The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-23

pressed. On that occasion he recommended
TO his Right Honorable Friend the propriety
OF not pressing 1t, because he considered il
entirely and exclusively All executive mea-
sure, on which 1T was impos sbe for persons,
without the necessary and adequate infor-
nation, to give anopinion. Il vas then right
TO guard against any improper direction OF
the public feeling, TO prevent even the effect
which he was apprehensivc might follow
from the speech of his Right Hon Friend
(Mr. Sheridan) who was certainly the mas
ter OF the human passions, and who was well
considered the Iimotheus of the tate How
ever on the present occasion, le had GER
certainly abstsined from procee ling further
imam the particular merits of !hc motion
which he had proposed. 1t wouh be more
consistent with the dignity of thu Admin
stratlon to have the Right Honorable Score
tary act upon his own proposition. and re-
COMMEND the measure or motion himself to
the house. If it was the wish to excite the
enthusiasm of the country in hehalf of Spain
through that house, the impulse onghr "a nr>,-
coed from those who were first in possession
of the means of information, and next had
the power of promptly affording the means
OF assistance. And with respect to the peo-
pie OF Spain, it was not from what his Right
Honorable Friend might say, but from what
Ministers ought to do. that the Spanish natl
on would act upon the hope of our ce-ope-
ration. He would go further, and contend.
that 1T might lead to the destruction Of that
country, If what passed in the house opcrat-
ed as the ground for their homes, without any
expressed opinion of the Kings governmc emit
1t was therefore that ne thot his Right Ho-
norable Friend had gone too far but in say
ing so, he acquitted him of iustifving the in
ference which the Right Honorable Secrcta-
~ had assumed from his speech, namely.
that 1t promised support to all the future
measures of the Executive Governments
Surely, If Ministers wished for the support
OF that House relative to their policy towards
Spain, it was their duty openly TO come down
and ask for it. 1t certainly would be a more
candid and manly method, than to seek for
collateral assistance by entrapping, upon
grounds of private friendship, the bold ex-
ertions of his Right Honorable Friend. II
was with some painful associations of memo
ry that he had heard the Right Hon. Secreta
ry confound with this motion the considerati
on OF British interest. 1t reminded him of
occurrences on which he could not reflect
without pain. Whatever were the views or
intentions OF Government, he sincerely trust
ed that In their conduct towards Spain, there
would exist no influence of these mean sell
hsh, and paltry considerations, which had
heretofore so lowered this country in the o.
piiiioii Of the world. The vote of credit ii
was his intention at first to oppose, but that
intention was changed in consequence of thei
altered state OF our foreign relations. Hell
was not unwilling to express his cordially |
IN any measure which was, uader UIUper
circumstances, acted upon to assist TIL. Spa
nish nation at the same time he WIS con-
vlnCed, that 1T was the duty of Ministers to |
come down to that House as the first prisons |
to propose it.
Mr.. CANNING rose TO explain, that when |
he mentioned British objects, he full felt |
that there could be no object so trulJRri |
fish, as the success of the patriots of IaiD |
against the CALLING oppression of the ttant
VINO endeaVored to enslave them--nocon- |
quest SO great as to rescue, from the Wer- |
whelming usurpation of France, the intsgri |
~ OF the Spanish nation i'll every porti,n o. |
the world. (Ldud cries IF Hear! liar /! |
Hcer
Mr.. HERBERT expressed strong dtsire |
to avoid any measure which placed thocon- |
summation OF peace at a more rcmotddis |
lance. 1--WE were prevented from herring |
the remainder OF the Honorable Gsntlenan's |
observations, from the great noise thatpre- !
vailed.)
Mr.. WGNDHAM, in the most able and
pointed manner, adverted to the usfa.ora- |
bic mode IN which the motion was MT bv !
INC ministers. AS to the motion itSel, he
could not see any great benefit WITCH it !
could produce but he could perceive great |
evil IN the manner in which the Riglt Ho- |
norabie Secretary perverted the lan,uage |
ana observations of his Right Honorable |
Friend (Mr. Sheridan) He seemed q in |
Ter from his proposal of the present mhion. |
that the Government not only had to etnect !
his future support, but that of those friends |
with whom, OH public concerns, he was in |
the habit OF acting. He was not one OF hose
who asserted there was great opDortunitv
ior all e4ertion i'll behalf OF oppressed F.u-
rope. The best means Of egccting thot good
was by avoiding every base, selfish. and nal
try consideration, by keeping out of ar lew.
those Srltlsli objects, the reference to which,
III the tlrst speech of the Honorable Sc
tary, had given him so mich alarm. unti If
was corrected by his Subsequent expianati-
on. Ills Right Honorable Friend Mr.. She
ridan) had with justice complained of the
selfish and paltry influence by which former
governments were actuated. With him on
that subject he sincerely agreed. He had
however inadvertently COMPOUNDED the late
administration. There he believed him mis-
taken, for this reason, That there never did
occur an opportunity in which that admin
strauon could possibly act upon policy 80
improper, and so ultimately detrimental to
the best interests of the empire. 1t could
not be without some feeling Of self applause.
that he eeheld those who most differed with
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