88] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



between Great Britain and Den- 

 mark since the commencement of 

 the year, with a view to a pacific 

 arrangement between the two 

 powers. 



The Earl of Liverpool said, he 

 should confine himself strictly to 

 the motion ; and he would repeat- 

 that the documents moved for had 

 no connection with the subject that 

 was this night to be debated, since 

 the treaty with Sweden was sub- 

 stantially concluded before Den- 

 mark had made pacific overtures 

 to Great Britain. The first com- 

 munication was received from the 

 Danish minister at Stockholm en 

 Feb. 25th. An answer was re- 

 turned on the 28th, which did not 

 reach Stockholm till March 4th, 

 the day subsequent to the conclu- 

 sion of the treaty now on the 

 table. 



Lord Grenville spoke in favour 

 of the motion ; after which the 

 House divided, contents 27 ; not- 

 contenfs, 72 ; majority against the 

 motion, 45. 



The Earl of Liverpool then rose 

 to speak on the main question. 

 He began with adverting to the 

 terrible storm which was impend- 

 ing over Russia, in the last year, 

 when he was invaded by a greater 

 force than was ever before brought 

 against any country. Two things, 

 he said, were necessary to give her 

 a chance of successful resistance ; 

 peace with Turkey, and the co- 

 operation of Sweden. The first 

 was effected chiehy by the media- 

 tion of this country. With regard 

 to the second, France had, by 

 seizing Pomerania, tried the effect 

 of intimidation on Sweden, whilst 

 on the other hand she made large 

 offers to engage her friendship. 

 She, iiovvevcr, preferred making 



common cause with Russia against 

 the enemy ; and was she not en- 

 titled to some indemnification for 

 her loss and hazard ! There were 

 three considerations lObe attended 

 to in discussing the merits of the 

 treaty in question : 1. Were Rus- 

 sia and Sweden justified in en- 

 tering into their engagements ? 



2. Was, or was not, Great Britain 

 justified in acceding to that treaty? 



3. Did she act wisely and politically 

 in acceding? With respect to the 

 first, it was not to be forgotten 

 that Denmark formed part of the 

 confederacy against Russia. She 

 engaged to Buonaparte to occupy 

 the north of Germany with her 

 troops, of which some countries 

 were in alliance with Russia, and 

 thus as completely co-operated 

 with the French as if she had 

 marched with them to Moscow. 

 She made her election, and was to 

 stand by the consequences. As to 

 the justice of the accession of Great 

 Britain to the, engagements be- 

 tween Russia and Sweden, were 

 we not at war with Denmark ? 

 Danish seamen manned the 

 French ships; their ports were 

 shut against us, their privateers 

 were aimoying our commerce. 

 Could it be asserted that we were 

 not as much justified in conquer- 

 ing Norway, as in conquering any 

 other place belonging to Den- 

 mark ? The idea of annexing Nor- 

 way to Sweden was not new. The 

 purpose of sir John Moore's expe- 

 dition had been to co-operate with 

 Sweden in the conquest of Nor- 

 way as an indemnification for the 

 loss of Finland. The nominal war 

 which afterwards ensued with 

 Sweden, had indeed released this 

 country from any preceding en- 

 gagement ; but as she had now 



