his noble friend forfeit the favour of his in the course of the debate, observed, that sovereign by this conduct? Were his ma- if there was any thing dictatorial in his jesty's ministers lukewarm on the occa- manner, he was sure that such manner sion? On the contrary, as would appear could less become any man in that house by the papers when produced, on the re- than himself, who had so few pretensions ception of the treaty, lord Mulgrave wrote to assume it. As a member of parliament to his noble friend, expressing his majesty's however, he did not arrogate great priviapprobation of his proceedings, and de- leges, and he never would allow those priviclared his majesty's determination not to leges to be derogated from by those, who submit his rights of maritime war 10 any in the most dictatorial manner charged mediation whatever. This was during Mr. him with being dictatorial; and who in Pitt's administration. Nor was this de- the most arrogant manner accused hinn of termination concealed from the foreign arrogance. To the right hon. secretary ministers; for the copy of a letter of the who had treated him with so much freesame date from lord Mulgrave to the dom, he would say, that the vices of his Russian ambassador would be produced, manner were levity and misrepresentation. in which his lordship expressed similar The first was manifested in the mode in sentiments; declared that no statesman which that right hon. gent. jeered his hon. would ever be found in this country, who and learned friend near him (Dr. Lauwould venture to unsettle that on which rence), one ounce of whose sterling worth the power and prosperity of the country he would not exchange for all the gilt rested; and stated, that his noble friend gingerbread on the other side of the house. had discharged a decided duty in the re- Of the second vice of his manner, misrejection of the proposition that had been presentation, he had given a striking inmade to him. Where was here the sacri- stance, by introducing a debate on papers, fice of honour and of rights? Whatever before the papers were laid on the table, the hon. gent. might think of other parts and by pronouncing a panegyric on the of his noble friend's character, they must noble lord, before the house was in posknow his candour too well to suppose that session of the means of ascertaining whehis observations on a former evening were ther that panegyric was well or ill-foundintended for the purpose of producing, 1 ed. As to the inutility of presenting not an exculpation, but a panegyric on the letter with the names suppressed, it the conduct by which he evinced, that he would be advantageous to have it even in was determined not to compromise that that shape. The mere declaration of the which was the solid foundation of the power noble lord was fugitive, and could not be of this country. He congratulated the inade the ground of any subsequent parhouse and the public, that such a deter- liamentary proceeding. He could not see mination had been evinced. He trusted the necessity under which the right hon. that similar principles to those which secretary would labour of resigning, were pervaded this negotiation, would pervade his motion agreed to. That dreadful any other negotiation in any other hands. calamity to the country surely need not He trusted that the great example which take place; but, dreadful as it would be, he the administration of that day had set,- owned he would rather see the right hon. by refusing to purchase an object, how- gent. quit office in that manner, than that ever desirable and important, by the sa- he should be turned out by the dark junto crifice of that which was not the peculiar which lurked about the throne. He restrength of Britain alone, but which was peated his former assertions as to the unfair the source and support of the general manner in which Mr. Garlike and lord strength, by which that object appeared Hutchinson had been treated, and after to be attainable,-he trusted that that ex- some other observations, concluded by ample would be followed to the end of calling upon the house to take this opportime. He trusted that what we had not tunity of asserting their rights to have given to acquire a great good, we should formally before them, that which was used never give even to avert a great evil. He in debate for the purpose of influencing trusted that what we had refused to grant to their judgınent. the request of friendship, would never be A division then took place, when the extorted from us by the menaces of hos- numbers were: For the amendment, 114; tility. For the original motion, 50. MajoriMr. Whitbread, adverting to the personal ty, 64. imputations that had been cast upon him 19 S hanxhi ght reczn vonal com under the he would not pretend to arrogate to him- , interested. and in which it must now feel self the right of 'demanding from every more deeply interested than ever-che mamember in that house an ansiver to any ritime rights of England. The reverse of question that he might think 'proper to this was the fact. If the hon. gent. had propose to him. If the hon. gent. did 90 attended accurately to his noble friend, he arrogate, he would say, that to him exclu- must have been convinced, that the form sively he would deny that cour esy. The of the declaration was of itself a proof, hon. and learned doctor (Laurence) had that it was not a matter of concession. taken very angry notice of the manner in Had it been so, it would have made part which the dictatorial tone of the hon. of the price of that concession: it would vir 2 CH3 mover had been reprehended. For him- have made part of the treaty. What was Ce self, he could not say that the tone of the it, that at that time, under the appellation of the hon. mover had been much higher to- of the law of nations, attracted the atadvice night than he usually chose to pitch it; tention of Enrope? So far was this term and he hoped it would not make greater from applying to our maritime right, that impression on the house than it usually it never happened that in any public docu1 dia had made. With respect to the arguments ment the maritime code was meant or men of the hon. and learned doctor on the tioned. What were the cases to which question before the house, he had himself that expression referred ? The recent anticipated the answer to them, by ad seizure of the duke D'Enghien on neutral mitting that, prima facie, strong ground territory, and dragging hiin to slaughter; must be laid for the production of a pri- the recent seizure of a British minister vate letter, and if any names which it (sir - T. Rumbold), on neutral territory, contained ought in discretion to be sup- and carrying him prisoner to France. Did at det er pressed, they should be so suppressed. the hon. gent. see nothing in this seizure llow did this apply to the present case, of a British minister, and this murder of a in which the naine was identically the French prince, but that which must attract matter of consequence? If the learned the attention of the continent to the maridoctor discredited the statements of his time code of Great Britain ? On that manoble friend, let him say so. Such a pro- ritime code, a separate provision had been ceeding, though not very civit, would at proposed, in an article to which bis noble least he intelligible; but it was most ex- friend on the part of G. Britain had retraordinary, by way of patting his noble fused to be a party. By the first of the friend's truth to the test, to move for the papers which would be produced, in conproduction of a letter, the only part of sequence of the motion before the house, which by which his veracity could be as being a dispatch dated the 7th of April, it eertained, must be suppressed !--The right would be found, that his noble friend had hon. secretary proceeded to state on what declared, that no consideration whatever, grounds he supported the other part of the not even the certainty of a total rupture arendinent proposed by his noble friend. with the confederating powers, would inSince the speech of his noble friend on a duce him to consent to the proposition former night, an attempt had been revived made by the Russian minister, to submit to prejudice in the minds of the public that the maritime code of G. Britain to a conadministration in the year 1805, which gress of the great powers of Europe ; and had endeavoured to establish a continental that he was fully authorised to declare, that coalition against France. He would not the British government would never consent now enter fully on this subject, not con- to such a reference or interference. Was this ceiving that it was comprised in the hon. the language, were these the symptoms, of gent.'s notice, although he should always concession? Unquestionably, after the rebe prepared to meet any attack on the jection of the article proposed, after the sigmerits of the great individual, now no nature of the treaty, his noble friend had more, who had so principal a share in that received and transmitted home the Detransaction. It had been thought by the claration alluded to; bat be had it not in hon, gentlenen opposite, that in the his discretion to refuse to do this; and he speech of his noble friend they had found accompanied the reception of the Declasomething derogating from the policy of ration with a strong expression of his rethat confederacy; on the ground that the gret, that his imperial majesty bad thought administration of that day were content to it necessary to make it, and with a firm sacrifice to its accomplishment a question repetition of what he knew to be the sen. in which the country had ever felt deeply timents of his court on the subject. Did ce, by aes of the 919 ided. The is materasi uld be enal been translate ich bod findinis en est sunt as been lated to fact, ** ether bene Me 20s made od this meant on! (1984 poble batt - Der Test, 31 his noble friend forfeit the favour of his sovereign by this conduct? Were his majesty's ministers lukewarm on the occasion? On the contrary, as would appear by the papers when produced, on the reception of the treaty, lord Mulgrave wrote to his noble friend, expressing his majesty's approbation of his proceedings, and declared his majesty's determination not to submit his rights of maritime war to any mediation whatever. This was during Mr. Pitt's administration. Nor was this determination concealed from the foreign ministers ; for the copy of a letter of the same date from lord Mulgrave to the Russian ambassador would be produced, in which his lordship expressed similar sentiments; declared that no statesman would ever be found in this country, who would venture to unsettle that on which the power and prosperity of the country rested; and stated, that his noble friend had discharged a decided duty in the rejection of the proposition that had been made to him. Where was here the sacrifice of honour and of rights? Whatever the hon. gent. might think of other parts of his noble friend's character, they must know his candour too well to suppose that his observations on a former evening were intended for the purpose of producing, not an exculpation, but a panegyric on the conduct by which he evinced, that he was determined not to compromise that which was the solid foundation of the power of this country. He congratulated the house and the public, that such a determination had been evinced. He trusted that similar principles to those which pervaded this negotiation, would pervade any other negotiation in any other bands. He trusted that the great example which the administration of that day had set,by refusing to purchase an object, however desirable and important, by the sacrifice of that which was not the peculiar strength of Britain alone, but which was the source and support of the general strength, by which that object appeared to be attainable, he trusted that that example would be followed to the end of time. He trusted that what we had not given to acquire a great good, we should never give even to avert a great evil. He trusted that what we had refused to grant to the request of friendship, would never be extorted from us by the menaces of hostility. Mr. Whitbread, adverting to the personal imputations that had been cast upon him 1 A Exports, 1043. G Giffard, Mr. John ; Dismissal of, 1077. J Jesuits Bark Bill, 1820. K den, 1042, 1076. missioners Speech. L Opening the Session, 1. м o 1044, 1086. Orders in Council, · 149, 465, 641, 735, 780, 029, 1265, 1244, 1269. P R 642. S V &c. employed in the Expedi. INDEX TO DEBATES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. 232, 415 А Exchequer Bills Regulation Bill. | Licences, Commercial, 185, 923 Liverpool Petition, respecting Exchequer, Sums issued out of the Orders in Council Bill, the, 463 889, 896 190, 229, 252, 314, 385, 736, opening the Session, 57, 83 Lotteries, 1268 M 384, 487 Mediation of Austria, 1958 F Mediation of Russia and Austria, Finance Committee, 184, 1309 601, 801 Mutiny Bill, 922, 980, 1180 N Greenwich Hospital and Naval Navy Estimates, 189 I Offices in Reversion Bill, 96, 194, 1259, 1300, 1315, 1329 Orders in Council, 126, 154, 314, 887, 1056, 1159, 1182, 1244, 1246, 1251, 1304 K Orders in Council Bill, 665, 696, 648, 726, 889, 925, 1065, 1078 Annuity to the Family of the Ordnance Estimates, 755 late Lord Lake, 711, 786, Oude Charge, Conduct of Mar- quis Wellesley relative to the, 410, 699, 993, 1089 den, 1053, 1160 Oude, Nabob of, 1290 Р L Parliament, Law of, respecting Official Communications, 698 Peace, Petition from Bolton rem Family of the late, 711, 786, specting, 692 872 Peace, Petition from Manchester Law of Parliament, respecting respecting, 1182 Official Communications, 899 Portugal, Papers relating to, 535 A Grey, Earl (late Lord Howick) 971, 1046, 1053, 1153, 1245, · 161, 376, 434, 444, 641, 784, 1324, 1345 M Grosvenor, Earl, 871, 1180 Melville, Lord, 1151, 1 180, 1346 H Moira, Earl, 159, 364, 441, 1047 1068, 1181 Harrowby, Lord, 363, 652, 1047, Montrose, Duke of, 642, 781, 871 153, 154, 156, 312, 313, 368, 446, 449, 656, 783, 1053, N 1076, 1079, 1087, 1148, 1941, 443, 1087 0 1349 Oxford, Bishop of,. 148 R 1150, 1181, 1940, 1949, 1260, 1045, 1086, 1324, 1348 Rosslyn, Earl of, 1325 S Hutchinson, Lord, 350, 443, 446 Selkirk, Earl of, 654, Sidmouth. Lord, 13, 382, 485, 612, 661, 920, 921, 1151,1179, K 1181 Spencer, Earl, 870 Stanhope, Earl, 1044 L St. John, Lord, 790, 1347 V W Wellesley, Marquis, 342 444, 473, 642, 650, 736, 871, 871, 1043, 1181, 1277, 1322 INDEX OF NAMES.-HOUSE OF COMMONS. Bathurst, C. B., 69, 297, 105,, Canning, Mr. Secretary, 61, 93, 267, 310, 385, 387, 488, 536, 606, 613, 614, 682, 693, 695, 867, 889, 905, 1160, 1164, 1170, 1172, 1232, 1958, 1363 Castlereagh, Lord, 164, 494, 786, 790, 872, 992, 911,980, 1064, 1144 Chancellor of the Exchequer, Burdett, Sir F., 409, 410, 412, (Right Hon. Spencer Perceval) 449, 450, 456, 107, 793, 798, 71, 154, 176, 184, 188, 194, 980, 1080, 1083, 1174, 1178 231, 321, 393, 409, 413, 415, C 416, 449, 454, 459, 462, 496, 699, 700, 707, 712, 719, 726, 727, 731, 758, 795, 887, 891, |