166 
being put to publications hostile to 
France; the rémoval of the emi- 
grant noblesse and clergy cut of 
the country; and the ¢ deportation’ 
of other emigrants toCanada. All 
this, and much more on the same 
subject, happened long before the 
23d of November. In August it 
was, that captain D’Auvergne was 
seized contrary to every principle 
of justice, and in violation of the 
treaty of Amiens. Long_ before 
November, it was well known, and 
universally acknowledged, that 
France did not mean to indemnify 
the stadtholder, according to the 
spirit of the treaty of Amiens. In 
short, almost every case, that is 
now made, either of itself or con- 
jointly, a cause of war; almost 
every insult of which we so justly 
complain; almost every aggression 
which we are now called upon to 
resent; had occurred before the 
25d of November: and yet, on 
that day, the minister comes down 
to this house, and states, ‘ that he 
Sees no prospect of a renewal of 
hostilities.’ Weare now confirmed 
in our researches, to this period; 
for the same declaration, more 
strongly marked, was made on the 
23d of February following, in the 
reason assigned for increasing the 
establishment of his royal highness 
the prince of Wales, which was, that 
it was a moment of * profound» 
peace; that the measure was one, 
which, though equally necessaryin a 
time of war, the difficulties of such 
time rendered improper to bring 
forward; and therefore a moment of 
‘ profound peace’ was chosen by 
the chancellor of the exchequer as 
the auspicious moment. Thus, 
sit, every argument that held 
good on the 23d of November came 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1805. 
with redoubled force, when held on 
the 23d of February ; every insult 
was then aggravated, every aggres- 
sion which had begun to shew itself 
at the former period, had completed 
and formed itself by the latter. 
By that period one would have sup- 
posed the ministers began to doubt 
the truth of their former specula- 
tions. One would think their 
spirit of prophecy would have been 
a little damped by perverse experi- 
ence. Careless, however, of the 
lessons of experience, and heedless 
of future fame, they boldly state, 
on the 23d of February, that the 
country is in profound peace, and 
that no discussions existed at that 
moment between the two countries. 
Dates and facts are the witnesses 
I call to the veracity of the king’s 
ministers. On the 9th of Feb. 
lord Hawkesbury directs lord Whit- 
worth to remonstrate against the 
publication of Sebastiani’s report. 
On the 17th that remonstrance is 
made. On the 21st of Feb. lord 
Whitworth had the famous audi- 
ence of Bonaparte, which minis- 
ters declare was a decisive proof 
of the hostile views of the first 
consul ; the measure of the insult 
was full; aggressions had followed 
ageressions; the views of France 
upon Egypt, upon the Turkish 
empire, upon Switzerland, upon 
Holland, and upon this country, 
were known and- avowed, Every 
feeling which animates us as Eng~ 
lishmen, had been insulted ; we 
were told by our insolent enemy, 
your press must be made subservi- 
a * | 
q 
_—_ 
ent to my views, you must trans- — 
port the nobles and the priesthood 
who have sought refuge in your 
hospitality, you must import com- 
mercial agents, whom, as my right 
hon, 
