The Earl of Liverpoollaid on the table the Treaty of Peace with the United States of America, and gave notice of his intention to move the consideration of it on Wednesday.
§ Earl Greywished to know whether it was the intention of ministers to lay before the House any information as to the previous negociations?
§ Earl Greyobserved, that it had been the practice to communicate information respecting negociations which had terminated to the House; and that it would be impossible to come to the proper consideration of the Treaty without knowing what had been the previous demands, and in what manner those demands had been persisted in or retracted.
The Earl of Liverpooldenied that it had been the practice to communicate information respecting negociations that had terminated happily. On the contrary, he believed there was no precedent whatever of that nature. With respect to those negociations that had broken off, it undoubtedly had been the practice to communicate information to Parliament. In the present instance, however, there was no necessity for any such communication, and therefore none was intended to be made; nor was it intended at all to recur to the negociation, but to ground an Address to the Prince Regent, on the terms of the Treaty being satisfactory and advantageous to the country.
§ Earl Greyagain urged the impossibility of properly considering the Treaty without having information of the previous negociation, particularly if it should turn cut, as he believed was the case, that we had rejected moderate overtures in the hour of elation and success, to which we had afterwards acceded when the time came of reverse and defeat. He did not know at the moment, whether any precedent of such a communication existed; but he thought the information he sought for of so much importance to the proper discussion of the question, that he should take an opportunity of moving for its production.