Jordan's Parliamentary Journal, for the Year MDCCXCIII- Volume 2; Being an Accurate and Impartial History of the Dabates and Proceedings of Both House

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1794 Excerpt: ... aflced, " Is not this a fit matter of inquiry? I beg leave only to retort the queftion--Is it defirable that we fhould inftitute fuch inquiries, while engaged along with Allies, of whofe affiftance we muft avail ourfetves in carrying on the War? Except, indeed, it could be fhewn, that fome very great public advantage would arife from inftituting the inquiry, the mifchief to be dreaded from provoking fuch a difcuffion is too obvious to require to be infilled on. There remains only one topic on which I think it necefTary fhortly to remark. Though the Hon. Gentleman, in prefacing his motion, difclaimed all intention of attacking the characters of the Officers concerned in conducting the feveral expeditions, he in the courfe of his fpeech departed from the principal which he had thus laid down. In cenfuring the conduct of the evacuation of Toulon, he evidently criminated the conduct of the Officers who commanded on that occafion. No part of the blame of the tranfaction could poflibly attach to Minifters. Of this part of the Hon. Gentleman's Speech, I will only remark, that it is an attack upon Officers engaged in the Public Service, and not prefent to defend themfelves: and for this Houfe to countenance fuch an attack, by going into an inquiry in the abfence of thefe Officers, would, I conceive, favour both of impolicy and ingratitude. What too is the point upon which thofe Officers are attacked? Their conduct in the evacuation of Toulon, when they had to contend with fo many difficulties, when fuch an alarm would naturally be excited among the inhabitants, as greatly to impede their operations. If, as I ftated on a former occafion, it was recolledted what would be the buftle and confullon attendant upon a common embarkation of half the number of men on the Ri...