MOTION FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE ties. From this intolerant principle had of language, opposed the motion. On a diflowed every species of party zeal, every vision this important question was lost by a system of political persecution, every ex- majority of only twenty voices. travagance of religious hate. There were many men not of the establishment, to whose services their country had a claim. Surely WILBERFORCE, at an advanced period of a citizen of this description might be per- the session, brought forward his long exmitted without danger or absurdity to say-pected motion, relating to the abolition of though I dissent from the church, I am a the African slave trade, which was now befriend to the constitution; and on religious come the theme of public execration. Lord subjects I am entitled to think and act as I Penryn asserted, in the course of this deplease. Ought the country to be deprived bate, "that to his knowledge, the planters of the benefit she might derive from the were now willing to assent to any regulatalents of such men, and his majesty be pre- tion of the trade, short of its abolition." In vented from dispensing the favors of the reply to this remark, Fox, with great animacrown except to one description of his sub-tion, declared, "that he knew of no such jects? The test and corporation acts had thing, as a 'regulation of robbery, and resubsisted, it was contended, for more than a striction of murder.' There was no medicentury. True; but how had they subsist- um: the legislature must either abolish the ed by repeated suspensions. For the in- trade, or plead guilty to all the iniquity with demnity-bills were, literally speaking, annu- which it was attended. This was a traffic al acts. Where then would be the impro- which no government could authorize, withpriety of suspending them for ever by an out participation in the infamy." Evidence act of perpetual operation? Let not Great being heard at the bar of the house for sevBritain be the last to avail herself of the eral successive weeks, it was at length, on general improvement of the human under- the twenty-third of June, moved by alderstanding. Indulgence to other sects, a can- man Newnham, "that the farther considerdid respect for their opinions, a desire to promote charity and good will, were the best proofs that any religion could give of its divine origin." Pitt, in an artificial harangue delivered with a great external show of candor, and decorated with a speciousness ation of the subject be deferred to the next session," which was accordingly carried. The session was terminated August the eleventh 1789, by a speech from the lord chancellor in the name of the sovereign. CHAPTER XXI. Meeting of Parliament-Burke's first Philippic against France-The Sentiments of Fox and Sheridan on the same Subject-Opposition to the Motion for Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts-A Reform in Parliament moved by Mr. Flood-and withdrawn-State of Settlements in India-Royal Message announces a Rupture with Spain-The Dispute settled, and a Convention signed-War commenced in India-To defray the Expenses of the Spanish Armament, the Minister proposes seizing the unclaimed Dividends in the Bank-Violently opposed-Compromised— Question whether Impeachments abate or not by a Dissolution of Parliament-Bill in Favor of the Catholics passed-Bill for settling the Rights of Juries in Cases of Libel-The Slave Trade-The Establishment of the Sierra Leona Company— Bill for the better Government of Canada—Burke's Invective against the French Revolution-Answered by Fox-Terminates in a Breach of Friendship—Rupture with Russia—Grounds of the Quarrel—The French Revolution divides the Nation into Parties-Birmingham thrown into a Ferment by an inflammatory and seditious Hand-Bill-Dr. Priestley's House, &c. destroyed. PHILIPPIC AGAINST FRANCE. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.—BURKE'S |pletely pulled down their monarchy, their church, their nobility, their law, their army, WHILE the summer of the year 1789 and their revenue. Were we absolute conpassed away in England without producing querors, and France to lie prostrate at our any memorable transaction, it proved a feet, we should blush to impose upon them period fruitful of commotion on the conti- terms so destructive to all their consequence nent, and will be distinguished to the latest as a nation, as the durance they had imposed posterity as the epoch of the French revolu- upon themselves. Our present danger, from tion. the example of a people whose character 1790. The parliament elected in 1784, knows no medium, is, with regard to gov met for its last session on the twenty-first ernment, a danger from licentious violence of January 1790. In the speech from the-a danger of being led from admiration throne, his majesty slightly glanced at the to imitation of the excesses of an unprinaffairs of France, by observing, that "the cipled, plundering, ferocious, bloody, and ty internal situation of the different parts of rannical democracy-of a people whose govEurope had been productive of events which ernment is anarchy, and whose religion is had engaged his most serious attention." atheism. He declared he felt great concern Lord Valletort, in moving the address, took that this strange thing, called a revolution occasion to contrast the tranquil and pros- in France, should be compared with the perous situation of England with the anar- glorious event commonly called the revoluchy and licentiousness of France, and to tion in England. In truth, the circumstances stigmatize the revolution in that country as of our revolution, as it is called, and that of an event the most disastrous and fatal to France, are just the reverse of each other in the interests of the French which had ever almost every particular, and in the whole taken place since the foundation of their spirit of the transaction. What we did was, monarchy. This language was highly ap- in truth and substance, not a revolution plauded by the old prerogative phalanx, and made, but prevented. We took solid securiwas a tolerable indication of the light in ties; we settled doubtful questions; we corwhich the recent transactions in France rected anomalies in our law. In the stable were viewed by the British court. The sub- fundamental parts of our constitution we ject was resumed upon the debate which made no revolution;-no, nor any alteration took place on February the ninth relative to at all. We did not impair the monarchy. the army estimates. Mr. Burke observed, The nation kept the same ranks, the sanie "that on a review of all Europe, he did not subordinations, the same franchises; the find that politically we stood in the smallest same order in the law, the revenue, and the degree of danger from any one state or king- magistracy; the same lords, the same comdom it contained, nor that any foreign powers, mons, the same corporations, the same elecbut our own allies, were likely to gain a tors. The church was not impaired. Her preponderance in the scale. The French estates, her majesty, her splendor, her orhad shown themselves the ablest architects ders and gradations continued the same. She of ruin that had hitherto appeared in the was preserved in her full efficiency, and world. In one short summer they had com- cleared only of that intolerance which was ner weakness and disgrace. Was little done justly excited indignation and abhorrence. then, because a revolution was not made in He was as ready as Burke to detest the her constitution? No-everything was done; cruelties that had been committed; but because we commenced with reparation, not what was the striking lesson, the awful with ruin. The state flourished; Great moral, that these outrages taught? A deeper Britain rose above the standard of her for- abhorrence of that system of despotic goviner self. All the energies of the country ernment, which had so deformed and corwere awakened, and a new era of prosperity rupted human nature; of a species of governcommenced, which still continues, not only ment, that trampled upon the property, the unimpaired, but receiving growth and im- liberty, and lives of its subjects; that dealt provement under the wasting hand of time." in extortions, dungeons, and torture; and that prepared beforehand a day of sanguinaSENTIMENTS OF FOX AND SHERIDAN. ry vengeance, when the irritated populace MR. Fox, notwithstanding his personal re- should possess themselves of power. The gard and friendship for Burke, thought it people, unhappily misguided, as they doubtnecessary, in justice to the rectitude and less were, in particular instances, had howdignity of his own character, to declare "his ever acted rightly in their great object. total dissent from opinions so hostile to the They had placed the supreme authority of general principles of liberty; and which he the community in those hands by whom was grieved to hear from the lips of a man alone it could be justly exercised, and had whom he loved and revered-by whose pre- reduced their sovereign to the rank which cepts he had been taught, by whose example properly belonged to kings-that of adminhe had been animated to engage in their de- istrator of the laws established by the free fence. He vindicated the conduct of the consent of the community." French army, in refusing to act against This being the first time that the French their fellow-citizens from the aspersions of revolution became a subject of parliamentary Burke, who had charged them with abetting investigation, the house appeared, during a an abominable sedition by mutiny and deser- long and most interesting discussion, greatly tion; declaring, that if he could view a agitated by the shock and conflict of clashstanding military force with less constitu- ing opinions: but Pitt preserved a cautious tional jealousy than before, it was owing to and politic silence as to the merits of the the noble spirit manifested by the French revolution, contenting himself for the present army; who, on becoming soldiers, had proved with lavishly applauding Burke for the zealthat they did not forfeit their character as ous and seasonable attachment he had discitizens, and would not act as the mere in-played to the principles of the British construments of a despot. The scenes of blood-stitution. AND CORPORATION ACTS. shed and cruelty that had been acted in OPPOSITION TO A REPEAL OF THE TEST France, no man," said Fox, "could hear of without lamenting. But when the grievous THE spirit, however, by which the govtyranny that the people had so long groaned ernment was now actuated, appeared with under was considered, the excesses they had less reserve in their conduct towards the committed in their efforts to shake off the dissenters. Since the very favorable and flatyoke could not excite our astonishment so tering decision of the last session, relative much as our regret. And as to the contrast to the repeal of the test and corporation acts, Burke had exhibited, respecting the mode the dissenters had made the most strenuous in which the two revolutions of England and unremitting efforts to increase their parand France were conducted, it must be re-liamentary friends. They had held provinmembered, that the situation of the two cial meetings in every part of the kingdom, kingdoms was totally different. In France, and in their public resolutions, not only gave a new constitution was to be created. In the most unequivocal proofs of their joy at England, it wanted only to be secured. If the late events in France, but, in contemplathe fabric of government in England suffer- tion of the approaching general election, ed less alteration, it was because it required recommended a preference in favor of such less alteration. If a general destruction of members as had shown themselves friends the ancient constitution had taken place in and advocates of equal and universal liberty. France, it was because the whole system In the stead of Beaufoy, a friend and partisan was radically hostile to liberty, and that every of the minister, Fox was now solicited to part of it breathed the direful spirit of des- move the repeal of the acts in question, to potism." Sheridan, with still less reserve which he gave a ready and generous assent. and attention to personal respect, reprobated On the other hand, the clergy of the church the political sentiments which had been ad- of England were not idle. Jealous of every vanced by Burke. "The people of France," appearance of encroachment on their exsaid Sheridan, "it is true, have committed clusive privileges, and alarmed at the preacts of barbarity and bloodshed which have cipitate downfall of the Gallican church, VOL. IV. 29 MOTION BY MR. FLOOD FOR PARLIA- they revived with incredible success the obsolete and senseless clamor, that the church was in danger. Counter-meetings of the Two days after the decision of the house friends of the church were also everywhere upon this business, Flood, so long celebrated convened, in which the repeal of the test as a patriot and orator in the Irish house of was deprecated as fatal to its security and commons, and who had sat some years alexistence. Such were the steps taken by the most undistinguished in the British senate, adverse parties, to impress the nation at moved for leave to bring in a bill upon the large with an idea of the magnitude and subject of a more equal representation of importance of a question, which they had the people in parliament. Mr. Flood's propohitherto regarded with cool indifference. sition was, that one hundred members should On the second of March, Fox brought for- be added to the present house of commons, ward his motion of repeal, which he sup- in a proportional ratio to the population of ported with a wonderful display of ability. each county, by the election of the resident Mr. Pitt, who had opposed the former householders only. This was a simple and applications with temper and moderation, eligible plan of reform, and it was supported now indulged some expressions of asperity. by the mover in a very able and eloquent "Neither the merits nor demerits of indi- speech. He observed, "that he felt it necesviduals ought," he said, "to have any in- sary to state a bold truth, which, but from a fluence in the discussion of the present ques- confidence in the virtue of the house," as he tion; yet was the conduct of the dissenters said, "he should not have dared to have liable to just reprehension, who, at the very uttered-that they were not the adequate moment they were reprobating the test representatives of the people. That they laws, discovered an intention of forming as were the legal representatives he freely adsociations through the country for the pur- mitted; nay, he would go farther, and say, pose of imposing a test upon the members that they were a highly useful and honoraof that house, and judging of their fitness ble council: a council which, in any other to discharge their parliamentary duty from government of Europe, would be a great their votes upon this single occasion. To acquisition. But, to the honor of our countoleration the dissenters were undoubtedly try be it spoken, the British constitution enentitled. They had a right to enjoy their titled us to something better. Representaliberty and their property, to entertain their tion," Flood said, "was the great arcanum own speculative opinions, and to educate and wise mystery of our government, by their offspring in such religious sentiments which it excelled all the states of antiquity. as themselves approved. But the indispen- Now, in what did representation consist? sable necessity of a permanent church estab- In this, that as by the general law of politilishment for the good of the state, required cal society the majority was to decide for that toleration should not be extended to the whole, the representative must be chosen equality; if it were, there would be an end by a body of constituents who were themfor ever to the wise policy of prevention, selves a clear majority of the people. He and a door would be opened to the absolute admitted, that property to a certain degree ruin of the constitution." Burke seconded was a necessary requisite to the elective the minister in a speech of far more viru- power: that is to say, that franchise ought lence, and in present circumstances there- not to go beyond property, but at the same fore of far more efficacy. He astonished time it ought to be extended farther than at and alarmed the house with reading several present. By the existing system these prinpassages from the writings of dissenting di-ciples were grossly violated. The freevines on the subject of ecclesiastical estab- holders, who originally included the whole lishments, expressed with the usual acrimony property of the kingdom, now constituted and violence of theological polemics. From only a small part of it. What was worse, these testimonies Burke inferred the invet- the majority of the representatives, who deerate enmity of the dissenters to the church, cided for the whole, and acted for eight and he adjured the house to suffer the millions of people, were chosen by a numfatal incidents which had taken place in ber of electors not exceeding six or eight France, and the sudden ruin of the Gallican thousand. A new body of constituents was church, to awaken their zeal for the preser- therefore wanting, and in their appointment vation of our present happy and excellent two things were to be considered; one, that establishment." On the division the num- they should be numerous enough, because bers were, ayes one hundred and five, noes numbers were necessary to the spirit of libtwo hundred and ninety-four: so that the erty: the other, that they should have a majority against the repeal had increased competent share of property, because propsince the last session from twenty to one erty was conducive to the spirit of order. hundred and eighty-nine voices. But he was told this was not the time for a reform. And why? because there were dis-new imposition, from one million eight hunturbances in France. It was for want of a dred thousand pounds, to two millions one timely and temperate reform that these evils hundred and fifty thousand pounds. One of had fallen on France. Mr. Flood was no the first and most important measures of the friend to revolutions, because they were an new governor-general, was to lease the lands evil; he was a friend to timely reform, which in perpetuity, at an equal valuation, to the rendered revolutions unnecessary. Those actual occupants; and, in alluding to this who opposed such a reform, might be ene- part of his conduct, his lordship thus forcimies to revolution in their hearts, but were bly expresses himself to the directors. "The friends to it by their folly. Let the repre- security of property, and the certainty which sentative be chosen as he ought to be by the each individual will now feel, of being alpeople, and continue to walk worthy of that lowed to enjoy the fruits of his labors, must choice, and Britain would have nothing to operate uniformly as incitements to labor dread from the example of France." and industry." This motion was vehemently opposed by RUPTURE WITH SPAIN. Windham, the disciple of Burke. "At the On the nineteenth of April, Pitt presentclose of the American war," Windham said, ed to the house his annual statement of the "a deluge of opinions had been let loose, a national revenue and expenditure. He exclamor had been raised, and a parliamentary pressed a peculiar degree of pleasure in bereform demanded, as a remedy for the evils ing able to announce, that the receipt of the we felt from it. Happily those wild notions exchequer had surpassed that of the year had long since subsided; the danger, how- preceding, in the sum of half a million; and ever, was now breaking out afresh; and he rejoiced, that, from the prospect of an were he otherwise a friend to the proposi- uninterrupted enjoyment of the blessings of tion, he should have objected to it on ac- peace, still greater accessions might reasoncount of the time at which it was intro-ably be hoped. Before, however, the public duced. Where was the man who would be had time to partake of the minister's joy, mad enough to advise them to repair their from the consolatory intimations of national house in the hurricane season. Pitt en- peace and prosperity, he was commissioned tirely coincided in these reasonings of Wind- to deliver to the house, May the fifth, a royal ham, and declared, "that were the motion message of a very different import, and before them the precise proposition he him- which excited inexpressible astonishment, self had formerly offered, he should now by announcing a state of things which bore vote against it from a complete conviction the aspect of war. To elucidate this matof its actual impropriety. But at a more ter, it is necessary to mention, that the celeseasonable opportunity he would most cer- brated circumnavigator Cook, in his last tainly again submit his ideas upon the sub- voyage of discovery, touching at different ject to the consideration of the house." Fox ports on the western coast of North America, declared he saw no reason why we should purchased from the natives a number of valbe struck with a panic on account of the uable furs, bearing a high price in the Chisituation of affairs in France; and, in allu- nese market. In consequence of its being sion to Windham's metaphorical argument, likely to prove a lucrative branch of comhe affirmed, that no season could be more merce, a small association of British merproper to begin a repair than when a hurri- chants, resident in the East Indies, formed cane was near, and ready to burst forth. the project of opening a trade to this part Flood, perceiving the general sense of the of the world, for the purpose of supplying house, even of those members who had for- the Chinese with furs. Accordingly, in the merly favored the idea of a parliamentary year 1788, a spot of ground was procured reform, to be adverse to his motion, at length from the Indians, and a regular settlement, assented to withdraw it. defended by a slight fortification, established at Nootka Sound, situated about the fiftieth DUNDAS, on the thirty-first of March 1790, degree of latitude. This being regarded by brought forward his annual statement of the the Spaniards as a flagrant encroachment on debts and revenues of the East India com- their exclusive rights of sovereignty, the pany. He described, as usual, their situa- Princessa, a Spanish frigate of twenty-six tion to be in the highest degree prosperous guns, was dispatched by the viceroy of and flourishing, and offered to the house a Mexico, and in May 1789 seized upon the new proof of the truth of his assertions, by fort, and captured the Iphigenia, and Argoconcluding his eulogium, without asking a naut, two English vessels then trading on loan to enable them to avoid the horrors of the coast. At the same time, the Spanish insolvency. Through the wise and equita- commandant, hoisting the national standard, ble administration of lord Cornwallis, the declared that the whole line of coast, from revenues of Bengal had been advanced du- Cape Horn to the sixtieth degree of latitude, ring the last year, without the aid of any belonged to the king of Spain. After some STATE OF INDIA. |