176 
expected, that all should approve 
every particular point. They were 
to overlook minor differences, for 
the sake of giving effect to the gene- 
ral scheme of measures and conduct 
which they approved. These, he 
had always understood, were the 
general principles, and he regretted 
that Mr. Pitt had not made up his 
mind to act upon them. He asked 
whether, after surveying the con- 
duct of ministers, during a period 
of unexampled difficulty, he was 
not now prepared to say yes, 
or no, directly to a motion of cen- 
sure ?—On the Russian armament, 
he well remembered, that his right 
hon. friend, and himself, had) not 
thought it sufficient to get rid of a 
motion of censure, by a previous 
question; but, in circumstances, 
when the government in one point 
had given up, yet the charges were 
met boldly, and directly negatived. 
He wished, that on the present oc- 
casion, ministers might either be 
acquitted or condemned. He was 
sure, from what he knew of his right 
hen. friend, that his motives, in 
bringing forward a previous ques- 
tion, were pure and upright; but 
ministers could not acquiesce in the 
discredit of a suspended censure, 
If it were the desire of ministers to 
retain their places, at all hazards, 
they might accept the compromise 
which had been offered; but he 
could not say for himself and his 
colleagues, that they had no desire 
to remain in office, longer than 
they could be useful to their coun- 
try. If he felt himself reduced to 
that situation, in which he could 
not serve it with advantage, he 
would carry the seals to the feet 
of his gracious sovereign, and in- 
treat him to appoint a successor 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
more worthy. ~ It was that they 
might not remain in office distredit- 
ed and useless, that he must op- 
pose the previous question ; for he 
could not think of remaining an ~ 
hour in office, after having forfeited 
the confidence of the house, and 
the good opinion of the country. 
Mr. Canning rose, with equal 
difficulty of expressing his feelings, 
to vote, for the first time in his life, 
against the opinion of his right hon. 
friend (Mr. Pitt); he had, how- 
ever, no doubt, upon this subject; 
his mind had been long made up, 
and as he perfectly agreed in the 
resolutions brought forward to- 
night, he should vote for them, 
whatever censure they might imply 
against his majesty’s ministers. 
The debate, upon Mr. Pitt’s mo- 
tion of adjournment, continued till 
half past three in the morning; 
when the question was put, and 
there appeared for it 56, against it 
333; being a majority of 277 
against Mr. Pitt! The original 
question was then put upon the re- 
solutions, and negatived by a great 
majority. 
Mr. Fox, and several of his 
friends, retired without voting. 
On the 6th of June, earl Fitz- 
william, after a variety of observa- 
tions, on the conduct of ministers, 
since the treaty of Amiens, con- 
cluded by moying several resolu- 
tions expressive of censure on mi- 
nisters. 
The duke of Clarence, in an 
animated speech, vindicated the 
conduct of the present ministers, 
and imputed to the late adminis- 
tration the embarrassments under 
which the present had acted. It 
was from the war having been badly 
conducted, that it became neces- 
. 
sary 
