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and I leave your lordships and the public to judge between us.

Earl Stanhope's Motion for an Address to enter into Negotiations for Peace with France.] Feb. 20. Earl Stanhope said :My lords; not having for several years troubled your lordships with my sentiments on public affairs, I consider it to be my duty, in the present alarming situation of the country, to suggest to your lordships why you ought, and how you might put an end to the war. I have to regret, that the honest, and, I trust, judicious advice I gave early in the war, did not at that time meet your lordship's approbation. If I can prove that the danger arising from a continuance of the war is greater than any that can be reasonably imagined in putting an end to it-if I can satisfy your lordships' that there would be an advantage arising from peace, which it will be impossible to obtain by continuing the contest-if I can prove that you are wasting your resources, even if the war was in certain respects proper, faster than the French republic is wasting her's-I flatter myself I shall have your lordships support. My lords, there is one topic so important, that I cannot wave the discussion of it-I mean the subject of finance. I have in hand pamphlet published by Mr. Rose, the secretary of the Treasury, stating a great number of items, several of which I disapprove, but every one of which I will take, so that we shall not have the debate diverted from the principle to detail. The items stated by Mr. Rose I have endeavoured to bring to a point, the better to enable your lordships to understand them. If ministers shall object to any of the items of the secretary of the treasury, it will be a difference of opinion between ministers and George Rose, and not between ministers and citizen Stanhope. My lords, the melancholy fact proved by this book is, that the expenses of the country, after the war, supposing its immediate termination to take place, would amount to 44,354,000l. per annum. The items are as follow:

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I have stated the whole produce of the country, and the whole of the taxes. The tion I have mentioned; I mean exclutaxes exceed the income in the proporsively of the trade of the country. As to the comparative strength of England and France-when I was a member of the the number of houses in England and other House, I moved for a return, of 1,000,000; and this fact has been ascerWales; they appeared to be about tained, that when you want to know the the number of houses, and multiply by number of inhabitants of a country, get 44, and you arrive nearly at the true estimate. I, however, multiplied by 5: this which, with the population of Scotland, gives 5,000,000 for England and Wales, the population of the French republic: I makes 6,000,000. Now, then, look to find that, including Savoy and Nice, and all those countries it has conquered on the Rhine, the population of France is from 32 to 33,000,000. In estimating the resources of England and the French republic, I shall deduct what the people of this country pay for parochial and county rates, because I have no information of the exact amount of payments of a similar nature made in France. This reduces our taxes to 39,354,000l. and dividing it

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by the six millions of inhabitants in Great Britain, you will find that what the people of this country have to pay in taxes and in tithes will amount to above 61. 10s. for every inhabitant. Now I find by Mr. Rose's estimate, that the whole sum paid by the French republic annually to its government is 15,000,000l.; consequently 15,000,000l. to be paid by 32,000,000 of inhabitants, amounts to less than 10s. each; yet we are told that this country, where we pay 6/ 10s. is the best governed country in the world; and France, where they pay only 10s. is oppressed by its rulers, distracted in its councils, ruined in its finances, and incapable of defending itself! The next point to which I shall draw the attention of your lordships is, the comparative state of the cultivation of England and France. I have been in several districts in Devonshire, and I find, in that one county, more waste land than there is land altogether in Middlesex. With respect to France, since hunting in the country has been so much diminished, - that is, since the revolution, and the overthrow of the feudal system, it has been remarkably well cultivated. What a noble lord (Auckland) says as to the cultiva tion of France, proceeds upon a misstatement: he tells you there is no corn in France, at least not sufficient to afford any supply to this country, because M. Neckar stated some years ago that France did not upon an average, produce quite corn enough for its own consumption; but he should recollect, that since that period the country has been materially changed, the land has experienced a higher degree of cultivation, and that cultivation has been accelerated by the labour of the women as well as the men. The people of France have been much diminished by emigration and war; therefore it is to be presumed, that with their decreased population and increased state of agriculture, they may have corn to spare for exportation. Besides, look to the rich and fertile countries along the Rhine, that did not belong to France at the time when M. Neckar wrote; and it is very material here to observe, that those fertile countries along the Rhine communicate to Great Britain by water carriage, and that from their not having been able, on account of the war, to carry their produce by sea to other countries, nor to the south of France, there is every reason to think that corn might be procured in great quantities from those countries, to relieve

the present alarming scarcity in Great Britain. What I mean to offer as an argument from this is, that if you take the produce of the whole cultivated land of Great Britain, and the whole cultivated land of new France, that is to say, of the whole country, extending from the Pyre. nees to the Rhine, and from the English channel to the Alps, to the same market, the amount of the latter would be six times as much as the former; so that the produce of the land of France is upwards of 200,000,000l. more than that of England and its dependencies, including also the 14,000,000l. stated by Mr. Rose as the balance of trade in our favour. Consequently, giving ourselves all the benefit of our trade, and supposing France to have none at all, still the advantage in favour of the republic is considerably above ten to three. Then, I ask, what ground is there for stating France as a ruined country, and incapable of carrying on the war? Suppose two men of equal income, and one of them does as France does, that is, lives within his, while the other, like England, exceeds it; can these be put in competition with each other, as to whose finances will hold the longer? Besides, if there are two men of equal income, and one pays 6l. 10s. a year for every 10s. which the other pays, is there any comparison between them? Is not the man who pays no tythes more capable of supporting himself than he who does pay them? Then, as to the assistance you can derive from national lands, you have none. Again, suppose two men, one with a clear unencumbered estate, and another with a mortgaged one,-must not the man with the mortgaged estate be first exhausted? And the national debt is clearly an enormous mortgage on the lands of England. Whereas the French, by carrying on the war without borrowing any con. siderable sum, are in that respect in a much better situation than Great Britain. If this is not palpable, then there is no truth in arithmetic. I assert, that inevitable ruin awaits the country, if you go on with the war. When the people of France are paying 10s. a head, and those of this country 6. 10s. will it not have a material effect on your manufactures as soon as peace arrives? How can you contend against France, while the price of labour is at so enormous a rate? How is it possible you can prevent her from underselling you in the markets? Depend upon it, whenever by imposing taxes you con

1509] to enter into Negoliations for Peace with France. A. D. 1800.

(1510

ple at a cheap rate. You will ask how they preserve it? I will tell you. There are means of drying wheat made use of in Geneva by which they can keep it fifty years; when you dry it and expel the moisture from it, it is no longer capable of corruption. I have ate bread made of wheat that has been kept that time, and it has been extremely palatable, as much so as any other. 6. War renders it necessary you should take up, for the conveyance of troops, ships that ought to be employed in bringing corn from abroad; there are plenty of places in the Netherlands whence you could have a supply. And, 7. This unfortunate war has shut up the ports of those countries that could supply you; by peace you will open them and restore plenty. My lords, I love the true principles of the constitution: but I know it has its abuses, and I wish to see those abuses corrected. I am come down to this House, to implore your lordships most earnestly, and upon my knees, to put an end to the calamities of this cruel war, to preserve the country, and to save the people. Ministers cannot say these things were not foreseen. I desire to have the protest of earl Stanhope, of February 1st 1793, read. [The Protest was then read.*] What I prophesied has come to pass; and I repeat, that if you continue the war, you will put the neces saries of life beyond the reach of the poor. There will be a general cry for peace if you do not make it. After some further observations, the noble earl concluded with moving,

trive to raise the price of labour, the French will undersell you after peace is made; and then what becomes of your 14,000,000l. the balance of trade in your favour? If the French should be able to undersell you, supposing you were to make peace to-morrow, what must you not expect if this war is to be continued? What but certain ruin to your trade? I should like to know how taxes are to be procured? Where are you to get revenue? Yet we insulted with false statements of the prosperity of this country, and with the flourishing statements of government revenue. There is infinitely more wisdom in the American government, which makes it a boast that its expenses do not exceed 200,000l. annually, than there is in the government of this country, which makes it a boast that it is 40,000,000l. To talk of national prosperity when the expense of a government is so inordinate, is an insult to common sense. I shall now offer you my reasons for wishing to make, and prevent that dreadful evil which war has introduced into the country in the shape of famine. I agree that it is the failure of the harvest, and the very short crops, that produced the scarcity, but the extent of that calamity is occasioned by the war; and, my lords, for my opinion I will give you seven reasons: 1. Provisions are wasted and consumed in time of war, to a greater extent than they are in time of peace. 2. There is a considerable decrease in the operations of agriculture, by taking so many men from their labours in the field to fill up the army and navy 3. Because the war has been a check throughout the kingdom, to the cultivation of waste lands. 4. The effect the war has towards producing the failure of large and extensive commercial houses, for, had it not been for the war, there would have "And farther to represent to his ma been more private capital in the country, jesty, that the shedding of human blood, which might have been employed in pro-and the laying of countries waste, when curing corn from abroad. 5. It is most it can possibly be avoided, are utterly reclear, that the public revenue, which has pugnant to the first principles of morabeen prodigally expended in expeditions, lity and of humanity, and to that duty in building barracks, and in subsidizing which every man owes to his fellow men; foreign powers, might have been em- but that the establishment of a pacific ployed in purchasing a sufficient stock of system, founded upon principles of mocorn, and in building granaries to store it. deration and justice, ought to be the conMy lords, I know something of granaries, stant policy of a wise and enlightened in consequence of having been formerly nation. at Geneva, where, in time of cheapness, they lay their corn in granaries, in order that, when they are visited by scarcity, they may be enabled to sell it to the peo

"That an humble Address be presented to his majesty, earnestly to represent to his majesty, that a state of war is contrary to nature; but that a state of peace is always for the interest of the people in all countries:

"And further to represent to his majesty, that the present war against the

* See Vol. 30, p. 336.

French republic has been expensive beyond the example of any former war, and that it has produced an enormous increase of the National Debt, a most heavy accumulation of taxes, and an alarming and consequent increase in the price of almost all the necessaries of life.

"And further to represent to his majesty, that this House is fully convinced, that peace is essential to diminish the present scarcity of corn; for that, although scarcity may be produced by scanty crops, yet that the danger of impending famine is chiefly to be attributed to the war.

"And further to represent to his majesty, that it is a duty which this House owes to the British nation, from every motive the most cogent, and from every principle the most sacred, strongly to dissuade his majesty from attempting the restoration of the line of princes of the Bourbon family to the throne of France; and most earnestly to request his majesty to be pleased immediately to take the proper measures to negotiate for peace with the French republic."

The Lord Chancellor left the woolsack, not, he said, to observe upon any of the arguments used by the noble earl, but to take notice of a matter which was in the highest degree irregular. The noble earl had caused to be read from the Journals, an extract from a protest of his own, as an illustration of his argument, and the ground of his motion. Nothing could be more contrary to the forms of the House than such a proceeding; undoubtedly it was the privilege of every noble lord to put on the Journals, whatever he thought proper to sign with his name as his protest; but it was extremely irregular to call for any part of a protest to be read in a debate, from the Journals, as if the privilege of entering it made it wear the authority of the proceedings of the House itself. Had it been any other noble lord's protest, he should have immediately prevented its being read; but the reason why he had not taken notice of it at the proper moment was, because he did not feel it necessary to interrupt (what their lordships had heard, sometimes with good humour, sometimes with gravity, but throughout with great patience) the visitation of God, which their lordships had that night witnessed.

lected a protest being ordered to be read, and no objection whatever had been made to it.

The question being put, the House divided: Contents, 2; Not-contents, 26. The Contents were earl Stanhope and lord Camelford.

Earl Stanhope's Protest against the Rejection of his Motion for an Address to enter into Negotiations for Peace with France.] The following Protest was entered upon the Journals:

"Dissentient,

1. "Because I have uniformly considered the war against the French repub. lic as both unnecessary and unjust.

2. "Because I feel revolted at the idea, that the blood of my fellow men is still to continue to be spilt for an unjustifiable object; namely, in order to endeavour to re-establish in France the ancient despotism, and to restore to the throne the Bourbon family, the hereditary princes of which race have, for so many centuries past, disturbed the peace of Europe, and threatened the liberties of this country.

3. "Because this war against the French republic has already operated in a very powerful and dreadful manner to increase the present scarcity of corn in Great Britain; first by the enormously increased consumption and waste arising immediately from the war; secondly, by the decrease of agriculture, arising from so many thousands of men having, for some years past, been taken from the plough, for the navy, army, and militia; thirdly, by the check which it has given to the making of canals, the draining and the flowing of lands, and sundry other agricultural improvements; fourthly, by the failure of many commercial houses, and embarrassment of others, by which means much private capital has been liverted, which might have been employed in procuring corn from abroad; fifthly, by the public funds having been diverted to the purposes of war, unsuccessful expeditions, and fo reign subsidies, and to the building of barracks, which might and ought to have been usefully employed in building_public granaries, and in providing corn for the people; sixthly, by diverting such an immense quantity of shipping from being employed in importing corn into this country; and seventhly, by depriving this Earl Stanhope contended, that he had nation of the immense advantage of renot been out of order in reading an ex-ceiving corn from several of the most fertract from his own protest. He recol- tile countries in Europe, especially from

the Netherlands and other parts of France. 4. "Because the continuance of the present war is in the highest degree alarming, since the effects which must inevitably arise from the further prosecution of the war, when added to the baneful effects which it has already produced, threaten this nation with absolute want and famine; the more especially if another unfavourable harvest should still more increase those calamitous effects which the persevering in this war must, of itself, unavoidably produce. And,

curities, which they shall have remaining in their hands, or be entitled to at the time of such notice to be given as aforesaid; the said governor and company continuing a corporanotwithstanding such notice given, until tion, with an exclusive power of banking, all the money due to them as aforesaid shall be duly paid. That, in consideration of the above proposed extension of their charter for 21 years, and a grant of their other privileges, employments, advantages, and immunities abovementioned, the said gothe sum of three millions sterling for the vernor and company are willing to advance 5. "Because my mind is seriously impublic service, to be paid on such days during pressed with the present most extraorthe present year, and in such manner, as pardinary and awful situation of Great Briliament shall direct and appoint: the re-paytain, which, with an immense navy, im- to be made out at the time of such advance, ment thereof to be secured by exchequer bills, mense credit, immense trade, and the by virtue of an act to be passed in this session seas at her command, is now at the eve of parliament, and to be made payable at the perhaps of famine, and of all its conseexpiration of six years from the date thereof, quent horrors, whilst France, a neigh-charged and chargeable upon the first aids or without interest; the said exchequer bills to be bouring republic, without commerce, and supplies which shall be granted by parlia which has been by his majesty's ministers ment, for the service of the year 1806, and, attempted to be inhumanly starved by a blockade, is now, by means of its internal be granted by parliament for that purpose in case sufficient aids or supplies should not resources alone, possessed of the most es- before the 5th day of April 1806, the same to sential necessaries of life. be charged and chargeable upon and to be repaid out of the consolidated fund: Provided, That the said governor and company shall three millions at any time before the expirahave the option of being repaid the said sum of tion of the said term of six years, in case the price of the three per cent consolidated annuities shall be 80 per cent or more, upon giving six months notice for that purpose to the lords commissioners of his majesty's Treasury; and upon such repayment, the said governor and company shall deduct or allow of six pounds per cent per annum on the sum a discount to the public at and after the rate repaid for such part of the said term of six by order of the Court of Directors, the 13th of years as shall then remain unexpired. Sealed February 1800.

(Signed)

"STANHOPE."

Proposal and Resolution respecting the Renewal of the Bank Charter.] Feb. 21. The House having resolved itself into a committee of the whole House, on the act for establishing an Agreement with the Bank, and the following Proposal being read, viz.

To the Honourable the Commons of Great
Britain, in Parliament assembled. The
Governor and company of the Bank of
England humbly propose,

"

That, in consideration of the advance of three millions sterling, in the manner for the period, and upon the terms herein aftermentioned, they be continued a corporation, with the sole power and privilege of banking for the term of 21 years, from the 1st day of August 1812, with all abilities, capacities, powers, authorities, franchises, immunities, exemptions, privileges, profits, emoluments, benefits, and advantages, which they now have, possess, or enjoy by virtue or in pursuance of their charter, or of any act or acts of parliament, or of any employment by or on behalf of the public: redeemable, nevertheless, after the expiration of the said ex tended term of 21 years from the said first day of August 1812, on one year's notice, and the re-payment of all the principal money and interest which shall be then due and owing to the said governor and company upon all such tallies, exchequer orders, exchequer bills, parliamentary funds, or other government se

This

(L. S.) "ROBERT BEST, Sec." which the public would derive from the Mr. Pitt said, that the advantages renewal of the Bank charter would be, the possession of three millions for six years without interest; the value of which would be between 6 and 700,000l. was the mere gain upon dry calculation, but not the actual gain; for, in the first place, whether the charter of the Bank be wanted, together with a much larger were renewed or not, this money would sum: what interest was to be paid upon the rest of it must depend upon the terms on which the loan was made; nor could he say what the probable prices would be when this sum of three millions was to be replaced, or when it should begin to bear

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