ciate for preventing, if possible, all hostile extremities between both countries; but to this letter no answer was given, not even the usual attention of ordinary civility!"Such," said his lordship," was the treatment shewn to a highminded and gallant nation, which plumes itself upon the observance of etiquette, and whose pride is always wounded by the slightest ap. pearance of neglect!" Speaking of the late seizure and detention of the Spanish treasure ships, he said that proceeding differed materially from those to which it was compared. In other cases of the seizure and detention of merchant ships, they may be restored, the merchants indemnified, and the men, if imprisoned, may be enlarged; but burn, sink, and destroy ship and crew, and who can restore the innocent blood thus shed? There were some acts of hardship and severity which the Jaws of civilized war permitted, but this atrocious act of barbarity was contrary to all law of nations, and stamped indelible infamy on our name. After adverting to the folly of conceiving any delusive hopes from the effect of any plundering expeditions to South America, which would only entail misery on the human race, while it exhausted the blood, and dispersed the navy of the country, he concluded his able and animated speech, by declaring that he spoke from a serious conviction that the war might have been prevented by common care on our part, and that, as it was unprovoked and unnecessary, so also would it be most grievous and unfortunate for the country. Lord Hawkesbury, on the other hand, contended, that since Spain, by the treaty of St. Ildefonso, be came ipso facto the offensive and defensive ally of France, which placed her in a relation of hostility to this country, she was not to be regarded as a neutral state, but one against which policy enjoined for bearance as long as it was possible Having no allies in our contest with France, nor any immediate chance of a continental diversion in ou favour, we had at all events to wai till our naval and military establish ments attained their proper height In that interval great managemen was required with Spain, with view to the security of Portugal Thus circumstanced, policy forba us to put every question to Spain s categorically as to leave no issue bu peace or war. This certainly wa not the mode to be adopted wher our object was such a delay as migh have enabled Spain to disentangl herself, as she, for a time, appeared disposed to do, from her obligation towards France, and to place our selves in a situation to protect ou ally the queen of Portugal. Th agreement that the Spanish arma ments should cease, and condemna tion and sale of prizes in the Spanis ports be stopped, was a condition not of her neutrality, but of our for bearance, and at all events had bee quickly violated. His lordship the touched upon the armaments a Ferrol at the time that there wer four French men of war in the por which, by a junction with the Span ards, might be soon brought to con tend with the blockading squadron and observed, that the pretence these armaments being intended t send troops for quelling the insur rection in Biscay, was all a fein as there was no port in that quarte where a single man could be landed and even if there was, it could no be necessary that the ships which conveyed them should be armed and equipped for war. It was evident, apua the whole, that it was the full intention of Spain to declare war as soon as her treasure ships should arrive, and her permitting French troops, sailors, and artillery-men to march through her territory, was no sight indication of her hostility to us. Under these circumstances we entered on an incomplete hostility, when the right of full, complete, and absolute hostility was substantially in our hands. Spain, it was said, suffered, but then it was her own fault. Had she been capable of manly exertion in her own behalf, to free herself from French thraldom, she would have met with every support and assistance from us. But while she remained under the vassalage and dictation of the ruler of France, friendly even she dare not be, neutral she could not be, and hostile she must be at the mandate of her ally, which made it incumbent on his majesty's ministers to guard against the hostility to which this country, from necessity or otherwise, must inevitably be exposed. On the question being put, at four o'clock in the morning, the address was carried without a division. CHAP. III. Parliamentary Proceedings continued.-Discussion of the Rupture with Spo in the House of Commons.-Debate.-Speeches of Mr. Pitt-Grey Amendment upon the Motion of Address of Thanks for the Production the Papers moved Substance thereof opposed by Lord Castlereagh—s ported by Earl Temple-Speech of Sir John Nicholl-Debate adjourned resumed next Day—Mr. Raine-Bankes-H. Addington-Dr. Lawre -Mr. For-Pitt-Division-Original Address carried (the Amendme being negatived) by a great Majority.-Votes of the House of Comm for the Miscellaneous Services of the Year. HIE highly important and inte chapter, was discussed on the same day in the house of commons, and produced a long and animated debate. The address was moved by the chancellor of the exchequer, who took a retrospective view of the aspect of our relations, and the progress of the discussions with Spain, previous to the war. He adverted to the offensive and defensive treaty of St. Ildefonso, by which, besides guaranteeing their territories, &c. the parties bound them with 15 ships of the line and 24,000 men, the demand of the requiring party to be taken as conclusive of the necessity, and without enquiring into the justice or policy of the war-and further, they were to assist each other with their whole, power, if the stipulated succours should be insufficient. This treaty of itself made Spain ipso facto a principal in the war, and the more so as the offensive provisions were specifically directed against England. Though his majesty's ministers were entitled to claim a clear and disti yet the degraded and humiliati situation of the Spanish nati dictated to them a spirit of mode tion and generosity, and the m so as the Spanish court then seem as desirous to get rid of their gagements as we were to deta them from their ally. That mo ration and forbearance, howev must have their limits, and Sp not be suffered to accumulate flee armies, and treasure, which Fra might, when it pleased, call i activity against Great Britain. T commutation afterwards made Spain of assistance in kind into cuniary aid, did not alter our ca for as we did not admit the one, were not bound to admit the oth Spain refused to give any expla tion of the amount of the pecuni subsidy, but, from every informat Mr. Frere could procure, he l reason to think it was three milli a-year. Such a sum must undou edly be meant for unlimited succo or as an equivalent for the empl we should have been equally at Mr. Grey, in a specch of consi- ment of the whole force of Spain. considered Spain as a principal in "the present war, unless the obli"gations of that treaty were re"nounced, or their execution dis"claimed; and to assure his majesty C3 "jesty << jesty has been advised to wave the "exercise of this right, in order to "negociate with Spain, for the "maintenance of her neutrality; and that, without taking upon "ourselves to decide in the present "moment upon a question of policy "depending so much upon circum"stances, of which we are still unin"formed, we acknowledge with "gratitude this proof of his ma"jesty's paternal desire to have prevented the further extension of the "calamities of war. But that we "beg leave humbly to represent to "his majesty, that the execution of "these his benevolent wishes, indis"pensably required from his mini"sters the adoption of some just, intelligible, and uniform princi"ple of negociation, declared in the "outset with frankness, and stea"dily pursued to its conclusion, "followed by an unremitting at"tention to every new circumstance "arising in the progress of the dis"cussion, and accompanied by the "most scrupulous care that all en "treated, and incompatible with "the object for which they were "negociating. That, during the whole course of these discussions, while they were continually soli. "citing from Spain unreserved "communications, on points o mutual interest, their own inde cision prevented them, in return "from returning a distinct state "ment of the terms on which Grea " Britain would consent to ac knowledge the neutrality of tha "power. That their ground o "negociation was frequently shift "ed, their demands varied, and "their concessions undefined; and "that although some agreemen appears at last to have been con "cluded, neither its date nor con "ditions were ascertained with pre "cision; yet both are repeated! "referred to, by the British, a "well as the Spanish minister, an "the breach of these very condition "is alledged as the motive, on th part of Great Britain, for he "actual commencement of hostili "ties. That the omissions and de "fects which distinguish the gagements resulting from it "should, on the part of Great "Britain, be defined with precision, "and performed with good faith," "moderation, and integrity. That we have, on the contrary, seen, "with regret, in the whole conduct "of this transaction, the clashing "effects of undecided, equivocal, "and contradictory policy. That "the wishes for peace professed in "the outset, by his majesty's mini"sters, have uniformly been coun"teracted by their studious endea 66 vours to keep alive both the cause "and the menace of the war; a purpose equally inconsistent with "justice and with wisdom, destruc❝tive of all confidence on the part "of the power with whom they 46 66 transactions, as well as the fat consequences to which it has led can only be ascribed to the erro neous principle on which it wa grounded, and to the criminal an almost incredible negligence wit which it has been conducted. Thi it is particularly our duty to repr "sent to his majesty, that, in a neg “ciation for peace or war betwee "Great Britain and Spain, carri on principally at Madrid, no i "structions were sent to his m "jesty's minister at that con "from the 2d of June to the 24 "of November, in the year 1803 from thence to the 21st of Jan ary, in the year following; ar |