small sum which they were that night called on to vote, afford them relief? Though the contest in Russia might have a tendency to increase our own security, yet to imagine that this 200,000l. could be a bond of unity between that nation and ourselves, would be to contradict the testimony of experience. It had been the interest of Russia to enter into amity with us; she had acted in pursuance of that interest, and in accordance with that interest she would act hereafter. It had been said, that committees of nobles had been formed-that the emperor had exert

rectness in the right hon. gentleman's statement of what had been said, but because that had been spoken of as to be applied in aid of the government, which was intended for the relief of the people. The right hon. gentleman had justly stated, that more good would be done to our manufacturers by granting this sum to conciliate Russia, than by doling it out among them; but with this had been mixed up the consideration of our policy as to America. Without attempting to enter on this question at present, it was not so clear as that right hon. gentleman seemed to imply, that hostilities had arisen en-ed himself to afford relief, by rebuilding tirely from the misconduct of government, and not at all from the spirit of the Americans. He was astonished to hear the right hon. gentleman speak as he had done of the Sinecure Offices' Bill. It was true, that by a total disregard of vested interests, a fund might be produced; but as to the Bill, it had been acknowledged last session by the hon. gentleman who proposed it, that though it would be grateful to public feeling, yet in a pecuniary sense it would be nugatory.

Mr. Ponsonby, in explanation, said, that as it was the duty of the Russian government to protect its own subjects, this could operate in no other way than as a subsidy to that government. As to the Sinecure Bill, he did not mean that the whole sum of 200,000l. would be found in the Treasury, but that by that measure a saving would be effected equal to the interest of that sum, which must be funded; and of which the interest must now be paid by the people.

Mr. Whitbread was sorry to say, that the grant would not pass unanimously. On the Message being first read it had struck him that the grant was not proper; and on discussion with friends whom he respected, and who entertained sentiments on the subject different from his own, he had not found reason to change his opinion. Some of the grounds of his dissent from the grant had been stated by his right hon. friend. He did not, moreover, think it just to this country to take money out of the pockets of our starving manufacturers, to apply it to sufferers to whom, unhappily, it could be of no use. Those unfortunate beings who, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer had stated, had sought shelter from the severity of a Russian winter in their forests, were now, alas! as senseless as the snow with which they were surrounded: and how, if they continued to exist, could the

habitations, and by alleviating the poignant misery of the sufferers. It did, indeed, behove the Russian government to do away with all the pomp of state-to apply all the resources of the empire to this object: it was more particularly the duty of that government to do so, from the commission of an act, singular in mo. dern history-the conflagration of Moscow. This grant could be considered as no other than a subsidy in aid of the war in Russia; for by discharging the Russian government of the duty of applying a sum equal to this to its suffering subjects, it left an equal sum applicable to the purpose of driving the French from the empire, or to that of crushing their power. It was a subsidy then-a paltry and contemptible subsidy as to the purpose of the war. From the resistance of Russia, if wisely taken advantage of, the greatest blessings might ensue. This, however, was as yet uncertain. In the mean time, there were in some parts of this country cases of as crying distress, as, out of the reach of war, could possibly be. Suppose a grant proposed to these sufferers; would it not be said to be improper to attempt to alleviate private distress? But would it not be an act of justice to our own country, before we went abroad with our charity, to know whether we had not objects at home, to whom it might be extended with advantage?

Lord Castlereagh disclaimed the idea that, in consequence of this grant, we should be called upon to supply the wants of every country that might be reduced to a state of distress by the aggression of France. A principle so broad would lead to consequences, which, in the present cou vulsed state of Europe, it would be impossible for this country to meet. But the question was, whether the sufferings of the people of Russia were not brought home to our feelings, both by the heroic exer

the shadow of the laws and constitution. He regretted the disapprobation of the motion expressed by the hon. member who spoke last, but bore testimony to the manliness and sincerity with which that hon. gentleman, on all occasions, declared his opinions in that House.

tions they had made, and by the important effect which those exertions were likely to have on our own interests, in such a manner as to call for every relief and assistance in our power? The efforts of Russia had been as gigantic as her sufferings had been without parallel; and it was not to be expected that equal sacrifices would again. Sir F. Burdett said, he had heard many be made to call upon the House for their parts of the noble lord's speech with pleainterposition. An hon. member had treat- sure, but there was no part of it which he ed the proposal to afford relief to the Rus- had heard with so much pleasure, as the sian people as chimerical, and even liable word peace,' a word which he had not to the suspicion of hypocrisy. He should for a very long time heard from the other have thought this character much more side of the House. If he thought the preapplicable to the measure, if it had been sent grant would really tend to facilibrought forward in the shape (which that tate that most desirable object, a secure hon. gentleman recommended) of a sub- and honourable peace, there was no man sidy to the emperor Alexander. Nothing who would more readily and cordially could be more contemptible or insulting, agree to it than he would. He sincerely than a grant to such an extent to a power hoped that all the sacrifices and exertions struggling with the difficulties which which had been made, and of which so Russia had to encounter, and on the im- much had been said, would not end in a mense scale on which her military opera- delusive sound, and that we should not be tions were carried on. But though its ef- embroiled in fresh wars on fresh successes. fect might not be so immediate or decisive But it had been, in his opinion, justly as could be wished, in alleviating indivi- stated, that the proposed grant would not dual distress, yet he hoped it would come give effectual relief to the Russians; and, seasonably in aid of the patriotic contribu- knowing the distresses of our own countions now raising by the Russian govern- trymen to be great, and feeling them as ment and nobles, to enable the peasantry he did, he could not assent to taking the and lower classes to resume their occupa- money out of the pockets of the poor of tions, and re-build their habitations, on this country, to waste it in nominal relief the return of the mild season. By this to others. No attempt had been made by grant we should shew that we understood parliament to retrench wasteful and superthe nature of the struggle in which we fluous excess in many of the departments were engaged, and were not insensible to of government; no hint had been thrown the noble sacrifices which a whole people out, no intention had been expressed, had made, not only of temporary interests, tending that way. While this was the of local attachments, of ancient prejudices, case, he thought it his duty to resist every but almost of existence, to the cause of application to parliament for any extraor country and of king. We could not act dinary supplies, in the present exhausted wrong in subsidizing the best feelings of state of the country. It was not possible human nature. In this view, no act of go- to take up a paper; not a day passed, vernment had ever been more beneficial without accounts of distraining for the taxes than the relief which we had afforded to in different places. He did not understand Portugal. Should our troops be driven the principle of that generosity, which symback again to the lines of Torres Vedras, pathised only with the distresses of other the attention and sympathy we then ma- countries, but had no feelings for those of nifested for the sufferings of the Portu- our own. Last year the sufferings of the guese, had left traces in the hearts of manufacturers in the northern and midthe people, which would make lord Wel- land counties had been laid before parlia lington's defence light and easy.-His ment with a view to some pecuniary relief lordship concluded by alluding to the being afforded. Those sufferings were of flattering prospects of peace which might a nature to make every feeling heart probably be anticipated from the Rus- bleed. But the answer to the application sian successes; of a peace founded on was, that no relief could be be given, connational honour, on national security,sistently with the pressure of the times, and on the public law of Europe; a peace, by means of which every man might sit down in safety, and repose under

and with public economy. We paid dear for the prevalence of this sort of foreign sympathy; we had to maintain French

loyalists, Dutch loyalists, American loyalists; but when he had come to the House with a proposal of some better provision for the worn-out servants of the public, veteran officers who were pining in poverty and obscurity, or the disabled cripple, whom we daily saw begging about our streets, he had received the same cold answer. that the necessary expences of the government were so great as to admit of no addition.

PETITION FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF EDINBURGH, RESPECTING THE EAST INDIA COMPANY'S AFFAIRS.] A Petition of the chamber of commerce and manufactures of the city of Edinburgh, was presented and read; setting forth,

"That it hath been represented to the petitioners, in their corporate capacity, that in the present limited state of the commerce and manufactures of this country, owing to the continental restricMr. Wilberforce said, that those gentle. tions laid thereon of late, the trading and men who opposed the grant found it hard manufacturing interests of Great Britain to reconcile their conduct to themselves. and Ireland have suffered greatly; and They could only do it by inventing some that many thousands of workmen emother object of humanity which appeared ployed in our manufactures are reduced to claim the preference, or by denying to a state of poverty and idleness, without that the measure before the House would there being any immediate prospect of operate effectually to the relief of the suf- their being soon restored to their former ferers. He thought, that ineluding the situation; and that, by the act of 33 Geo. 3, cheapness of provisions and the mode of c. 52, the East India Company are vested living in Russia, the sum, moderate as it in the exclusive right of trade and navigawas, would be of considerable immediate tion to all those countries comprehended service; but he conceived the principal between the Cape of Good Hope and the benefit to be expected from it, was, that Straits of Magellan, containing a populain other cases of a similar kind, it would tion of many millions of inhabitants; and be setting an example, and opening a that, although all the rest of his Majesty's channel, into which the charitable and subjects are thus excluded from trading liberal feelings of others would naturally to any of those extensive territories, yet, flow. An hon. gentleman had spoken by the act of 37 Geo. 3, c. 57, the same lightly of the grant, as not likely to ce- is allowed to the subjects of all foreign nament the two countries together. But he tions in amity with his Majesty; and that conceived that nothing had a greater in- the East India Company are not known to fluence in strengthening political alliances have hitherto traded to many of these exthan the manifestation of a friendly and tensive countries, their own settlements generous disposition between the people. and China excepted; and that the private He did not see why nations as well as trade to the settlements of the East India individuals might not be both generous Company, under the regulations of the and just. He had attempted to make year 1793, is laid under so many resome calculation of the share of the ex-straints as tend to deter many people, espence which would fall upon the poor of this country, but he had found it impossible, and had given up the task in despair. He thought that we could only testify our gratitude to Providence for our exemption from the heavier calamities of war, by shewing our sense of the sufferings to which the inhabitants of other countries, united with us in the same canse, were unfortunately exposed.

Lord Cochrane gave his support to the motion, as the sum to be voted was not greater than every ten days expence of the war in the peninsula.

The motion was then carried without a division.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Monday, December 21.

pecially those who are at present unacquainted with India, and who reside at home, from engaging in it, while foreigners, who pay no part of the heavy taxes imposed on the subjects of Great Britain and Ireland, are entirely relieved from the restraint of these regulations, by which means they are enabled not only successfully to combat the exertions of the private traders from this country to India under the regulations of 1793, but also to compete with the East India Company itself, both in the east, and on the continent of Europe; and that, were the trade to the countries lying between the Cape of Good Hope and the Straits of Magellan laid open to the industry, exertion, and enterprize of the subjects of Great Britain and Ireland at large, it would afford employment to many thou

sands of workmen employed in the manu- men employed by the petitioners would be factures of this kingdom, who are at pre- in the highest degree distressing, as they sent reduced to a state of idleness and con- would be found incapable of adapting their sequent poverty; it would create an addi-habits to new modes of business, and contional nursery for seamen, a set of men sequently both themselves and their fawho have, especially of late years, emi-milies would be deprived of the means of nently contributed to sustain the conse- subsistence; and praying the House to quence, perhaps even the political ex- take the circumstances into consideration, istence of this kingdom, and would, at the and prevent the dreadful consequences same time, prove the means of adding to that must otherwise ensue." the riches, the revenue, and the national prosperity of the British empire; and praying the House to take the premises into consideration, and to grant such relief as to the House may seem necessary, in a matter of such great national concern; also to allow the petitioners to be heard, by themselves or their counsel, at the Bar of the House, in support of the objects of this Petition."