connections and dependencies, can be had with the ufurpel power now exercifing authority in France, confidering the defcription, the character, and the conduct, of those who compofe that government; the methods by which they have obtained their power, the policy by which they hold it, and the maxims they have adopted, openly profelfed, and uniformly acted on, towards the deftruction of all governments not formed on their model and fubfervient to their domination.

3d. Because the idea that this kingdom is competent to defend itfelf, its laws, liberties, and religion, under the general fubjugation of all Europe, is prefumptuous in the extreme, contradictory to the fuppofed motives for our prefent eager folicitations for peace, and is certainly contrary to the flanding policy both of state and commerce, by which Great Britain has hitherto flourished.

4th. Becaufe, while the common enemy exercifes his power over the several states of Europe in the way we have feen, it is impoffible long to preferve our trade, or, what cannot exift without it, our naval power. This hoftile fyftem feizes on the keys of the dominions of thefe powers, without any confideration of their friendship, their enmity, or their neutrality; prefcribes laws to them as to conquered provinces; mules and fines them at pleafure; forces them, without any particular quarrel, into direct hoftility with this kingdom, and expels us from fuch ports and markets as the thinks fit; infomuch that (Europe remaining under its prefent flavery) there is no harbour which we can enter without her permiffion, either in a commercial or a naval character. This general interdi& cannot be begged off; we must refift it by our power, or we are already in a ftate of vaffalage.

5th. Becaufe, whilft this ufurped power fhall continue thus constituted, and thus difpofed, no fecurity whatever can be hoped for in our colonies and plantations, thofe invaluable fources of our national wealth and our naval power. This war has thewn that the power prevalent in France, by intentionally diforganizing the plantation fyftem (which France had in common with all other European nations), and by inverting the order and relations therein eftablished, has been able with a naval force, altogether contemptible, and with very inconfiderable fuccours from Europe, to baffle in a great measure the moft powerful armament ever fent from this country into the Weft Indies, and at an expenfe hitherto unparalleled, and has, by the force of example, and by the effects of her machinations, produced, at little or no expenfe to herself either of blood or treafure, univerfal defolation and ruin, by the general deftruction of every thing valuable and neceffary for cultivation, throughout feveral of our islands, lately among the most fourithing and productive. The new fyftem, by which these

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things have been effected, leaves our colonies equally endangered in peace as in war. It is therefore with this general fyftem (of which the Weft India fcheme is but a ramification) that all ancient establishments are effentially at war for the fake of selfprefervation.

6th. Because it has been declared from the throne, and in effect the principle has been adopted by Parliament, that there was no way likely to obtain a peace, commonly fafe and honourable, but through the ancient and legitimate government long established in France. That government in its lawful fucceffion has been folemnly recognized, and affiftance and protection as folemnly promised to those Frenchmen who fhould exert themselves in its reftoration. The political principle upon which this recognition was made is very far from being weakened by the conduct of the newly-invented government. Nor are our obligations of good faith, pledged on fuch ftrong motives of policy to those who have been found in their allegiance diffolved, nor can they be fo, until fairly directed efforts have been made to fecure this great fundamental point. None have yet been employed with the smallest degree of vigour and perfeverance.

7th. Because the example of the great change made by the ufurpation in the moral and political world (more dangerous than all her conquefts) is by the prefent procedure confirmed in all its force. It is the first fuccessful example furnished by history of the fubverfion of the ancient government of a great country, and of all its laws, orders, and religion, by the corruption of mercenary armies, and by the seduction of a multitude bribed by confifcation to fedition, in defiance of the fenfe, and to the entire deftruction of almoft the whole proprietary body of the nation. The fatal effects of this example must be felt in every country. New means, new arms, new pretexts, are furnished to ambition; and new perfons are intoxicated with that poison.

8th. Because our eagerness in suing for peace may induce the perfons exercifing power in France erroneously to believe, that we act from neceffity, and are unable to continue the war; a perfuafion which, in the event of an actual peace, will operate as á temptation to them to renew that conduct which brought on the prefent war, neither fhall we have any of the ufual fecurities in peace. In their treaties they do not acknowledge the obligation of that law, which for ages has been common to all Europe. They have not the fame fentiments nor the fame ideas of their interest in the converfation of peace, which have hitherto influenced all regular governments; they do not in the fame manner feel public diftrefs, or the private mifery of their subjects; they will not find the fame difficulty on the commencement of a new war to call their whole force into fudden action, where, by

the

the law, every citizen is a foldier, and the perfon and properties of all are liable at once to arbitrary requifitions. On the other hand, no attempt has been made to fhew in what manner, whether by alliances, by force, military or naval, or by the improvement and augmentation of our finances, we fhall be better able to refift their hoftile attempts, after the peace, than at the prefent hour. If we remain armed, we cannot reap the ordinary advantage of peace in oeconomy; if we difarm, we fhall be fubject to be driven into a new war, under every circumftance of difadvantage, unless we now prepare ourfelves to fuffer with patience and fubmiffion whatever infults, indignities, and injuries, we may receive from that infolent, domineering, and unjust power.

9th. Because the inability of humbling ourselves again to folicit peace in a manner, which is a recognition of the French Republic, contrary to all the principles of the war, the danger of peace, if obtained, the improbability of its duration, and the perfeverance of the enemy throughout the interval of peace in their mischievous fyftem, is not conjecture, but certainty. It has been avowed by the actual governors of France, at the very moment when they had before them our application for a paffport. They chofe that moment for publishing a ftate paper, breathing the moft hoftile. mind. In it they ftimulate and goad us by language the most opprobious and offenfive. They frankly tell us, that it is not our intereft to defire peace, for that they regard peace only as the opportunity of preparing fresh means for the annihilation of our naval power. By making peace they do not conceal that it will' be their object-"to wreft from us our maritime preponderancyto re-establish what they invidioufly call the freedom of the feas; to give a new impulfe to the Spanish, Dutch, and French marines; and to carry to the highest degree of profperity the industry and commerce of thofe nations," which they state to be our rivals, which they charge us with "unjuftly attacking, when we can no longer dupe," and which they throughout contemplate as their own dependencies, united in arms, and furnishing refources from our future humiliation and deftruction. They refort to that well known and conftant allufion of their's to ancient history, by which reprefenting "France as modern Rome, and England as modern Carthage," they accufe us of national perfidy, and hold England up as an object to be blotted out from the face of the earth." They falfely affert that the English nation fupports with impatience the continuance of the war, and has extorted all his Majefty's overtures for peace by complaints and reproaches;" and, above all, not only in that paffage, but throughout their official note, they fhew the most marked ad. herence to that infidious and intolerable policy of their system, by which they, from the commencement of the Revolution, fought

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to trouble and fubvert all the governments in Europe. They ftudiously disjoin the English nation from its fovereign.

10th. Because, having acted throughout the course of this awful and momentous crifis upon the principles herein expreffed, and after having on the prefent occafion, not only fully reconfidered, and jealously examined their foundnefs and validity, but gravely attended to, and fcrupulously weighed the merits of all thofe arguments which have been offered to induce a dereliction of them, confcientiously adhering to, and firmly abiding by them,

thus folemnly record them, in juftification of my own conduct, and in difcharge of the duty I owe to my King, my country, and general interests of civil fociety. WENTWORTH FITZWILLIAM.

ON

N the 12th of December, 1796, Lord Grenville brought down to the Houte of Peers the following meffage from his Majefty.

George R.

HIS Majesty is concerned to acquaint the Houfe of Lords, that his endeavours to preferve peace with Spain, and to adjust all matters in difcuffion with that Court by an amicable negotiation, have been rendered ineffectual by an abrupt and unprovoked declaration of war on the part of the Catholic King.

His Majelty, at the fame time that he fincerely laments this addition to the calamities of war, already extended over fo great a part of Europe, has the fatisfaction to reflect that nothing has been omitted on his part which could contribute to the maintenance of peace, on grounds confiftent with the honour of his Crown, and the intereft of his dominions; and he trufts that, under the protection of divine Providence, the firmnefs and wifdom of his Parliament will enable him effectually to repel this unprovoked aggreffion, and to afford to all Europe an additional proof of the fpirit and refources of the British nation.

G. R.

A fimilar meffage was on the fame day prefented to the Houfe of Commons.

In the Houfe of Lords, on the 13th of December, Lord Gren ville moved an addrefs to his Majefty, thanking him for his gracious communication. The addrefs was agreed to nem. diff.

In the Houfe of Commons Mr. Dundas moved, That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to return his Majefty the thanks of this Houfe for his moft gracious communication.

To exprefs to his Majesty the concern which this Houfe feels, in common with his Majefty, at finding that his Majesty's endea

yours

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vours to preferve peace with Spain, and to adjust all matters in difcuffion with that country by an amicable negotiation, have been rendered ineffectual by an abrupt and unprovoked declaration of war on the part of the Catholic King.

To affure his Majefty, that while we cannot but concur with him in lamenting that fuch an addition fhould be made to the calamities of war, already extending over fo great a part of Europe; we share at the fame time in the fatisfaction which his Majefty feels, on reflecting that nothing has been omitted on his part which could contribute to the maintenance of peace, on grounds confiftent with the honour of his Crown, and the interests of his dominions.

And humbly to entreat his Majefty to place the most entire reliance upon the fupport of his faithful Commons on fo impor tant an occafion, and to be perfuaded that no exertion fhall be wanting on our part, which can, under the protection of divine Providence, enable his Majefty effectually to repel this unprovoked aggreffion, and to afford to all Europe an additional proof of the spirit and refources of the British nation.

The above addrefs was paffed nem, con.

ON

N the 14th of December Mr. Fox made the following motion in the Houfe of Commons:

"That his Majefty's minifters having authorifed and directed, at different times, without the confent, and during the fitting of Parliament, the iffue of feveral fums of money for the service of his Imperial Majefty, and alfo for the fervice of the army under the Prince de Conde, have acted contrary to their duty, and the truft repofed in them, and have thereby violated the constitutional privileges of this Houfe."

Mr. Bragge moved the following amendment to Mr. Fox's motion. He propofed to leave out from the firft word that, and to infert,

"the meafure of advancing the feveral fums of money, which appear, from the accounts prefented to the Houfe in this feffion of Parliament, to have been iffued for the fervice of the Emperor, though not to be drawn into precedent but upon occafions of fpecial neceffity, was, under the peculiar circumstances of the cafe, a juftifiable and proper exercife of the difcretion vefted in his Majefty's minifters by the vote of credit, and calculated to produce confequences, which have proved highly advantageous to the common caufe, and to the general interefts of Europe."

Mr. Fox propofed a fecond amendment, to infert after the word credit, in the first propofed amendment, the words,

"It being the opinion of this Houfe, that certain of the fums ftated in the papers laid before this Houfe, to have been iffued

on