Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-05-12
INTERESTING DEBATE.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Fy;day, March II.
Mr.. Fer, SPEECH concluded.

;
which have been recommended Dire founded
on firm and honea conviction of their
expediency. Iwill not fuppofe that they
would willingly, and without reference 10
any one Object Of advantage, take iuch
aeps if they did not imagine that they
were eGential to the intereis of the coun-
try. Their interef, as we'll as their
character, equally forbid me TO fuppoie,
that in this inaance they are decelving
the houfe or the public. This | have no
difficulty i'll ifating generally, though
muR add, that infances of the guilt, TO
which I have now alluded, are not en-
tirely unknown. But let gentlemen re-
collect that with the beA intentions 10 the
world, miniGers are liable to error, and
that what they conceive to be wife and
polite, might if explained, appear invite
and inexpedient. This mutt only fay,
that we are totally without all means OF
forming Judgment. In The meRage OF
his majeay, or in the fpeech of the right
honorable gentleman, there is not Jingle
word fated by which can venture TO
form any opinion of the points in diipute.
A good deal has been faid, fir, with a
view of !hewing that if a rupture fhould
take place, it would be only the natural
refult of the treaty Of Ameins. Now,
Gr. ] am one of thoE. who held very
different opinion, and without heGtation
fay. that if war does not take place there
is no neceGry for fuppofng that il has
The niehtelt connection with the treaty,
or that il was a treaty not fit to he con-
cluded. thsught and ! have ieen no
reafon to alter my opinion, that the treaty
Of Ameins was an eligible treaty not
eligible compared with other treaties,
that under other circumstances might have
been formed, but eligible rs freeing the
country from mott defruefive war;
Are we TO be told, fir, that miniaers dare
to make no peace, becaufe the unreafons-.
bic ambition of France may now drive us
10 the renewal of hoftilities? Are we to
be told that we were TO wage warfare
till We had obtained satisfactory aifur4nce
on the part OF the enemy, of a fncere de.
fire to cultivate all the blelings of tran
guilty in the tue fpirit Of peace' No
reafonable man will, / believe, hold 70
extraordinary an opinion, as that which
Ihave now fated. Ii may be furtheE
urged againtf our miniaers, that Gnce the
concufion of peace, they have lhewn too
much of the ipirit of concedion. How
far ihis charge is true, have no means OF
determining, there appears no reaion Il
conclude that their difpoi,ion to concilia
ton, has gone beyond commendable de
Gre to preferye the peace. If they had
been guilty of lnch forbearance 81 concef-
Gon, as has in the lma!!ea degree comPro
mifed the honor or the fafety Of the coon
try, unqueaioratly their conduct has been
highly criminal, but this is no coafe
quence of their having concluded the
:reaty Of Ameins. But fr, perhaps, |
we are 10 to be told, that it was impoisi,
to make peace till we had a vigorous
administration TO fufpou. certainly
do not think that want Of vigor in an ad-
miniitIation is fuficient reaion for TO
entering into war, fla Legitimate cauts
Of war exits. As an objection to the
conclnfon Of peace, it IS one of the molf ri |
diculous and inconcluhte that ever was
brought forward. Ii miniAers have con
coded TOO much, or dore TOO LITTLE for the |
(upport Of the honor Of the country, they
have incurred a very grave Responsibility, |
but le, NOT this be laid TO the charge O
The treaty of Ameios. fl am ford o.
that, it is becauie it was the means OF
Kidding Us Of membranes of the moit |
oppreniye kind. Not that il freed US from |
connection with allies, for allies we had
none at the time it was concluded, but
that il delivered US from tie deienable and
abominable principles or which the latf
war was Connected. ] do iincerely hope, |
y ri