66 Vous

pas."

had with Talleyrand, and he, no self, her power would sink to its doubt, believed that Talleyrand had natural level. Now, however, all proposed the basis of actual posses. 'the states to which he had alluded, sion, The words were :

had been either completely subl'avez, nous ne vous la demandons dued by France, or reduced within

But in order to affix the comparatively narrow limits. proper and precise meaning to these in 1801, the British government work, they ought to look at the wished to try the feelings of France, context, and this shews that the and to find out what would be the words are not general, and that they policy of its government on the rerefer only to Sicily. Ministry ought storation of peace. It might ento have demanded a precise and deavour to acquire confidence at categorical recognition, of the basis home and abroad, which could be of negotiation, before they gave full done only by a system of modera. powers to treat to their negotiaior. tion ; or it might consider its seYet lord II. most heartily con. curity to lie in pursuing that system curred in the general result of the of aggression which had marked the pegotiation, and with the above ex. progress of that revolation from ception joined in the address, and whence it had sprung. It had in the assurances of support to his adopted the latter system : so that majesty in prosecuting the war, scarcely three months had elapsed which it had been found impossible from the time of signing the treaty of immediately to put an end to, on Amiens, till the spirit of the treaty grounds in any degree consistent was violated by repeated aggreswith the security aud honour of this sions. Ever since that time, these country, or the maintenance of good aggressions had been continued; as faith to our allies.

an instance of which, their lordships His lordship proceeded to shew had only to look at the confedera. both that the war was necessary, tion of the Rhine, to which lord and that we possessed the means of Grenville had adverted. In consupporting it. At the commence. sidering the question of peace or ment of the treaty with France in war, they would observe, that while 1801, that country was in a very they continued at war they had at diiferent situation from what it is in least this advantage, that whatever now.

At that time, Holland and exertions France might' make, they Switzerland, though subject to the must be confined to the continent of influence of France, were not com. Europe. But peace would open to pletely united to it. Naples was her the way to Asia, Africa, and entire, and Austria, though she had America. To these at least, he lest much of her military reputation, hoped, her power could not extend. was still a great power ; and in Another thing to be considered was, point of population and extent of that while we were at war, we were territory, equal to what she had

on perfect equality with our enemies. been at the commencement of the We were as powerful by sea as they war with France. Many, there. were by land. But if fore, thought, and lord H. con.' take place, from the very nature of fessed he had joined in the opinion, the two cases, their power would that if France were to be left to her, not be made less, while

superiority

.

peace should

our

superiority would be gradually tiation had been conducted on that diminished; for peace would furnish very basis. In the letter addressed them with the means of advancing by M. Talleyrand to Mr. Fox, in in that particular sort of power, in the early stage of the correspondence which our superiority was undis. between the two governments, M. puted. These were not arguments Talleyrand states, that France de. for eternal war, but they were sires nothing of Great Britain that circumstances that ought to have she already possesses.--Lord Side great weight with their lordships, in mouth, further, put the question, considering what we gained by a what was it that caused a temporary peace, as a proper compensation for suspension of the negotiation? Was what we lose. It was with great it any demur on the part of the pleasure and pride that lord H. French government on the point reflected on the flourishing state of of uti possiletis? No. It was a our finances, which was to be ascrib. delay occasioned by a matter of ed to two great measures, namely form, as to the manner in which the the sinking fund, (which lord H. negotiation was to be conducted, and considered as ungestionably the not any objection that was started greatest measure ever produced by to that understood basis.

In five or the ingenuity and wisdom of man!") six weeks afterwards lord Yarmouth brought forward, and matured by arrived from Paris, when, by desire his right honourable friend, the of ministers, he committed to wrilate Mr. Pitt : the other, that of ting the substance of the various.com. raising a considerable part of the munications he had held with M. supplies within the year, also first Talleyrand, who, it appeared, in the brought forward by his right ho. name of the government of France, nourable deceased friend, and which had made use of the following exhad been acted upon, and in some pression, « Nous ne vous deman. degree iniproved by lord Sidmouth. dons rien,” words which he afterThe permanent taxes, were not less wards energetically repeated. It than eighteen millions. But the appeared clearly from the papers sinking fund at this time, produced before them, that previously to the eight millions and an half. And if 20th of July last, when M.D’Oubril we had but perseverance to go on, signed the provisional treaty with for a few

years,
with a strict regard

France, in the name of the Russian to economy in our general -system government. · Lord Yarmouth did of expenditure, we should arrive at not entertain the smallest doubt that the happy period when the sinking the state of actual possession was fund would equal all' the loans that the mutually acknowledged basis of might be necessary for the expences negotiation. In fact, the first atof the community.

tempt to question it, though even Lord Sidmouth, was willing to then not expressly in words, was, admit, that in the documents which after this period, when M. Talleyhad been submitted their lordships, rand avowed that circumstances had there was not to be found any spe- altered, and that, in consequence, cific offer of the uti possidetis, on the French government had deter. the part of the French government. mined not to agree to that which was But, he contended, the whole nego. consented to originally, and that

they

they must insist on having posses- been sent by 'M. Talleyrand to lord sion of Sicily. On three subsequent Lauderdale, there were calumnies occasions, attempts were made by which tended to exhibit the noble the French negotiators to deny the lord in the most savage form ; ca. statements of lord Yarmouth; but, lumnies, which he was fully perthough one of them endeavoured to suaded were to him unfoundedly and evade and shuffle, they could not improperly addressed. Lord Eldon deny them, directiy, when met by wished to hear from the noble lord, by our minister, face to face. This that no such letter had been ever re. had been stated by lord Lauderdale. ceived, or that no minister of a hos The French plenipotentiaries un. tile power, would dare to send to the questionably wished our negotiators plenipotentiary of Great Britain, a to understand the basis of negoti. communication replete with the ation to be the uti possidetis, most base and injurious calumnies.although they cautiously avoided Another practice of the same informally committing it to writing, veterate malice zad unprincipled in order, no doubt, to have room audacity, was the contradiction of to cavil. But why, it was de. one of the French plenipotentiaries, manded, were they not called upon to the report the earl of Yarmouth to arow their agreement to this had made of his conferences with the principle in writing? There had French minister on the basis. been a clear admission originally, Lord ' auderdale thought it sin. that sach was the mutually under. gular, that the learned lord should stood agreement.

apply to him for evidence, after Lord Eldon did not lament the having considered that of lord Yar. failure of a pacific adjustment with mouth as perfectly nugatory. enemy,

whose aggressious in happened, however, that lord Lau. times of peace, are equally hostile derdale could give ample testimony with their operations in war. He to the facts questioned by lord admitted that lord Grenville had Eldon. For, independently of lord proved in the clearest and most Yarmouth's having repeatedly stated satisfactory manner, that the prin. these facts to him, he was enabled ciple of actual possession was the to confirm them from other sources, only basis ou which a beneficial particularly from his own copfer. treaty could have been concluded. ences with the minister of France. But that the uti possidetis was the But, without any corroboration actual basis, agreed, and acted upon from his testimony, lord Lauderdale in the late negotiation, he really did contended, that the notes, and verbal rot know in what part of the official communications of lord Yarmouth, papers presented to that house, were quite sufficient to sustain thé ministers would be able to find that assertion, that the French, from the principle of actual possession once outset of the negotiation, agreed to recognized by the French govern. proceed upon the basis of actual ment. No such proposition was possession. With regard to made out by the evidence, even in letter alluded to by Lord Eldon, the remotest view of the case. In the earl of Lauderdale could say, the last letter, said in the French that during his stay at Paris, he did account of the negotiation, to harę not experience any want of civility:

It

an

whatever. Nor did he know of any this that they invariably pursued. thing different, until he saw in this They insisted that we should treat country, the posthumous letter ad. in conjunction with our ally, the dressed to him in the Moniteur. emperor of Russia ; and that the

The address was then read from negotiation should be conducted on the woolsack, and agreed to, nem.

the basis of uti possidetis.-Lord diss.

Howick proceeded to shew, in The same subject underwent a nearly the same manner as had been very long discussion in the house done by lord Grenville in the house of commons.

of peers, that the basis of the uti Lord Howick, having moved that possidetis had been admitted by the the papers relating to the negotiation French plenipotentiaries ; that the with France, should be now taken English ministers always understood into consideration, said, that it had that to be the basis, and that they become his duty to offer that never admitted any other.-- This proposition to the house wbich had principle the British ministers ap. been usual on similar occasions; plied to Sicily, though not exactly namely, that an humble address be a conquest, as we held it in conpresented to his majesty, expressive junction with its lawful sovereign. of such sentiments as the house might This our faith to the king of Naples think fit to convey to the throne, required. Hanover, being unjustly after a careful review of the whole attacked for the sake of England, of that most important question. the honour of this country.compelled After lamenting the failure of the ne. the ministers to stipulate for its re. gotiation, and the death of Mr. Fox, covery. The integrity of Turkey, of he proceeded to shew, that as, on the Sweden, and of Portugal, was stipu. one hand, the king's government lated for, and it was also their ob. had not in the course of the negotia. ject to secure the little states from tion, committed the honour of the the insults and incroachments they crown, in any one instance, by any had experienced from France. manifestation of a disposition to From these points they never make improper concessions and sa- ceded. How far they might have crifices, so, on the other, it had ne. receded as to particular terms, it glected no means within its power, would not be proper for him in that to conclude such a peace as was con. place to discuss. But if the value of sistent with the honour, prosperity cessions was to be estimated by the and interests of the country. It had probability of the advantages, and been stated in Mr. Fox's first letter the duration of that peace for which to M. Talleyrand, in answer to the they were made, was nothin in the Brst overture, “that a peace, to be aspect of affairs that cou'd induce advantageous to the two countries, them to make valuable sacrifices to should be negotiated on principles purchase peace.- Suppose that Prns. honourable to both, and, at the sia, in making war on France, had same time, of a nature, as far as succeeded, what wou'd have been possible, to secure the future tran. said to a minister who should have quillity of Europe.” It was this concluded a peace, and thereby tied principle that the ministry had made up the hands of his country from the basis of the negotiation. It was taking advantage of the new order of

things,

re.

things, to obtain better terms ? with moving an address, the same in Suppose, on the other hand, she did substance, though somewhat differnot succeed, which had actually ent in words, with lord Grenville's turned out to be the case, does any on the same subject. one suppose, that peace with Great Lord Yarmouth had on the Satur. Britain would have induced Buona- day before read in a respectable parte to stop his victorious army ? newspaper, these words, (iniputed If Buonaparte, after making a se to somebody, he could not say who,) ) parate peace, had stated that Great « The noble lord (Yarmouth) ha. Britain, who had been the means of ving instructions not to produce his exciting the flames of war all over full powers, without a written acthe continent, had seized the first knowledgement of the desired basis, opportunity of concluding a peace did think it proper to produce those upon the most mercenary and selfish powers.” He had no instructions, he grounds, and then endeavoured to said, to withhold his full powers ex. persuade the nations of Europe, cept on the ground of Sicily : and he that there could be no peace on the considered the consent of his ma. continent till England should be jesty's ministers to negotiate for that humbled; then, instead of possessing island, as an evasion for what he had the friendship of Sweden, instead of formerly been instructed to insist being linked in the closest alliance upon, as a necessary preliminary to with Russia, now opposing France the farther progress of the negotia. with bot inferior numbers, * and tion. But he could not have advanced with great advantages of situation, farther in the negotiation without we should have been left alone, an exhibiting his full powers.

Lord object of universal jealousy and sus. Yarmouth took a view of the negopicion, and without the power of tiation, of which he gave a clear and contributing any thing towards the accurate account, as it was connect. exertions for restraining the am. ed with the causes of the present war. bition of France. Every advantage Lord H. admitted, and he thought therefore, of which the nature of he had clearly stated, that the noble the case would admit, had resulted lord had had no instructions to insist from the part which ministers had on a written acknowledgement of acted. But at the same time he was the basis of negotiation in the yery far from encouraging very san. first instance. The demand of Sicily guine expectations, after all that was a violation of the original offer had happened on the continent of the uti possidetis ; and it was on within this few years. The event that ground that the noble lord was was in the hands of “ Him who ordered not to proceed one step giveth the victory." But one thing farther till that demand should be was clear; the progress of Buona. relinquished, unless that requisition parte had never yet been stopped by should be complied with, he was submission, and our only hope, instructed to demand his passports, therefore, was in resistance, as far in civil terms, and come away.--He as we could resist his ambitious pro. was surprized, after the explanation jects.- Lord Howick concluded that had already been given, lord Yar.

* llere lord Howick, as has been seen above, was under a great mistake.

2

mouth