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the theme was so pleasing, that he have dwelt so much on the advan'. could not refrain from dwelling upon tages that resulted from the battle. it with peculiar satisfaction.--He But the glory that had been acquired should not now detain the house any in it, he held to be of infinitely longer than whilst he could state greater importance, than any immesome circumstances respecting the diate benefits that had been derived action, which were not generally from the action. This it was that known. By these circumstances it would carry the effect of the brilliant would appear, that the victory had exploit beyond the single instance, been more decisive, and the defeat by restoring the military renown of of the enemy more complete than was this country, which had been called at first supposed. Sir John Stuart in question. He who gave glory to had correctly stated the amount of his country, gave that which was far his own force as under 5,000 men. more valuable to it, than any acqui. But, when he wrote his dispatch, he sition whatever. Glory alone was had not the means of ascertaining not to be taken away by time or acwith accuracy the force of the enemy. cidents. Ships, territories, or pos. In that dispatch it had been stated sessions, might be taken from a at nearly 7,000 men, but it should country, but the mode of acquiring have been stated at nearly 8,000 them could never be forgotten. The men. This fact had been discovered acquisitions that were the from returns found upon the persons quence of the glorious days of Cressy of some of the officers that had been and Poictiers, had long since passed killed. The next circumstance he into other hands : but the glory of had to mention, respected the amount those illustrious atehievements, stih of the enemy's loss. Sir John Stu. adhered to the British name, and art stated the numbers killed, at was immortal. It was that fine ex700. But it had been afterwards tract, that pure essence which en. ascertained by observations made on dured to all ages; whilst the rethe spot, that the number killed in siduum, the grosser parts, passed the action amounied to 1,300. away, and were lost in the course Fifteen hundred prisoners had been of time. On this ground it was that, the immediate fruit, and a great in his opinion, the victory of Maida number more had fallen into our would stand as high as any exploit hands from the consequences of the upon the records of our military action, So that thus, in killed, atchievements, and that the glory of wounded, and prisoners, a number general Stuart, and his brave of the enemy had been disposed of, army, would descend to the latest nearly equal to the whole of the posterity, unless the country should British force.

any

time sink into such a state of Another consequence of the at. degradation, that the memory of chievement was, that it had set the former glory would be reproach to Calabrians free from the presence of existing degeneracy.--Even in such the enemy,

and had totally broken a state of degradation, he was sure, up the force of general Regnier in that such an instance as this, was those provinces, which amounted to calculated to rouse a nation to emu. 1,300 men.

at

late the exploits of its ancestors. It was not perhaps necessary to Mr. Windham aving moved the

same

same resolutions as those moved in whatever labours sustained, or whatthe house of peers by lord Grenville; ever dangers encountered, they will

Sir John Doyle rose to second find themselves amply repaid by the the motions.—Having witnessed, he approbation of a beloved sovereign, said, upon many tryinoccasions, and the approbation of a brave and the zeal, discipline, skill, and cou- free people. I rely upon the good rage, in this instance, so brilliantly feelings of the house to pardon this displayed, by that gallant officer and effusion so naturally drawn forth, his brave companions, he cou'd not and which if I were willing, I am reconcile it to his feelings to confine unable to suppress.”—The motions himself to a passise and cold assent. were agreed to nem. con. The thanks of parliament were never Lord Howick presented the pabetter deserved, nor would they be pers relative to the late negociation any where more highly prized. “I with France. The day fixed for know, sir, so well the feelings of taking them into consideration, was those gallant men, that whatever Monday the 2d of January. privations they may have endured,

CHAP

CHAP. IV.

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Considerations on the late Negotiation with France, in the House of Peers-Apology by Lord Grenville for the Omission of certain Papers in the Number of those laid before the House. The Ends in view, and the Principle on which the British Ministry acted during the whole of the Negotiation-Review of the Negotiation, in the four different Stages into which Lord Grenville divided it.-Causes of the Rupture of the Negotiation. Address toliis Majesty on the Subject of the Negotiation, moved by Lord Grenville.-Observations on the Address, and the Subject of the Address by Lord Hawkesbury-Lord Sidmouth.-Lord Eldon—And the Earl of Lauderdale-Address carried, Nem. diss.- Address to the same effect moved in the House of Commons by Lord Howick,-Conduct of the English Ministry in the Negotiation vindicated.-Speeches on the present Question by Lord Yarmouth--Sir Thomas Turton-Mr. Montague-Mr. Whitbread—Mr. Canning-Lord Henry Petty-and Mr. PercevalAddress carried, Nem. diss.

THE

HE subject of the negotiation being brought under the consideration of the house of peers, according to the order of the day, the 2d of January 1807,

there could be no doubt. There might be cases in which a nation, actuated by views of sound policy, might think it advisable to make great sacrifices for the purpose of Lord Grenville rose, and said, that obtaining a peace that promised the documents in their lordships' to be permanent; nay even, if a hands, were fuller and more ample peace could not be considered as than any that had been presented to permanent, it was worth the makparliament on any former occasion ing sacrifices to obtain it, if it of a similar nature. This would not promised a considerable interval of have been necessary, if it had not tranquillity; an interval which might been for the very full, though not then be calculated upon, as serving equally correct statement, published to recruit and increase the business by the French government. It of the country. But those who conwould nevertheless be perceived by sidered the state of Europe for six their lordships, that there were se- years, or, he might say, for thirteen veral dmissions in the papers, of or fourteen years past, must be coninstructions given to our ministers, vinced that there was no rational which could not be supplied with hope of any considerable interval of out the risk of injury to ourselves, tranquillity following a treaty of or our allies.-Lord Grenville pro- peace with France. It became ceeded briefly to notice a few of the therefore, in this negotiation, a neleading principles that characterized cessary object to seek out for an the negotiation which was the equivalent to be set up against that subject of their discussion. want of permanence, which must attend any peace under such circum

That peace was a desirable object,

stances.

H

stances. He was therefore of opi. which had occurred during the war, nion, that the only basis on which and the situations in which they were we ought to treat with France, was placed in consequence of the events that of actual possession. This coull- of that war. Of the former class of try being a great maritime and colo. our allies were Sweden and Portugal; nial power, and France a great and of the latter, Naples and the continental power, there would be elector of Hanover.

With respect no reciprocity of cession between to Sweden and Portugal, nothing the two powers, that could in any more was required than to guarantee degree tend to their mutual advan. to those powers their state of actual

The conquests made by this possession. The king of Naples country, could be of no use to stood in a different situation. He France, unless she would become had been deprived by the power of a great commercial and colonial France of all his dominions on the power : the conquests made by continent of Europe. Lord Gren. France, could be of no use to this ville had no hesitation in saying, that country, unless this country would he would have consented to make become a great continental power. sacrifices, not merely valuable in

But, though the state of actual finance, in revenue, or in commerce, possession was the only basis that but even sacrifices of safety and of appeared to his majesty's ministers strength, to procure the restoration to be a proper basis for their nego. of the kingdom to the king of Naples. tiation with France, it did not follow But no sacrifices that we could that such a negotiation was to ex. make, could have been an equivalent clude the necessary discussion of to France for the restoration of that equivalents to be given for certain kingdom.-With respect to Sicily, cessions to be agreed on. And such the king of Naples was still in pose a discussion became the more neces. session of that island, or rather it sary where a negotiation involved was in the possession of a brave, and, the interests of allies. When his as it had been proved, an invincible majesty's present ministers came into British army. That army had office, they found a treaty concluded tered the island with the consent of by their predecessors with Russia, the king of Naples, who had received by which each party bound itself not them there in the full confidence that to conclude peace without the con. they would defend it bravely, and sent of the other. That he con- that it would not be given up to the sidered as a wise, and a fair measure. enemy

Would it not therefe e, But, even supposing that the treaty have been an indelible disgrace to with Russia had not been wisely this country to have given up Sicily concluded, still the sacred engage- to France on her offer of an equi. ment of the sovereign having been valent? It was not for us to barter given to Russia, his majesty's mini. it away for any equivalent without sters were bound to fulfil its con. the consent of the sovereign. As to ditions.

Hanover, it was sacrificed to injus. Our allies might be divided into tice on the part. of France, for the tro classes : those to whom we are express purpose of injuring this bound by treaty ; and those to whom country. Would it not therefore, we are bound by the circumstances be disgraceful in us not to insist on

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the restoration of Hanover to its so. ing able, though they could pot sepeda vereign, from whom it had been rate Russia from this country, to taken, solely ou account of its con- separate this country from Russia. nection with this country? The re- And this was the third stage of the storation of Hanover, thus unjustly negotiation. seized, was therefore insisted upon The fourth and last stage of the as an indispensable preliminary to negotiation, was, when the French the negotiation. The principle on ministers, finding that Great Britain which ministry acted during the and Russia were inseparable; at whole of the negotiation, was, that length agreed to the negotiation to of good faith to our allies : that of be carried on conjointly for the in, the French government to effect a terests of Russia and Great Britain. separation between us and our They refused to agree to the terms allies : as clearly appeared from the asked on behalf of Russia, and negotiation from first to last, which again offered terms, to this country was divided into four stages. on the principle of a separate nego

The first, when we were offered tiation. The rupture of the negoterms, which might have been con- tiation followed of course sidered as the fair price of peace ;

Had Russia insisted upon extrahad we been concerned for ourselves vagaut terms, or on points trifling only, but which were offered as the and uninteresting, it would have price of dishonour, as the price of been painful to lord Grenville to the descrtion of Russia, our faith. have stated, that the rupture of the

negotiation arose from any such cona The second stage of the negoti. duct on the part of Russia. But ation was, when the French govern. the very contrary of all this was the ment, partly by threats, partly by case. The terms insisted on by promises and inspiring hopes, con. Russia were very moderate, and di. trived to persuade the Russian mini. rected on'y to the secur ty of her ster at Paris, M. D’Oubril to sign allies. She demanded the guarantee a separate treaty of peace. This of Sicily to the king of Naples, and being done, there was in the tone of that the French troops should evaa the French government, a very re- cuate Dalmatia, which was not nemarkable alteration. 66 No," said cessary to the vast empire, obtained they to our ministers, “ we cannot by the arms of France, and could now grant you the same terms we be held by this power, only as were willing to do before. The sig- a post of offence towards Austria nature of a separate peace with and the Porte, and of hostility toRussia, is equivalent to a splendid wards Russia, The guarantee of victory.” An expression mot loosely Sicily to the king of Naples was used in conversation, but forming a clearly a British object. That Rusa part of the written sentiments of sia, in requiring the evacuation of the French government upon that Dalmatia, confined her demand to event.

that object, and did not make a de, The French government, finding mand of the territory, was also of the treaty would not be ratified, im- importance to this country as well mediately offered the English negoti. as to our ally. With this good faith ators better terms, in the hope of be- and moderation on the part of

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