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have constituted such an urgent affairs in France, that the French and imperious cale of neceflity as nation gave up all pretensions to left no room for accominodation, determine the question of the fuzand made war unavoidable. The ture navigation of the Scheldt. government of France has been Whether the terms of this declaaccused of having violated the law ration were perfectly fatisfactory of nations, and the stipulations of or not, they at least left the queíexisting treaties, by an attempt to tion open to pacific negotiation; deprive the republic of the United in which the intrinsic value of the Provinces of the exclusive naviga- object, to any of the parties contion of the Scheldt. No evidence, cerned in it, might have been however, has been offered to con- coolly and impartially weighed vince us that this exclusive navi- against the consequences, to which gation was, either in itself or in all of them might be exposed, by the estimation of those who were attempting to maintain it by force alone interested in preserving it, of of arms. such importance as to justify a de

“ We have been called upon to termination in our government to

refist views of conqueft and aggranbreak with France on that account. dizement entertained by the If, in fact, the States General had vernment of France, , ' at all times thewn a disposition to defend their dangerous to the general interests right by force of arms, it might of Europe, but aflerted to be more have been an instance of the trueft peculiarly fo, when connected the friendship to have suggested to with the propagation of principles, them, for their serious confidera- which lead to the violation of the a tion, how far the affertion of this most facred duties, and are utterly : Jatin unprofitable claim might, in the fubversive of the peace and order de present circumstances of Europe, of all civil society.' tend to bring into hazard the most “ We admit, that it is the inte and essential interests of the republic. rest and duty of every member of 19 pm But when, on the contrary, it has the commonwealth of Europe to - padu been acknowledged that no requi- support the established system and saya sition on this subjeđ was made to distribution of power among the 2: 2 ber his majesty, on the part of the independent fovereignties, which inte States General, we are at a loss to actually subfift, and to prevent the zy hon comprehend on what grounds of aggrandizement of any state, era iaith right or propriety we take the lead pecially the most powerful, at the 2" in averting a claim, in which we expence of any other; and, formen are not principals, and in which the honour of his majesty's coun. step the principal party has not, as far cils, we do molt earnestly with, as as we know, thought it prudent that his ministers had manifefted sa or necessary to call for our interpo- a just sense of the importance of this fition.

the principle to which they now un We must farther remark, that appeal, in the course of late events, the point in dispute seemed to us which seemed to us to threaten its to have been relieved from a mate- entire destruction. rial part of its difficulty, by the de “ When Poland was beginning af claration of the minister of foreign to recover from the long calami

neggiato

valued a

alled at

Tandona . by the at all ;

the Freeds of aparchy, combined with minion of a foreign power. But
le scuzachy like our own, and was pulled her invaders, and carried
Taustaternal government, his majesty's bis majesty's ministers, laying aside

sprellion; atter the had establish- no sooner, by an ever-memorable
Jon hereditary and limited mo- reverse of fortune, had France re-
peccably employed in settling her her arms into their territory, than
eace and unconcern, have seen her had marked their conduct during

become the victim of the most un- the invasion of France, began to partici te poroked and unprincipled inva- express alarms for the general sehave bey foa; ber territory overrun, her curity of Europe, which, as it apDy te elite conftitution subverted, her pears to us, they ought to have 63, Witstional independence annihilated, seriously felt, and might have exesprits the general principles of the preiled, with great justice, on the

kority of nations wounded previous succeiles of her powerful
through her side. With all these adversaries.
erd was France soon after threata " We will not differnble our
eged

, and with the same appear- opinion, that the decree of the na-
arce either of supine indifference, tional convenion of France of the

of secret approbation, his ma- 19th of November, 1792, was in teral irrjelly's ministers beheld the armies a great measure liable to the obid to bez other powers in evident con- jections urged againtt it; but we

cert with the oppressor of Poland) cannot admit that a war, upon the of princesahancing to the invasion and sub- single ground of such a decree, lation d'a ngation of France, and the march unaccompanied by any overt acts,

those armies distinguished from by which we or our allies might ce and enter the ordinary hostilities of civilised be directly attacked, would be jus

nations by manifeftos, which, if tified as neceitary and unavoidable. t is the their principles and menaces had certainly not, unless, upon a reEX MEILL: been carried into practice, must gular demand made by his majesf Eur:pekave inevitably produced the 're- ty's ministers of explanation and diyfien

turn of that ferocity and barbarism security in behalf of us and our r among in war, wbich a beneficent reli- allies, the French had refused to nities, wi.

gion, and enlightened manners, give his majesty such explanation - preveze:

and true military honour, have for and security. No such demand ny late, a long time banithed from the was made. Explanations, it is -'erful, att Christian world,'

en CODE

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true, have been received and re“No effort appears to have been jected. But it well deserves to be jelty's ac made to check the progress of these remarked and remembered, that inchily mi

izrading armies : his majesty's these explanations were voluntad manit:: minifters

, under a pretended re- rily offered on the part of France,

fpect for the rights and indepen- not previously demanded on ours, as ch theros dence of other sovereigns, thought undoubtedly they would have flate co's ft at that time to refuse even the been, if it had suited the views of > threatens interpofition of his majesty's coun- his majesty's ministers to have act

cils and good offices, to save lo ed frankly and honourably towards is beginsiz great and important a portion of France, and not to have reserved Europe from falling under the do their complaints for a future pe

riod;

21; and 1

mpertinet

ong cake

6

riod, when explanations, however as necessary and useful to insure reasonable, miglit come too late, success as any arguments founded and hostilities might be unavoid. on strict right. Nor can it be deable.

nied that claims or arguments After a review of all those of any kind, urged in hostile or considerations, we think it necef- haughty language, however cquisary to represent to his majesty, table or valid in themselves, are that none of the points which were more likely to provoke than to coiiin difpute between his minifters ciliate the opposite party. Deplorand the government of France img, as we have ever done, the appear to us to have been incapa- melancholy event which has lately, ble of being adjusted by negotia- happened in France, it would yet tion, except that aggravation of have been some confolation to us French ambition, which has been to have heard, that the powerful stated to arise from the political interposition of the British nation opinions of the French nation. on this subject had at least been These indeed, we conceive, form- offered, although it should unfored neither any definable object of tunately have been rejected. But, negotiation, nor any intelligible instead of receiving íuch confolareason for hostility. They were tion from the conduct of his maequally incapable of being adjusted jesty's ministers, we have seen them, by treaty, or of being either refut- with extreme astonishment, ened or confirmed by the events of ploying, as an incentive to holtiliWar.

ties, an event, which they had We need not state to his ma- made no effort to avert by negotijesty's wisdom, that force can ne- ation. This inaction they could ver cure delwion; and we know only excuse on the principle, that his majesty's goodness too well to the internal conduct of nations fuppofe, that he could ever enter. (whatever may be our opinion of tain the idea of employing force to its morality) was no proper ground destroy opinions by the extirpation for interpofition and remonftrance of thote who hold them.

from foreign states; a principle, “ The grounds, upon which his from which it must itill more clearmajesty's ministers have advised by follow that such internal c011him to refuse the renewal of some duct could never be an admitlible, arowed public intercourie with the juflifiable reason for war. existing government of France, ap- “ We cannot refrain from obo peared to us neither justified by ferving, that such frequent alluthe reaion of the thing itself, nor fions as have been made to ari by the usage of nations, nor by event (confefledly no ground of any expediency arising from the rupture) seemed to us to have present state of circumstances. In arisen from a finifter intention to all necotiations or difcuflions what- derive; from the humanity of Enfoever, of which peace is the real glithmen, popularity for measures obje&, the appearance of an ami- which their deliberate judgment cable disposition, and of a readi- would have reprobated, and to inpels to oster and to accept of paci- fiuence the most virtuous fenfibilia fic explanations on both sides, is tics of his majesty's people into a

nd useful to the

argument

Nor can it beca ins of arguur

Lirged in both

age, however

in themselves

, a provoke than ofite party. Depok

rance, it wounded e consolation de

that the power

the Britith 12:31 had at least by gh it hould ne rejected

. Bu ring such com onduct of his

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tre ever done, bis majesty, and to their fellow ple with respect to parliament was nt which has been subjects, to declare, in the most weakened, if not destroyed. The

blind and furious zeal for a war of things, that as the constitution now Tengeance.

stands with respect to representaHis majesty's faithful com- tion in parliament, the country is molas, therefore, though always amused with the name of a repredetermined to support his majesty sentation of the people, when the with vigour and cordiality in the reality is gone; that the right of exertions necessary for the defence election had pailed away from the of his kingdoms, yet feel that they people almost altogether, and that ate equally bound by their duty to thereby the confidence of the peofolemn manner, their disapproba- petition therefore prayed the House tion of the conduct of his majesty's to consider of the proper mode to ministers throughout the whole effectuate a reform in parliament; o these transactions—a conduct and luggested, as one part of gewhich, in their opinion, could neral reform, that the right of lead to no other termination but election fhould be in proportion to that to which it seems to have the number of adult males in the been studioully directed, of plung- kingdom. After fome debate on ing their country into an unnecef- the question of receiving the petifary war. The calamities of such a tion, the passages we have now revärmust be aggravated, in the esti- cited were considered, by a large riation of every rational mind, by re- majority of the House, to be of Secting on the peculiar advantages such a nature as to justify a refulal of that fortunate situation which to receive it. On a division there we have fo unwisely abandoned, appeared for the petition 21 and which not only exempted us Against it

109
from Sharing in the distreiles and
alictions of the other nations of

Majority 88
Europe, but converted them into Several petitions respecting con-
burces of benefit, improvement, troverted electionts remaining un-
and prosperity to this country. heard in the third session of this

* We, therefore, humbly im- parliament, it became absolutely

plore his majetty's paternal good- neceffary that some measures thould De an admitica

reis to listen no longer to the be taken to enforce the attendance

councils which have forced us in- of members on the days fixed for frain from cho

to this unhappy war, but to em- ballots; Mr. T. Grenville, therefrequent al

brace the earliest occafion which fore, brought forward, on the fole made to a

bis wisdom may discern, of restor- lowing day, certain resolutions to no ground ing to his people the bleflings of produce that effect, which were leCO us to have peace.”

verally moved, and after some -r intention to After a few words from Mr. Pitt amendments were proposed and Janity of E

and Mr. Drake, the motion was agreed to, received the allent of for meafurs

Degatived without a division. the House. alte judgment

in the same day Mr. R. Smith The erection of barracks, which ed, and to in

read a petition figned by about had taken place in several parts of

::00 inhabitants of the town of the kingdom, though it was not jeople into a Nottingham, ftating, among other altogether a new meafure, was

conna

we have feen the atteniment, ucentive to her

which there o avert by poput action they are he principle

, that nduct of nature < our opinion : no proper gratis and remonttract Ies; a PPBCT I still more che ch internal 2

Er war.

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considered by those who remained it had continued nearly the same of, and adhered to the old Whig during the present reign; but it party, as an unconstitutional expe- had increased much fince the time things dient, and terding to the establish- of queen Anne: it now amounted pa ment of a standing army. But it to 18,000 men, which appeared to appeared to be the more general him much too large, and it would opinion, that the circumstances of be still much more alarming if the mose of the country were such as made it proposition he was about to make necessary to adopt that mode of ihould not be agreed to. lodging troops in a greater extent, Mr. Taylor then alluded to the birth than in former periods ; and that opinions of Mr. Harley, Mr. Pulo -11? to dispose of them in barracks was teney, and Mr. Pelham, who exo kah? now become a far better plan, than presled, in very strong language, ispit the distribution of them among the their ideas of the danger that must be mass of the people.- Mr. M. A. arise to the conftitution and to lie a Taylor, however, was so convinced berty, from quartering soldiers in Fabia of the unconftitutional tendency barracks, and dissolving or leflene of these military buildings, that, ing their connection with the body pjes (as soon as the House had agreed of the people. He also mentioned and to the resolutions moved by Mr. T. the opinion of lord Gage in 1739, Grenville,) he role to make a mo- who, in a speech againit the angtion on the subject. The question, mentation of the troops, declared, he said, was precisely this: whe- that he considered the quartering ther in the very heart and body of of soldiers in barracks, and cutting the country, a large standing army off their connection with the peowas to be kept up, and in a way ple to be the most fatal, as it would totally unusual, as well as highly prove the finishing stroke to liberalarming: nor could he omit the ty. If this should ever be attemptobservation, that standing armies ed, said lord Gage, it would beare ever hostile to liberty. History come the duty of the people to affords innumerable instances of draw their swords, as the last effort ftates being modelled by armies : of liberty, and never sheath them, in this country, the same army till they had brought the authors which raised Cromwell to the pro- and contrivers of the measure to tectorate, restored Charles the se- condigo punithment. Mr. Taylor cond. Those distinguished cha- faid, he must add another great racters who led the glorious revo- authority in judge Blackttone, lution, thought it necessary to efta- whose opinion it was, that soldiers blish, by the declaration of rights, should live intermixed with the that no standing army should be people; no separate camp, no barkept up without consent of parlia- racks, no inland fortreffes should ment; and, were the case other- be allowed.

In the argument wise, the doors of this House might which he was now maintaining, he as well be thut up: it was, how- had the prejudices of the people, ever, without much difficulty, that the reaton of the thing, and the they got king William III. to dif- weight of high authorities to supband his forces. With regard to the port him. În answer to them it peace establishment in this country, was alledged, first, that it is a great

hardship

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