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charms of a limited term of service offend against it, on-board his ma. as the late secretary at war, might jesty's navy. The act had provided be enabled to make their election effectually for the suppression of the accordingly. He did not, how- insurrection, as appeared from the every mean to make this a part of acknowledgement of the leaders of the general measure, but would that insurrection, before a commitsubmit it in a separate clause. tee of the Irish parliament. But, Long and animated debates en. though such a law might be necessued, at different times; but every sary, it was the duty of that house argument of weight, on either side, to guard against the abuse of the had been even repeatedly, and to powers which it gave. The bill satiety, urged in the discussions he proposed to bring in, contained that had already taken place, on the same provisions as the Insurrecthe comparative advantages and dis- tion act, with respect to the power advantages of the different modes of of the lord lieutenant to proclaim recruiting and reinforcing the army. disturbed counties, and the autho. Suffice it, therefore, to say, that rity of the magistrates to arrest leave was given to bring in the persons who should be found out bills moved for: which, together of their dwellings between sunwith the separate clause, on the 5th setting and sun-rising ; but, in of August, were read a third time order to prevent hardships to the and passed.

subjects, the bill required that perHouse of Commons, July 9.- sons so arrested should be tried at Sir Arthur Wellesley, in pursuance the quarter-sessions by the magis. of his notice, rose to move for leave trates and assistant barristers, asto bring in a bill for the suppres. sisted by a king's counsel, a sersion of insurrection in Ireland, and jeant specially sent down for that to prevent the disturbance of the purpose. Besides this bill, he meant peace in that country. The house to move for leave to bring in an. would remember, that the circum. other, to prevent improper persons stances, which preceded and ate from keeping arms, by obliging all tended the suppression of the late persons to register their arms,

and rebellion in Ireland, had rendered authorizing the magistrates to search stronger measures than the estab.' for arms. These bills had been pre. Jished laws afforded, necessary in pared by his predecessor, and the that country. An act was there. only difference was, that the bill of fore passed by the Irish parlia. his predecessor gave a negative to ment, in the year 1796, to prevent the king's counsel or serjeant, which unlawful assemblies, and to autho. he proposed to take from him, as rize the lord-lieutenant, on a report it appeared to him, that such a of the magistrates, to proclaim any negative would render the measure county where disturbances existed. nugatory. He meant, however, to That law required all persons in substitute a clause, which should, in such counties, to keep within their case of any difference between the dwellings between the hours of sun. serjeant and the bench, suspend the setting and sun-rising; and gave to execution of the decision of the the magistrates the power of sending magistrates, till the serjeant should persons, who should be found to have reported the matter to the

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lord-lieutenant. Leave was given the report would probably be of a to bring in these bills; which,

which, most useful description. Agreeably through the usual stages, though to this idea, the chancellor of the not without a good deal of oppo. exchequer proposed that the motion sition, were passed into lawa. should run as follows: “ That there expediency, and indeed necessity of should be an instruction to the them, was admitted by Mr. Grat. committee of public expenditure, tan.

to procure a list of all pla.es, pen. House of Commons, July 7.--' sions, &c. specifying by whon they Lord Cochrane, after a suitable were held, with the exception of introduction, moved, that "

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navy, and offices be. mittee shouit be appointed, to in- low £200 a year in the revenue; quire and report what places, sala. and cause this list to be laid on the ries, and emoluments derived from table.” The house divided on lord the public, were held by members Cochrane's motion : of parliament, their wives, or other Ayes

61 dependents, or others in trust for

Noes

90 them, in possession or reversion, Mr. Perceval then moved his throughout the whole of his ma- amendment. Mr. Whitbread objesty's dominions.” This motion served, that it was unquestionably was seconded by Mr. Cochrane lord Cochrane's meaning, that there Johnstone, and supported by Mr.

should be exhibited during the preCurwen, Mr. John Smith, Mr. sent session of parliament, a list of Lethridge, Mr. Lyttleton, sir J. all the members of that house, hold. Sebright, Mr. William Smith, Mr. ing sinecure offices, places, &c. un. Sheridan, Mr. Calcraft, and lord der government, and in that way Henry Petty.-Mr. Banks thought liable to have their condust iniluit invidious and improper to con. enced. If such a return should vey to the public, an insinuation not be made, the house would disthat members of parliament were grace itself. Those who respected influenced by considerations of pri. the house at present, would suspect vate advantage, for themselves or that all was not right; and those wbo their dependants. It was most es. already suspected it, would have sential that, at this critical period, their suspicions confirmed. Mr. She. the character of the house of com. ridan also observed that the amend. mons should not be degraded or ment proposed by the chancellor of depreciated. On the whole, how- the exchequer, which went to ex. ever desirous to afford information hibit a list of all sinecure placemen to the public, he could not consent and pensioners whatever, was ro. to the noble lord's motion in its thing but an evasion of lord Coch. present form. Mr. Whitbread, con- rane's motion. It was to overwhelm curring in principle with the noble the inquiry, and to sutlocate and lord who had brought forward the strangle the object which the noble motion, was of opinion, that if the lord had in view... After some fur. motion were referred to the com. ther debate among other members, mittee of finance, with an instruc- the house divided, wien Mr. Percetion to inquire into, and report val's motion was carried by a great upon the matter contained in it, majority.

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House of Lords, August 4.-On observations, moved, “. That an the order of the day being read for humble address should be presented the second reading of the bill for to his majesty, praying that he preventing the granting of offices would be pleased not to grant any in reversion, it was supported by office in reversion, until six weeks the earls of Grosvenor, Lauderdale, after the meeting of the next session and Selkirk, and the lords Holland of parliament;” adding, by way of and Boringdon. Lord Boringdon notice, that early in that session, he expressed his regret at differing from would move for leave to bring in a many noble lords with whom he usu. bill, similar to the one which had ally acted; but when he considered been lost, that the house of comthat this bill had been supported mons, at least, might have an opby ministers, had passed the other portunity of unequivocally shewing house, and been received with nearly its own opinion. After a good deal an unanimous consent, and also the of conversation, the question was circumstances of the present mo. put on Mr. Bankes's motion, which ment, he thought it his duty to vote was carried, nem. con. And it was for it. On the other hand, by ford ordered, that the address should be Arden and the lord viscount Mel. presented to his majesty, by such ville. The house having divided, members of that house as were also on a motion for reading the bill a members of his majesty's most ho. second time that day three months, nourable privy council. there appeared,

House of Lords, August 14.-A Contents

15 speech was delivered by the lord Non-contents

9 chancellor, in his majesty's name, The bill was therefore lost. But in to both houses of parliament,* which the house of commons, August 10, was prorogued to Thursday, the Mr. Bankes, after many prefatory 21th of September.

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* See State Papers, p. 725.

CHA P. XIV,

The Year 1807 chüracterized by a calamitous Extension of the War, -War with Denmark.- The Circumstances in which it originated, and the military and naval Measures by which it was commenced,

-Attempt to preserve Peace and Amily between Great Britain und Denmark by Negotiation.-Expedition under the Command of Lord Cathcart and Admiral Gambier.Its Progress and Rc. sult.-Reflections.

IN
N contemplating the events of the of it was thrown. Perhaps the con,

year 1807, the mind is forcibly sideration above alluded to, may be impressed by a very general, and, taken as a sufficient reason for their as it should at first sight appear, a

indifference on both sides. The very calamitous extension of the rupture with the four first of these war in which our country has been powers, was not indeed passed over for so many years, almost uninter. without discussion or animadversion ruptedly, engaged. We call this in the British public, or in the Bri. extension apparently calamitous, tish senate. The circumstance ata because, although we see powers tending particularly the commencehitherto neutral, and scme of them ment of the war with Turkey, ne. the allies of Great Britain, reversing cessarily occasioned long and ani. their respective relations, and en- mated debates. Still, however, it gaging in hostilities against her; is true, that the excitement of the yet, on a slight view of the means national sensibility, was chiefly reof annoyance possessed by those served for the Danish war: a cir. powers, and on reference to what cumstance highly creditable to the has actually happened, it will be national feelings and character, as sten also, that in reluctantly sub. it must be recollected, that Den. mitting themselves to the dictates of mark was, with one exception, the the French ruler, they have forced weakest of our new adversaries, and upon us contests for the most part that it was from hostilities against bloodless, in which the pen rather her only, that Great Britain derived than the sword has been the arbiter those advantages by which she sucof our differences. Austria, Rus. ceeded in counteracting the designs sia, the Ottoman Porte, Prussia, of the more powerful of them. A and Denmark, have, in the present nation thus scrupulous as to its own year, been added to the already means of action, and which employs formidable host of our enemies, and so large a portion of its political

' it cannot escape observation, with capacity in scrutinizing those acts what indifference so large an ac- by which it is itself most benefited, cession of hostile agency was re- may lay claim with some degree of ceived by the British public, and confidence to its share of political we may also add, by the govern. and moral justice. Few instances, ment into whose balance the weight indeed, have occurred, in which the motives, the wisdom, and the effi. Great Britain still preserved with cacy of the executive government, the continent. As the concurrence, have been more nicely analysed, and even the co-operation of Pruswhere a more animated attempt, sia was necessary for this purpose, supported by more splendid abili. to her were these intimations first ties, has been made to discredit addressed. By a most unaccount. them all, or where the amiable feelable infatuation, and inveigled by ings of a generous people, together motives which it were charity not with the strongest operations of to characterize, she was not long in party spirit, have been more power- acceding to those fatal measures, fully employed for that purpose.

motives papers

.

which, ere many months elapsed, The war with Denmark, and the proved the cause of her own down. military and naval measures by fall. She took forcible possession which it was commenced, offering of the king's German dominions, the first grand feature of active and and excluded the British flag from successful warfare that occurred in her own ports, and from others to this year, as well as the first speci- which her power or influence ex. men of the politics of the new ad- tended. ministration, it is now our duty to Previously however to the court of present this subject to our readers Berlin proceeding to this extremity, in one connected view; in order to it was not consistent with Buona. which, we must take a short retro. parte's policy that his intentions on spect of preceding events. We shall the subject should remain secret. then narrate the progress of the It was, on the contrary, very gewar, and we shall also, in this nerally rumoured, and as generally place *, briefly state the discus. credited by the best-informed per. sions to which it gave rise, in the sons in the north of Europe, that public and in parliament; conclu. the French ruler would proceed to ding with such observations connect. the immediate execution of this longed with it, as may be expected from threatened measure. He was, at the impartial historian.

the time, sure of Prussia : Denmark In the course of the negotiations offered yet a feeble obstacle to his which, from the unfortunate peace wishes; it was to cverawe her that of Presburg, and the still mote. la. he next turned his attention. To mentable policy of the Prussian ca. engage her by fair or foul means binet, terminated in the conclusion to shut the ports of her German of the treaties of Vienna and Paris provinces, and to attempt to obbetween Prussia and France, re. struct the commerce of England in peated intimations were given by its passage through the Sound, was Buonaparte, when he found that the the next step in his restless career. tide of fortune continued to run in This was announced in no unintelhis favour, that one of the first and ligible terms, by the many official principal uses he should make of his and unofficial agents, which his ac. success, would be, to cut off those tive diplomancy employed in every channels of communication which court of Europe : the public news.

* A more copious statement of these, will of course be given in our account of parliamentary business and debates in 1803,

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