§ The house having resumed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer adverted to the motion respecting Spain, of which notice had been given by a right hen. 866 gent. (Mr. Sheridan); but with the purport and scope of which he professed himself not to be acquainted. He could not, therefore, but be anxious to know what was the object of that right hon. gentleman's motion.
§ Mr. Sheridanthought it sufficient to observe, that he had communicated the substance of his intended motion to his right hon. friend, the secretary for foreign affairs, whose absence he had now to regret, because he was certain, that had his rt. hon. friend been present, he would have made no objection to the nature of the motion he had to propose. He had so framed it, that it was impossible the entertaining of it could cause any public detriment, or expose ministers to any violation of that discretion and secrecy which it was their duty to observe in matters of this sort. But if that right hon. gent, was ignorant of the purport of this motion, it was only a new proof of the shyness of communication which he had reason to believe existed between that right hon. gent, and his right hon. friend (Mr. Canning); otherwise he could not account for the disapprobation which the right hon. gent, had now manifested of any motion of the nature he had intended to make, being brought under the consideration of the house.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerwas not aware of any good that could arise from the agitation of such a subject, and must only suppose, that the object of the right hon. gent., in making such a motion, was merely to draw a speech from one of his majesty's ministers.
§ Mr. Whitbreadwas anxious to dissuade his right hon. friend from stirring any inquiry into the affairs of Spain at so critical and perilous a moment. In his opinion, every matter of that kind, under the peculiar circumstances of the moment, should be left entirely and exclusively to the discretion of the executive power.
§ Mr. Sheridanwas determined to persist in his motion. It could be productive of no evil, and it might give rise to much good. He felt the urgency of the business, and was therefore resolved not to leave it to the slow and skulking hesitation of ministers. As to the apprehensions of his hon. friend, he was confident that he should not only be able to allay those apprehensions, but succeed in convincing his hon. friend of the propriety of the motion which he intended to make.—Mr. Sheridan having thus persisted in his motion, it was fixed for Wednesday,