The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-04-17
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF coMMoNs-Tresday, f1arcA 3
-: ORDERS IN COUNCIL.

| MIR. BROUGHAM said, be rose in CON
sequence OF the notice he had given, for the
purpose ct bringing Under the consideration
OF the House the present state of the COM
mercc and manufactures Of the country
Once he gave his notice he had found the
subJectto be so complicated, and fraught
with SO many circumstances of difficulty and
embarrassment, that had he known them
| sooner, they would, he feared, have so much
appalled, him that he should have been more
cautious OF charging himself with so weighty
load. Having, however. so far pledged
.nmself to bring forward the subject in the
oest manner his abilities would permit him
to do, he should trust to the House for that
indulgence which any failure OH his part in
performing so arduous a task might require.
fiavlng said thus much, he should use no
farther preface, but would proceed to de-
clare that his chief object was to go into
an enquiry on the subject which had now
become more highly important from the
effects which these orders had produced on
tour trade and manufactures and this he
hoped the House, when they heard all the
arguments on the subject, would be ready
to grant. He believed there would be little
| or no difference in opinion in that House, as
| to this country being at present in state Of
distress. All must agree that the voice of
the country was raised, as if there was dis
tress, and that of the deepest kind; and he
believed in very short time petitions from
every part OF the country would shew the
House, that it was geRerally understood and
believed by the country at large, that the
Orders In Council, and the licences which
had sprung out of them, had been the pri-
mary and chief occasion of that wretched
state to which our commerce and manufac-
lures were at present reduced.
He knew well there were great differen-
ces in opinion on this subject, respecting the
different degrees of the ORDERS in Council.
Some might be in favor of those issued in
1907, and others of'the notifications which
mad since been made in them. There was
another class OF persons, of which he de-
clared himself to be one, who disapproved
the Orders in Council from the beginning to
the end ,--who had, strenueusy opposed
them from the moment of their first intro
duction,-who had predicted what the con-
sequences and results ofthem would be-
who now, most unfortunately for the coun-
try, saw their predictions fulfilled,--and
who OF course, wished fervently to, have
these Orders rescinded.. There was far
Their class OF persons, who, finding them
selves in possession of landed property, took
but little share in thinking of the operation
vi the Orders in Council, and therefore had
viewed with degree of feeling somewhat
approaching to state of indifference. TO
all these different classes he now addressed
himself; and however they might still be in
cilned to adhere to their original sentiments
eRce might faveo EaYtRa place, as CO. OF zti
that the dIstresses of the people ought at all
times to be attended to, he hoped they would
all so far support his motion to vote for
inquiry. 1t was certainly fitting that the
House should know what had been the pro-
gress of these Orders in Council,- whether
they had been attended with the beneficial
consequences expected and promised to re-
suit from them or whether it might be bet
ter Tor us to retrace our steps. At least, it
would be highly desirable to enquire what
has been done, and what can be done /; and
II at last the bitter and unpleasing truth
must be told, that though such unfortunate
effects are to be deplored, yet they must be
endured, such an avowal, painful as it
might be, would come better after an en-
quiry, than i none whatever took place.
These measures had been allowed on all
hands to be retalia.ory.
They were to connteract the DEGREES Of
the enemy, said Lord Bathurst 1t was a re :
| iie5z measure the French Ruler, said ii
Learned Judge but if he (Mr. Brougham)
were to sum all in one word, they were a
sacrifice OF the commerce and manufactures
of the country, to the swelling out the en-
tries OF the Customs and ior the sake of
| duties, the destruction of our whole system
OF navigation laws, strict adherence to
which had once brought this country to the
highest pinnacle of glory and commercial
prosperity. 1t was well known that Bona
parte cherished i'll his bosom the most dead
ly hatted against this Kingdom, and that to
ruin ~ resources he wOnid not hesitate to
annibilatc, as far as in him lay, the Corn
merCial interests, not only OF France but of
the whole continent Of Europe. At various
times since the revolution had he she wn this
to be his determined resolution. He had
sometimes, indeed, talked of acquiring ships,
colonies, and commerce {: but the moment
we obtained any victory over him, either by
sea or land, he returned to his original views,
and never in the smallest degree startled
at sacrificing his own trade if he thought he
could thereby injuic ours. All his views,
all his actions. shewed It. WHAT did lie do
when he found We, wanted to har:ycr colo
no colonial produce should be used 1T ali -
He then said he had repealed his DEGREES
against cotton, but instantly imposed Guty
OF sixty sous on every pound of cotton i'm
ported into France, which amounted to an
absolute prohibition. When the mercl, ants
OF BOfdeaux sent a deputation to him 20 re-
present the decayed and distressed state OF
their trade, he told them that it was too
late to talk of tradc,--that France was a
country of war. Wien the merchants OF
| Hamburg made similar representations Il
him a. those of Bordeaux had dofe, he
told them plainly he did not want com
mcTCe--he wanted CPasautry and soldiers