4 
360 
fupported his motion ; and after Mr. Wil- 
berforce had fpoken a few words in fup- 
port of it, leave was unanimoufly given 
to bring in the Bill. The next day Mr. 
Abbot brought in a Bill to afcertain the 
Population of Great Britain, which was 
then read a firff time. 
Mr. Sheridan, on the 20th of November, 
made his promifed motion, and after ani- 
madverting warmly on the conduct of Mi- 
nifters, and ftating that the Conftitution 
had never been fo much infringed as by 
them ; he adverted to the failure of the ex- 
pedition to Holland, and to what he term- 
ed a f{candalous expedition to Ferrol, and 
the ftill more fcandalous one to Cadiz, 
which loudly demanded a nationalinguiry. 
After all thefe repeated failures, which 
Mr. Pitt would have highly cenfured, had 
#hey happened during any other admini- 
ftration but his ewn; it was incumbent 
on Minifters to prove to the people they 
had- been fincere m their overtures for 
peace, which was the more to be doubted, 
~as they themie!ves had allowed that the 
general voice was for peace, yet had con- 
gratulated the people on the failure of the Ne= 
gotiation ; he faid that they did not dif- 
charge their duty to the country, if they 
fecretly inftizgated the Empcror to continue 
the war, notwithitanding their feeming 
wiih for the reftoration of general tran- 
guillity. He then concluded by moving, 
that there be laid before the Houfe a copy 
of the articles-of the <Auftrian officer, 
figned at Paris, refpecting the Prelimi- 
naries of Peace between his Imperial Ma- 
‘jefty and the Government of France, as 
referred to in the correfpondence of Mr. 
Otto. This he followed by a long ftring of - 
refolutions refpecting the Negetiation be- 
tween Auftria and France, and the official 
documents relating to the Convention be- 
tween Sir Sydney Smith and General 
Kleber in Egypt. 
The queftion on the firft motion be- 
ing put, Mr. Pitt expreffed himfelf not a 
little furprifed to find Mr. Sheridan on 
that night fo inconfiftent with himielf, 
and fo much at variance with the jenti- 
ments he expreffed at the opening of the 
feffion, when he ftated his determination 
not to fanction any meafure by the intro- 
duction of which, the grand objec for 
which parliament was aflembled, might, in 
the fmalleft degree, be incommoded ; but, 
as that honourable gentleman had thought 
fit to be fo inconfiitent, and to move for 
papers, the irrelevancy and the inutility 
of which were fo felf evident, it was his 
refolution to give him a confiftency he 
did not deferve, without taking any credit 
to himfelf for the obligation, as he was 
convinced, before he fat down, that he 
would perfuade him and the Houfe of the 
truth of the pofition, that the papers were 
izrelevart and ufcic/z In two ways only 
- tot 
State of Public Affairs ix December 1200. — [Jan. ly 
could the object of thefe papers apply é 
either that Egypt was the canufe of the 
war, or that Auftria was not worthy of 
faith. As to the firft, he believed that 
point was argued fufficiently well on a 
former night to refute that affertion ; and 
as to the latter, he had it in his power 
flatly to deny the charge. Ever fince the 
aeceffion of the Chief Conful to power, 
the Court of Vienna had manifefted one 
uniform principle not to treat with France 
but in conjunction with this country ; that 
they did to the very hour of the battle of 
Marengo, that battle which, by one of 
thofe viciflitudes ever attendant upon war, 
placed a proud conqueror in poileffion of 
a {plendid viory. Yet that battle, that 
victory, never changed the fentiments of 
that court ; and fuch was his idea of the 
ftrength and the refources of our auguft 
ally, that, were he called in to give advicé 
to him, he would prefs him to centinue 
the war, notwithftanding “nat battle; and 
he would, from the cordial and folemn 
dictates of his heart, afirmto him, that 
nothing fhort of a bold and decided oppo-- 
fiticn in arms could fave his country. But 
it fo happened, that the magnanimous and 
determined honour of his Majefty the 
Emperor wanted no fuch impulfe, for that 
very day his fentiments aad been received 
ae efie@, under date ef the 4th of No- 
vember, wherein his Maiefty decidedly 
declared, he will enter into no negotiation 
but in conjunction with the King of Great 
Britain. Mr. Pitt proceeded then to fhew 
that thishe hoped would fatisfy the Houfe 
on the only remaining object wnich could 
poihbly induce the honourable gentleman 
to move for thofe papers, viz. the want of 
faith in the Court of Vienna, which was 
direétly contradi&ted by the difpatches of 
that day, and therefore fufhicient to pers. 
fuade the Houfe torejeé& the motion. 
Mr. Hebhoufe defended Mr. Sheridan 
from the accufation of inconfiftency, con- 
tending that any other mode of precedure 
on his part would be inconfiftent in the 
extreme. He entered into arguments to 
prove that rejecting the motion was put-_ 
ting a blind confidence in muinifters, and 
concluded with giving his affent to itd 
Lord Hawkefbury, Mr. Johnftone, Mr. 
Nichols, Mr. Brown, Mr. Martin, and 
Mr. Dundas, were among the other ipea- 
kers. ‘The queftion was then put.on the 
motion; and it being megatived, Mr. 
Sheridan withdrew the remainder. 
Mr. Rofe, on the 21f of November, 
moved the Committee on a bill for re- 
gulating the procefs of making malt front 
damaged barley, and it was committed 
accoraingly. 
Mr. W. Dundas brought up the report 
f the Committee on the petition from the 
Lord Provott and the Magiltrates of Edin- 
burgh, praying parlameaury-aid to a 
” i€ 
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