MOTION FOR CENSURING MINISTERS.

Mr. Patten rofe to call the attention of the Houfe to his long promifed motion, and fpoke to the following effect:

"Sir, in bringing forward the motion which I am about to fubmit to the Houfe, I muft fay, I feel great regret that the task has not been undertaken by many Gentlemen in every respect more calculated from their talents and rank to give to it the effect which I think it deferves; and I must confefs, that in rifing this day, my reluctance is very confiderably increafed by the importance of the refolutions which have been fanctioned by the vote of this Houfe. It is now the third time that I have trefpalled upon their indulgence, and in the review of the conduct of his Majefty's Ministers which I have to take, and in the obfervations I have to offer, I fhall endeavour to repay the indulgence I have fo liberally experienced, by detaining the Houfe as fhortly as I poffibly can. It is, however, neceffary for me to detail the particular reafons by which I have been aâuated in fubmitting to Gentlemen the refolutions I mean to propofe, and to justify the line of conduct I have felt it incumbent upon me to adopt. A fhort time before the recefs, I gave notice of a motion, the object of which was, an inquiry into the state of the nation. At that time I was perfectly convinced, from the conduct of his Majefty's Minifters, in withholding all communication fince the conclufion of the Treaty of Amiens, to the period when his Majefty's gracious meffagewas delivered, that they had given ftrong grounds for an inquiry. During fo long an interval nothing was allowed to tranfpire, which could either enlighten Parliament or the public mind. So far were they from communicating the real fituation of this country with refpect to France, that they went fo far as to hold out confident hopes of peace; that at one moment they gave orders for refloring colonies and conquered poffeffions, the next moment counter-orders, and in every important inftance thewed themfelves fo little acquainted with the real views of the French Government, and the true spirit and object of their own, as to furnish against themselves grounds of investigation, which were irrefiftible. However, Sir, I may be found inadequate to the task I have this day undertaken, permit me to affure the Houfe that I have been induced to it by the fentiments I entertain for the welfare and happinefs of my fellow-fubjects of Great Britain. I thought that Parliament and this Houfe were entitled to every kind of communication which could

be

be afforded, confiftent with circumstances and the duty of his Majesty's Ministers I felt that in undertaking it, I . was juftified by the opinion of the people of Great Britain, which left no doubt upon the fubject. If Gentlemen took the trouble to look to the commercial interefts of the country, or to the tranfactions of monied people, they would, find the fufpenfe which then prevailed fatal to every kind of commerce and fpeculation. They would find that trade was locked up in our ports, and that the fpirit of enterprize, the great fource of our opulence when properly directed, was nearly, if not altogether, extinguished. But, Sir, it may be asked, why I undertook a task, to the execution of which I candidly confefs myfelf incompetent. It was upon this ground, that Gentlemen of great talents and rank, not only in the opinion of this country, but of Europe, have been. accufed of aiming, by their difference of fentiment from his Majefty's Minifters, at places and emoluments, and in order to prevent an accufation of fo unworthy a nature from being in the flightest degree countenanced, I came forward, and. propofed the inquiry. It was from that motive, that I, an humble individual, both in talents and fituation, was induced to offer myfelf to the attention of the Houfe I have, however, to ftare that, which I think will not lower me ind the opinion of the Houfe, that I have nothing to hope ar.. to fear from the event of my motion; that I feel a grateful and honeft pride in obferving, I belong to no party, and that I cannot be accufed of having for my object the gratifi-. cation of perfonal or felfith feelings. I know that I have, fince the first notice which I had the honour of giving, fubjected myself to a variety of calumnies, out of this House, to many mifreprefentations, and to invectives of the groffelt kind. As to myself, Sir, I confider thefe calumnies. mifreprefentations, and invectives, beneath my notice. I feel for them the most abfolute contempt, but with respect to other Gentlemen, who are implicated in them, I cannot avoid expreffing my concern that they thould have taken place. I have been reprefented in fome of the public papers as the tool and inftrument of thefe Gentlemen; and in noticing the accufation, I do it merely from my with to 4efcue the right hon. Gentlemen below me (pointing to the Bench on which Mr. Windham, Mr. T. Grenville, Lord Temple, &c. fat) from any imputation which might attach to them upon that account. Let me, at the fame time, affure the House, that I feel no common pride in being claffed with fuch men;

man who have established their character on the highest poffible grounds in this country, and who are looked up to with refpect in every Cabinet of Europe. Upon the subject of the attacks that have been made against the conduct of the First Lord of the Admiralty, I have very little to offer. It has, indeed, been faid, that fifty thips of the line would be ready for actual fervice in the courfe of a very short time, and that and many other things were to be found in papers fuppofed to be connected with Minifters. An hon. Gentleman under the gallery has, on a former occafion, alluded to the immenfe preparations carrying on in the ports of the French Republic, but I cannot bring myself to believe, whatever these preparations have been, that they were defigned against this country. Upon this head, which has been. the fource of much comment and fpeculation, I have fome information to state, derived, I have reafon to think, from undoubted authority. It has been the cause of considerable alarm to the country, to hear that formidable naval armaments were carrying on in the ports of France; yet I have heard, from a quarter which leaves no doubt upon the subjed, that when Lord Whitworth received his Majesty's meffage to Parliament, communicating that intelligence, he himself did not know of any fuch armaments. That this was the fact is confirmed by the statement of the First Conful, and by the pofitive affurances of Monfieur Talleyrand. I am alfo informed of the fentiments of an officer of great eminence in the civil line in France, who declared that the naval force preparing in the ports of the Republic, was not fufficient for the wants and exigencies of the colonial fervice. I now come to a view of the papers and documents which are upon your table, relative to the late negotiation, and the immediate caufes of the prefent rupture. I cannot conceive that there is a fingle man in this Houfe, or in the country, with a fpark of English Spirit in his breast, or a drop of English blood in his veins, who is not fatisfied that the First Conful ultimately aimed a fatal blow at the ruin of our power and independence. But although this is a propofition which cannot be controverted, it does not go to extenuate the measures purfued by his Majesty's Minifters, in their difcuffions with the Government of France. We are called upon to take into confideration the conduct of the King's Miniiters, as it arifes out of the papers on the table; and the refult is, that they have been kept in a continual ftate of aggreffion, infult, and degradation, by the First Conful. I contend, Sir, that the

first act of aggreffion ought not to have been fuffered, that a firm and determined ftand fhould have been made to it, and that fuch an opportunity to contest and invalidate the pretenfions of France, and to enforce our own juft claims, ought not to have been paffed by unnoticed and neglected, as I lament to say it was. But his Majesty's Minifters not only did not think proper to refist a first and fingle act of aggresfion, but they openly admit, from the evidence of the papers upon your table, that they have fuffered patiently and ignominiously a long series of aggreffion, injuries, and degradations. It is to fo ftrange, fo unaccountable a line of conduct, that i feel it my duty this day to object. Have they, or have they not complained of the unjust views, the unbounded ambition, the extravagant fpirit of aggrandisement and encroachment manifefted by the Government of France? We know from their own admiffion, that they have not done fo when they ought to have been most active in their remonftrances and complaints. But at the fame time I readily grant, that all these injuries and caufes of complaint, when taken in the aggregate, form an irrefiftable ground for the vigorous profecution of hoftilities. We have indeed fomething like a new subject of the hoftile views of the French Government in the appointment of commercial commiffioners; but in that cafe, I most decidedly contend, that no remonstrance on our part was neceffary. A remonstrance was, in my humble opinion, on the contrary, a proof of our weakness and fears. What was the conduct which his Majeity's Minifters were in that inftance bound to purfue? They ought to have fent them away at once, as unworthy of credit, and then they thould have followed it up by a demand of fatisfaction. In adverting to the melancholy fituation of Switzerland and Holland, I feel myfelf actuated by confiderations which affect my own country very nearly. I cannot be ignorant that they have contended for their independence and liberties, and cannot but lament that their struggle has proved ineffectual. They have even, in the wretched and abje&t condition to which they are reduced, lefs to hope for than the more fervile province dependant upon France. The petty States of Italy may exist, and even poffefs fome gratification under the power of France, becaufe that gratification neceffarily arifes from a comparison between their prefent and their former fituation, but neither Switzerland nor Holland can be contented under the controul of the French Republic. France can never forgive the impotence, the bold

nefs,

nefs, and the defire to refcue themfelves from the yoke, manifefted by Switzerland and Holland. In the feelings and . wrongs of thefe countries we are deeply implicated, becaufe we have the fame tyranny to oppofe which enflaved them. At the time, when orders were iffued for the furrender of the Cape of Good Hope, were not Minifters as fully acquainted with every act of aggreffion and injury offered by France as they are now, when I have the honour of addreifing you, with the fingle exception of Colonel Sebaftiani's million to Egypt? There are, Sir, many other strong grounds, on the juftice of which I could reft my charges against his Majefty's Minifters, but I thall content myfelf with accufing them of withholding all communication from Parliament; of fufpending the functions of this Houfe; of having iffued fach orders as they were not warranted to do from their own knowledge and conviction: of compromifing the honour and dignity of his Majefty's crown; and of effen-, tially injuring the interefts of his people. I beg, Sir, I may be clearly understood when I ftate, that at this moment Gentlemen are called upon to direct their attention folely to ex- . ternal objects; that this is not a time for them to enter into difputes and contefts with refpect to internal regulations; and that questions of a more important nature, involving as they do the very existence of the country, demand their confideration and decifion. We are now in a crisis which calls for all the talent, all the mental ability, the country can afford; and as we require of the people every aid which their refources and property can fupply, we thould, in our turn, ' contribute to their fecurity, by the exertion and combination of thofe mental powers that are beft calculated to enfure their fafety, and promote their deareft interefts. I thall not trouble. the Houfe any longer, more particularly when I reflect that I have trefpaffed more upon their indulgence than I originally intended. I thall therefore, Sir, read the refolutions which I intend to fubmit to their confideration.

"1. Refolved, That it appears to this Houfe, from the declaration of his Majefty, which has been laid before the Houfe by his Majelly's command, that the conduct of the French Republic, fince the conclufion of the definitive treaty, has been fuch as to be confidered by his Majesty's Minifters as inconfiftent with good faith, moderation, and juilice, and as forming a series of aggreffion, purfued by France for the purpose of degrading, vilifying, and infulting his Maj. fty's Government.

2. That