fent queftion was evidently one, on the confidence that ought to be repofed in Adminiftration. The ground stated for the motion was the defence of the country; but the Jatter part of the motion went to take away from the Exe-. cutive Government, what had been always entrusted to it. It was nothing elfe but the queftion of difmiffing Minifters, which ought to have been brought forward in a fair, manly manner. He might be accufed of felf-intereft, but he knew he had not been actuated by any fuch motive. It was faid, that Administration acted on no fyftem, and this by those who were a part of the laft; of that Adminiftration which formed the provifional cavalry, and whofe income tax was the fubject of complaints without end. Minifters had been abuted for liftening to the fuggeftions of others; fuch was the return for their impartiality. any candid man, who looked at the multiplicity of affairs that crowded upon them, would fee that their fault was rather in attempting too much. Look at Ireland, and fee what a fmall force there was laft war to defend it, compared with what there is at prefent; yet from the fame mouth that ordered the then Irish eftablishment, the Houfe now heard the voice of complaint. The right hon. Gentleman under the gallery had fufficiently fhewn the excellence of the volunteer lyftem on different occafions. The zeal of the people at large had certainly been great; but Ministers had done every thing in their power to promote and direct it; and the volunteers in general had fhewn an excellent difpofition. They were not equal to regular troops on a military fyftem; but he did not think that the united talents of the different coalefcing parties, could point out a better mode of affifting the public defence. If party had raged abroad, as much as in that Houfe, they never could have been formed. If they were ufed properly, they would do their duty. With all the conquefts and power of France, all that he has been able to do fince the laft peace, and all the additional means afforded her, we were now actually preparing, not for defence, but for offenfive measures against her. The country was therefore as well defended as if even the late Secretary at War had the care of defending it. He had a great refpect for the abilities of that right hon. Gentleman; but he really believed that his return to the management of military affairs would ftrike more difmay than the appointment of any other man in the country; fo many things would immediately occur to difguft the public mind.. He might get a difpofable force, and he believed too, he would, as formerly, foon find out a way of difpofing of it. The pre fent fent negligent and incapable Miniftry, as it was called, had fcarcely done any thing like the transactions of St. Domingo, or the invasion of Holland, for which men were enticed and fent off intoxicated, and not knowing to what regiment they belonged, to have their brains beat out. But on this question the hon. Gentleman ought to be able to ftate what his expectations were with refpect to the fucceffors of the prefent Adminiftration. He had heard a good deal of a coalition; that it actually had taken place, he could not fay; but he had also heard of a cooperation. Three large bodies had, it feemed, agreed in nothing elfe, but in their efforts to get rid of the prefent Miniftry. To accomplish fuch an union, many things must have been given up, and probably the right hon. Gentleman had made his peace with the hon. Mover, for the attack made on the unblemished character of the hon Gentleman, while the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Windham) was in office, by ftriking him out of his Majefty's Privy Council! If Gentlemen fuffered fuch a motion as this to be carried, what would they fay to the country, after the various acts they had paffed, and the measures they had taken? It was neceffary to look at the remedy propofed, as well as the diforder. The leaders of the combined parties had many partifans undoubtedly; but he was perfectly confident, that if they fucceeded there would be a general feeling of regret in the public mind whenever the prefent Administration fhould retire. The feelings of the public were, he was certain, with the prefent Minifters. After ten years experience, the public had felt the bleffing of being deprived of the vigorous proceedings of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Windham). But where were the petitions against Ministers? from what city, or county, or borough? Some Gentlemen, in oppofition, had a pretty good notion of the mode of procuring them; but they did not appear. Perhaps he might hear of them by and bye There might be fome meetings in Palace-yard for that purpose, and very probably in the borough of Southwark too; but at prefent Gentlemen knew, that to procure any thing of importance in this way was impracticable. He was perfectly fatisfied with the conduct of Minifters, and he fhould always look back to his connexion with them with fatisfaction. Col. Hutchinson was in favour of the motion, Mr. Fox, in reply, obferved, that no debate that he recollected to have originated, feemed more to juftify a reply on his part. So much perfonality, and fo little to the fubject, he had never heard. The debate had, indeed, taken a fingular turn. If ever any difcuffion in that Houfe had been maintained on the principles of party, or rather of faction (with the exception of the Secretary of State`, it was the prefent: at the fame time there was a total want of capacity in reference to the fubject, which was treated in a manner that deserved no better name than mere ribaldry. He had been ufed formerly to debates fomething like this: and if he had any ambition for office, he should be inclined to conftrue it into a favourable omen, as he always obferved that when Minifters had appeared in danger of lofing their places, their abuse of him was increased proportionably, and every old topic, every fuppofed political fin of his was called up to their affiftance. So to night, there was the peace, and the coalition, and he expected to hear of the Middlesex election. But when the Gentleman touched on the coalition, a fubject of fo many years old, he would recommend him to go to the prefent President of the Council, or to a noble Lord, now a Poftmaster General, fuppofed to have been active in that coalition, and ask them about the circumftances of it. The learned Gentleman had amufed himfelf with general declamation against all coalitions, whenever they did not fuit his own purpofes or thofe of his friends: but why, when certain Gentlemen unfortunately differed from him in the laft war, and the Duke of Portland and others, one noble Perfon particularly (Lord Fitzwilliam) joined the late Administration; why did not that coalition appear enormous in the eyes of the learned Gentleman? Where was his indignation then? Were they not as deep in guilt as himself? He would refer to his own language on the occafion of his first coalition; he would refer to his language on the occafion of his feparation from his former friends, fince that event, for the record of his fentiments. Of that laft event, had he never spoken but as one he lamented for an unfortunate, though honourable difference of opinion on an important fubject. But it seemed that no argument must be allowed that tended to disturb Adminiftration. He had been accused of admiring French principles: he believed, that in the joy he expreffed at the downfall of the old French government, he was joined by moft perfons, nay, perhaps, by Government itself; but was he, on that account, to be made a party to all the horrors afterwards committed? But he could fee the dilap pointment of the learned Gentleman, who had come down to the Houfe, prepared with a very furious fpeech against him, and had begun by attacking the right hon. Gentleman on on the bench below him very sharply, then had affailed him moft violently, and laft of all, had made a moderate and gentle-thruft at the right hon. Gentleman under the gallery. All the terrors had been originally intended for himself, but being disappointed in his not making an attack on the right hon. Gentleman under the gallery, the learned Member had abused him, for being fo unmanly as not to attack Mr. Pitt! He thinks the right hon. Gentleman below, not very likely to come into place and power; he thinks I have no chance at all, and therefore he may abuse me; but he thinks the right hon, Gentleman behind has a good profpect in cafe of a change; and he tells him that he thinks him the perfon the moft fatisfactory to the public for the management of public affairs, and fo he fays his colleagues think! He therefore turns round and makes his bow to that right hon. Gentleman. When he fpeaks of colleagues, I fuppofe, from this fpecimen of his prudence, that he means both his prefent and his future ones.-In answer to the question put, "Who is to fucceed the prefent Minif-, ters?" he obferved, that he did not oppofe the royal prerogative, but maintained the dignity of Parliament. He was for turning out the prefent Miniftry, which was formed on a wrong principle. "He thought them a curfe to the coun-, try. If they were not fucceeded by men who did better, he should oppofe them too.-Now, as to this word coalition, the Gentleman knows as much of the matter as I do. I fhould, however, fuppofe, there was nothing fo monstrous in perfons who have differed very widely on topics now no more, not poffeffing rancorous difpofitions, and having held formerly fentiments of private regard, and been in habits of intimacy, uniting in their fentiments on any particular meafures. I know nothing of this coalition, as it is called, that might not be proclaimed at Charing-Crofs.-"Oh! but,". fays the learned Gentleman, "you'll differ and quarrel about peace!" What right has he to refort to this mode of argument to fupport him and his faction in power? Is the argument of Gentlemen against Minifters any rule for their conduct as to war and peace? "Oh! but," fays he again, "you differed about the treaty of Amiens!" Truly, Sir, we did differ; and if that treaty had tended to fecure us the peace held out by it, I thould have praised it, as the learned Gentleman has done. I fay, the foundation of the agreement is, that the country is in danger. Those who thought with me, in the late war, never conceived the country in fuch danger danger as it is at prefent. But they who oppofe Ministers may be eager to defend the country. So it was in the Ame rican war. The hon. Gentleman concluded by saying, that he asked for no votes but from thofe who thought fomething more fhould be done for detending the country. The House then divided : Ayes Noes Majority for Ministers Adjourned at four o'clock in the morning. 204 256 52 Canning, right hon. George Cooper, J. E. Caulfield, hon. H. Craufurd, Col. Chapman, C: Codrington, C. Cavendish, Lord G. Cavendish, W. Carbery, Lord Coke, Edward Dickenson, W. fen. Dalrymple, Sir H. Dickenson, W. jun. Dupré, J. Dundas, Philip Dent, John Dillon, hon. H. A. Ellis, C. R. Eliot, hon. W. 4 H Eliot, |