in form, even if he could agree to it in substance: in point of form, such a motion could only be made as an amendment on a motion, proposing to adjourn to a longer time; but his principal objection was, to the substance of the motion. He had not stated last Friday, that lord Whitworth had quitted Paris, although he had reason to apprehend it; nor could he now express whether he was, or was not, on his way from thence. He had no communication to make, and should move, the house to adjourn till Monday.

Mr. Canning wished the minister expressly to declare, whether or not he expected to be able to make any communication to the house by the next day.

The chancellor of the exchequer answered, that he saw no probability of his Majesty being enabled to make a comunication by to

morrow.

Mr. Grey felt some doubts upon the subject: he had himself received intelligence last Friday,when the house was sitting, that lord Whitworth had not left Paris; and possibly, this night or to-morrow morning, the decisive result of the negociation might arrive. He thought any information was better than the present state of suspense. The noble lord's motion was then withdrawn, on the speaker's declaring it to be informal, and

The chancellor of the exchequer then moved, that the house should adjourn till Monday.

Mr. H. Lascelles thought, it would be better to adjourn till tomorrow; but as, on Friday last, he found, that he had voted with men who were the systematic opposers of administration, he should not

now give a vote, lest he should seem to pre-judge the question.

Mr. Fox ironically lamented the aukward predicament of the last speaker, who was afraid to vote at all, for fear the systematic opposers might vote on the same side. He did not however seem in so much dread of the systematic supporters of ministers, in his fears of being thought to pre-judge the question; but he wished to know,what question it was supposed, he had intended to pre-judge. Was it in favor of peace? Although he (Mr. Fox) and his friends were known to be attached to peace, yet there was another set of gentlemen who had been called "the blood-hounds," who were certainly not supposed to be very favorable to that system, and yet they had also voted with him on that occasion. Supposing accounts should be received of a favorable issue to this negociation, it would be better that the house should know it to-morrow than on Monday; or, if any decisive result was known, that house was the proper medium of communication, between the king and his subjects. He did not wish, however, to divide the house upon the question.

Lord Hawkesbury was for the adjournment to Monday, because, he conceived it inconsistent with the dignity of that house to sit at unusual times, merely for the chance of hearing an oral communication; and because it was impossible for his majesty to give any other by to-morrow, even if the accounts should arrive.

After a few words from Mr. Martin and Dr. Lawrence, the motion of adjournment till Monday was agreed to.

and Holland, at the date of his majesty's message, as the French government positively denied, that there existed any such preparation, and that there were only two frigates fitting out in Holland, and two corvettes in France at that time! Mr. Grey concluded, by proposing his first motion, for papers respecting violence committed to British subjects and property in the ports of France.

Lord Hawkesbury in reply said, that it was not insisted, that any of those particular grounds, was of itself a cause of war; but all together amounted, in his opinion, to a mass of aggression, which would completely justify the conduct of his majesty's ministers. He thought the honorable gentleman had taken an exaggerated view of those points on which he grounded his motion. It was not necessary that France should positively deny satisfaction; if she constantly evaded it, it was evidence of a hostile disposition: he therefore opposed the motion.

Mr. Whitbread thought the motions proper; in all events, he thought, it would be incumbent on ministers to prove in their justification, that they had acted cautiously, as well as zealously; and that it was not through their fault, that grievances had been allowed to accumulate, when that accumulation was now made the ground of actual hostility.

Lord Castlereagh, thought ministers had given every degree of information, that their duty allowed them; and, that they had exposed themselves to a severe ordeal, by laying before the house, the whole history of their conduct since the treaty of Amiens.

Mr. Windham supported the motion, and thought information was necessary on all these points which Mr. Grey had mentioned: he censured the conduct of ministers in wrapping themselves up in affected mystery, when all that was wanted, was, the substance of the information in their power.

The chancellor of the exchequer said, that there was only one of the many motions made by Mr. Grey, that he should feel himself bound in duty to resist; that was, the motion with respect to the armaments going on in France and Holland at the time of his majesty's message: he would however say, that Mr. Liston had informed government, that there was a body of 10,000 troops encamped in Holland; and the house would recollect, that the first consul had himself told all Europe in his exposé, that he should keep 500,000 troops ready to support his negociation with England; and that only a fortnight before the message, when France was at peace with the continent, a new and extraordinary levy had been made by conscription.

After some observations from the secretary at war, and the master of the rolls, on the impolicy of producing those documents, Mr. Grey made a very able and animated reply.

The question being put on his motions, they were all carried, excepting those which related to the armaments, and those respecting the remonstrances concerning the attairs of Holland and Switzerland.

On the 20th, Lord Borringdon in the house of lords, moved also for further

further papers, with respect to the violence committed on British shipping, with respect to captain D'Auvergne, and to the contre projét, which, it was understood, that the French government had presented.

Lord Pelham, had no objection to the first motion. As to that respecting captain D'Auvergne, he should enquire whether any written documents existed; but, at to the third, no official communication could be laid before the house, as there existed only a proposition, which was not official, but had been made in confidence; he professed, however, every desire of giving information, on the other points.

Lord Borringdon, then withdrew his motion: being content to leave it to the noble secretary, to bring forward his motion at his own time.

Earl Fitzwilliam, moved for papers exactly similar to those moved the day before, in the house of commons, with an addition of a motion, with respect to the interference of France in the Ionian republic.

Lord Pelham, replied to those different motions, in a manner nearly similar, to what had been done in the other house, by lord Hawkesbury. As to the Ionian republic, sufficient information was already given; and it would be both unnecessary and impolitic, to give any more detailed information of the armaments in France and Holland.

self satisfied with the explanations of lord Pelham; he felt no fear of French preparations, unless they could come under the sea, to invade this country.

Earl Stanhope denied, that he had ever stated the possibility of such a scheme; but that he considered, with great alarm, a secret for destroying our ships, communicated to the first consul, by an American gentleman, of the name of Fulton.

Lord Borringdon, called his lordship to order, as departing wholly from the question; and lord Fitzwilliam's motion was then withdrawn.

On the same day, in the house of commons,

Lord Hawkesbury laid before the house, several papers, which had been voted by different addresses from that house.

Mr. Sheridan, thought the papers of such importance, and being so voluminous, that he wished the discussion to be put off, for some days longer.

Mr. Grey, wished for the utmost possible information, to enable the house to judge, whether, even now, war might not be prevented?

Lord Hawkesbury, required some time to consider, whether he could, with propriety, bring forward any farther information.

Mr. Sheridan, then moved for papers, respecting the remonstrances made, in consequence of the French troops continuing in Holland; and Mr. Johnstone, wished to know, whether Russia had refused to ga

Earl Fitzwilliam, declared him

General

General Gascoygne, moved for a great variety of papers, the principal of which were relating to the island of Malta; the assumption of the isle of Elba, and the Italian republic by France; and the annexation of Piedmont; and also with respect to the cession of the colonies in the West Indies, and elsewhere, which ought to have been retained, as well as Malta.

Lord Hawkesbury, agreed to the motion, respecting the cession of the West Indian colonies, but found it his duty to move the previous question on the others.

'Mr. Windham censured, in the strongest terms, the conduct, which it was generally supposed, that ministers had pursued, with respect to the deputies from the island of Malta. Those deputies, as it was said, were not suffered to wait on lord Hobart, at his office, for fear of giving offence to the French govern

ment.

The chancellor of the exchequer denied, that any indignity had been

offered to the Maltese deputies; they had received every mark of respect and kindness, while they staid in this country; and when they went, a ship was specially provided for them. They had testified, in a letter, of which lord Hawkesbury had read an extract, their satisfaction at the arrangements which had been made.

After some observations, from Dr. Lawrence, Colonel Graham, and Mr. Ward,

Mr. Canning consented to vote. for the previous question, on the assurance of the noble secretary (lord Hawksbury), that, at a future time, there would be no objection to entering into the discussion of the conduct of Government, with respect to those Maltese deputies.

After several mutual explananations, the previous question was carried, on all the motions, excepting that which related to the cession, of the conquered colonies, in the West Indies.

CHAP.