* -~ 
ablespeech, in which he first pointed 
theattention of the house to the con- 
duct of our ministers and of France; 
at the time of the treaty of Amiens. 
During the negociation, the first 
consul, in contempt of decency, pur- 
sued his constant system of aggres- 
sion. It was then that he made him- 
self president of the Italianrepublic: 
changed Piedmont into a military 
arrondissement ; annexed Parma 
and Placentia to France; and it 
was after France had thus ag- 
-grandized herself, that our minis- 
ters consented to cede the con- 
quered colonies also. When the 
consul next seized upon Switzer- 
land, our ministers sent a person over 
-to that country with offers of assist- 
ance, which could evidently be pro- 
ductive of no advantage to the Swiss. 
Numerous insults and aggressions 
had been passed over, without any 
Spirited remoustrance, until, at 
length, the report of colonel Se- 
bastiani forced government to retain 
Malta. Heconsidered the uniform 
conduct of the present ministry to 
be such, as neither to command 
respect at home, nor abroad, and 
that they had proved themselves 
‘utterly unworthy of the confidence 
of the public. He then moved 
his first resolution, which described 
the conduct of France in nearly 
the same terms as had been express- 
_ ed in his Majesty’s declaration. 
* The earl of Limerick vindicated 
_ the conduct of administration, in 
the several points which had been 
alluded to by the noble mover.— 
_ As to their conduct with respect 
“to the treaty of Amiens, it had 
een so fully discussed, both at 
the moment that the preliminary 
and definitive treaties were con- 
‘sidered, that it would be a waste 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
161 
of time to discuss it over again.— 
As to their conduct with respect 
to Switzerland, it was not their 
fault, that the continental powers 
would not interfere to save it. In 
the negociation which had ended 
in war, he thought they deserved 
approbation instead of censure; 
they had avoided war as long as it 
was possible to avoid it with honor, 
He concluded by dwelling, with 
great animation, on the rooted hos- 
tility of the first consul towards 
this empire, and his desire to re- 
move from the neighbourhood and 
eyes of the French people, the 
image of a free country. 
Earl Grosvenor defended the 
conduct of ministers, and moyed 
the previous question on Lord Fitz- 
william’s resolutions. 
Lord Mulgrave, thought the pre- 
sent time improper for such dis- 
Cussions, as the greatest unanimity 
was now required; he therefore 
moved the question of adjourn- 
ment. 
The earl of Caernarvon depre- 
cated an adjournment, and con- 
demned with the utmost severity, 
the conduct of Ministers. They 
had found the country at the time 
they had the presumption to un- 
dertake its government, in the pos- 
session of many valuable acquisi- 
tions, which had been the fruit of 
former victories. These they had a- 
bandoned to France! Whatever pri+ 
vate virtues ministers might possess, 
he considered the want of talents to 
be as highly criminial in those who 
have the direction of state affairs, as 
he did the want of courage to be 
in an officer. 
Lord Ellenborough said, he 
could not sit still in his place, 
when he heard the capacity of mi- 
M ; nisters 
