WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 578: WAR PROCLAIMED WITH FRANCE.
By Edward Farr
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - BritishHistory - Modern (1750+)History - RoyaltyHistory - Warfare

About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

WAR PROCLAIMED WITH FRANCE.

On the 6th of May Lord Pelham communicated to the lords, and Mr. Addington to the commons, another message from his majesty, stating that orders had been given to Lord Whitworth, our ambassador, to quit Paris immediately, unless he found a certainty of bringing the pending négociations to a close against a certain period; and that the French ambassador had applied for a passport to be ready to leave London so soon as he should be informed of Lord Whitworth having quitted Paris. Both houses adjourned till the Monday following; and after they again met, on the 16th of May, they were informed by another royal message, that Lord Whitworth was recalled, and that the French ambassador had departed. On the next day after the message was delivered, an Order of Council was published, directing that reprisals be granted against the ships, goods, and subjects of the French republic; and a proclamation was issued for an embargo belonging either to the French and Batavian republics, or to any countries occupied by French arms. Papers relating to the correspondence between France and Great Britain, were laid before both houses on the 18th of May and on the 23rd the subject was taken into consideration. In each house an address was moved, reechoing the sentiments of the king’s message and declaration; and though stern opposition was made by some members and peers, they were carried by large majorities. Recently Pitt had absented himself from the commons, but on this occasion he was present to defend the approaching contest. His speech produced a great impression on the house, and was greatly admired; Fox himself said, that if Demosthenes himself had been present, he must have admired, and might have envied. Notwithstanding, Fox placed himself at the head of those few who opposed the address; and ventured to palliate the conduct of Napoleon’s haughtiness and insolent language to Lord Whitworth. Buonaparte, he said, had as much right to complain of our aggrandizement in India, as we had to complain of his encroachments in Europe; that his expressed determination to take possession of Egypt on some future day, was not a sufficient cause for war; and that we were going to war on a sordid principle, which would deprive us of the possibility of obtaining any allies. The tendency of Fox’s speech was severely reprehended by several members, but he nevertheless continued his opposition. On the 27th he even moved an address, to advise his majesty to accept the proffered mediation of the Emperor of Russia; but this he was induced to withdraw, on a declaration from Lord Hawkesbury, secretary for foreign affairs, that the government, though it could not suspend the preparations for pursuing the war, would be ready to accept the mediation of Russia, if the first counsul would accept it, and accede to reasonable terms. In both houses censures were moved on the conduct of the Addington administration, but they were negatived by large majorities.