: You must allow me, Sir, to decline entering into any further particulars on the one hand, because, although I have all along fufpected that the perfons, who propofed the plan to me, might, not improbably be employed by the enemies of Great Britain, to endeavour with finifter views to infinuate themfelves into my confidence, yet as thefe my furmifes may be falfe, I fhould not be juftified in betraying the fecrets of men, who may have meant me well; and on the other hand, because, however loose the principles of thefe fpeculators may have been on the fubject of the law of nations (as it regards the duties of neutrality), none of them, in their intercourfe with me, ever expreffed fentiments that were in any degree hoftile to the interefts of the United States. Philadelphia, July 2. PARLIA PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. BRITISH PARLIAMENT. Meffage from the King to the House of Lords, on Monday, February 27. GEORGE R. HIS Majefty thinks it proper to communicate to the House of Lords, without delay, the measure adopted to obviate the effects which might be occafioned by the unusual demand of fpecie lately made from different parts of the country on the metropolis. The peculiar nature and exigency of the cafe appeared to require, in the first instance, the measure contained in the order of council, which his Majefty has directed to be laid before the Houfe. In recommending this important fubject to the immediate and ferious attention of the House of Lords, his Majesty relies with the utmost confidence on the experienced wisdom and firmnefs of his Parliament for taking fuch measures as may be best calculated to meet any temporary preffure, and to call forth, in the most effectual manner, the extenfive refources of his kingdoms in fupport of their public and commercial credit, and in defence of their deareft interefts. G. R. A SIMILAR meffage was prefented to the Houfe of Com mons. On the 28th February Mr. Pitt moved, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to return thanks for his gracious communication, and to affure him that the Houfe would proceed, without delay, to the deliberation of the subject mentioned in the message; and that his Majefty might rely on the earnest defire of the House to adopt fuch measures as were beft calculated to maintain confidence in the government at this juncture." The above motion was carried. A fimilar motion was made in the Houfe of Lords, and carried. IN the House of Lords, on the 27th February, the Duke of Norfolk made the following motion, which was negatived by a majority of 29: That "That an humble address be presented to his Majefty, humbly foliciting his Majefty, that no further exportation of gold or filver in coin, or of gold or filver in bullion, fhould take place for the ufe of the Emperor, or any other foreign power, until the fenfe of Parliament fhall have been taken on the subject, after a full view of the causes of the public exigencies, on which his Majefty has been this day advised to iffue a most extraordinary and illegal order of council." IN the House of Commons, on the fame day, Mr. Sheridan moved, "That it is the opinion of this Houfe, that no further exportation of fpecie or gold should take place for the ufe of the Emperor, or any other foreign power, until the fenfe of Parliament shall have been taken on the fubject, upon a full review of the causes of the prefent exigencies of the public." Mr. Pitt moved the order of the day upon Mr. Sheridan's motion, and it was carried by a majority of 163. IN the House of Commons, on Friday, 3d March, Mr. Whitbread moved, "That it be referred to a committee, to inquire into the con duct of minifters, with respect to the late attempt of the French in the invasion of Ireland." The previous queftion was moved by Mr. Dundas on the above motion, and carried by a majority of 139. IN the Houfe of Lords, on the 16th February, the Earl of Albemarle moved, "That an inquiry be instituted into the naval defence of Ireland, during the late attempt at an invafion thereof." The above motion was negatived by a majority of 79 IN the House of Lords, on the 21ft March, the Earl of Moira moved, That an humble addrefs be presented to his Majesty, imploring him to use his falutary and beneficent interference with the administration in Ireland, to allay the unhappy difcontents which at prefent prevail in that country." The above motion was negatived by a majority of 71. IN the House of Lords, on the 23d of March, the Earl of Oxford moved, "That an humble address be prefented to his Majefty, humbly to reprefent to his Majefty, that in the prefent most critical and alarming fituation of the country, this Houfe holds it to be its bounden duty to apprize his Majefty of his own danger, and the ruin and confufion which threaten the whole nation. "That the fhock which has been lately given to public credit, muft, from the peculiar nature of our commercial fyltem, deprive us of those means whereby we were enabled to hold fo high a rank among the nations of the world; unless the country is fpeedily relieved from its prefent enormous expenditure, and its future profperity infured by an immediate, fincere, and lafting peace. That this Houfe begs leave humbly to reprefent to his Majefty, that upon a confiderate and impartial review of the whole of the fate negotiation, this Houfe fees with concern, that that negotiation was broken off by the conduct and demands of his Majesty's minifters, and not by a want of difpofition for peace on the part, of France. "That in answer to the impolitic note delivered by Mr. Wickham, the Executive Directory declare, that, yielding to the ardent defife by which it is animated, to procure peace for the French republic, and for all nations, it will not fear to declare itfelf openly. Charged by the conftitution with the execution of the laws, it cannot inake, or liften to any proposal that would be contrary to them. The conftitutional act does not permit it to confent to any alienation of that, which, according to the existing laws, conftitutes the territory of the republic.' "That it is impoffible his Majesty's minifters could have mifunderstood this declaration, for in the note figned Downing-street, there are these words: To a demand fuch as this, is added an exprefs declaration, that no proposal contrary to it will be made, or even liftened to.' That fix months after this, his Majefty's minifters again made overtures of peace, but in fo ungenerous a manner, that doubts might have been reasonably entertained of their fincerity; and after a variety of trifling difputes unworthy a great nation, when the happiness of millions was depending, his Majesty's minifters demanded, and made as their fine qua non, those very terms, which, before they began the negotiation, they knew would not be made, or even liftened to. "That under thefe circumftances, this Houfe humbly and most earneftly entreats his Majefty to enter into an immediate negotiation, upon, fuch terms as France is likely to listen and accede to, and in fuch manner, and through the medium of fuch men, as thall leave no room to doubt the pacific intentions of his Majefty. And this House begs leave humbly to affure his Majefty, that it enter entertains no doubt of the fuccefs of fuch a negotiation; and it feels confident, that after his Majefty thall have been graciously pleased to restore to his fubjects the bleffings of peace, fuch res trenchments and wife regulations may be adopted by the legisla ture, as will relieve the people, from their burdens, reinove every cause of complaint of their being unequally reprefented; reftore to the people their ancient, venerable, and free constitution, and thereby re-establith public spirit and public confidence, and enfure to his Majefty the affections of his fubjects, and the glory, pro Iperity, and happiness of his future reign." THE above motion was negatived by a majority of 54. Against the decifion of the House, the Earl of Oxford made the following Diffentient, PROTEST. Firft, Because seeing no means of falvation for this country but by an immediate, fincere, and lafting peace, I think the addrefs which I moved March 23, 1797, calculated to produce that happy event, and that a refufal to carry that addrefs to the throne, tends to a continuation of this cruel war, which I hold to be certain and inevitable ruin. Secondly, Because a secretary of ftate's moving, that an address to his Majesty on the 30th of December, 1796, fhould be read, is a poor, weak, and rude manner (to fay no worfe of it) of anfwering the arguments advanced in my addrefs. Thirdly, Because I believe that the arguments advanced by me, have never before been touched upon, even in debates; and no attempts having been made to answer thofe arguments, the conclufion which the public muft draw from it is, that they are perfectly unanswerable. Fourthly, Because it was my fincere wifh that the eyes of his Majefty fhould be opened to the dangers with which he is fur rounded, and that giving peace to his exhaufted fubjects, and res ftoring to them their rights, fhould be his own gracious act. Fifthly, Because I have the highest authority for every fentiment refpecting the "economy and reform of abuses," which I recommended, namely, his Majefty's own words, in that most excellent and patriotic speech made at the clofe of the American war, and which I quoted in my reply. Sixthly, Becaufe whenever a nation is in the fituation we are in at prefent, it requires the united energy and public spirit of the whole nation, to re-establish its credit; and I am perfuaded that energy and public fpirit are only to be obtained by the public poffeffing their ancient free conftitution, which they fo juftly revere; and I maintain, that according to common law, which is VOL. VI. 3 E common |