The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-02-14 00:00:00


_ . .
in the lion. Gentleman's speech. -
The CIIANCELLOR of t' )e EXCHEQUER ob-
served, that the individuals concerned, were desi-
rous rather that the facts should be reported by a
Committee of the House.
-if
The motion was then agreed to, 'and a Committee
appointed. . -
AMERICA.
Mr. WHITBREAD, in rising to make the motion
of which he had give:, notice, said, he might be paw
hips allowed to indulge in a sentinter,t,of reeret, that
on a subject so important as a qte;stion concerning
the situation of this countrrwith respect to Amerit
ca, so few Members should be present. He would,
nevertheless, bring it forward, as, whatever might
be the feelings of others on the subject, their conduct
should have no effect upon him, feeling, as he did,
I that, in submitting that motion to the Rouse, with
Ithiell it was his intention to ooneindo(lanti-vittch seve-,
1 merely a motion for information), it was":.•!visable
that no delay should occur; that not one day should
be lost. All parties, both in- this county and in.
America, had professed to deprecate a war hAvveen
the two countries, and all parties had acknowledged
`that such an event was but too-probable. The Go-
vernment of America and the Government of this
country, from the beginning of the commercial and
diplomatic contest in which the two countries were
engaged, had uniformly professed to be actuated by
the most friendly aid conciliatory dispositions ; tut
it had unfortunately so turned out, that, professing
such feelings, the breath between America and Eq.
land had been -widened from day to day, till at
length it appeared from the Message of the Pre-
sident of the United States to t ongtess, that war
between the two countriesawould ;be the inevi-
table consequence of a perseverance in that sys:
tem eh the part of Eugland, which had been
acted upon for the last five years. That infor-
mation which it was his intention to call for this
night was already before the whole woad, with the
exception of the two !louses of Parliament in` this
country. It was before the people of 'England, of
France, and of America ; it was before every person
who could read a Newspaper, but it had not yet been
given to the British Parliament for their information
and cdnsideratiou. One would be glad to know
why the Ilikht Honourable Get/demon should now
refuse the information he solicited, ..thich, he under.
stood, was to be denied. When the conduct of Go-
vernment on former occasions had furnislied_z.rouuds
for jealousies, anti for suspicions that the busii,:,ss of
the State was not well corducted, as had been tl,e
case with reipect to*the openttiens. Ist the Yeikilesuitti•-•
and those of the 'Expedition to Widcheren, and IV
various other cases, Information, "h in asked for,
had at times been given, and at times refused. When
it was refused, it had been stated as a group,' for
such refusal, that the protluction.of the ;.apers calle.i
for would disclose Secrets whic% could rot be made
public with safety; that the g-knting the required
information would, in some ?es; ~e.:t or other, be dan-
gerous, and likely to be felt productive of inconve-
nience. Sometimes information had been refused, on
the ground that it might injure orimpedi pending ne-
gociations ; that it had been stated that 'foreign Go-
vernments complained of their correspondence being
published, and were more reserved than they. would
otherwise be, from an apprehension that their letters
would be laid before the two Houses of Parliament.
In this case he wished to know what grounds could
be found to justify a refusal of the pipers calle:l for?
No plea of the nature of any of those which I . had
enumerated could he urged In the present case. The
ieformation for which he called, had already L on all
' disclosed to the whole world. lie woald ask for
nothing which was not then on . the tab!e of that
House, in the two books before him, which had been
published by order of the American Congress. From
reading these he saw great reason to blame the con-
duct of those who had conducted the tweiicialion
0
I 1 pending between this country and America; tut he .
was not able to make a charge against the parties
concerned in them) because the papers he called for
Iwere not before Parliament,and the House, asa House, .
were ignorant of the existence of the publications ho
had alluded to, and it was still intended to keep front
i them that information he felt it his duty to call -for.
. It had been stated by a Right lit/h.-Gentleman (and
it was wisely stated), that- this country could bear
!'more from America than from any other Power; but
.
was it not also possible for this country to act with
i greater degree of conciliation towards America than
-to any other ? If what haft been said were wile in
Lille first instance, st:'fly it must follow, that it wot'id
be wise to act wit.i.egreatei ili.se'Osition t . conciliate
i the Clovernatent *of America, than to conciliate the
I mart; neclent Governments; • The reasons which re-
ccenniendedeuch a lineal' policy Were obvious; but,
io far from such a PrinciptOhlving been acted upon
by his MajestY's Government, their wontlect had been
marked (as he cetild show front' -the papers Int re-
quired) by the greatest thattentliti to the A mericar:
I Flvey, by neglect, arookintint to little lest than di-
plomatic iucivility, while thirconduct of our Ministers
in A,e'ewica, since tie'reFal of Mr. Erskine, 114.: been
in a correspOuditiOlegreeieconcillatory. The Right
'Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Cam+ ;), who was the col-
league of the Right lion. Gemileman opposite MO
Chancellne of the Exchequer), at the time the Orders
in Cotincil=those celrbi,-uted or famoNs .Orderit in

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Council (they mitht take which ' tCIIII i 11...., pleased), 1.1! i
Were framed, though not in the habit of I,9in with '1!,1
hini (Mr. Whitbread), or with'that sit!st of .:e !louse 'l
on which be (Mr: Whitbread) usually sat,' kid &Yoe I:
refused papers .called for,- %vilest it was proved fiat .
they had
.been previously printed *by order of the ;.' il
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American overnin6t.: He (Mr. Caiiiiin ',)presuin. 1 . .
od, as he (Mr. Whitbread) presumed, that it would :i' ..
be to insult that !louse, to•vofttse. that-Won:Guild(' l' :II
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