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them did, or could give away the controul of Parliament. He thought the prefent administration, in general, a good one, and therefore, that in which it was moft dangerous to introduce new practices, for thefe were always brought in in good times to be used in bad ones. Suppofe a future minifter wanted 500,000l. to bribe the House, he might fay he had fent it to a Foreign Prince. The Money Bills and the Mutiny Bill, the power of the purfe and fword, were the two pillars of the Constitution; and the minister had weakened one of them in a manner which called for fome strong mark of disapprobation from the Houfe. Mr Fox replied.

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16. General Fitzpatrick rose to call the attention of the Houfe to the melancholy fituation of M. de la Fayette, which has long excited the commiferation of every friend to humanity and freedom. The motion he intended to fubmit, he faid. could not be confidered as foreign to the jurisdiction of the British Parliament. It was now three years fince he had propofed an Address praying his Majefty to use his endeavours to obtain fome alleviation of the fufferings of this gallant Officer and his three friends, then languishing in a fortrefs belonging to the King of Pruffia, and at prefent in the dungeons of his Imperial Majefty, another ally of Great Britain. The General remarked upon the difcuffion that took place on this subject, aud entered into an able review of the conduct of M. de la Fayette. He impugned the arreft which happened upon neutral ground (the Bishopric of Liege), and declared, that M. de la Fayette was neither confidered as a prifoner of war nor a prifoner of ftate. It would not, he hoped, be contended, that La Fayette was the prifoner of an independent State, and that this country could not interfere. Should that argument be adduced, he was prepared to prove, on the authority of Mad. de la Fayette herself, that her husband and his companions were not the prifoners of the Emperos of Germany. The General next appealed to the feelings of the Houfe, and reprefented the object of his motion to be the husband of a woman, whose exalted virtues and heroic cour

age would command respect from the lateft pofterity. This woman, he faid, had no fooner escaped from the mercilefs prifons of the tyrant Roberspierre, whence fhe had witneffed her mother, fifter, and other relatives led to the scaffold, than fhe determined to fly to dungeons ftill more mercilefs, to participate in the fufferings of her husband, and to adminifter thofe comforts which his fituation might require. Previous to her arrival, fhe had the good fortune to obtain an audience of the Emperor, who manifefted the ftrongeft marks of fympathy and commiferation. He was pleafed to grant that part of her request which related to accefs to the prifon, and confequent confinement, but with respect to the liberation of her husband, the Emperor used this remarkable expreffion-" This is a complicated bufinefs, my hands are bound!" Thefe were grounds for warranting the affertion that M. La Fayette and his companions were not prisoners of the Emperor. On her arrival at the gates of Olmutz, the Governor of the fortrefs told her, that her husband was subjected to all the rigours of the dungeon, and affured her, that if fhe entered the muft fubmit to fimilar treatment. This did not shake her fortitude. She entered and found her husband ghaftly and emaciated, in rags and tatters, labouring under a pulmonary, bereft of every thing that could alleviate the horrors of imprisonment, and nearly deprived of air and the light of Heaven. This virtuous woman, this Aria, who could have interested the feelings of a Nero or a Claudius, could not obtain of her brutal keepers the fervice of a female attendant. Whatever fortitude of mind the might poffefs, the delicacy of a female frame, unable any longer to withstand the inceffant watch ings, was obliged to yield to preffure of fatigue. She requested permiffion to go to Vienna for medical relief; after an interval of three long months the Governor communicated the Emperor's pleafure, that if she came without the walls of the prison, she was to return no more. Mark, faid the General, the refinement and ingenuity of the cruelty! "You have facrificed your health for the fociety of your husband, now you thall facrifice his fociety for your health "" To this fhe declared in reply, that the too well knew her duty to her family to accept the alternative, and she was de

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termined to share the captivity with her husband, in all its details! The General defcribed, in a most affecting manner, the fituation and treatment of the captives, and remarked, that the war was profeffedly entered into for the prefervation of religion. After commenting with much feeling on thefe topics, he read extracts from a correfpondence with this lady, from her dungeon, and called upon the Houfe to convince the world, that the Emperor's hands were not bound up from the exercife of humanity and justice by this country. He then concluded by moving an humble Addrefs to his Majefty, ftating, that the detention of M. de La Fayette and his three friends was injurious to his Majefty and the caufe of his allies-and praying that his Majefty would intercede for their deliverance in fuch a way as he, in his wifdom, fhould judge proper. Mr Sheridan, in feconding the Motion, declined enlarging upon the subject, lest he thould do away the impreffion made upon the feelings and understandings of the House, by the gallant General who had just fat down.

Mr Pitt faid, unless it could be proved that the Councils of this country had a concern in the continuance of the fufferings of M. La Fayette, and a controul over the Councils of an independent nation, no communication on the fubject ought ever to pass, neither could we interfere, on any compact or principle, in the domeftic affairs of other countries. He, however, finally declared that he had no fhare in the detention of La Fayette and his followers, and that he would chufe it to be made known to the Auftrian Cabinet, that the Government of Great Britain did not participate in the defire of their imprisonment.

Mr Wilberforce propofed an amendment, which he hoped would conciliate all opinions, which was, merely to pray his Majefty to interpofe his kind offices for the deliverance of M. de la Fayette. General Fitzpatrick approved of the amendment.

Mr Fox faid, that he was forry to find an appeal, fuch as had been inade by his Hon. Friend (General Fitzpatrick) to the beft feelings of human nature, anfwered only by a difplay of fophiftry and chicane. The minifter had admitted the enormity of the cafe, but he did not dare to act on his opinion. He had intimated his doubts of the fact as fated, VOL. LVIII.

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and they were certainly of a nature not to be judicially proved; but the recital of barbarities at Olmutz was certainly founded on that which ought to be received as admiffible evidence. The letters of Mad. la Fayette, and the answer from the Cabinet of Vienna, were matters of public notoriety. But the Minifter had stated, as the ground of our non-interference, that it would go to ef tablish a general principle of interference in all cafes. When it answered purpose, general principles were to give way. Whenever the liberty of the fubject was to be invaded, general principles were regarded as fo many non-enti ties; but when an effort was to be made for the liberty of a meritorious individual, then a general principle was a ground too nice to be touched upon in the fmalleft degree. He had further ob. ferved, that there was no precedent in point. A precedent fufficiently clofe was furnished, in his opinion, by the interference of France in the cafe of Captain Afgill. But the hands of the Emperor were bound up." This could not be by his own laws. If it was done by any of his Allies, the voting of the prefent addrefs was the only mode of faving this country from a fhameful share in the tranfaction. The King of Pruffia had transferred the jailorship of thofe unhappy perfons to Auftria. This circumftance alone was fufficient to shew that it was no domeftic concern of the Emperor, and that they were, in fact, the prifoners of the Allies. M. de la Fayette was no fubject of the Emperor. He was not a prifoner at war according to the law of nations, though this he understood was a point meant to be difputed. He had been offered his liberty on the condition of fighting against his country. This he refufed, and for this refufal his memory would be embalmed, when that of his crowned and throned oppreffors would be perifhed and forgotten. If the Count de Provence (Louis XVIII.) had been imprifoned in the place of Fayette, could the Allies, not claiming his releafe, have maintained with any confiftency their war in favour of royalty? The difference in this cafe was only in the degree. Mr Fox faid, the Addrefs, in his opinion, was feemly and dignified. The reafons in oppofition to it were abfurd, and the feelings of the Houfe must be blunted if it were not adopted.

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Mr

Mr J. H. Browne declared himself in favour of the application; but faid, that, refting on the concluding affurances of the Minifter, he should vote against the motion.

Mr Pitt defired to be understood, as meaning only to fay, that, having no participation in the business, and being without a right to interfere, what he had undertaken was fimply that the affair fhould be fo understood by the Auftrian Cabinet.

Mr Grey confidered this affurance as infufficient. Since Minifters thus held back, he confidered it both as the right and duty of that House to interfere.

Mr Sheridan faid, he was forry that an Hon. Friend (Mr Windham) had not been allowed to speak when he offered himself, as there was about him a manly and generous indifcretion which tore the veil off every mytery. He had been kept back by the Minifter, who trufted rather to his own quibble than to the argument of his Honourable Friend. The bands of the Emperor, and the tongue of the Secretary at War, were, in his opinion, bound by the fame fpell. The latter was the deaf adder," who had unfortunately liftened to the charm. He hop. ed, however, that the influence of the Minifter, which enjoined filence to all his friends," arose from fome fpecial neceflity, and would not hereafter be drawn into precedent."'"

Mr Windham said, that though he was called upon to unveil a myftery, the fecret had been difclosed by the person who fo called upon him. Fayette was held up as the hero of liberty; and this was the real grounds of all the feigned appeals to their humanity which the House had this night heard. But what was the ground or claim which refted on his individual character? He had vifited Eng. land in the courfe of the American war. He went fresh from our hofpitable fhores to wield the fword againft us. But on this ground he would not rest; he should confider him as a total franger. In the courfe of the French Revolution, he was one of those who had alternately rifen and fallen, and who were unconscious of the ruin which they provoked, until it fell upon their heads. He was far from blaming the early friendship which had dictated and repeated this motion. He could not but think, however, that La Fayette was a fair prifoner. He had aufed hoftilities; but, by being no longer

an enemy, he did not therefore become a friend. He was taken on neutral ground, but this neutrality was only protection to refidents; it had no reference to hoftile operations, nor could it cover a General of the enemy, who, being driven from his army, was flying to fome place unknown, and from motives not understood. These were complicated queftions, but they were fuch as he fhould be ready to debate whenever it fhould be deemed neceffary. He then adverted to the events of the celebrated 5th and 6th of October, the whole of the outrages and violences of which day, he attributed to the conduct of M. La Fayette. He would not fay that the wish of this man was to deftroy the King, and establish a Republic in its ftead; but he had no difficulty in deciding, that he was one of the chief infiruments in rendering him a dependent and inefficient Monarch, from which proceeded all the calamities that had befallen France. Having, in the first inftance, betrayed and ruined his King, and in the next place, committed treafon against what he termed his lawful and only Sovereign, the People, he has rendered himfelf an object of the vengeance of both parties, and this gave an opportunity to his friends to exclaim against the royalifts or republicans, just as it might anfwer their purpose. He, for his own part, could never consent to become the advocate of a man who had contributed fo effectually to the overthrow of the laws and conftitution of his country, and who, if he now endured fufferings himfelf, had been the author of the most infinite calamities to the human race. What his real motives were, he knew not; but certain it was, that his conduct had produced mifchiefs immenfe, and evils fo atrocious, that he could not be led to confider him as a fit object of humanity. As well might gentlemen attempt to appeal to the feelings of Parliament in behalf of the famous Collot d'Herbois, who had caufed his fellowcreatures to be maffacred by thousands at Lyons. Mr Windham dwelt for fome time on this topic, and enumerated the various cruelties exercifed by Collot d' Herbois during his miffion to that city. He could not separate the cafe of M. La Fayette from that of the thoufands of human beings who had suffered in confequence of his conduct, the more efpecially as he knew, from authority which

he

Mr Secretary Dundas complimented General Fitzpatrick for his eloquence; but was against both the original motion and the amendment, as matters of which this country could not take cognizance. He called it a ftraggling piece of humanity.

he could not doubt, that his behaviour calamities to his country, and he thought even to the late unfortunate King and it but just that he should be made an Queen, had been of the most harfh, fa- example of to the world, that ali men vage, and unmanly nature. Her Majef who commenced revolutions fhould rety, he had been informed by ladies who ceive the punishment due to their crimes. had every opportunity of being well in Fayette was now only called to taste the formed upon the fubject, in her dying cup of mifery which he had prepared for moments declared that he forgave eve- others; and the exercise of his humaniry one living, except one man, and that ty towards him was, in the prefent inman was M. La Fayette; had it been in ftance, checked by the confideration of her power to have faved from death M. the ills which he had occafioned to manBarnave, fhe would moft gladly have kind. The fubject, indeed, fhould not done fo; but La Fayette fhe could not be confidered as a queftion of humanity, forgive. He was at a lofs, therefore, to but of policy and expediency; and he conceive why gentlemen fhould attend faw no precedent or example to juftify only to the fufferings of fuch a man, our interference, particularly in behalf of when the recital of horrors occafioned a man whofe merit, if he poffeffed any, by him, every day filled their ears? and was that of having pulled down and dewhy they should, on all occafions, make ftroyed the fabric of the established conthis deteftable war, as they were pleafed ftitution of his country. To intereft to term it, the conftant burden of their ourselves, in the smallest degree, in fafong, without ever recurring to the ori- vour of fuch a man, would be to hold gin and causes of it? Let them look to out an encouragement, and to offer prethe fituation of the 20,000 priefts who miums to the promoters and encouralingered out a miferable existence in this gers of all revolutions. country, and to the cafe of the thousands who had fuffered at home, in confequence of the conduct-pursued by M. La Fayette, and then judge whether he was a real object of the attention of that House. Even innocent females were not exempt from the lafh of the tyranný introduced and established by him; the convents and other dwellings of that fex, which claimed our protection, were violated and deftroyed, for there was not a bit of nun's flesh in his compofition. But, independent of thefe confiderations, there was a decorum due to other nations, which he was aftonifhed to find any gentleman wifh that House to break through. He knew of no proceeding more reprehenfible than an attempt to acquire the character of humanity at the expence of the feelings of others; and he hoped that the Houfe of Commons would never confent to have it told to The Chancellor of the Exchequer rofe, the ally of Great Britain, that its con- and faid, that notwithstanding the great duct was inhuman and impolitic, and importance to this country, and to all fhould no longer be perfifted in. For Europe, of the measure he was now, in his part, he thought it would be highly pursuance of his notice of Saturday, to impolitic in the Emperor to releafe M. offer to the confideration of the House, La Fayette at the prefent time, for it whether with a view to the effectual prowas more than probable that, if fet at fecution of the war, if the steps taken liberty, he would not be fatisfied to re- for the attainment of a juft, fecure, and main quiet, but would be the promoter honourable peace, fhould be found unaof fresh revolutions and convulfions. He vailable, or with a view to the attainwas decidedly averfe to any humanity ment, upon better grounds, of that being extended to him, because he con- peace, for which all were fo anxious, he fidered him as the cause of incalculable had the fatisfaction to think, that the

Mr Jekyl faid a few words in favour of the motion, and then the Houfe divided, For the amendment 50 Against it Majority The original motion was then put and negatived, and at half paft twelve, the Houfe adjourned.

132 -82.

18. This being the day appointed for taking his Majefty's meffage into confideration, which was read by the clerk, (but which we need not insert, as it was in fubftance the fame with that fent to the House of Peers, as on p. 930.).

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grounds on which the measure was
founded, were of so very plain, fimple,
and fhort a nature, as to render it unne-
ceffary for him to trouble the Houfe
with many words upon it; and to af-
ford him the most fanguine expectation,
that there would be no difference of o-
pinion upon the fubject. He reminded
the Houfe, that, at the time of his lay-
ing before them his estimate of the ex-
pences of the enfuing year, in opening
the budget, he had stated, in the courie
of his general view of the probable a
mount of the fupply, in the event of the
neceffity of carrying on the war, a fum
of three millions, by way of loan to his
Imperial Majefty, in which the advances
that had been already made to that mo-
narch were to be included. The Houfe
would obferve, that his Majefty, in his
aneffage, had not thought it neceffary to
call for affiftance for the Emperor to the
full extent of that fum immediately, but
had confined himself to saying, that he
was engaged in concerting measures
with his allies for putting themselves in
a ftate to profecute the war with vigour,
and effect, if the continuance of the war
fhould be inevitable; and would hold
back the full demand till the difcuffion
of that fubject with his allies, and a far-
ther view of the probable turn of nego-
tiation would render it neceffary, which
thould be laid before the Houfe as foon
as poffible. But, in the mean time, he
would fuggeft to the House, that for the
purpose of maintaining that perfect con-
cert in the war, neceffary to the attain-
ment of fuch a peace as we ought to
make, the fituation of the Emperor
would call for farther advances of a tem-
porary kind; while the granting an e-
ventual loan, to the extent mentioned,
would afford a proof, and an honour
able proof, of our readiness to fupport
our ally, and of our zeal and earneftnefs,
which would, on the one hand, enable
us to negotiate with greater effect, and
advantage, or, on the other, give us the
profpect of profecuting the war with lefs
difficulty and danger, if we were ulti-
roately driven to that alternative. In any
fuppofeable fituation, the granting of the
loan was a measure which could not fail
to be fo congenial to the difpofition of
the Houfe, and to the ftrong fentiments
it had already expreffed, that he would
think it wrong to argue upon it, or to
fuppofe that it would be difputed. He
reminded the House, that, if the advan-

ces which he had made to the Emperor had not been furnished to him, the advantages already gained in the campaign would have been loft; and faid, he was fure they would agree with him, that in the view of keeping up the best concert with our allies, they ought not to dif continue that which could not be withheld without inconvenience. He had the fatisfaction to think, that when those advances were made last year, they were made under great difficulties, yet produced the moft falutary effects. Thofe difficulties were, in a great degree, removed. Fraught with fuch advantages as had attended the mode in which minifters had made the advances, it would be an additional inducement to the Houfe to enable them again to make further advances to a limited amount, and at fuck ftated periods, as they should think the fervice of our ally might require. But while, he faid, that the difficulties which lay in the way of a lean were much less than they had been before, he acknowledged that it would be too fanguine for any one to fay that they were wholly removed. It would, therefore, become the Houfe, in fan&tioning a remittance to the Emperor, to adopt that mode which, in more difficult times, had been found practicable; and, while they granted a sum in the grofs, to leave it to the Executive Government to choose the time, as well as the quantum of parcelling it into diftribution. Having laid this short statement before the Houfe, he would not detain them any longer than to submit a motion to them to thank his Majefty for his meffage, and to give him an affurance of the readiness of the Houfe to concur in his defire. He would afterwards, on a future day, move to refer the meffage to a committee of fupply, in order to have voted a fum not exceeding 500,cool. to his Majefty, to enable him to make his Imperial Majefty such advances as might be thought neceffary. The Chancellor of the Exchequer then moved an addrefs to his Majefty.

Sir W. Pulteney said, he heartily concurred in the Address of Thanks, and in the measure of a Loan to the Emperor to the amount propofed, or more; but he differed effentially from the Right Hon. Gentleman in the mode in which it was to be given: this, he faid, was intended to white-wash the Minifter's conduct before in that respect, which he

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