Russia, would it not have been an wanting on their part to support and iudelible disgrace to this country, if assist him, in the adoption of such we had vio ated good faith on our measures as might yet be found ne. part? And what were the terms cessary, either for the restoration of that were offered to us, as the price peace, or to meet the various ex. of disgrace and dishonour? We igencies of the war in that most im. were to keep, what the French could portant crisis.”, not without a naval superiority take The same motion, introduced by from us-Malta, the Cape of Good a speech to the same effect, was Hope, India, and the Island of made by lord Howick, in the house Tobago !- It had been stated in the of commons, January 5.--Never papers now before the house, that if did any motion meet with more we had made peace at the period cordial and unanimous support in alluded to in the papers, the treaty either house, and yet none, perhaps, of the confederation of the Rhine, ever gave rise to a longer converwould never have been signed, or at sation ; which turned, for the most lcast, would not have been published. part, on the mode and course that It appeared however, that supposing had been pursued in the negotiation. peace to have been concluded with In the house of peers, lord the utmost rapidity, after the ar- Hawkesbury expressed his complete rival of our ministers at Paris, the concurrence with lord Grenville, on treaty could not have been signed the great points he had stated, but before the publication of the last at the same time said, that if he did German treaty. This very con- agree to the address, it must be with federation must unavoidably have some qualifications. It had been preceded the treaty, and supposing stated in his majesty's declaration, it to have happened the day after, it that the French, from the outset of would have necessarily been a cause the negotiation, had agreed to profor war.- Lord Grenville concluded ceed on the basis of actual possesby moving," That an humble address sion, subject to the interchange of be presented to his majesty, to as. such equivalents as might be for the sure his majesty that that house had advantage and honour of the two taken into serious consideration the countries. Now, he confessed, that papers relative to the late negotiation after a careful examination of the which he had been pleased to lay be. papers before them, he found nofore them, and that they saw with thing in the whole of them, that gratitude, that he had employed could be considered as a certain every means to restore the blessings and unequivocal foundation for such of peace, in a manner consistent with a declaration. Before the arrival of the interests and glory of his people, lord Yarmouth in London, the basis and at the same time, with an ob- of actual possession was so far from servance of that good faith with our being actually agreed on, that anoallies, which this country was bound ther, very different, was expressly to retain inviolate. That, while we stated to be the grounds on which lamented that by the unbounded am. the French government would enter bition of the enemy, those laudable on a negotiation. Lord Yarmouth, endeavours to his kingdom had been indeed, had given a statement in frustrated, no exertion should be writing, of a conversation he had

had

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i

CHAP. IV.

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 Blouse. --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 tollis Majes y on the Subject of the Negotiation, morced by Lord Grenville.- Observations on the Address, and the Subject of the Address by Lord llawkesbury-Lord Sidmouth.- Lord Elion-And the Earl of Lauderdale-Address carried, Nem. diss.-- Address to the same effect moved in the Ilouse of Commons by Lord Liowick, Conduct of the English Ministry ir the Negotiation vindicated.--Speeches on the present Question by Lord Yarmouth--Sir Thomas Turton – Mr. Mioniague--Mr.Whit. bread-Mr. Canning-Lord Henry Petty-und Mr. PercevalAddress carried, Nem. diss.

no .

VIIE

being brought under the con. might be cases in which a nation, sideration of the house of peers, actuated by views of sound po icy, according to the order of the day, might think it advisable to make the 2d of January 1807,

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, ás serving equally correct statement, published to recruit and increase the business ' by the French government. It of the country. But those who con. would 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 omissions in the

papers,

of or fourteen years past, must be cona instructions 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 ne. leading principles that characterized cessary object to seek out for an the negotiation which the equivalent to be set up against that subject of their discussion.

want of permanence, which must That peace was a desirable object, attend any peace under such circum.

was

we

stances. He was therefore of opin 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 coulle 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 tage. 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 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 posa 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 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 eg 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 fui il 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 two 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

army. . That

had en.

ful ally.

the restoration of Hanover to its so. ing able, though they could not sepe. vereign, from whom it had been rate Russia from this country, to taken, solely ou account of its con- separate this country from Russia. pection 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 desertion 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 eva, the French government, a very re- cuate Dalmatia, which was not nemarkable alteration. “ 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 to. Russia, 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 Rus, 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

Russia, would it not have been an wanting on their part to support and jadelible disgrace to this country, if assist him, in the adoption of such we had vio ated good faith on our measures as might yet be found nepart? And what were the terms cessary, either for the restoration of that were offered to us, as the price peace, or to meet the various ex. of disgrace and dishonour ? We igencies of the war in that most im. were to keep, what the French could portant crisis.". not without a naval superiority take The same motion, introduced by from us-Malta, the Cape of Good a speech to the same effect, was Hope, India, and the Island of made by lord Howick, in the house Tobago ! - It had been stated in the of commons, January 5.--Never papers bow before the house, that if did any motion meet with more we had made peace at the period cordial and unanimous support in alluded to in the papers, the treaty either house, and yet none, perhaps, of the confederation of the Rhine, ever gave rise to a longer converwould never have been signed, or at sation ; which turned, for the most least, would not have been published. part, on the mode and course that It appeared howeter, that supposing had been pursued in the negotiation. peace to have been concluded with In the house of peers, lord the utmost rapidity, after the ar- Hawkesbury expressed his complete rival of our ministers at Paris, the concurrence with lord Grenville, on treaty could not have been signed the great points he had stated, but before the publication of the last at the same time said, that if he did German treaty. This very con

agree to the address, it must be with federation must unavoidably have some qualifications. It had been preceded the treaty, and supposing stated in his majesty's declaration, it to have happened the day after, it that the French, from the outset of would have necessarily been a cause the negotiation, had agreed to profor war.- Lord Grenville concluded ceed on the basis of actual possesby moving," That an humble address sion, subject to the interchange of be presented to his majesty, to as. such equivalents as might be for the sure his majesty that that house had advantage and honour of the two taken into serious consideration the countries. Now, he confessed, thať papers relative to the late negotiation after a careful examination of the which he had been pleased to lay be. papers before them, he found nofore them, and that they saw with thing in the whole of them, that gratitude, that he had employed could be considered as a certain every means to restore the blessings and unequivocal foundation for such of peace, in a manner consistent with a declaration. Before the arrival of the interests and glory of his people, lord Yarmouth in London, the basis and at the same time, with an ob- of actual possession was so far from servance of that good faith with our being actually agreed on, that anoallies, which this country was bound ther, very different, was expressly to retain inviolate. That, while we stated to be the grounds on which lamented that by the unbounded am. the French government would enter bition of the enemy, those laudable on a negotiation. Lord Yarmouth, endeavours to his kingdom had been indeed, had given a statement in frustrated, no exertion should be writing, of a conversation he had