tended to shew, that if the time signed by D'Oubril, declares her which had elapsed since the com- readiness to enter into immediate mencement of the negotiation had negotiation. Why should Great been duly improved, it might have Britain alonė, refuse to open her been known what the ultimate terms ear to any overture? Why should of France were, and then only she alone reject all hope ? could they have said with truth to Mr. Whitbread was aware that the world, that it was solely owing his opinions were peculiar, but ho to the injustice and ambition of desired that it might be recorded on France, that peace between the two the journals of parliament, that there countries had not been concluded. were some, however few, who What motive could France have had thought it unwise in policy, and false to desire negotiation with England, in principle, to assert, that peace but that it should terminate in with France was, under any circumpeace ?

stances, impossible. And he could His noble friend lord I, had been not refuse himself the satisfaction of accused of having delayed expeditions, putting into the hands of the speaker, and withheld armaments in conse. a paper which contained the amenda quence of lord Lauderdale’sprocras- ment moved by his noble friend tinated stay at Paris. The justice of (Howick) on the rupture of the this charge he denied. We lost nothing treaty of Amiens, the words of which by the delay, and France gained he had made use of, as the most ex. nothing by it. If no correspondence pressire of his sentiments and feel. had ever been entered into, would ings on the present occasion. He not every accession of power to moved to leave out all the words of France have been made, as it now the address proposed by lord Howick had been made ? Would not the after the word end in the third para. Rhenish confederation have taken graph, for the purpose of inserting place ? Could we by any means in the amendment, “ To assure bis ma. our power have delayed, much less jesty of our firm determination to have prevented it ?

co-operate with his majesty, in call. In the last note from the French ing forth the resources of the united minister, dated from Mentz, October kingdom, for the vigorous prosecu. 1, 1806 *, wherein Great Britain is tion of the war in which we are in. forcibly reminded of the elevation to volved, and to pray his majesty that which France had been raised by he will, in his paternal goodness, the combinations to destroy her afford, as far as is consistent with his power, and the successes of the new own honour, and the interests of his contest are predicted; we are told, people, every facility to any just " that amidst all the chances of war, arrangement by which the blessings of the emperor of France will renew peace may be restored to his loyal the negotiations upon the basis laid subjects.”—This motion in concert with the illustrious minister 'conded by Mr. Johnstone.

The whom England has lost." Russia, maine question upon the address being in her manifesto, published after she put, none of the ministers sheving had refused to ratify the treaty any disposition to speak; * See Papers relative to the Negotiation with France No. 55. Enclosure B:

Mr.

se.

Mr. Canning rose, and freely ac- with a little more patience and dex.

a knowledged that bis suspicions of the terity, we should have found France conduct of ministers in the negotia. ready to give such terms as it became tion, were pointed quite another his majesty's ministers to accept. way than the charges brought against He could not believe that there was, them by Mr. Whitbread; whose from the beginning, any other inten. speech coming from one of their own tion on the part of the enemy than to body, from a friend and champion delude and amuse us. He considered of their former politics, himself still the false statements in the declara. apparently maintaining opinions, tion, as only so many ill contrived which they, very much to their own attempts to conceal or excuse their credit and the advantage of their having been so amused and deceived. country, had relinquished, he did not And, so far from conceiving the expect they would have suffered to rupture of the negotiation to have remain unanswered. And he should been premature, while he agreed in have thought that the noble lord thinking the opportunity ill chosen, (Howick) who had made, or whose he blamed only that choice which let opinions had dictated so

many so many better opportunities pass motions in that house for peace and by ; that suffered a negotiation, negotiation in the course of the last which, it was evident, from the twelve years, would have sufficiently earliest stage, must terminate as it felt the pride and the comfort of the had done, to be protracted by the situation in which he now stood, the artifices of the enemy, to his adranadvocate for the justice of the cause tage alone, and to the infinite detri. of his country against France, not ment of this country. to have omitted an opportunity of Mr. Canning, following the order vindicating that cause against the ob. lord Howick had pursued in his jections of his honourable friend. speech, proceeded to state the Since, however, neither the noble grounds on which he had formed lord himself, nor any of his col- those opinions. It would serve but leagues had thought it worth their little purpose, did our limits admit, while to endeavour to counteract the to follow Mr. Canning, in a speech impression which Mr. Whitbread's of very great length, into new disspeech was calculated to produce, cussions about the uti possidetis, he felt himself obliged, though very and the correspondence between the reluctantly, at so late an hour, to French and English ministers and state his opinion of the question now negotiators. But two points in that before the house. He agreed with speech claim attention. Mr. W. that there were assertions While Mr. Canning admitted, and in bis majesty's declaration, not rejoiced in the admission, that the borne out by the papers on the table: good faith of Russia and England but not that the effect of these errors towards each other had been sacredly or misrepresentations, was, to prove observed, he regretted that so that an opportunity had heen lost of laudable a system should not have making an advantageous peace; that been carried fully and beneficially the negotiation had been broken off into, execution ; that there had not prematurely and unnecessarily on been as much wisdom, as sincerity the part of this country, or that, and generosity displayed in the con.

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duct of the alliance ; that a concert, union existed, unless its existence so perfect in principle, had been were known. A concert might be acted upon so negligently or ill-ad- perfectly cordial between two con. visedly, as to lose in policy all the tracting parties; but if its operation main advantages, which such a con. could have been kept secret, if it cert between two great powers was should not be diligently, nay, 'and calculated to produce, and which he had almost said, ostentatiously blaconstituted its principal value-what zoned to the world, it was utterly was, in truth, the main advantage useless for any purpose of larger of such a concert and union between benefit. And what was the fact ? two great powers, such as Russia Was it notorious that England and and England, in a negotiation with a Russia acted in concert ? ---Was not common enemy? Not that it obliged the direct contrary more than sus.

? their respective plenipotentiaries to pected ? ...Was not the mission of communicate with each other, upon M. D'Oubril universally believed to every step that each might advance in be a surprise upon our government ? its trçaty ; not because it bound Was not the omission of any mention each not to conclude without the of Russia in the king's speech at the other. These, abstractedly taken, end of the last session of parliament, were not advantages, but rather dis. understood both here and abroad, advantages. They tended to com. as a tacit abrogation of our alliance : plicate, embarrass, and retard the Russia and England might still be work of pacification ; and might ul. true to each other. Put Russia and timately lead to the rejection of a England together, were no longer peace in the highest degree desireable true to the cause of Europe and of to one party, from the want of some the world. And were not the effects petty object, or the failure of some correspondent with the errors of the unreasonable pretension of the other. policy? What lost Prussia ? Lord But what was the advantage which I. would lament that Prussia did morethan compensated, especially at 'not throw herself upon the courts of a moment like the present, all those London and Petersburgh for counsel mutual inconveniences; and which and assistance. But what indace. made the union of two such powers ment had Prussia to take this as Russia and England, not only a course ? In the declaration which mutual security to themselves, but was published by the court of

common blessing to mankind ? Berlin, at the beginning of October What but that security which it held 1806, it is said, “two negotiations out to mankind, of co-operating for were at that time (when Prussia was

( ends in which all the world was in. 'goaded by France into the measures terested? What but the rallying which led immediately to war) car. point which it afforded to the weaker ried on at Paris ; one with Russia, powers--the hope which it offered of the other with the English ministry. assistance to those who were able to In both these negotiations, the inten.

contend for their freedom, and there. tions of France against Prussia were fuge and protection to those who fled evidently manifested.” And then the to it from tyranny and oppression ? declaration proceeded to specify the But, for the attainment of these obe stipulations hostile to Prussia in jects, it was not sufficient that such an eache' And if, at the same time, at

which this undoubted fact of the that concert be effectual which was separate negotiations with M. known to none but the parties who D'Oubril and lord Yarmouth, were concealed it, and to the enemy who communicated by M. Talley rand to stipulated for its concealment, in the Prussian minister at Paris, he order that he might deny it, and had the goodness, as no doubt he which presented to all other nations, had, of communicating in confidence, no other appearance than that of that sentence of the English secre- disunion of counsels and a diversity tary of state's letter of the 8th of of objects? The reasoning of Mr. April, in which Mr. Fox declares Canning on this point, of a joint or bis persuasion that the project of a separate negotiation, was certainly new combination against France was of great weight and importance. utterly chimerical : then what ration. The other point, of very great con. al Prussian could have advised his sequence in his speech, above alluded king to look for aid against France, to, related to the policy or impolicy from the joint counsels and exertions of an open rupture with Prussia, on of two powers, who were notori. account of Hanover. Prussia, ously pursuing courses separate he observed, at the dissolution from, and independent of each of the confederacy of 1805, other; but each separately and re- by the battle of Austerlitz, or spectively hostile to Prussia ; and of rather by the peace of Presburgh, whom one had voluntarily confessed was compelled to consult her own to France herself, that the day of safety, by concluding a separate such confederacies had gone by, and treaty of peace with France. By that any attempt to revive them this treaty France transferred Ha. would be utterly chimerical ? Mr.

nover to Prussia. From good-will Canning trusted that in all alliances to Prussia ? Oh no. Prussia accepted which this country might hereafter the transfer in the first instance, contract, it would be remembered 66 under the condition that her posses. that, though good faith between the sion of Hanover should not be con. contracting parties was much, it was sidered as valid till a general peace, not all; that such a connection lost and till the consent of the king of half its value, as well as half its Great Britain could be obtained*.” sanctity, when it was not avowed in for a time Buonaparte appeared to the eyes of the world; that what acquiesce in this condition, but no we appeared anxious to conceal, or sooner was he set at ease by the re. afraid to acknowledge ourselves, tirement of the Russian army, than would not readily be believed or he found himself at liberty to press trusted by others; and that 66

sepa

Prussia with less reserve. He in. rately in term but substantially in sisted on the recall of the patent by concert,” was a form of treaty which the occupation of Hanover which had all the disadvantages of was declared provisional, and on the combination, without any of the ports being shut against the British advantages for which combination flag, in the same manner as if the was most to be prized. Ilow could French had returned into the elec.

Prussian proclamation on taking temporary possession of the Electorate of Hanover, January 27, 1806.

torate. Prussia had then no choice did not see what great benefit we had but war, or compliance, at the risk derived from waiting till now to do of war, with England: she saw this so. To prevent our recurring to this risk but could not avoid it. She policy, however, at a period when it 'saw that France, in the words of the might have been more advantageous king of Prussia, “triumphed in se. to us, M. Talleyrand resumed the ne

' cret at the thought of having disunited gotiation. And then came the mes. two courts, the union of which might sage through lord Yarmouth. And have been dan;crous to her.” We then the separate treaty of M. D’Ou. either did not see this, or, seeing, did bril : a treaty.in which, most fortu. not regard it. We fell into the snare; nately for us, Buonaparte and his mi. and the message from the king to nister were betrayed by the intoxica, parliament *, April 21, placed us tion of the success which had so far in a state of war with Prussia. attended their plans, into the demand

Buonaparte had apprehended the of such terms as it was impossible unio of Prussia with the two great for the emperor of Russia to ratify. surviving powers of the confederacy. And then came those tedious bicker. He wished to punish Prussia, to in. ings, those perplexed and wearisome sulate her, to have her at his mercy. bickerings about the uti possidetis, In the space of three months, instead contrived as it would seem, for the of Prussia plotting with England and express purpose which France had at Russia, jointly against France, he heart, of gaining time, of absorbing beheld Prussia at war with England; our whole attention, and of makand England and Russia separately ing the continent vanish from our *negotiating for peace.

view. And thus was the negotiation But, to continueand secure to Buo. protracted till the fate of Prussia was naparte this beneficial state of things, ripe. And then Buonaparte left it was necessary that the negotiation Paris for the field of battle..-- To with England should be resumed. conquer Hanover for England, no Otherwise we might have begun to see doubt!..And the farce, as lord Lau. that war with Prussia, the only power derdale had very properly called it, hy whose aid we could ever hope to was ended. Mr. C. having made make effectual head against France, these explanations of his sentiments was not precisely the policy most concerning the negotiation, was consonant with our interests, and we willing to vote for the address. "might possibly have corrected it be. Lord Henry Petty said, that du. fore it was too late. What, says lord ring the last year it was evident to H. " would your policy have aban. all the world, that the relations of doned Hanover ?" Had his policy, Britain and Russia had never been Mr. C. asked, recovered Hanover? more intimate. No communication .“ What, would you have made com- of what was then passing, made by mon cause with Prussia while you · France to Russia, could have prohad such a just complaint against her. duced the effect he had supposed, of upredressed ?" Mr. C. hoped that hurrying Prussia into a war with we were making, or ready to make, France. If Mr. C..would look at common cause with her now, and he the date of Mr. Fox's letter to

* See Vol. XLVII. History of Europe, page 160.

Talleyrand,