Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

fate of an innocent monarch most of that freedom of speech which cruelly put to death by his own was the boast of parliament, if le subjects. Shall we not be permitted might not suppose, that by evil to testify our sorrow and abhor- counsellors their cars might be rence on an event that outrages poisoned, and their hearts deceived, every principle of justice, and He therefore feared, that this wa Nhocks every feeling of humanity? would be suppoted a war for re Of that event he thould never storing monarchy in France, and speak but with grief and detetta- for supporting rather the cause of tion. But was the expression of kings, than the cause of the people, our sorrow all ? Was not the atro- He would be the last to draw cious event made the subject of a distinction of interest between the message from his majesty to both rich and the poor ; for whatever Houses of Parliament?

the superficial observer might When he, Mr. Fox, proposed think, nothing was clearer, when sending an ambassador to France, philosophically considered, thah “ What,” said the right honour than a man, who was not immedia able gentleman, “ send an ambas- ately poffessed of property, had as sador to men that are trying their great an interest in the general proking!" If we had sent an ambaf- tection and security of property, as fador, even then; had our conduct he who was; and therefore he retowards the French been more can- probated all those calls upon the did and conciliating, the fatal iffue particular exertions of men of of that trial might have been pre- perty, as tending to excite the idea vented: but, said the right hon. of an invidious distinction, which gentleman, we negotiated unoffi. did not exist in fact. cially. The importance of this The ordering M. Chauvelin to diftin&ion, said Mr. Fox, between quit the kingdom, and the prohiofficial and unofficial negotiation, bition to export corn to France, to any wife purpose, he could never when exportation was allowed to understand: but even to this mode other countries, were acts of hoftis to of negotiation, the dimission of M. lity and provocation on our part, to Chauvelin put an end. But vo which, in the opinion of Mr. Fox, sooner was that gentleman sent out did not allow us to say, as the

proc of the kingdom, but minifters dif- posed address said, that war was patched their orders to lord Auck- an unprovoked aggression on the land to negotiate with gen. Dumou- part of France. He therefore rier, which reached him too late. moved an amendment, which, after

Our king had sat too long on the generally stating the French decla: 3 throne of a free kingdom; he had ration of war, concluded in the folhad too much experience that love lowing manner : “And nothing of his people was a stronger defence shall be wanting on our part that than guards and armies, to forfeit can contribute to that firm and that love, by tranfgrefling the effcctual support which your mabounds which the conititution pre- jesty has so much reason to expect scribed to him, were even his vir- from a brave and loyal people, in tues and his wisdom less than they repelling every hottile atteinpt were known to be. What became against this country, and in such

othes

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

2

ppoled a war le terople."

Gal observer

was clearer, y considered .

dom of speech Wher exertions as may be necessary as affording a ground for war with ft of parliament, induce France to consent to fuch France, though it furely afforded suppose, that belons of pacification as may be an illustration of the danger of 1 their hearts der welty's crown, the security of length they would go, if not fuctheir cars migralistent with the honour of your French principles, and to what

feared, that he muallies, and the interests of your cefsfully opposed. The dismislion archy in France Nr. Secretary Dundas said, that to and blamed, as putting a stop to interest between Nopting the amendment proposed ceived and acknowledged by this

M. Chauvelin had been adverted g rather the call me was certainly desirous of unani- negotiation ; but the fact was, that the lat to be there to purchase it at the price

of till after he had demanded to be repoor ; for what br the right honourable gentlemau court, as accredited by the republic;

Str

. Fox) which, under the ap- and therefore it was clear, that that perance of affording support to was not a measure whereby an

the executive government, seemed end was put by us to conferences ho was not inel really to take away the idea of with unaccredited agents. As to

of property, as real intentions to do so. For the propriety or impropriety of reft in the generis what, be asked, was the tendency fufing to acknowledge or receive urity of propen of that amendment, and of the ar- an accredited ambassador, he would and therefore he ruments of the right honourable not at present say any thing. Even hole calls upa gentleman ? It was no other than after an embargo had been laid on tions of men d this, that they must now fight, be- our vefsels by the French, his maog to excite the cause war was declared by France, jesty's ministers had listened to the diftinction

, wt but that they were about to engage proposal of M. Dumourier, which fect.

in a war unjuft and unprovoked. had been mentioned by his right g M. Chauveli Yet he seemed almost to admit, honourable friend, and had lent om, and the poi that the French had no justifiable instructions to Lord Auckland to rt corn to Fa cause for a declaration of war; for enter into a conference with him. on was allowed though he had made several obser- The chain of reasoning made use were ads of i tations on the recal of Lord Gower, of by the right honourable gentleation on our te the alien bill, and one or two other man in the subsequent part of his pinion of Miltopics

, he did not seem to consider speech, appeared to him moit exto say, as they

them to be just causes of war. The traordinary ; for it fecnied to be la aid, that war ungut bonourable gentleman, in- managed, as to leave him an opaggreflion ces tod, dwelt rather longer on the portunity afterwards of attributing e. He theres kbject of the thips sent to the the cause of the war, to a wish to Iment, which, die Sieldt; but whatever on that interfere in the policy of France. the French decis bad might have been alledged on It had been said that this was a ncluded in the fit the part of France, Ministers were war without an objcct, and that it : “And nothing entitled to credit, when they fo- was unjust and unnecetiary. in

on our part the lemnly aflerted that that was done answer to this, he would beg leave to that firm al folely with the view to support our to refer to a paper delivered by - which your it

ally, the Dutch, whom they were Lord Grenville to M. Chauvelin, reason to expet bound to defend, and with no view in which; after stating certain matd loyal people, i. to disturb the French in Belgia. ters which had given cause of ofhollile attent With respect to the murder of the fence to this country, a requisition try, and in fudking , it had never been mentioned is made, in the molt distinct and

precie

[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1

[ocr errors]

precise terms, that France should great pains to acquit himself, and renounce all views of aggrandize- apologize for his vchement ended ment; should confine herself with- vours to cxculpate France from the in her own territories, and thould charge of aggression : but he

pros defist from violating the rights of fessed, that he was at a loss to see other nations. France has now what it was hat made him so made a declaration of war, and prompt to exculpation. If France ** i proceeded to hoftilities against this meant nothing but what was good, country, without any offence on and England nothing but what och our part, and without previous no was bad, he certainly owed no apo- £100 tice. As to the supposed treaty logy for the part he took in herr Lili with the Emperor, which had been cause. As to the sentiments of the inte talked ot, although he had former- right honourable gentleman respected ly stated that there was no such ting the declaration of a specifie cinta, treaty existing in January, he hoped object of the war, as well as the mos he would not be to far misunder- delicacy of interfering in the in, El 1tood as to lead to a supposition ternal government of France, were Tas

, k: that his majesty's ministers would they adopted by the House, this met not now endeavour to bring down thould be their language:“ France! every power on earth to allist them you have endeavoured to destroy to against France. Upon the subject the repose of all the countries of of the proclamation, prohibiting Europe, and particularly of Engthe sending corn to France, he land : you have reduced your own had been correct in his former country to anarchy and ruin, and ftatement, wbich was a necessary murdered your king : nevertheless, measure of precaution for the pur- you may be assured, that, however pofe of crippling the French.

horrible your crimes; though to Mr. Dundas concluded, by de- the murder of your king you should charing that Great Britain entered add that of his infant lon, his un.

i fra into the war to secure her best in- fortunate queen and fifter, and the terests, by effectually oppofing a whole remains of his family, not Tyítem of principles, which, unless one hair of your heads thall be. they were crushed, would necef- hurt. You may war against us, farily end in the destruction of this threaten us with deitruction, and and of every other country. bring ruin to our very doors,

Mr. Burke faid, though he al- yet fall you not be injured.” Wasik, Mays attended with admiration and ever, he exclaimed, such a declararefpect to the speeches of Mr. Fox, tion made in such circumstances? he could not help eftimating that Unlimited monarchy, the right *** which lie had just heard at a less honourable gentleman had said, account, as he had read every part was the object against which France of it in Monf. Britlöt's speeches in directed the shafts of enmity. But then the national convention, one only he would be glad to know whether excepted, and that part was, “ that gentlemen would pretend to say France had used every means to that the was a friend to limited conciliate the regards and good monarchy ? No; she was an enewill of Great Britain.” The right my to limited monarchy, as mohonourable gentleman had taken narchy, and to the limitation, as a

limitation,

[ocr errors]

bot

Finitation. The aristocracy of this He declared he had no hesitation
centry, all corporations, all bodies, to pronounce, as if before that pre-
witcher civil or ecclefiaftic, were lence, that ministers had not pre-
the objects of her enmity. She cipitated the nation into a war, but
fered the most determinate ma were brought to it by over-ruling
here in the most express terms, neceflity.
gint all parts of the British go-

The putting the king of Fiance
peament, equally to those that li- to death was done, not as an ex-
bit or support monarchy; not to ample to France, not to extinguish
ths or to that, but to the whole. the race, not to put an end to mo-
di conquered by Louis XVI we narchy, but as a terror to monarchs,
might be sure of our established and particularly to the monarch of
forms being unmoletted; but it by Great Britain.' This new-created
be, of total extinction. Gentle- empire of theirs, Mr. Burke faid,
para bad, with much pertinacity, was only secondary to the accom-
sked." Have you atked satisfac- plithment of their plans of thaking
tia for this" This, he contend- all governments. This had been
ed
, was all an error, either of mit- profeffed out of the mouth of their
conception or of will. The acts of minister Cambon. He declared
France were acts of hoftility to this that the limits of their empire
country; her whole system, her should be those that nature had
Speech

done,

Count rivo

, every decree, and every set to them, not those of justice at bespoke an intention preclu- and reason; that is to say, the sea ése of accommodation. No man, on one side, and the Alps and the

he would venture to say, had a Rhine on the other, together with though

Der lively fenfe of the importance a large cut of the Appenines, and

of the question before the House, all for the benefit of mankind, of *} CCM

of the evils of war, than him- liberty and equality. They directed feli

; a war with France, under their invectives and reproaches

fub circumstances as now govern- more at England than any other is that

ed her conduct, must be terrible, place. They executed their unbet peace much more fo. A na- happy, innocent monarch, whom tea that had abandoned all its they well knew to be no tyrant,

valable diftin&tions arts, sciences, principally, as they alledged, for a ire." Wa

nigion, law, order, every thing warning to all other tyrants, and b a decir

bei the sword, was most formi- an example to all other nations.

ditis and dreadful to all nations Even a few hours after the execua muitandis 1, the rice copied of citizens who only used tion of Louis XVI. their minifter had in

bides as a defence; as such, of justice, Garat, addreiling the

France thould be refifted with convention, said, “ We have now hich Franco

fpirie

, vigour, and temper, without thrown down the gauntlet to a

feat or fcruple. In a case of such tyrant, which gauntlet is the head end to :3

inportance to this country, and to of a tyrant." He next read the ankind, as the present, gentle- declaration of the members who Ten thould examine whether they voted for the death of the king,

bed any finister motive, as if in the some saying, “ the tree of liberty itation, s

Divine presence, and act upon the could not fourish till sprinkled limitarios, result of that examination. With the blood of tyrants ;" others

declaring

d erentes

at, borte

ier, 213

a 1:

fеrу cr:

imity. Ex w whet

to as 30

Vol. xxxy.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

declaring, “ that kings were no oned on the confiscation of property
Jonger useful but in their deaths,” in every country they entered, with
&c. Gentlemen had said, that if the brotherly intent of fraternizing,
Jord Gower had been left at Paris, as a sufficient fupply for their exi-
or another ambafiador had been gencies in that country, and their
sent in his place, the unhappy fate resource for making war; thus
of the king of France might have they made war supply them with
been prevented. This, he faid, plunder, and plunder with the
was answered by the fate of the means of war. The right honoura-
king of Spain's ambailador, who ble gentleman (Mr. Fox) bad
had made, at the detire of his court, spoken with some afperity of an
a requisition, but was refused. The intention in ministers to restore the
murder of the king was intended ancient government. He would
only as a step to the murders of thie not compare that government with
other kings of Europe, for they had the government of Great Britain;
declared that nomonarchical coun- but certain it was, that it would be
try could have alliance with them: felicity and comfort, compared to
this, tvo, at the very moment that the present state of tyranny exer-
they were affecting to conciliate ciled in France ; for the

very

sang and explain away the decree of the papers out of which he had read 10th of November.

the extracts before, contained the Mr. Burke readily allowed, that melancholy account, that 30,000 this was the most dangerous war manufacturers were perishing for ili Es in which we were ever engaged: want, in Lyons alone. Thus their conta that we were to contend with a set enormities have produced misery, could of men now inured to warfare, their misery will drive them to defe bis and led on by enthusiasm and the pair; and out of that despair they uzat ardour of conquest, to fuch a de- will look for a remedy in the deszant gree, that they bartered the arts, struction of all other countries neapret commerce, industry, manufactures, and particularly that of Great Bria and civilization itself for the sword. tain. With regard to the means the Mr. Sheridan rose professedly to anda French have of carrying on the repel the insinuations and charges se in war, the plan of fupply they had of the last speaker against Mr. Fox te daling 'proposed was worthy of attention, which he attempted with his usual

, ad di Their ministeritated; that the coun- ability in a speech of great length ziplin try had been purged of 70,000 Among other retorts on Mr. Burke wa nient of property, all of whose ef. Mr. Fox, he said, was charged oor tects were to be contido ated, to the with a dereli&tion of principle, in a gaz amout of two hundred millions 'having that day omitted to expref, ferling. Thus, like a band of rob- bis apprehenfion of the increale o bers in a cave, they were reckoning French power, be the French go in the tirength of their punders. He vernment what it may. It is mon had, that they had 110, terms for true, that Mr. Fox had not said one railing tipplics---centication and word upon that subject in bis on. The common prople were ipeech that day, but had he not Ivicres by contiication::of the in every one of his various previous property of therich; and they roch- speeches in this feffion diftinctly

and

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »