they left the country bewilder-
ed in the false statements of the Ministers on the
I charge of America.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw.
The House then divided—
For the Motion
Against it
Majority
Adjourned.

- 27
- 73
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110 USE OF COMMONS. •
The House being summoned to attend in the House of Peen,
on his return, the SPEAKER acquainted the House, that the
Royal Agent had been given, by Commission, to several Public
and Private Bills (for which, see the Lords).
Mr. LONG presented an Account of the extraordinary Ex-
Eences of the Army for the last year, pursuant to Orders of his
Royal Hilliness the Prince IC-WM—.Ordered to lie on the
table.
Colonel LONG Fl ELD presented a Petition from certain Mer-
chants and Traden of the City of .Cerk, against the Bart India
MoeopolZ.

ir J. SHAW presented a Petition from the United Coirtnany
Of Packer+, ard persons engaged in the Woollen Trade, em-
ployed by the East India Co•nbany, In favour of the renewal of
the Cast India Company's Charter.
Upon the Motion of Mr. ROSE, the Parish Register Bill was
►e-enmmitted, and some new clauses (purticularly to exempt
Quakers from the provisions of this Bill) were proposed, and
agreed to:
The House having resumed, the Bill Was Ordered td be re-
printed, and read a third time on Friday next.
The House went into a Committee upcin the Irish Distille-
ries.
___

•
Nit% W. W. POLE proposed, that the present Duty of ss. Ild.
per Gallon, upon Spirits distilled from Sugar, in Ireland, should
be repealed, and in its place a Duty of 3q. W. per Dation,
should be enacted, by which it would be brought upon a par
with the Spirits distilled from Ortin.
The Resolutions were agreed to, and the Report ordered to
be received to-morrow. _

Upon the Motion of Mr. W. WYNNE, the Report on the
Revenue Laws' Bill was re-considered, and the Bill ordered to
be read a third time on Friday.
The Scotch Local Alilitia Bill, and the Plate Drawback Bill,
were severally read a third time, and pawed.
Mr. WHARTON moved for, and brourht up. an Account of
the distri:nition of the Vote of Uri•dit. for the last year.--kh..
dered to lie on the table, and he printed.