The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-03-03
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
THE. ADDRESS.

liamentary proceedings, to the Speech, but
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, arose at the same
moment ALSO and claimed attention of the
House.
The SPEAKER informed the Hon. Baro-
net, that if he wished to address the House,
he was entirely in possession OF it.
Sir Francis Burdett replied, that he most
certainly did.
The Speaker ordered the Baronet to pro-
coed.
Sir Francis Burdett then stated that he
was extremely anxious to catch the first
moment he could of Offering his sentiments
upon the present situation of the country.
Its situation was SO extraordinary, from the
system which had been pursued for a great
number of years, and the resources were so
reduced, that he conceived it to be his boun-
den duty to lay before his royal highness the
prince regent ssch an address, as should
draw forth the attention of his royal high
ness to the real state of the country. In
addressing his royal highness in the language
of truth, when stating the grievances under
which the country labours, he felt, he should
be doing not only what was most important
to the prince, but 20 the country also. He
felt also that he ,ould be addressing a
prince whose min. is differently construc-
ted from all the princes who, in the history
of the country, had preceded him; & whose
manners, though pleasing, were SO often mis-
Ghievous. 1t would be pleasing, therefore, to
address a prince, whose comprehensive I'M
derstanding and magnanimity of mind would
make him alive to the dangers of the coun-
try. In submitting the address for the APP
probation of the house, he should propose
to concur with all those topics in the speech
which refer to the exploits of our arms, and
which the exigencies of the times demand.
He had heard with satisfaction of those eX-
PLOTS, and what man existed that did not
participate in common with our brave coun-
rrymen in arms-that did not give to them
all that character of courage at least which
was so eminently possessed by our forefa-
theirs {? But in the struggle in which they
had been so bravely engaged he saw none or
that ancient character, of the love of free
dom for which our forefathers were SO re-
nowncd. Indeed, the conduct of the war
for the last eighteen years, and he should
not be overstatIng the period, were he to
say for half a century, had been of a nature
to justify an opinion that the system which
the government pursued was wrong. Each
year produced circumstances more calami-
tous han the preceding year, and evidently
Showed that there was something radical
ly wrong in the system. Having premised
thas much, he would point out where the
permanent cause of these calanIties was.
In so doing, he should not have far back to
search. 1t began he might say in the Amer
lean war. 1t the government at that time
had attended to the suggestions thrown out
Ito the warn ing voice which was then
raised, America might have now been IN
union with this country /; but the minister of
that day was deaf to the voice OF wisdom,
and the result was the separation OF Amer
lea from the mother country. The present
war was begun on the very same principles
,..~1, RI,
Government at that time, which were a de-
hesitation of the principles of liberty. To
shew the fact was so, he might refer to ma
ny advocates OF the war; the chief of them
was Mr.. Burke, who certainly, wrote elo-
quently, but in his writings there was little
of principle. When the war began, it was
pretended to be about the opening of the
Scheldt, a war for The Dutch, and so on it
was continued under one preteXt or the
other until at last the country was placed
in its present situation, and the question now
is, What are we at war for - He knew
it would be said in reply, " For the indepen-
dence of Spain" What then it became ne
cessary for this country so fond of liberty
to fight for the independence of Spain. How
was that independence to be secured Why
by placing on the Throne again Sovereign
who betrayed his country, and whom the
people deposed. But then, it would be con-
tended he has rights. 1t seemed very sim
gular that government should understand
the rights ct Sovereign and deny the rights
of the people. If Spain was lost, it would
be in consequence of the Discrimination on
our part to foster that spirit. which proper
ly supported and encouraged, could alone
counteract the designs of France, the love
OF Freedom, which was the primary cause
OF the revolution. In Canvassng the topics
in the speech, he begged to be understood
as taking the speech as that of the minister
To hold out hopes which no rational man
can entertain was OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES was
no chance OF driving the French out of Spain
Therefore, when he admitted the brightness
OF the laurels which our arms had gained
he lamented at the same time that these
laurels were barren, and that the results of
cur victories were little short of defeats. 1t
was true general Hill had routed small
division Of the French, in which the utmost
gallaDtry was displayed, but what could be
expected from any ezertions In the Peninsu.
sa! Such was the situation Of affairs abroad
but what was our situation at home Was il
Tor us, who were erecting fortresses al
home, to talk of success in the cause Of free.
DOM Why we had experienced nothing
but failures, and the most remarkable cause
tor these failures was the support which we
uniformly and constantly give to despotism
1t might be said, :" DO the French proclaim
In their career the principles Of liberty and
give it to all the world 'e--They did not
but then they had the good sense to try e