Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-13
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
House Of Commons, March 90.
mr.. Whit6read called the attention of the
house to the subject Of the Congress of Vie
emma, and after noticing some reports that
mad gone abroad, requested that the noble
Loro IN the blue ribbon would throw some
Light upon the transactions of that BODY.
Lord Castiereagh could assure the house
that it was painful to him to obtrude hinsalf
tor so long time upon their notice. as he
feis ne must this evening: but where af-
fairs so complicated ia their details. and so
important In their result, were to be ex.
planned and justified, it was impossible for.
nm to speak except at great length, so as TO
etectuaily prevent the dangers which might
arise from such an inaccurate and perhaps
lmprudent display, as had been made by the
Hon. Gentleman. The question TO which he
had to discuss was not so much whether the
Interests OF this country had been preserv<
ca, as Wnether It's character, and the Cha
racter OF the allied nations, has not been
compromised. If he could shew that the
soserelgns OF Europe had conducted them
selves with wisdom, and had broken no en-
gssement winch they undertook 20 fnISI, it
was NOT tor MIN to spare any details or rea.
soning which might be neeessarv Co.. suct,
demonstration. He must howeve, ,i;o.;-,,Il.
protest against the species of attacL -,
mad been made upon him in his absence =.
was system OF parliamentary cbaree ~
once novel and unconstitutional, thar uhiJs
great measures were still pending, anv ,neno-
oer shouid, rom moroid Jealousy of Dro.
esess Wi'Ch ne could not understand.
presume all sorts of profiigacy and 10 t";'.
against any Sovereigns on mnerfsct . s.,.
misses, garbled statements. ana n,;o:s ssr~
mation.-( Hear, hear, from 6ofh sidea
lie called that informa lion illicit Viii -
obtained from foreign aSenss, xybo -. 20
private what they had not tbongt, 80 "s
60 ayow in their public protests IF poper
eminent was to be put on lis defence in go Soy
an diminished state of a public neeot;s ,;nr, :.
was placed In the awkward situation a;,ta :.
% oeulg compelled to omit many thinos ma
.e'!@i 70 ieS Justihcation, and to defend iteeIe
on imperfect data, and conseooentIy ;r,,,sn
tect reasoning or it must take nre ~ ,'p -
disclosures which might be Injurious - ~.
public service. ( Hear, hearj n WOO
tair, under such circumstance 70 .sII,' wi"
on the House to review the conduct of az, IL.
uinlstrauon, or to pass judgment on ,Lair
acts. lie must now beg leave IN ,Isci;,e ~
cover offered to him by the Hon Centta, ..is
OF considering him merely as one of bio NJ
Jesty's Ministers, not Individually reenons;l
Die more than the rest Of mis- colIesg,,es
WAUGH as should De ashamed to assume
VI pretend 10 any pre-eminenee in the cas-
binet, yet in the present particular n e oas
ne could not without g. degradation 80 ~,
own personal character. pretend. tbat BE
had been nothing more than one of tbe 80.
Der composing the administration. RI -
been sent to Vienna, because he Was 60
posed to be thoroughly acquainted with RI.
views of this country and Of the other 60
tracing parties: and if under such circ,,no
stances, he had suffered the great pol;tiral
machine to have stood still for 81 gle dav
while ne was waiting for instructions from
uorne' ne should have thought he was be-
traying his trust. he felt it necessary IN tue
hrst instance to state to the House sy;,at had
been the result OF the deliberations on he
slave trade.
When he last addressed the house on this
subject, he had occasion to state that the ~
most that could then be obtaineJ tror,
France, was promise to abolish thfs bate~
full traffic at the end of FIVE years. PORT, al
at that time had merely given a Mise oF
gradual abolition generally and from Spain
no engagement at all had been received He
could now state, that though this trade vac
not at once abolished, yet all the p eat pogI
ers had resolved, as would appear by ma,
per to be laid before the house, tfat ihis
traffic was Of nature so immoral .hst =
Obbut ana snOuld De swept from the earth .
and they pledged themselves to put an end
to it. Spain and Portugal had been broupht
to abolish it in years as to France. he bad
every reason to believe that the French Co
verUment was disposed to abridee che dats
agreed upon. if the feelings of the peopi.
OF any favourable opportunity should rem.
der such measure possible The natter
however, had not been deinitiyeiy set.
lied at Congress, but it had been resolved
that in what related to the5lave trade, Con.
gress should be adjourned, and that this
particular question should be lefs 20 the fu-
ture and deliberate discussion OF agents
from the different countries. The question
then was simply this; taking the declnra-
tons OF the allied SOvereigns, and the moral
feelings Of nations, have those sovereions
fairly and honorably fulfilled their engage.
mentsf lie was prepared to meet the Fioo.
| Gent on that issue, and should be able Tn
repel the foul calumnies which no dopbs
from interpretation the hon tnembcr had
been induced TO utter against his own COINS
try as well as others. Aud here he nusk pro.
II test against the nrin ctrto r,os-f..r.-a