Reason, in obedience to the command of the French minister replied, that the first Buonaparte's friend and predecessor, Maxi- consul felt himself in no way responsible to milian Robespierre. the emperor on a point which did not conThe assumption of the imperial dignity cern his interest; and that if his majesty by Buonaparte gave a new interest to the intended to form a new coalition in Europe, political concerns of Europe; and the time and to recommence the war, there was no had now arrived when the Germanic body need of empty pretences. Two months was no longer to be considered as united elapsed before a reply was made to this paunder one head. per; but on the twenty-first of July, M. In the month of August, the emperor D'Oubril, the Russian charge d'affaires, Francis issued a decree, by which his title complained that it was by no means an anof emperor of Germany was changed for swer to the note he had delivered. An imthat of Austria. The council of state de- portant correspondence ensued, during which clared the object of this measure to be "the the king of Sweden appeared to be anipreservation of that degree of equality which mated with a resolution to support the prinshould subsist between the great powers, ciples of the laws of nations, and to make and the just rank of the house and state of common cause with the emperor Alexander. Austria among the nations of Europe." The The emperor of Russia's appeal to the emperor further urged, that, in conferring diet of Ratisbon had little effect on the Gerupon his family an hereditary imperial title, manic body. The king of Prussia evinced he was following the example of Russia in no disposition to resist the aggressions of the last century, and of France in the pres- Buonaparte; and the majority of the other ent day. This event was hailed with undis-states were fearful of the renewal of a consembled joy by France and Prussia; and test, in which they might risk more than when it was announced to the diet of Ratis- they could hope to gain. The emperor Albon, it excited no animadversion, except exander, in warmly remonstrating against from the king of Sweden, who considered the usurping spirit of France, had insisted this change so inseparably connected with upon the evacuation of the kingdom of Nathe composition of the German empire, that ples and the north of Germany by the it should be laid before the diet as a subject French, and the indemnification of the king for deliberation. No tribute could have been of Sardinia. The refusal of compliance ocmore flattering to Buonaparte than this con- casioned the Russian resident to demand his cession, which not only made the sovereign, passports; and both parties made preparahitherto considered as the first in Europe in tions for a renewal of hostilities. Austria. point of dignity, more recent in the creation of title than himself, but even recorded his example as one of the motives of the conduct of the emperor Francis. DISPUTE BETWEEN FRANCE AND RUS- AND GENOA. in the mean time, was employed in repairing the losses which her armies had sustained in the late war, and in improving the condition of her military establishments. Buonaparte spared no effort to acquire the means of meeting the British navy on equal terms. He had now at his disposal the fleets of Spain; and, by a convention concluded THE renewal of the war on the continent on the twentieth of October, he obtained had been some time confidently expected, from Genoa, in return for some commercial and the appointment of lord Granville Leve-advantages, the service of six thousand season Gower, as ambassador to the court of men during the war, and the use of the harSt. Petersburgh, served to strengthen the bors, arsenals, and dock-yards. Thus the opinion that another continental alliance was port of Genoa was virtually ceded to him, on the tapis. On the fifth of May the em- under an engagement that the Ligurian reperor of Russia presented an energetic note public should, at its own expense, enlarge to the diet of Ratisbon, on the seizure of the the basin for the reception of ten sail of the duke D'Enghien, expressive of his astonish-line, which were to be immediately conment and concern at the event; to which structed. GEORGE III. 1760-1820 CHAPTER XXXV. Letter from Buonaparte to His Majesty-The Answer-Addington raised to the Peerage, and joins the Ministry-Other Appointments-Opening of Parliament—King's Speech-Supply-Budget-Catholic Claims-Vote of Credit-Proceedings against Lord Melville-Resignation of Lord Sidmouth and the Earl of Buckinghamshire— Illness of Pitt-New Coalition against France-Commencement of Hostilities— Surrender of General Mack-Buonaparte enters Vienna-Advances into Moravia— Movements in Italy-The Archduke Charles falls back towards Vienna-State of the Russian Forces-Battle of Austerlitz-Armistice-Return of the Russians-The Archduke Ferdinand defeats a Corps of Bavarians-Treaty of Presburg-Treaty between France and Prussia-French Fleets put to Sea-Attempts on the West India Islands-Lord Nelson's Pursuit-Sir Robert Calder's Engagement with Villeneuve-Victory of Trafalgar, and Death of Lord Nelson-War in India-Ita Termination-Marquis Cornwallis appointed Governor-General-His Death. LETTER FROM BUONAPARTE. |chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster. On PITT was employed in laying the founda- the fifteenth, the session of parliament was tion of a new confederacy against France, opened by his majesty in person. The speech as soon as an opportunity should occur for from the throne announced that the preparacarrying it into effect, when ministers re- tions for invasion were still carried on by ceived a letter, written by Napoleon's own France with unremitting activity; that hand, and addressed to his Britannic majesty. Spain, under the control of the French govThis unusual mode of communication, which ernment, had issued a declaration of war he had before adopted upon his accession to against this country; and that the pacific the office of first consul, was chosen from a communications from France had been met professed desire to disengage so important a by a corresponding disposition on the part of transaction from the intrigues of cabinets, his majesty. The usual addresses passed and the perplexities and delays of diplomacy. unanimously in both houses. On the twenty-third of January, one hunAfter adverting to his recent elevation to the throne of France, and lamenting the un-dred and twenty thousand men, including necessary effusion of blood, he said he con- marines, were voted by the house of comsidered it no disgrace to take the first step mons for the service of the navy, for the towards conciliation; for, though peace was year 1805; and a sum not exceeding two the wish of his heart, war had never been million eight hundred and eighty-six thouinconsistent with his glory. As it had never sand pounds for the payment of the men. been customary for the English sovereign to At the same time, the sum of two million communicate directly with a foreign poten- nine hundred and sixty-four thousand pounds tate, an answer was returned by lord Mul- was granted for victualling, and four million grave, addressed to the French minister, in- six hundred and eighty thousand pounds for timating his majesty's wish to procure the wear and tear of shipping, &c. The numblessings of peace on terms compatible with ber of men actually employed in the navy the permanent security of Europe; but stat- at this time amounted to one hundred and ing the impracticability of more fully meeting eight thousand. On the fourth of February, the overture now made, until he had com- the secretary at war moved the army estimunicated with the powers of the continent mates of the year, which amounted to twelve with whom he was engaged in confidential million three hundred and ninety-five thousand four hundred and ninety pounds seven connexions and relations. APPOINTMENTS IN THE MINISTRY.-- shillings and sixpence, for three hundred and twelve thousand and forty-eight_men, OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.-SUPPLY. 1805.-PITT found it expedient to renew under the different heads of service. In the his connexion with Addington; and that budget, which was opened on the eighteenth, gentleman having been called up to the house the minister stated the joint charge of supplies of peers by the title of viscount Sidmouth, for Great Britain and Ireland at forty-four was, on the fourteenth of January, 1805, ap- million five hundred thousand pounds. Among pointed to succeed the duke of Portland, the ways and means were a loan of twenty as president of the council. At the same million pounds for England, and two million time lord Mulgrave was appointed secretary five hundred thousand pounds for Ireland: for foreign affairs in the place of lord Har- several new war taxes were imposed; an rowby, and the earl of Buckinghamshire laugmentation of one-fourth was laid on the PROCEEDINGS AGAINST LORD MEL- property tax, and of one-half on the duty on porter, for regulating the department of salt. This being strongly objected to, as likely treasurer of the navy; and to the order of to be injurious to the fisheries, considerable council, by which his salary was advanced modifications were made in their favor. from two thousand pounds to four thousand Petitions from the Roman Catholics of pounds a-year, in lieu of all profits, fees, or Ireland, praying relief from civil disabilities, emoluments, which he might before have gave rise to very interesting discussions; but derived from the public money lying in his the minister declared that existing circum- hands. The charges were classed under stances were unfavorable to their claims, three heads: first, the having applied the and they were rejected by considerable ma- money of the public to other uses than those jorities. On the nineteenth of June, in con- of the naval department, with which he was sequence of a royal message, relative to ne- connected, in express contempt of an act of gotiations pending with some of the conti- parliament; second, conniving at a system nental powers, a sum not exceeding three of peculation in an individual, for whose million five hundred thousand pounds was conduct he was officially responsible; and, granted to his majesty, to enable him to en- third, his participation in that system. To ter into such engagements, and to take such the honor of public men, said Whitbread, measures, as the exigencies of affairs might charges like this have seldom been preferdemand. On the twelfth of July parliament red; and it is a singular circumstance that was prorogued by commission. the only instance of a similar charge, for a great number of years, was brought against Sir Thomas Rumbold by the noble lord himIn the course of this session proceedings self, on the ground of malversations in India. were instituted against a member of admin- With respect to the first charge, it appeared istration, which strongly engaged the atten- from the report that there had been, for a tion of the public. Amongst the measures number of years, deficiencies in the treafor the reformation of the public expendi-surer of the navy's department to the amount ture, meditated or resolved upon by the Ad- of upwards of six hundred thousand pounds dington administration, an inquiry into the a-year. When lord Melville was asked a abuses of the naval department was one of plain question as to the appropriation of this the most prominent; and a bill was passed money, he, as well as Trotter, professed total in 1803, appointing commissioners for that ignorance of the deficiencies; but by-and-by purpose. This bill originated in a great de- the paymaster began to recover his recollecgree with earl St. Vincent, first lord of the tion, and confessed, that from the year 1786 admiralty, a situation to which, on Pitt's re-down to the period at which he was examturn to power, lord Melville was appointed. ined, he had been in the habit of drawing In the meanwhile, the commissioners had out public money, and placing it in the hands produced several successive reports, one of of his own bankers. When the commiswhich, the tenth, appeared to implicate the sioners inquired a little further, he had the new first lord of the admiralty, who had, assurance to tell them that they had no right while he filled the office of treasurer of the to interfere in his private affairs. Lord navy, retained in his hands large sums of the Melville, in a letter to the commissioners, public money, contrary to law. This report acknowledged the fact of advances having Whitbread brought under the consideration been made to him; but said that he could of the house of commons in April, observing not give the other information required, bethat the commissioners had done their duty cause he could not disclose state secrets, and to the public, and it fell to his lot to bring to because he was not in possession of the acjustice those whom they had exposed. The counts of advances made to other departreport involved not only lord Melville, but ments, having himself committed them to Alexander Trotter, his paymaster, Mark the flames; and not only had the noble lord Sproot, a stock-broker, and others. In ex- destroyed the papers, but he had actually hibiting a charge against lord Melville, he lost all recollection of the whole affair! The did not accuse a mere unprotected indi-second charge against lord Melville was, vidual that nobleman had, for a period of that he connived at the appropriation of pubthirty years, been in the uninterrupted pos- lic money to private purposes. Trotter did session of some lucrative office, and had ex- not deny that he had large sums in the hands ercised a most extensive influence; he had of Coutts, his private banker; but said it many individuals attached to him by the was more convenient for the money to be consciousness of obligation; and, though not there than in the bank of England, and more personally present, he had, no doubt, power- secure: and for the truth of this opinion he ful friends in the house who would be found appealed to lord Melville-to lord Melville, ready to undertake his defence. Whitbread who framed and sanctioned the bill of 1785! then referred to the act of 1785, of which to lord Melville, who, not satisfied with the ord Melville (then Dundas) was the sup-regulations of the act of 1785, proposes stik. stricter limitations in 1786! For what pur- every farthing had been regularly accounted pose, however, Whitbread asked, was there for; and it would be found that, of the one so constant a fluctuation in Trotter's account hundred thousand pounds, which, on the face at Coutts's? and why such perpetual drafts of the account, was paid to lord Melville, for money, in the name of Trotter? At the many of the drafts were, in reality, payments time that he was anxious for the safety of for public services. If this could be made what was passing through his hands, was it out, as he was informed it could, it was of always lodged at Coutts's, allowing that to itself a conclusive argument for further inbe the place of fittest security? No, it was quiry; he therefore moved that a select comemployed in discounting bills, in forming mittee be appointed to consider the tenth speculations, in gambling on the stock ex- report of the commissioners of naval inquiry, change. No less than thirty-four million and the documents therewith connected; pounds of the public property had passed that they examine the same, and report their through lord Melville's paymaster's hands; opinion thereon to the house. At the sugand, had Trotter's speculations failed, it was gestion of Fox, Pitt consented, in the first not to him, but to his lordship, that the pub- instance, to move the previous question, lic had to look for redress. While the people Tierney said, that, during the time he was were struggling with the heaviest burdens treasurer of the navy, he felt no inconveniever laid upon them, Trotter, and his silent ence from a compliance with the act of pardiscreet broker, Mark Sprott, were placing liament, and held that the report of the comtheir heads together to lay out the public missioners should be taken as conclusive money to the greatest advantage; and lord evidence against lord Melville. After a Melville never once inquired into his pay- number of observations from the attorneymaster's proceedings. On the third part of general, Canning, the master of the rolls, the subject (the suspicion of criminal parti- and lord Castlereagh, in favor of a select cipation) Whitbread said that lord Melville committee, and from lord Henry Petty, Ponhad found Trotter clerk to the navy pay- sonby, Fox, and Mr. Wilberforce, in support office; he made him his paymaster, and in a of the resolution, the house divided, when short time his agent. In this situation lord there appeared two hundred and sixteen Melville had pecuniary concerns with him votes for, and two hundred and sixteen to a considerable amount, but was unable to against, Whitbread's motion, and the speaker tell the commissioners whether the advances gave his casting vote in its favor. made to him by Trotter were from his own On the tenth of April the chancellor of or the public money. The truth was, that the exchequer announced to the house of lord Melville knew, when he first patronized commons that lord Melville had tendered his him, that, though a man of good family, he resignation of the office of first lord of the had no property but what was derived from admiralty, which his majesty had accepted. his salary it was absolute equivocation, Whitbread said that, had the issue of the then, to pretend that his lordship could be debate on Monday been merely of a personal ignorant of the source whence Trotter was or party nature, he might have been satisfied enabled to supply him with advances. Whit- with lord Melville's removal from the rebread concluded by moving thirteen resolu- sponsibility, dignity, and emolument, attachtions, founded on the circumstances which ed to the situation which he had resigned; he had developed. but he thought it so necessary that his lordPitt, in a long and able speech, remarked ship should be prevented from ever again that there was no allegation in the report, or polluting with his presence the councils of even in the speech of Whitbread, that any his sovereign, that, before any other proloss to the public had been sustained by the ceeding, he should move an address to the transactions under consideration. He ad- throne, praying his majesty to deprive the mitted that the subject was of a grave and noble lord of every civil office held during solemn nature, and that if, in a great money the pleasure of the crown, and to dismiss department, irregularities had been commit- him from the councils of the kingdom for ted, though unattended with loss, it might ever. Whitbread asked whether Pitt was be the duty of the house to set a mark upon prepared to give a pledge to this effect, and such proceedings; but all the circumstances whether Trotter had been dismissed? Canof this case were not before them in the re- ning replied that he had, but he did not think port, and, till they were investigated, the that the case of lord Melville, which, at the house could not be in a situation to come to most, amounted to no more than a bare susany vote. On the face of the accounts, one picion, warranted the severity of the prohundred thousand pounds was the whole ceedings now proposed; and, after a very amount of the advances to lord Melville. It animated conversation, Whitbread agreed was known that, of all the sums of one hun- to withdraw his motion, in lieu of which he dred and sixty million pounds which had moved that the resolutions of the former passed through the hands of his lordship, night be laid before his majesty by the whole house, and on the following day they were were neither used nor meant to be employ presented accordingly. ed for any object of profit by him. He had On the sixth of May, Whitbread moved certainly directed his agent to procure for for the erasure of lord Melville's name from him the loan of twenty thousand pounds, for the list of privy-counsellors, when Pitt said which he had paid regular interest; but it he had reason to believe that the measure was not till within the last six weeks that was considered, generally, as expedient; and he knew Trotter was the lender of the he had therefore felt it his duty to recom- money. After explaining the nature of his mend it. He had not given this advice transactions with respect to the loyalty loan, without a bitter pang, but he could not to which he subscribed the sum of ten thousuffer feelings of private friendship to inter- sand pounds, his lordship said, when he defere with what he found to be the declared stroyed all vouchers, it was because he consense of a majority of the house. Whit-sidered them useless, and not from the most bread then inquired whether lord Melville remote apprehension of danger from their held any place of profit during the pleasure existence. He could scarcely believe that of the crown? and, being answered none an impeachment was intended; he was but for life, he withdrew his motion. equally incredulous with respect to an inThe commissioners of naval inquiry had, dictment; and he did not yet despair of rein the early progress of these discussions, ceiving justice from his deluded country. been sedulously occupied in the researches Whitbread then said, the excuse offered arising out of the tenth report; and Whit- by lord Melville for not directly answering bread now gave notice of an intention questions, in consequence of the mixed state finally to move for an impeachment, which of Trotter's accounts, was strange and inwas met on the part of Robert Dundas, son credible. He argued on the suspicious cirof lord Melville, by a requisition that the cumstance of refusing to give any account noble lord should be previously admitted and of the two sums of ten thousand pounds, heard by the house. Leave having been and declared that if his lordship would refer obtained from both houses, his lordship, es- the matter to a jury of honor, consisting of corted by the serjeant-at-arms, advanced the chancellor of the exchequer, Windham, within the bar on the eleventh of June, and and any other person of equal integrity, he entered upon his defence. He solemnly as- should, in case they acquitted him, feel satserted that he never knew that Trotter had isfied. Whitbread concluded by moving drawn any money for the purposes of specu- that Henry lord viscount Melville be imlation, and declared that he had felt highly peached of high crimes and misdemeanors. indignant at the charge that such transac- A long debate ensued, in the course of which tions had been conducted with his privity, Bond objected to an impeachment as cunand that Trotter had enjoyed the advantage brous and expensive, and moved, as an of his (lord Melville's) knowledge of the amendment, that the attorney-general be confidential secrets of government. His directed to prosecute lord Melville for the lordship as positively denied his participa- several offences which appeared to have been tion in the profits of Trotter: he admitted committed by him. The motion for impeachthat, when the money was drawn for naval ment was rejected by a majority of seventypurposes, he had suffered him to place it in seven, and Bond's amendment adopted by the house of Coutts and Co. until it should two hundred and thirty-eight to two hunbe wanted; but that he had ever given him dred and twenty-nine voices: it was, howpower to draw money from the bank indis- ever, ultimately determined, on the twen criminately, was untrue. He certainly did ty-fifth of June, that the mode of prosecusuppose the paymaster derived a profit from tion by impeachment should be resorted the sums invested in Coutts's hands, but he to; and Whitbread was appointed manager, had never considered it as a clandestine or with directions to acquaint the lords on the unlawful proceeding; and the reason he had following day therewith. On this occasion not directly disclaimed any share in those Pitt delivered his last speech in the senate, profits, when examined before the commit- and argued strongly in favor of a trial by tee, was because he had that moment been impeachment, in preference to proceedings informed of the confusion in which his pay- by a criminal prosecution. master's accounts stood, and there was a doubt in his own mind whether he might not unintentionally have received what was his own property from unlawful profits. His THE British cabinet was still in a divided lordship referred to two sums of about ten state; and the conflicting sentiments of its thousand pounds each, the circumstances members threatened to produce a partial relative to which he felt equally bound, by change in the ministry, had no subject of private honor and public duty, never to dis- paramount interest arisen to call them more close; though he affirmed that those sums strongly into action. It appears that, soon CHANGES IN THE CABINET.-ILLNESS |