for so great were the advantages likely to arise from it, that they would not only strongly operate on the minds of every succeeding administration to avoid a war as long as it could be avoided with honour and prudence, but would also strengthen the resources of the country towards carrying on a war whenever it should become indispensably necessary to engage in one. This was the true method of making peace a blessing; that while it was the parent of immediate wealth and happiness, it should also be the nurse of future strength and security. The quarrels between France and Britain had too long continued to harass not only those two great nations themselves, but had frequently embroiled the peace of Europe. They had, by their past conduct, acted as if they were intended by nature for the destruction of each other; but he hoped the time was come when they would justify the order of the universe, and shew that they were better calculated for the more amiable purposes of friendly intercourse and mutual benevolence. There were many parts of the right hon. gentleman's speech, to which, for the present, he should give no answer, as the only proper and regular method for the right hon. gentleman to obtain the information he required, would be by moving for an address to his Majesty to lay such information before the House; and as to other parts of the right hon. gentleman's inquiries, he could refer him to a much better authority than that which he had called for-the authority of his own senses. The treaty itself was the best source of information on these questions. The right hon. gentleman would there see how far the connexion to be formed between the two countries was to be considered as political, how far as barely commercial; but, for his own part, he confessed that he could not conceive a commercial intercourse between any two nations, that must not necessarily have a powerful effect on their political conduct towards each other. The right hon. gentleman, when Secretary of State, had himself acknowledged the necessity of renewing and strengthening our commercial intercourse with France; nay, he had actually, by an express article of the definitive treaty, bound down the country to make a commercial treaty with France in the course of two years, and the English ambassador, at that time (the duke of Manchester) had taken active steps to bring the French ministry into such a species as should induce her either madly to throw away that which was to make ber happy, or blindly to grasp at that which must end in her ruin? Was the necessity of a perpetual animosity with France so evident and so pressing, that for it we were to sacrifice every commercial advantage we might expect from a friendly intercourse with that country? or was a pacific connexion between the two kingdoms so highly offensive, that even an extension of commerce could not counterpoise it? For his part, he could by no means join in opinion with the right hon. gentleman, that the situation of Great Britain and France was such as precluded the possibility of an intercourse; but he was sure if such intercourse was not absolutely impracticable, the treaty now depending was the most likely of any measure to effect it, as it was such a one as would make it the interest of each nation to cherish and preserve the connexion, and would so essentially unite the views and convenience of a large part of each kingdom, as would insure as much as possible the permanence of the system about to be established. The right hon. gentleman had triumphantly foretold the overthrow of this project, should it ever be brought into execution, and had attributed such an event to the overweening ambition of France. He would not take upon himself to answer for the duration of any arrangement whatsoever that could be overturned by the caprices, the errors, or the passions of mankind. He would not say that nations, as well as individuals, might not, as they frequently had done, become subject to the weaknesses inherent in human nature: those imperfections might probably, at one time or other, mingle in the resolutions and discussions of the legislature or councils of either kingdom, and undo what, he flattered himself, was now nearly perfected by the good sense and wisdom of both. How soon such an event might take place he could not possibly foresee; but if war was the greatest of evils, and commerce the greatest felicity which it was possible for a country to enjoy, all which, though contrary to the right hon. gentleman's opinion, he believed was the general sense of the nation, then it became the duty of those to whom the affairs of the public were intrusted, to endeavour as much as possible to render the one permanent, and to remove the prospect of danger to the other. This was the object of the present treaty; scheme. But if it was the intention of the right hon. gentleman to have proposed such a plan as he now seemed to think the only proper one, a plan of a commercial arrangement that should not create an interest in either nation to maintain and render it permanent, such a one as should not be considered by either as equally desirable with a state of hostility and war; if such was his plan, and it was evident that he would not have approved of a different one, he had then acted but prudently in destroying all traces of it, and in taking care not to leave any copy of so very notable a project in his office behind him. The right hon. gentleman had called upon him to give an account of the part that the French Court might take in the different negociations now carrying on by us with other countries. On that subject he should not think himself bound to give any answer whatsoever, much less would he undertake to account for and explain the different arrangements which the King of France might think proper to make in the various departments of his establishments and expenditures. With respect to the state of our negociations with Portugal, that not being a question before the House, he should by no means enter into it; but if any gentleman should desire to know how far our connexion with Portugal was likely to be affected by the French treaty, he should then think himself bound to satisfy him by one or the other of the following answers, either that the connexion would not be at all affected, or that we were left at full liberty, by the terms of the present treaty, to carry into effect the spirit of the old subsisting treaties with the Court of Portugal. The fact was, that the latter was the case; but he should not hesitate to say, that when the Court of Portugal shewed herself entitled to receive such a benefit at the hands of Great Britain, he should be ready to concur in granting it; but as long as the Court of Portugal continued to withhold from us our proportion of the mutual advantage provided for both nations by the Methuen treaty, as she had done for many years past, so long he should think it the duty of Administration to suspend the execution of that part of the French treaty that left us at liberty to secure to the kingdom of Portugal a continuance of that favour which she had hitherto enjoyed, but to which her present conduct seemed but little to entitle her.-There was one object more on which he should say a few words, and that was the cession of the Musquito shore to the Crown of Spain. Should that measure at any future time be regularly called in question by the right hon. gentleman, he should be able to meet him at a great advantage, as he should enjoy the power of combating the right hon. gentleman on his own grounds. The right hon. gentleman, when in office, and at a time when claims were made by the Crown of Spain upon those territories at the period of the peace, then entered into agreement that they should be ceded to that crown as soon as a certain equivalent should be given. That equivalent had been now adjusted, and it was attended with many advantages, that at the time of making the agreement had not been stipulated, but which the Crown of Spain had been prevailed upon to grant ; so that instead of a concession on our part, it would be found to be a very beneficial exchange. Mr. Fox answered, that the right hon. gentleman had endeavoured to represent his conduct in having directed the negociation of the definitive treaty, which, in one of its articles, bound this country to make a commercial treaty with France in two years, as if the preliminaries which that definitive treaty ratified and confirmed had been preliminaries of his negociating. The fact notoriously was, that he had greatly disapproved of several, of those preliminaries; but, had he equally disapproved of all of them, he should have considered it to have been his duty to have had them ratified by a definitive treaty, because he thought the honour of this country required that the promises held out to France by the preliminary treaty should be fulfilled. With regard to the sixth article of the treaty with Spain, that stood in a similar situation. He found it negociating when he came into office, and he was therefore obliged to complete it. As to what the right hon. gentleman had said of his project of a commercial treaty with France, he should, at a fit opportunity, feel no difficulty in meeting him on that ground; and in answer to the right hon. gentleman's plausible argument on the subject of employing the time of peace by improving our resources, and his assertion that the commercial treaty with France was likely to prove a nursery and a source of the means of war, he begged him to recollect, that as France was to participate equally in all the advantages resulting from the commercial intercourse, the treaty would prove a nursery and a source of her means of war as well as of ours. Upon this ground, therefore, the acquisitions on either side were equal. The Address was then carried unanimously. Mr. Burke afterwards gave notice, that he would renew the subject of the impeachment of Mr. Hastings on Thursday se'nnight. The King's Answer to the Commons Address.] To the Address of the Com. mons His Majesty returned this Answer: "Gentlemen; I thank you for this very loyal and dutiful Address. The warm expressions of your affectionate attachment to my person, and the assurances of your intention to apply with diligence to those interesting objects which I have recommended to your consideration, afford me peculiar satisfaction," Copy of the Treaty of Navigation and Commerce with France.] Jan. 26. Mr. Pitt presented to the House, by his Majesty's command, a Copy of the Treaty of Navigation and Commerce with France; and translation, as follows: TRANSLATION of the Treaty of Naviga tion and Commerce between his Ma jesty and the Most Christian King, signed at Versailles, the 26th of Sept. 1786. His Britannic Majesty, and his Most Christian Majesty, being equally animated with the desire not only of consolidating the good harmony which actually subsists between them, but also of extending the happy effects thereof to their respective subjects, have thought that the most efficacious means for attaining those objects, conformably to the 18th Article of the Treaty of Peace signed the 6th of Sept. 1783, would be to adopt a system of commerce on the basis of reciprocity and mutual convenience, which, by discontinuing the prohibitions and prohibitory duties which have existed for almost a century between the two nations, might procure the most solid advantages, on both sides, to the national productions and industry, and put an end to contraband trade, no less injurious to the public revenue than to that lawful commerce which is alone entitled to protection. For this end, their said Majesties have named for their commissaries and plenipoten tiaries, to wit, the King of Great Britain, William Eden, esq. privy counsellor in Great Britain and Ireland, member of the British Parliament, and his envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to his Most Christian Majesty; and the Most Christian King, the sieur Joseph Mathias Gerard de Rayneval, knight, counsellor of state, knight of the royal Order of Charles 3, who, after having exchanged their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following Articles: Art. 1. It is agreed and concluded between the most serene and most potent King of Great Britain, and the most serene and most potent the Most Christian entirely perfect liberty of navigation and King, that there shall be a reciprocal and✔✔ Commerce between the subjects of each party, in all and every the kingdoms, states, provinces and territories subject to their Majesties in Europe, for all and singular kinds of goods, in those places, upon the conditions, and in such manner and form as is settled and adjusted in the following Articles. Art. 2. For the future security of commerce and friendship between the subjects of their said Majesties, and to the end that this good correspondence may be turbance, it is concluded and agreed, that preserved from all interruption and dismisunderstanding, breach of friendship, if, at any time, there should arise any or rupture between the crowns of their Majesties, which God forbid! (which rupture shall not be deemed to exist until the re-calling or sending home of the respective ambassadors and ministers) the subjects of each of the two parties residing in the dominions of the other, shall have the privilege of remaining and continuing their trade therein, without any manner of disturbance, so long as they behave peaceably, and commit no offence against the laws and ordinances: and in case their conduct should render them suspected, and the respective governments should be obliged to order them to remove, the term of twelve months shall be allowed them for that purpose, in order that they may remove, with their effects and property, whether entrusted to individuals or to the state. At the same time it is to be understood that this favour is not to be extended to those whose conduct shall be contrary to the public peace. Art. 3. It is likewise agreed and concluded, that the subjects and inhabitants + of the kingdoms, provinces, and dominions of their Majesties, shall exercise no acts of hostility or violence against each other, either by sea or by land, or in rivers, streams, ports, or havens, under any colour or pretence whatsoever; so that the subjects of either party shall receive no patent, commission, or instruction for arming and acting at sea as privateers, nor letters of reprisal, as they are called, from any princes or states, enemies to the other party; nor by virtue or under colour of such patents, commissions or reprisals, shall they disturb, infest, or any way prejudice or damage the aforesaid subjects and inhabitants of the King of Great Britain, or of the Most Christian King; neither shall they arm ships in such manner as is above said, or go out to sea therewith. To which end, as often as it is required by either party, strict and express prohibitions shall be renewed and published in all the territories, countries, and dominions of each party wheresoever, that no one shall in anywise use such commissions or letters of reprisal, under the severest punishment that can be inflicted on the transgressors, besides being liable to make full restitution and satisfaction to those to whom they have done any damage: neither shall any letters of reprisal be hereafter granted by either of the said high contracting parties, to the prejudice or detriment of the subjects of the other, except only in such case wherein justice is denied or delayed; which denial or delay of justice shall not be regarded as verified, unless the petition of the person, who desires the said letters of reprisal, be communicated to the minister residing there on the part of the Prince against whose subjects they are to be granted, that within the space of four months, or sooner, if it be possible, he may manifest the contrary, or procure the satisfaction which may be justly due. Art. 4. The subjects and inhabitants of the respective dominions of the two sovereigns shall have liberty, freely and securely, without licence or passport, general or special, by land or by sea, or any other way, to enter into the kingdoms, dominions, provinces, countries, islands, cities, villages, towns, walled or unwalled, fortified or unfortified, ports, or territories whatsoever, of either Sovereign, situated in Europe, and to return from thence, to remain there, or to pass through the same, and therein to buy and purchase, as they please, all things necessary for their subsistence and use, and they shall mutually be treated with all kindness and favour. Provided, however, that, in all these matters, they behave and conduct themselves conformably to the laws and statutes, and live with each other in a friendly and peaceable manner, and promote reciprocal concord by maintaining a mutual good understanding. Art. 5. The subjects of each of their said Majesties may have leave and licence to come with their ships, as also with the merchandizes and goods on board the same, the trade and importation whereof are not prohibited by the laws of either kingdom, and to enter into the countries, dominions, cities, ports, places and rivers of either party, situated in Europe, to resort thereto, and to remain and reside there, without any limitation of time; also to hire houses, or to lodge with other persons, and to buy all lawful kinds of merchandizes, where they think fit, either from the first maker or the seller, or in any other manner, whether in the public market for the sale of merchandizes, or in fairs, or wherever such merchandizes are manufactured or sold. They may likewise deposit and keep in their magazines and warehouses, the merchandizes brought from other parts, and afterwards expose the same to sale, without being in anywise obliged, unless willingly and of their own accord, to bring the said merchandizes to the marts and fairs. Neither are they to be burthened with any impositions or duties on account of the said freedom of trade, or for any other cause whatsoever, except those which are to be paid for their ships and merchandizes conformably to the regulations of the present Treaty, or those to which the subjects of the two contracting parties shall themselves be liable. And they shall have free leave to remove themselves, as also their wives, children, and servants, together with their merchandizes, property, goods, or effects, whether bought or imported, wherever they shall think fit, out of either kingdom, by land and by sea, on the rivers and fresh waters, after discharging the usual duties, any law, privilege, grant, immunities, or customs, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. In matters of religion, the subjects of the two Crowns shall enjoy perfect liberty: they shall not be compelled to attend Divine service, whether in churches or else where; but, on the contrary, they shall be permitted, without any molestation, to which shall remain prohibited on both pay, perform the exercises of their religion ad privately in their own houses, and in their own way. Liberty shall not be reut fused to bury the subjects of either king-in both countries, an import duty of 5s. erddom who die in the territories of the other, or six livres Tournois, per demi piece of in convenient places to be appointed for 7 yards, English measure; and linens, that purpose; nor shall the funerals or made of flax or hemp, manufactured in gs, sepulchres of the deceased be in anywise the dominions of the two Sovereigns in disturbed. The laws and statutes of each Europe, shall pay no higher duties, either e kingdom shall remain in force and vi- in Great Britain or France, than linens gour, and shall be duly put in execution, manufactured in Holland or Flanders, the whether they relate to commerce and imported into Great Britain, now pay. navigation, or to any other right, those And linens made of flax or hemp, manucases only excepted, concerning which it factured in Ireland or France, shall reciet is otherwise determined in the Articles of procally pay no higher duties than linens this present Treaty. manufactured in Holland, imported into Ireland, now pay. Art. 6. The two high contracting parties have thought proper to settle the dude ties on certain goods and merchandizes, in order to fix invariably the footing on which the trade. therein shall be established between the two nations. In consequence of which they have agreed upon the following Tariff, viz. 1st. The wines of France, imported directly from France into Great Britain, shall, in no case, pay any higher duties than those which the wines of Portugal now pay. The wines of France, imported directly from France into Ireland, shall pay no higher duties than those which they now pay. 2nd. The vinegars of France, instead of 671. 5s. 313d. per ton, which they now pay, shall not, for the future, pay, in Great Britain, any higher duties than 324. 18s. 101d. per ton. 3d. The brandies of France, instead of 9s. 613d. shall, for the future, pay, in Great Britain, only 7s. per gallon, making four quarts, English measure. 4th. Oil of olives, coming directly from France, shall, for the future, pay no higher duties than are now paid for the same from the most favoured nations. 5th. Beer shall pay reciprocally a duty of 30 per cent. ad valorem. 6th. The duties on hardware, cutlery, cabinet ware, and turnery, and also all works, both heavy and light, of iron, steel, copper, and brass, shall be classed; and the highest duty shall not exceed 10 per cent. ad valorem. 7th. All sorts of cottons manufactured in the dominions of the two Sovereigns in Europe, and also woollens, whether knit or wove, including hosiery, shall pay, in both countries, an import duty of 12 per cent. ad valorem; all manufactures of cotton or wool, mixed with silk, excepted, 9th. Sadlery shall reciprocally pay an import duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem. 10th. Gauzes of all sorts shall reciprocally pay 10 per cent. ad valorem. 11th. Millinery made up of muslin, lawn, cambrick or gauze of every kind, or of any other article admitted under the present tariff, shall pay reciprocally a duty of 12 per cent. ad valorem; and if any articles shall be used therein, which are not specified in the tariff, they shall pay no higher duties than those paid for the same articles by the most favoured nations. 12th. Porcelain, earthen ware, and pottery, shall pay reciprocally 12 per cent. ad valorem. 13th. Plate-glass and glass ware in general, shall be admitted, on each side, paying a duty of 12 per cent. ad valorem. His Britannic Majesty reserves the right of countervailing, by additional duties on the undermentioned merchandizes, the internal duties actually imposed upon the manufactures, or the import duties which are charged on the raw materials; namely, on all linens or cottons, stained or printed, on beer, glass ware, plateglass, and iron. And his Most Christian Majesty also reserves the right of doing the same, with regard to the following merchandizes; namely, cottons, iron, and beer. And for the better securing the due collection of the duties payable ad valorem, which are specified in the above tariff, the said contracting parties will concert with each other the form of the declarations to be made, and the proper means of preventing fraud with respect to the real value of the said goods and merchandizes. But if it shall hereafter appear that any mistakes have inadvertently been made in 1 |