DEBATES ON THE TREATY WITH SWEDEN.
On the 11th of June a treaty with Sweden was laid before parliament, which excited strong animadversion. By the solicitations of the Emperor of Russia the king and crown-prince had been induced to enter into the confederacy against France; and it was resolved, that, as the Danes had been subservient to French interests, they should be deprived of Norway for the gratification of the Swedes. To this stipulation the British court had acceded for two reasons:—first, that by the occupation of Norway the Swedes would be better enabled to secure their independence; and, secondly, because it was desirable that a country which abounded with naval stores should be possessed by a power friendly to England. The Swedes, also, were to receive a subsidy of one million from the English treasury; and the island of Guadaloupe was to be ceded to its monarch, on condition of his opening a depot for British goods at Gottenburg and other ports, in defiance of the continental system. Lord Holland deprecated the transfer of Norway; denounced the cession of Guadaloupe; and opposed the subsidy as inconsistent with the financial difficulties under which the country was labouring. The treaty was disgraceful, he said, both to Russia and Great Britain; and he expressed his disgust at the gross inconsistency of the two courts, which had so loudly exclaimed against Napoleon’s encroachments. Earl Grey was equally severe in his censures; but Lord Holland’s proposal to suspend the execution of the treaty was rejected. In the commons a similar debate took place; Mr. Ponsonby taking the lead as the opposer of the agreement; but a proposal to the same effect as that made by Lord Holland was rejected, and the prince regent was subsequently gratified with a compliant address.