On the 16th of May, a message was presented from his majesty, to both houses of parliament, which ut a final stop to every hope of peace, by informing them, that he had recalled his ambassador from Paris, and that the French ambassador had left London! In consequence, Lord Pelham moved, in the house of lords, that the message Could be taken into consideration on that day se'nnight: it would take two or three days before the necessary papers could be got rady, and it would also take some ume for their lordships to consider their contents. Earl Stanhope rejoiced, that time was given for considering these papers, and for resolving whether this untry should be plunged in anther calamitous war, the end of waich, no person could foresee. His lordship then mentioned a plan, that he had heard was presented to the French government by an American gentleman, by woich the navy of England might be completely destroyed, and the channel of the river Thames stopped p! He could not consent to the going to war, unless he had informata from ministers, whether they had directed their attention to that specific point. No answer was given by ministers to lord Stanhope's question, and the Consideration of the message was fxed for the ensuing Monday. In the house of commons on the same day, Lord Hawkesbury, on similar pounds, moved, that his majesty's ewage should be considered on the next Monday. the motion, which he thought perfectly proper; but wished to be informed, whether it was true, that letters of marque and of reprisal had been ordered. Lord Hawkesbury answered, that such orders had been given; and if they were not stated in the message, it was not from any wish of concealing the fact, but because it was not usual so to do. After a few words from Mr. Fox, and Mr. T. Grenville, the motion was unanimously agreed to. May the 18th, lord Pelham presented to the lords, as did the chancellor of the exchequer to the house of commons, copies of the letters and state-papers, forming the correspondence between Great-Britain and France, since the period of the peace of Amiens. The following day, Mr. Grey moved for certain papers, which he thought would be necessary to throw a light on some parts of his majesty's declaration,and that were not in the papers presented yesterday. The papers that he moved for, were, first, those respecting the violence that had been stated to have been offered to British subjects and property, in the French ports. 2dly, as to the commercial consuls appointed by France; with the remonstrances, if any, made by his majesty's ministers on those subjects. 3dly, the remonstrances, if any, and the answers of the French government respecting the continuance of the French troops in Hol land, and the occupation of Switzerland. 4thly, the orders last sent for the evacuating the Cape of Good Hope. And lastly, he wished to have some information about the Mr. Grey made no objection to nature of the preparations in France and and Holland, at the date of his majesty's message, as the French government positively denied, that there existed any such preparation, and that there were only two frigates fitting out in Holland, and two corvettes in France at that time! Mr. Grey concluded, by proposing his first motion, for papers respecting violence committed to British subjects and property in the ports of France. Lord Hawkesbury in reply said, that it was not insisted, that any of those particular grounds, was of itself a cause of war; but all together amounted, in his opinion, to a mass of aggression, which would completely justify the conduct of his majesty's ministers. He thought the honorable gentleman had taken an exaggerated view of those points on which he grounded his motion. It was not necessary that France should positively deny satisfaction; if she constantly evaded it, it was evidence of a hostile disposition: he therefore opposed the motion. Mr. Whitbread thought the motions proper; in all events, he thought, it would be incumbent on ministers to prove in their justification, that they had acted cautiously, as well as zealously; and that it was not through their fault, that grievances had been allowed to accumulate, when that accumulation was now made the ground of actual hostility. Lord Castlereagh, thought ministers had given every degree of information, that their duty allowed them; and, that they had exposed themselves to a severe ordeal, by laying before the house, the whole history of their conduct since the treaty of Amiens. Mr. Windham supported the motion, and thought information was necessary on all these points which Mr. Grey had mentioned: he censured the conduct of ministers in wrapping themselves up in af fected mystery, when all that was wanted, was, the substance of the information in their power. The chancellor of the excheque said, that there was only one of the many motions made by Mr. Grey that he should feel himself bound in duty to resist; that was, th motion with respect to the arma ments going on in France and Hol land at the time of his majesty message: he would however say that Mr. Liston had informed g vernment, that there was a body 10,000 troops encamped in Ho land; and the house would reco lect, that the first consul had himse told all Europe in his exposé, th he should keep 500,000 troo ready to support his negociatio with England; and that only fortnight before the message, whe France was at peace with the co tinent, a new and extraordina levy had been made by conscri tion. After some observations from t secretary at war, and the master the rolls, on the impolicy of produ ing those documents, Mr. Gr made a very able and animat reply. The question being put on motions, they were all carried, € cepting those which related to t armaments, and those respecti the remonstrances concerning t affairs of Holland and Switz land. On the 20th, Lord Borringdon the house of lords, moved also furtl further papers, with respect to the ace committed on British shipp with respect to captain Auvergne, and to the contre t, which, it was understood, at the French government had priented. Lord Pelham, had no objection to the first motion. As to that respecting captain D'Auvergne, he ald enquire whether any written Gruments existed; but, at to the And, no official communication could be laid before the house, as there existed only a proposition, ich was not official, but had en made in confidence; he proled, however, every desire of ng information, on the other pants. Leri Borringdon, then withdrew motion: being content to leave the noble secretary, to bring Award his motion at his own Earl Fitzwilliam, moved for paps exactly similar to those moved e day before, in the house of ts, with an addition of a on, with respect to the interrace of France in the Ionian re Cent Lord Pelham, replied to those motions, in a manner arly similar, to what had been en the other house, by lord esbury. As to the Ionian c, sufficient information was ady given; and it would be unnecessary and impolitic, to any more detailed information tearinaments in France and self satisfied with the explanations of lord Pelham; he felt no fear of French preparations, unless they could come under the sea, to invade this country. Earl Stanhope denied, that he had ever stated the possibility of such a scheme; but that he considered, with great alarm, a secret for destroying our ships, communicated to the first consul, by an American gentleman, of the name of Fulton. Lord Borringdon, called his lordship to order, as departing wholly from the question; and lord Fitzwilliam's motion was then withdrawn. On the same day, in the house of commons, Lord Hawkesbury laid before the house, several papers, which had been voted by different addresses from that house. Mr. Sheridan, thought the papers of such importance, and being so voluminous, that he wished the discussion to be put off, for some days longer. Mr. Grey, wished for the utmost possible information, to enable the house to judge, whether, even now, war might not be prevented? Lord Hawkesbury, required some time to consider, whether he could, with propriety, bring forward any farther information. Mr. Sheridan, then moved for papers, respecting the remonstrances made, in consequence of the French troops continuing in Holland; and Mr. Johnstone, wished to know, and. whether Russia had refused to gaarer some observations, from rison Malta, for herself. Both Carlisle and Hobart, these gentlemen, however, agreed to withdraw their motions. La Fitzwilliam, declared him General General Gascoygne, moved for a great variety of papers, the principal of which were relating to the island of Malta; the assumption of the isle of Elba, and the Italian republic by France; and the annexation of Piedmont; and also with respect to the cession of the colonies in the West Indies, and elscwhere, which ought to have been retained, as well as Malta. Lord Hawkesbury, agreed to the motion, respecting the cession of the West Indian colonies, but found it his duty to move the previous question on the others. Mr. Windham censured, in the strongest terms, the conduct, which it was generally supposed, that ministers had pursued, with respect to the deputies from the island of Malta. Those deputies, as it was said, were not suffered to wait on lord Hobart, at his office, for fear of giving offence to the French govern ment. The chancellor of the exchequer denied, that any indignity had been offered to the Maltese deputies; they had received every mark of respect and kindness, while they staid in this country; and when they went, a ship was specially provided for them. They had tes tified, in a letter, of which lord Hawkesbury had read an extract, their satisfaction at the arrangements which had been made. After some observations, from Dr. Lawrence, Colonel Graham, and Mr. Ward, Mr. Canning consented to vote for the previous question, on the assurance of the noble secretary (lord Hawksbury), that, at a future time, there would be no objection to entering into the discussion of the conduct of Government, with respect to those Maltese deputies. After several mutual explananations, the previous question was carried, on all the motions, excepting that which related to the cession of the conquered colonies, in the West Indies. CHAP. XII. Important Debates in Parliament on the Negociation, and Correspondence. might be solemnly discussed on a fu tion to be now considered should be, whether, from a perusal of all the papers laid upon the table, a just and legitimate ground of war had not been established. He then traced an outline of the conduct of the two governments since the peace of Amiens; first, as to Malta, which was the prominent feature in discussion, the British government had taken the necessary steps for carrying the treaty into execution'; when, about the 27th of January last, the evacuation of Malta was pressed in a peremptory manner by the French government. About the same time, ministers felt it their duty to demand an explanation of the pretensions advanced, and the |