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lamenting the effects of a ruinous war; feeling as we did the reverse of such a fituation, it was right to fecure its bleffings, and it was equally wife to endeavour to enfure their permanence in the manner now proposed. We did not now attempt to extract from France profeffions of friendship by menaces of hoftility; but, with a much happier and more effectual policy, we claimed that nation as our friend, by making it her interest to be so. The measure was evidently dictated by the moft liberal and enlightened fentiments, and he trufted that the refult would bear a fimilar complexion. He did not wish at prefent to enter into the minute detail of that bufinefs, nor anticipate the decifion which muft finally come from the deliberate wisdom of that Houfe; it was neceffary, however, to remark, that, while the connection fubfifted between America and this kingdom, our vaft capital was employed-whether wifely or not, was no part of the prefent queftion-in endeavouring to improve and extend that monopoly. The ties which then connected us being now diffolved, it became Beceffary to feek new channels for the em ployment of our capital; and France, in that cafe, must be the first to prefent itself to our ideas. It was a large kingdom, the confumption must therefore be great; it was a neighbouring one, and therefore the returns must be immediate; thus that capital which procured us only a tardy annuity from the American trade, when directed to that with France, would be converted into a fee-fimple, inftant and uninterrupted in its produce. When the French Treaty therefore was concluded, as he hoped and trufted it speedily would, and when fome interfering interefts were fecured by effective regulations, he looked on it that a new æra would be opened to this country, and amity and commerce would go hand in hand. Too much praife, in that cafe, could not be given to the minifter by whom fuch a change was effected; his fame would then emulate that of his illuftrious father, with this difference, that, while the one derived his from the conduct of an ar duous and fuccefsful war, the other would derive equal glory from extending the manufactures of the kingdom, and perpetuating the bleffings of peace.

Mr Fox began a fpeech of confiderable length, with declaring, that there was not a sentence or expreffion in the fpeech

or addrefs which he had just heard, that ftruck him as in the smallest degree objectionable. The attempt to affaffinate his Majefty, he reprobated in common with every individual and clafs of his fellow fubjects; and rejoiced that, as it was evidently the effect of infanity, it could fix no ftain upon the national characer. He would, therefore, have contented himself with giving a filent vote for the addrefs, had not certain expreffions which fell from the noble Lord who moved it, and were repeated by the Honourable Gentleman who feconded the motion, called upon him to lay down fome general principles. The language of thefe gentlemen was fplendidly elegant; but of the truth and force of their arguments, he could not speak in terms of equal approbation. That some of their pofitions were incontrovertible, he readily admitted; that peace, for instance, was preferable to war, and commerce to conqueft, was undeniable; but it should be remembered, that not one of the wars of England, whether fuccessful or unfortunate, fince the Revolution, had originated in the luft of conqueft, or from a defire for the extenfion of empire. We entered into war either in defence of our commerce, or to preserve the balance of power in Europe. The wars of Britain were wars of neceffity; they were wars which rofe unavoidably from the occafion. We were impelled to most of them by that reftlefs and infatiable defire of acquifition, which has always been the most prominent feature in the councils of France. Where then was the neceffity of inculcating forbearance to those who had never acted wantonly, or of arguing against a jealoufy, from which our fafety had arifen, and by which it had been uniformly protected? Deprecating, therefore, every idea of vulgar prejudice, he could not but think that the circumstances of mutual hoftility, which had been drawn into the argument, could not operate as motives to admit the measure. The proximity and rivalfhip of the two nations rendered chem in fome degree inevitable; to preclude them by any measure which fpeculation could devife, or the power of either kingdom enforce, was, in his opinion, impoffible; nay, he would not he fitate to pronounce, that, were fuch an event practicable, it way not to be wished for by any lover of this country; ter, to remove the cause of all future animofities with France, would be, he fincerely 1. A 2

thought,

thought, to lay afide the inftrument of our greatnefs, and to refign what had been the means of our fafety. However volatile and inconftant the French nation may be, the French cabinet has been for centuries the most steady and uniform in Europe; to raise that monarchy to unlimited power has been their great and unvarying aim; and will hiftory, or his own experience, warrant any man in faying, that they ever let flip an oppor tunity that feemed to have the leaft tendency, however remote in appearance, to promote their favourite object?-Lewis XIV. in the meridian blaze of his power, was much less formidable, he contended, than Lewis XVI. The power of the former, even as described by those fuperior geniuses who conftituted the glory of his reign, was inferior to that of the prefent monarch, his fucceffor. The former prince openly avowed his defigns; the latter, profeffing all the milder virtues of humanity, has it in view to attain the fame end by different means. England has prevented, more than any other power, the accomplishment of their withes; and to leffen her weight in the feale of European politics, all their attention is turned to the increase of their naval force; for this purpose, their army, formerly the firft, is now but the fourth, in point of numbers, in Europe; being inferior in that refpect to thofe of the Emperor, of Rufia, and of Pruffia; a circumftance fufficient to give a ferious alarm to this country.-Mr Fox then took a comprehenfive view of our relative fituation. This led him to inquire of minifters, in what forwardnefs the treaties with Spain, Portugal, and Ruffia, were. He then conjured them to confider, with the attention it deferved, the importance of this treaty to the future profperity of the people of England, whofe honour and intereft no confidera tion fhould induce them to facrifice; and concluded with profeffing, that the fear of falling under the imputation of en. tertaining vulgar prejudices fhould never prevent him from delivering his real fentiments, when he thought, that by revealing them, he might contribute to the benefit of his country.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer ho. ped that there was nothing to be apprehended from illiberality in that affembly; nor had the right hon. gentleman the leaft caufe to dread the imputation of harbouring vulgar (which were common) prejudices; as he believed no other per

fon in England held the fame opinions as those which he had delivered in the courfe of his fpeech. He expatiated on the advantages that would refult from the treaty, particularly its tendency to preferve peace, by rendering the prefervation of tranquillity mutually beneficial to both nations. With refpect to the information defired by the right honourable gentleman, relative to the state of our treaties with the other nations he mentioned, that, he would tell him, could be obtained only by an addrefs of the Houfe to his Majefty. He would, however, affure him, that care had been taken not to give just cause of complaint to Portugal, as the French convention would not in the smallest degree diminiflr the advantages which that country derived from the Methuen treaty.

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He then charged the right hon. gentleman with inconfiftency, the latter part of his fpeech being in direct contradiction to the beginning. He opened it with giving his affirmative to the address, and concluded with trongly condemning a treaty, for entering into which the addrefs had returned thanks to his Majefty. On this occafion he could not help reminding the right hon. gentleman, that, if this meafure were reprehenfible, he was to blame for it, who, by figning the late definitive treaty of peace with France, had made it abfolutely neceffary for his Majefty's minifters, in order to preferve the honour of the nation, to form fome fyftem. The right hon. gentleman himfelf, when in office, gave the fanction of his approbation to an arrangement, which now, as a member of parliament, he loudly reprobated.-A treaty, he obser ved, was on foot with Spain, which he hoped shortly to have the fatisfaction of laying before the House.

Mr Fox faid, when he came into adminiftration, he found the preliminaries of peace figned by his predeceffors in office. Thefe articles it was indifpenfably neceffary to confirm. If they were cenfurable, the blame was not to be afcribed to him, or his colleagues in office, but to the minifters who originally agreed to them. The honour of the King, and good faith of the nation, had rendered it his duty to ratify the articles of peace.

The address paffed unanimously.

The Lords addrefs was prefented to the King on the 24th, and the Commons on the 25th.--Gracious answers were returned.

On the 26th, fome petitions were prefented, complaining of undue elections.

It

It was then refolved, that no petition for private bills fhould be received after the 9th of March.

Mr Pitt prefented a copy of the treaty of navigation and commerce with his Moft Chriftian Majefty; and alfo a copy of the convention concluded between Great Britain and Spain. He observed, that as they had already been printed by authority, [vol. 48. p. 417. 493.], it would not be neceffary to reprint them' under the fanction of the Houfe; he would therefore move, only, that a fufficient number of copies be circulated among the members. The motion be ing carried without oppofition, he faid, that he would fhortly give notice of the day on which he fhould move to have these papers taken into confideration.

Some converfation then took place between Mr Sheridan and Mr Pitt, refpecting the business of Mr Haftings.

Capt. Minchin, on Jan. 29. conceiving that a motion which he propofed to make would be of great moment in the difcuffion of the French treaty, moved, That an account of the imports from Portugal, and the exports to that kingdom and its dependencies, for the laft ten years, be laid before the Houfe. His object, in this motion was, to procure an accurate ftate of the trade between the two countries; without which it was, in his opinion, impoffible for gentlemen to be prepared to lower the duties on French wines to a proper relative degree, fo as not to injure our commercial connexions with Portugal.

Mr Pitt was of opinion, that if the information which the motion was intended to procure were as ample as gentlemen could with, it would not be neceffary for directing their judgement in deciding upon the French treaty. By that treaty, we were at liberty to make what terms we pleafed with Portugal, and to treat her, if we thought proper, as the geus amiciffima; and therefore, though parliament fhould make a confi. derable reduction in the duties on French wines, it would be ftill at liberty to reduce thofe on the wines of Portugal yet lower; for which reafon the treaty with One country might be difcuffed independ. ently of that with the other. In oppofing the motion, therefore, he did not act from a defire of with-holding information from the Houfe; his only motive was, the propriety of waiting until the refult of the negotiations now pending between us and Portugal could be laid before them;

and he hoped that, in a few days, he fhould be able to give fome official information on this fubject.-Several others fpoke; and Capt. Minchin finding the fenfe of the Houfe was against the motion, withdrew it.

CONVENTION between his BRITANNIC MAJESTY and the Most CHRISTIAN KING, Signed at Verfailles, the 15th of January 1787.

THE King of Great Britain and the Moft Chriftian King, being willing, in conformity to the 6th and 43d articles of the treaty of navigation and commerce, figned at Verfailles the 26th of September 1786, to explain and fettle certain points which had been referved, their Britannic and Moft Chriftian Majefties, always disposed more particularly to confirm the good understanding in which they are happily united, have named for that purpofe, their respective Plenipotentiaries, to wit, on the part of his Britannic Majefty, William Eden, Efq; Privy Counfellor in Great Britain and Ireland, Member of the British Parliament, and his Envoy Extraordinary and Minifter Plenipotentiary to his Moft Chriftian Majefty; and on the part of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, the Count de Vergennes, Minifter and Seeretary of State for the department of foreign affairs, and Chief of the Royal Coun cil of Finances; who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, have agreed upon the fol lowing articles:

Art. 1. Their Majefties having ftipulated in the 6th article of the said treaty, "That the duties on hardware, cutlery, cabinet-ware and turnery, and on all works, both heavy and light, of iron, fteel, copper, and brafs, fhall be claffed; and that the higheft duty fhall not exceed ten per cent. ad valorem," it is agreed, that cabinet-ware and turnery, and every thing that is included under thofe denominations, as alfo mufical inftruments, fhall pay ten per cent. ad valorem.

All articles made of iron or steel, pure or mixed, or worked or mounted with other fubftances, not exceeding in value fixty livres tournois, or fifty fhillings per quintal, fhall pay only five per cent. ad valorem; and all other wares, as buttons, buckles, knives, fciffars, and all the di!ferent articles included under the defeription of hardware and cutlery, as alfo all other works of iron, fteel, copper,

and

and brafs, pure or mixed, or worked or mounted with other substances, shall pay ten per cent. ad valorem.

If either of the two Sovereigns fhould think proper to admit the faid articles, or only fome of them, from any other nation, by reafon of their utility, at a Jower duty, the subjects of the other Sovereign fhall be allowed to participate in fuch diminution, in order that no foreign nation may enjoy in this respect any preference to their disadvantage.

The works of iron, fteel, copper, and brafs, above mentioned, are not to be understood to extend to bar iron or pig iron, or in general to any kind of iron, steel, copper, or brafs, in the ftate of the raw material.

II. Their Majefties having alfo ftipulated in the 6th article, "That for the better fecuring the due collection of the duties payable ad valorem, which are fpecified in the tariff, they will concert with each other the form of the declarations to be made, and the proper means of preventing fraud with respect to the real value of the goods and merchandises," it is agreed, that each declaration shall be given in writing, figned by the merchant, owner, or factor, who anfwers for the merchandifes at their entry; which declaration fhall contain an exact lift of the faid merchandises, and of their packages, of the marks, numbers, and cyphers, and of the contents of each bale or cafe, and thall certify that they are of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the kingdom from whence they are imported, and fhall alfo exprefs the true and real value of the faid merchandifes, in order that the duties may be paid in confequence thereof; that the officers of the cuftomhouse where the declaration may be made, fhall be at liberty to make fuch examination as they fhall think proper of the faid merchandifes, upon their being landed, not only for the purpofe of verifying the facts alledged in the faid declaration, that the merchandifes are of the produce of the country therein mentioned, and that the ftatement of their value and quantity is exact, but also for that of preventing the clandeftine introduction of other merchandises in the fame bales or cafes: provided neverthelefs that fuch examinations shall be made with every poffible attention to the convenience of the traders, and to the prefervation of the faid merchandifes.

In cafe the officers of the customs

fhould not be fatisfied with the valuation made of the merchandises in the said de claration, they fhall be at liberty, with the confent of the principal officer of the cuftoms at the port, or of such other officer as shall be appointed for that purpose, to take the faid merchandises according to the valuation made by the declaration, allowing to the merchant or owner an overplus of ten per cent. and refunding to him the duties he may have paid for the faid merchandises; in which cafe, the whole amount fhall be paid without delay, by the cuftom-house of the port, if the value of the effects in queftion fhall not exceed 480 livres tour. nois, or 201. Sterling; and within fifteen days, at latest, if their value shall exceed that fum.

And if doubts fhould happen to arise, either refpecting the value of the faid merchandifes, or the country of which they are the produce, the officers of the cuftoms at the port fhall come to a determination thereupon, with all poffible dispatch, and no greater space of time fhall be employed for that purpose, in any cafe, than eight days, in the ports where the officers who have the principal direction of the customs refide, and fifteen days in any other port whatso ever.

It is fuppofed and understood, that the merchandifes admitted by the prefent treaty fhall be refpectively of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the dominions of the two Sovereigns in Europe.

To oblige the traders to be accurate in the declarations required by the prefent article, as alfo to prevent any doubt that might arife on that part of the tenth article of the faid treaty, which provides, "that if any of the effects are omitted in the declaration delivered by the mafter of the fhip, they fhall not be liable to confifcation, unless there be a manifest appearance of fraud;" it is understood that, in fuch cafe, the faid effects shall be confifcated, unless fatisfactory proof be given to the officers of the customs that there was not any intention of fraud.

III. In order to prevent the introduction of callicoes, manufactured in the Eaft Indies, or in other countries, as if they had been manufactured in the refpective dominions of the two Sovereigns in Europe, it is agreed, that the callicoes manufactured in the faid dominions for exportation from one country to the

other

other respectively, fhall have at the two ends of each piece a particular mark, woven in the piece, to be settled in concert by the two governments, of which mark the refpective governments fhall give nine months previous notice to the manufacturers; and the faid mark fhall be altered from time to time, as the cafe may require. It is further agreed, that until the said precaution can be put in execution, the faid callicoes mutually exported, fhall be accompanied by a certificate of the officers of the cuftoms, or of fuch other officer -as fhall be appointed for that purpose, declaring that they were fabricated in the country from whence they were exported; and alfo that they are furnished with the marks already prefcribed in the refpective countries, to diftinguish such callicoes from those which come from other countries.

IV. In fettling the duties upon cambrics and lawns, it is understood, that the breadth should not exceed, for the cambrics, seven-eighths of a yard Englifh measure (about three quarters of an ell of France), and for the lawns, one yard and a quarter English measure (one ell of France), and if any fhall hereafter be made of a greater breadth than what is above mentioned, they fhall pay a duty of 10 per cent, ad valorem.

V. It is also agreed, that the ftipulations in the 18th article of the treaty fhall not be conftrued to derogate from the privileges, regulations, and ufages already eftablished in the cities or ports of the respective dominions of the two Sovereigns; and further, that the 25th article of the faid treaty fhall be conftrued to relate only to fhips fufpected of carrying, in time of war, to the enemies of either of the high contracting parties, any prohibited articles, denominated contraband; and the said article is not to hinder the examinations of the officers of the cuftoms, for the purpose of preventing illicit trade in the refpective

d: minions.

VI. Their Majefties having ftipulated, by the 43d article of the faid treaty, that the nature and extent of the functions of the confuls fhould be determined," and that a convention relative to this point fhould be concluded immediately after the fignature of the present treaty, of which it should be deemed to constitute a part," it is agreed, that the faid ulterior convention fhall be fettled within the

space of two months; and that in

the mean time the Confuls General, Confuls, and Vice-Confuls fhall conform to the usages which are now observed rela tive to the confulfhip, in the respective dominions of the two Sovereigns; and that they fhall enjoy all the privileges, rights, and immunities belonging to their office, and which are allowed to the Confuls General, Confuls, and Vice-Confuls of the most favoured nation.

VII. It fhall be lawful for the subjects of his Britannic Majefty to profecute their debtors in France, for the recovery of debts contracted in the dominions of his faid Majetty, or elsewhere, in Europe, and there to bring actions against them, in conformity to the practice of law in ufe in the kingdom; provided that there fhall be the like ufage in favour of French fubjects, in the European dominions of his Britannic Majefty.

VIII. The articles of the present convention fhall be ratified and confirmed by his Britannic Majefty, and by his Moft Chriftian Majefty, in one month, or fooner, if it can be done, after the exchange of fignatures between the plenipotentiaries.

In witness whereof, we the Ministers Plenipotentiary have figned the prefent convention, and have caused the feals of our arms to be fet thereto.

Done at Versailles, the 15th of January 1787.

WM EDEN, (L. S.)

GRAVIER DE VERGENNES, (L. S.)

Hints for the Regulation of Porterage.
SIR,

Dec. 14.

Having occafion lately to inquire in

to the improvements which are making at Paris, I find one which is very much wanting in our enormous rambling town of London, where self-interest is fo predominant, that the greater part think of nothing but how they fhall get as much as they can for themselves.

The improvement I allude to is an office for the internal carriage, or porterage, of goods about the city: it is undertaken by a company, authorised by government; and they carry parcels, baggage, goods, effects, and merchandife, of all forts, at the following rates. For every parcel, &c.

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5 fols.

10 pounds to

20 for

6 fols.

20 pounds to

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40 pounds to

60 for

8 fols.

60 pounds to

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80 pounds to

100 for 10 fols.

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