10 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805, 



CHAP. III. 



ParUamcntdrij Proceedings continued. — Discussion of the Rupture -with Spain 

 in the llunse of Commons. — Debate. — Speeches of Mr. Pitt — Gre^ — 

 Amendment tipon the Motion of Address of Thanks for the Production of 

 the Pa/'crs movrd — Sahstance thereof- — opposed by Lord Castlercagh — svjy- 

 portcd b'l I'M) I Temple — Speech of Sir John Nicholl — Debate adjourned — 

 resumed next Dmi — Mr. Raine — Bankes — //. Addingfon ^Dr. iMivrence 

 — iSIr, Fox — Pitt — Division — Original Address carried Cthe Amendment 

 being negatived) hj/ a great Majority. — Vote" of ik' House of Commons 

 for the Miscellaneous Strviccs of the Year, 



THE highly important and inte- 

 resting subject of our last 

 c^.apfer, w£s discussed cii the same 

 diiy in the house of coinmons, and 

 produced a long and animated de- 

 bate. The addrtss was moved by 

 the ehantellor of the exchequer, who 

 took a retrospectirc view of the 

 aspect of our relations, and the 

 progress of the discussions wifh 

 Spain, previous to the war. He 

 adverted to the olTensivc and defen- 

 sive treaty of St. Ildcfonso, by 

 V Iiie'i, besides guaranteeing their 

 territories, &c. the parties bound 

 ihem with 15 ship* of the line and 

 ^4,000 men, the demand of the 

 requiring party to be taken as con- 

 clusive of the necessity, and without 

 enquiring into the justice or policy 

 of the "uar : — and further, they were 

 to assist each other with their whole 

 power, if the stipulated succours 

 should be insufTicitnt. This treaty 

 of itself made Spain ipso facto a 

 princi]wl in the war, and tlie more 

 so as the oticuiiive provisions were 

 spcGificailyt'.irectf d against England. 

 TkQugh hii> majesty's ministers were 



entitled to claim a elear and distinct 

 renunciation of the offensive articles, 

 yet the degraded and humiliating 

 situation of the Spanish nation, 

 dictated to them a spirit of modera- 

 tion and generosity, and the more 

 so as the Spanish court then seemed 

 as desirous to get rid of their en- 

 gagemcnts as we were to detach 

 them from their ally. That mode- 

 ration and forbearance, however, 

 mast hare their limits, and Spain 

 not be suffered to accumulate fleets, 

 armies, and treasure, which France 

 might, when it pleased, call into 

 activity against Great Britain. The 

 commutation afterwards made by 

 Spain of assistance in kind into pe- 

 cuniary aid, did not alter our case ; 

 for as we did not admit the one, we 

 were not bound to admit the other. 

 Spain refused to give any e.\plana- \ 

 tion of the amount of the pecuniary 

 subsidy, but, from every information 

 Mr. JVere could procure, he had 

 reason to think it was three millions | 

 a-ycar. Such a sum nuist undoubt- 

 edly be meant for unlimited succour, I 

 or as an equivalent for the employ- 

 1 mentl 



