comitants, tended, undeniably, to of pecuniary resources? However impede cultivation, and to defolate the countries where it was waged: the most fertile parts of Europe having lately been the continual scenes of this deftructive war, the productions of the earth had been neceffarily diminished, and it was unreasonable to deny that the war was, in a very confiderable degree, the cause of a deficiency in the neceffaries of life. He concluded by moving, that fuch conditions of peace thould be offered, to the French, as would confift with the safety and dignity of Great Britain. The ideas of peace and security, were, in answer to Mr. Fox, reprefented by Mr. Pitt, as incompatible with the situation of this country refpecting France. Every motive militated for a perseverance in the conteft. The enemy felt his increafing debility, and, notwithstanding his fuccefles in the field, betrayed a confcioufnefs that his strength was materially diminished. Hence it was that he had latterly shewn a dispofition to peace. But the interest of this country required a deliberate confideration of the state of France, in order to judge of the expediency of entering into negociations at the present moment. Such was the fall of the French paper in circulation, that it was now funk to one and a half for every hundred of nominal value. Seven hundred and twenty millions sterling had been fabricated and made current, and this enormous quantity was still on the increase. Was it credible that a nation, reduced to fuch straits, would be able to make head against the formidable enemies that were preparing to aflail it with redoubled vigour, and whese situation was fo much more advantageous in point fuccefsful on their frontiers, through military efforts, and the chances of war, the system of the French was so radically heinous, that it could not last. Were the European powers to reunite against them, they could no longer stand their ground. The interior parts of that large kingdom were in a state of the utmost wretchedness. Trade and commerce were annihilated, and industry found no occupation. Hence proceeded the facility with which the French recruited their armies, and the defperate fpirit, that animated men, who could procure no fuftenance but at the point of their fwords. But energies of this kind were not in their mature durable, and would certainly terminate in a short lapse oftime. So great was the difficulty of procuring specie for the moft urgent demands, that neceffary articles, in kind, were given in payment, and people were glad to accept of any thing that bore the semblance of pay. Would it not, therefore, be the height of imprudence, after reducing them to fuch a fituation, to pass by fo favourable an opportunity of reducing them still lower, and of fecuring, to ourfelves, the advantages resulting from their evident and undeniable depreffion? After adducing farther arguments, in vindication of his conduct, a division took place, when two hundred and forty voted for the address, and Asty-nine for the amendment, moved by Mr. Fox. On the next day, which was the thirtieth of October, the address was moved, in the house of lords, by lord Mountedgecomb, who supported it with much the fame reasonings that had been used in the house of commons. He was feconded by lord Walfingham, Walfingham, who dwelt particular- lay these grievances before the fo ly on the dangerous consequences of a precipitate peace, which would be throwing away the advantages we had gained by our perfeverance in this arduous conteft, and yielding to defpondence, at a time when we ought to make the most of the difficulties our enemies had to contend with, and were not likely to furmount, if we continued to act with the resolution that had hitherto characterised our measures. In reply to these affertions, it was obferved by the duke of Bedford, that it was more confiftent with the dignity of a British parliament, to frame an address of its own, than to copy the speech of the minifter, though delivered from the throne. His fentiments differed materially from the ministerial language he had heard. It reprefented the French as on the verge of ruin; but the truth of facts, opposed to the illufion of words, was that they were hitherto superior in the conteft, notwithstanding the conftant predictions of the minifter and his partisans, during the three preceding years, that they had not fufficient refources to prolong it another campaign. The duke adverted with great feverity to the reiterated allegation, that the French government was incapable of fulfilling the customary duties and relations of amity and good understanding with other states. He reprobated with equal afperity the fruitless destruction of men in the West Indies, and the ill-fated expedition to the conft of France. Thefe, and the other evils of the war, particularly the scarcity that afflicted the nation, he imputed to the misconduct and incapacity of ministers. It was therefore the duty of parliament to vereign, and to fupplicate him to relieve the fufferings of the nation, by consenting to a negociation for peace, which was the only effectual remedy for the many calamities under which the people laboured, in consequence of this unfortunate war. The observations of the duke of Bedford were warmly controverted by lord Grenville, who infifted that the fituation of this country was evidently superior to that of France in every point of view. Our fuccefles at fea were far more conducive to the internal profperity of the kingdom, than the dear-bought victories of the French had, or could ever prove to the people of France. The depreciation of the paper currency in that country, was, in his opinion, a circumstance to its detriment, and in our favour, that fully deferved the reiterated notice that had been taken of it. The most judicious of the French financiers were deeply sensible of the effects it would ultimately produce, and strongly deprecated the farther issue of any notes, and the withdrawing of no less than ten parts out of thirteen from circulation. With such glaring proofs of the pecuniary diftrefles of the enemy, was it prudent or rea: fonable to advise pacific meafures, when with a moderate degree of patience on our fide, he would probably be foon compelled to liften to more reafonable terms of peace, than the pride refulting from his late fuccesses would now permit him to accept. He concluded, by reprefenting the failure of the expedition to the coast of France as occafioned by the treachery of those French corps, that had been too confidently relied upon. He He was replied to by the marquis of Lansdowne, who pointedly animadverted on the profperous fituation wherein ministers asserted the country stood at the present moment. What he had foretold was come to pass; our allies had deserted us, and our enemies were every where victorious. The trite argument of their ruined finances was still revived; but in what state were our own? were they inexhaustible? were they equal to the support of ourselves, together with the weight of those pretended friends who had taken our money, and converted it to purposes entirely foreign to those for which it was granted, and who were waiting with their accustomed avidity for fresh grants. Taxes could only be carried to a certain length: beyond which they would in this country, as in all others, become intolerable. But money alone was no fecurity for fuccefs; fagacity was of far greater confequence. The minifterial projects and enterprizes displayed little of this effential requifite; failures and disappointments continually attended them. This however was not furprifing, as their attempts againft the foe were glaringly marked with imprudence. The expedition to St. Domingo, for instance, was an unpardonable act of temerity; here the French were infurmountable: it was the capital feat of their ftrength in the West Indies; of this the great lord Chatham was fo well convinced that he wifely forbore, even in the midst of his fuccesses, to make it an object of attack. The French, it was true, were straitened for money, but they had that which was better; they had good foldiers and excellent commanders; on those they chiefly depended, and fortune had favoured them. Courage was inexhaustible, but wealth had its limits and the example of France ought to warn us of the danger of stretching the pecuniary resources of the nation beyond their natural bearings. The war had tried them to fuch an extent, that it was time to cease the experiment how far they would go, and to make negociation take place of hoftilities. The earls of Mansfield and Darnley spoke in favour of the address, and the duke of Grafton and the earl of Lauderdale against it. The latter inveighed bitterly against ministers for the affurances they had given to the public in the former feffions, that fuch was the fuperior might of the confederacy, that France would be utterly unable to refist it; but how different the reality from the fair appearances they had held out! defeat and defertion had characterised those allies in whose name fuch lofty promifes had been made; and to complete the picture of the national calamities, we were now vifited by a scarcity, undeniably owing to the improvident conduct of those at the helm; yet ministers boldly afferted that our condition was improved, and that of the enemy worse than ever. But did not facts give the strongest denial to those shameful affeverations? was not the enemy in poslession of all we had conquered, and preparing for new conquests? was not the coalition broken and diffolved, and fome of its principal members in treaties of peace and amity with the French? could any man of sense and integrity interpret such things as improvements in the fituation of this country? did they entitle us to expect that the French French should be the first to sue for peace, as ministers presumptuously afferted? The amendment brought forward by the duke of Bedford was strongly opposed by earl Spencer, who contended that in so extensive a war, waged in almost every part of the globe, it could not be expected that the mercantile shipping of this country would always escape the vigilance of an enemy, whose only and perpetual object at fea was depredation. It was indeed more furprising that his captures were so few, when it was confidered that we carried on nearly the whole trade of Europe. He gave a fatisfactory account of the naval tranf actions during the peceding season, and made it appear that the mischances which had befallen the commercial fleets were owing to unavoidable accidents, and not to mifconduct. He justified the employment of Mr. Puissaye, as a perfon through whose means the prin cipal communication was kept up with France, where he headed a confiderably party of royalists. The duke of Norfolk spoke for the amendment, and the lord chancellor in opposition to it. The duke of Bedford in resuming that fubject recurred to the expreffions used by lord Grenville, which were, that "in cafe the constitution now of- fered to the people of France, should be found likely to establish itself in such a form as to secure a government that might preserve the. relations of peace and amity, his objections to treat with them would be entirely removed." The fubstance of what had been spoken by lord Grenville, was confomable to the words taken down by the duke of Bedford; but the former declared himself of opinion, that it was not parliamentary to make the words of a peer, uttered in the course of the debate, a formal ground of propofing or of recalling a motion. Hereon the duke confented to withdraw his amendment; refusing however his approbation to that part of the address which afferted an improvement in the fituation of public affairs. The address was then finally moved, and carried in the affirmative.. CHAP 1 CHAP. II. A Proclamation offering a large pecuniary Reward for the Discovery of any Perfons guilty of the recent Outrages against the Perfon of the KingConference between the Lords and Commons on this Subject.-A Bill for the Safety and Prefervation of the King's Perfon and Government.-Debates thereon in both Houses of Parliament.-A Bill for the Prevention of Scditious Meetings.- Debates thereon. The two Bills under Discussion in Parliament occafion a general Alarm, and much Opposition without Doors.In this Oppofition the lead was taken by the Whig-Club. Which was followed by the Corresponding Societies and other Affociations. As well as different Bodies legally incorporated. - The Ministry still perfevere in their Meafures. Debates on the numerous Petitions against the two Bills now pending in Parliament. General Indignation against the Principles and Objects of these.--The two Bills paffed into Laws. N the mean time the indignities offered to the king were a fubject of universal discourse, and highly reprobated by the prudent and moderate, as procurfory of far greater evils than had hitherto been experienced by those who vented their difcontent in this outrageous manner. On the last day of October, a proclamation was issued, offering a thousand pounds for the discovery of any perfon guilty of those outrages. On the fourth of November it was followed by another, wherein it was faid, that previoufly to the opening of parliament, multitudes had been called together by hand-bills and advertisements, who met in the vicinity of the metropolis, where inflammatory speeches were made, and divers means used to sow discontent and excite feditious proceedings. These meetings and discourses were followed three days after by the moft daring infuks to the king, by which his person had been imminently endangered. Rumours had also been spread, that assemblies were to be held by disaffected people for illegal purposes. In consequence of those proceedings, it was enjoined by the proclamation to all magiftrates, and well affected Tubjects, to exert themselves in preventing and fuppreffing all unlawful meetings, and the dissemination of feditious writings. So great had been the alarm and indignation, created by the treatment of the king, that as soon as he had gone through the reading of his speech, and had left the house, it was immediately ordered to be cleared of all strangers, and a consultation held by the lords, in what manner to proceed upon so extraordinary an occafion. An address to the king was refolved upon, and a conference with the house of commons to request their concurrence therein. The majority agreed |