A. 1791. by no means fuccessful, but had led to a negociation, which the oppofite fide of the Houfe had called upon His Majefty's Minifters to particularize and explain, to which unreasonable and unprecedented requifition a refufa! had been given. This refufal was now attempted to be cailed novel and unconftitutional, fubverfive of the privileges of this House, and pregnant with the most alarming confequences. But he would afk the honourable gentleman, if an acquiefcence with their demand would not be more novel, more unconstitutional, and more dangerous? and whether, from a premature difclofure of the particulars of a foreign negociation, evil confequences were not to be dreaded; and whether it would not be abfolutely and completely rending from His Majefty the, prerogative vested in him by the conftitution, of making peace and war, and negociating with foreign Powers, independent of the interference of Parliament? To these queftions the answer was evident, and every gentleman muft join him in the affirmative. Then, if this were granted, which he was fure it muft, he would afk, if it was an abufe of the confidence of that House, under the prefent circumftances, to remain filent, and let those untimely and premature queftions remain unanswered? No! for it must be evident to every man, that by a promulgation of the minutia of the prefent negociation, it would not only be an abuse of the confidence of the House, by betraying thofe fecrets which Minifters were bound to keep, but would effect the complete overthrow of the negociation, and be followed up by a fubverfion of the prerogative of the Crown, the confequences of which would be unfathomable. But there was ftill fomething more extraordinary in this demand, and more dangerous, if complied with, in its effects; for Minifters were not cailed upon for a general and complete statement of the negociation, but a partial communication of materials was required, on which the Houfe was partially to decide. Yet, he trufted that it required not from him a single argument, to prove the danger which would naturally arife from a conduct fo replete with every thing that must inevitably invert all order in the present and in future negociations; for this was not a queftion of war, upon which fuch a demand would be justly made; but this was a queftion of negociation, to procure, if poffible, on honourable and equitable terms, a ceffation of hoftilities, and the establishment of tranquillity in Europe. And here he fhould remark, that, as a queftion of negociation, and not of war, as it had been tranfmitted by the honourable gentleman on the other fide, his right honourable friend, who had on feveral occafions, with great credit to himself, and fatisfaction to his country, and to this Houfe, acting under their confidence, proved himfelf highly deferving it, was, on

2

the

the score of policy, as well as of matter of right, entitled to confidence on the prefent occafion; and not only a conftitutional confidence, but a perfonal confidence. Mr. Dundas next adverted to the feveral extracts read by Mr. Sheridan, in fupport of his affertion of the right the Houfe had to a communication on the subject; which he contended were no way applicable, but related only to inftances where war was declared. He then referred to the obfervations also made by Mr. Sheridan on the Spanish armament, and to which armament he gave his hearty affent, though he now thought proper to arraign his right honourable friend; to which obfervations he replied, that the charge of criminality against his right honourable friend ought to have been coupled with a charge against himfelf, for a change of opinion on that fubject, which was now brought forward with the most reviling and intemperate language, without any analogy to the prefent queftion, or with a fingle argument to fupport it. He contended against the dangerous effects of divulging the particulars of a negociation, which, he faid, was the real queftion before the Houfe, and not a question of war; and he concluded with giving his affent to the motion for the previous question.

Mr.

Mr. Harrifon faid, that the fyftem alluded to fo much, appeared to him to be a fyftem of delufion, and that it threaten- Harrison. ed to involve us in all the calamities and expences of a Ger

man war.

The Houfe divided on the previous question;

Ayes, that Mr. Grey's motion be now put, 172
Noes

252

Majority for the previous question . 80 When the Houfe was refumed, Mr. Grey moved his ftring of refolutions feverally.

Mr. Fox charged the Minifter with duplicity and decep- Mr. Fox. tion, in having, in the fpeeches from the Throne, ftated that

His Majefty had the strongest affurances of amity and peace,

when the events vhich followed proved the contrary.

Mr. Chancellor Pitt anfwered, that no rude words ad- Mr. Pitt. dreffed to him by the right honourable gentleman, fhould prevent him from calmly declaring, that when His Majesty ftated to the Houfe, in his fpeeches from the throne, that he had received the most amicable affurances of their good will, fuch had been the language of the feveral Courts; and if any of them had fince thought proper to take umbrage at any part of His Majefty's measures, that did not affect the validity of the affertions at the moment, that the fact had been communicated by His Majefty to Parliament.

The Houfe adjourned.

VOL. XXIX.

A. 1791.

The following is a Correct Lift of the MINORITY on Mr. Grey's

Motion.

Durham County.

Durham City.

John Tempeft.

Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. Ralph Milbanke.

Roger Wilbraham,

Launceflon.

Bodmyn.

Sir John Morfhead, Bart.

Helfion.

Sir Gilbert Elliot, Bart.

John Wharton.

Wm. Henry Lambton.

Beverley.

Knaresborough.

Viscount Duncannon.

James Hare.

Malton.

Camelford.

James Macpherson.

St. Michael.

David Howell.

Rt. hon. Edmund Burke.

William Weddell.

John Anstruther.

John Willet Payne, a Captain in Hon. Horatio Walpole, eldest fon

Newport, Hants.

Viscount Palmerfton, LL. D.

Tamworth.

John Courtenay.

Litchfield.

Thomas Anfon.

Suffolk, County of.

Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury, Bart

Ipfwich.

Sir John Hadley D'Oyley, Bart.

Dunwich.

Joshua Vanneck.

Orford.

Viscount Beauchamp, eldeft fon
of the Earl of Hertford.

Hon. William Seymour Conway.
Aldborough, Suffolk.

Lord Grey, Son of the Earl of
Stamford.

Hon. Thomas Grenville,

next

Brother to the Marquis of Buckingham.

Sudbury.

John Cox Hippifley, LL.D. Re-
corder of this Borough.
Thos. Champ. Crefpigny, LL. D.
St. Edmund's Bury.

Sir Charles Davers, Bart.
Surrey, County of.

Lord William Ruffel.
Gatton.

William Currie.

John Nesbit.

Bletchingley.

Ryegates

Viscount Melbourne, Gentleman Philip Francis.

of the Bedchamber to the Prince

of Wales,