The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-01-09 00:00:00

V

yet rebutted. When any person on &CIVIC Oppo- •
ciion) side of the house ventured to predict evil con-
secriences from the measures pursued by Gentlemen •
on the other side, theirprophcc'es were reviled or dis-
regarded ; but what they had always dreaded was un-
happily like to come to pass ; for after our differences
with America had subsisted five years, and Govern-
ment had resorted to every political subterfuge to
avoid cralciliation,• notwithstanding the repeated ef-
forts of America to come to an accommodation, we
had only to expect the fatal catastrophe of seeing that
country leagued with France. (Cries of hear! hear!
from fhe Op)rosition Benches.) America told is that
the Decrees of France, which caused our orders in
Coenci!, restricting their neutral commerce were re-
pealsd ; our answer to that was a flat denial of the
fact. 'flie House, as yet, had very little information
upon the subject, but, when the necessary documents
should be produced., Ministers would have a loag ac-
oount to settle, for the correspondence had already
appeared in the American Papers. From the corre-
apondeece between Mr. -Monroe and Mr. Foster, it
was evident that the obnoxious Dscrees of Fran( e
were repealed on the 2d of November.. [Here Mr.
Ferceval said across the table, " America says so."]
Mr: Whitbread then challenged the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman to produce one instance shewing that they
had not been repealed; he would call on' that
Minister to prove it to America, to prevent the
importstion to France of our colonial produce,
and deprived her of the use of Peruvian bark, and
desolated the Royal Exchange of London.—[//ear !
Var! hear !]--fle would call upon that Mi-
nister to prove to the Government of America,
that it was unable to govern that country. From
the Message of the President, and the Report of
the Committee of Foreign Relations, nothing
but war threatened us, while our Government
obstinately refused to evade the tempest by timely'
measures. He was exceedingly sorry to understand
that the Noble Lord, who proposed the present Ad-
dress had assumed, as a maxim, that this country
never make a safe peace with the present Em-
peror of France. lie could not pretend to decide the
truth of the assertion; but he never knew that the
personal character of the ruler of one nation was a
reason for another refusin; to negociato
peace with ; nor did he see that could
obj sa to treat with him as well as with any of the
B urbons. According to appearances, s;nuld the
p s lit Ruler of France remain letig upon t!;is earth,
.iod the war continue, we had the greatest evils to
apprehend: for if oer wealth wis 11041 ous, and
French wealth real, it conitl he easily foreseen who
must fad!, and rather thee protract the pies-vitt de-
stis•ctiss, war he wished to C oil that Fraace had
" snits:ties, and commerce," for which her !.
Ruler had tociatessed art ardent wish, but of which
he sees at present deprived.
Lord JOGEYLN denied Laving used the expres-
Fleas which the Hon. Gentleman attributed to him,
respecting the Ruler of France: he never interfered
with his private but his public character ; and his
Lordship requested that when the lion. Gentleman
should honour any thing he should say with his no-
ti te, be would be more correct in his statements.
Mr. WHITBREAD, said the Noble Lord must be
more correct than him in stating the contents of his
own opeoshes, and he regretted his mistake.
The CHANCELLOR •of the EXCHEQUER
ree and said, that if the wish contained in the last
a eitence of the lion. Gentleman's speech was to be
f drilled, we should voluntarily grant what we had
b hitherto lighting to prevent, except by a treaty
so peace, what our enemy has always. ardently de-
sired, but what he never could procure by force.—
[Clreerinss front the Ministerial benches.] He
should shortly take a review of all the topics, which
required an answer urged by the lion. Gentleman,
and tkuhtetl not but he should completely exonerate
IWilisters from the blame he had thought proper to
at.ach tosthem. If he now despaired of the cause of
Spain and Portugal, he requested the Hon. Gentle-
man to call to recollection the opinions lie had given
nron the subject last Session, and compare them and
his prophesies with the actual state of the Peninsula,
aa.l lie could find his predictions falsified, as well as
the authority on which he made them, the boasts of
Bonaparte and his Generals. [Hear, hear!] Yet
prophesies were to be renewed, notwithstanding the
mailifest contrast.

nntrov the wefts of prophesy in vain,
The dt et. :reatur,'s wa:k a,zaia."

[Loud lattzhier from .Pll pants of the llouse.]-4 ;
hat lan/ been the empty boast of France, that the
English army would he left to exiaust itself In Por-
tu4al ; while thi it ow .arty, by beginning with the
ret!'•ction of Spilt, wo I! make a sure and easy
conq lest e f us : but could any person believe, that if
I.atf • he !cast hope ci!' s •eress, the English would
not be their fiat object ? [Load che,Ting.] But
the tyrant was well aware of the imprudence of at-
ta7kin.; nor have ai my, in conjunction with-that of
Portc;.,al, and wisc!y der i •ed it, wane his troops
remained useless upon the peninsula, and he him- I
self, exposed to the worl I, exhibits the greatest,
instance of fra ad, persfly, iniquity, and imbecility,
rec.° riled in history. [Hear, hear, hear LI In a,Ji
his predictions respecting Spain, he was disamoint-
eil by the persevering • gallantry of' that cation;
and yet Gentlemen opposite were always ready,
Nitv.ii opportunity offered, of extolling his VOIIS
and exploits. Valencia, which was to fall before
his army, had already held them two months before
its wads, and he cool(' not convey nrovisions to or
from the places of which he was said to held the mi-
lita-y possession, without the escort of a large ntiii-
t ry force, or a small army. Instead of the Spanish
it being subdued, it was manifest from every' ac-
emint that it had increased in proportion to their
di ; the natives sustained not an attack with
mire courage than they survived defeat. [//rar,
lw ,r CouLl any on? say that the affairs of Prancel
W. Ie now wore prosporous than they were 'cat year,
or :hat t orttual was more likely to fall? The Hon.
Gentleman had asked for the opinion of Lord Wel-
lington ; he would appeal to the House, whe-
ther it was proper to disclose it, whatever it might
be? It would be highly imprudent to expose the ex-
pectations of any officer while he continued In the
service, as It could
.only give in advantage to the
weeny. • L1.1.at., • Iteari] Government were cer-
et4eavo;rittg to effect a reconciliation be-
twist the mo'her c-.intey and the Vanish colonies,
to-1 hoped a successful termination) as their

~~` ' ~ .
liF ~
~

.-