Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

them at the Post-Office. It did,' pleasant altercation between him

bwerer, fo happen, that for, he and Mr. Fox, he motion introbaie believed, more than two years, he duced by Mr. Sheridan was nega1 bd not had occafion to write a tived without a division.

fugle letter to France, except one The period which is comprehendat an Englith friend (Lord Lauder- ed in this chapter, embraces se

bwhen at Paris. Again he should veral very important circumstances. et told, that he had seen French Parliament, sensible of the unurea in this country, and that he sual situation of the country, may budicen the French minister. He be said neither to have Ilumbered bad seen Frenchmen here, and had nor Nept; but to have perfevered

ka the French minister ; but he in an unremitting state of delibera100 bad yet to learn, that it was any tive exertion. Several laws were zit crime for him or any gentle- framed for the protection of the

tin to see the minister sent to kingdom against the designs of do, hocu cuart from any country. He mestic as well as foreign enemies;

koer of no law by which members and the whole power of the repres Indparliament, like fenators of Ve- fentative wisdom of Great Britain tonice, were prohibited from even seems to have been employed in litecaverfing with the ministers of fo- guarding against dangers, with

reign states. Was it not a fitua- which our conftitution and libertesta of the country horrible to re- ties were menaced, by the tremen. Da bit, that men's correspondence and dous power, the revolutionary ipiarket coversation were to be pried into rit and destructive principles of the g with fach inquifitorial jealousy, as French convention Haake it dangerous for them to By the alien bill, the public tranhabe commit their thoughts to paper, or quillity received an additional le. ped to converse with a Itranger, but in curity; as it subjected the resort be presence of a third person? Let and residence of foreigners to cer 2008 Le House do away all these fufpi- tain regulations, in order to abvi, diencias and rumours by an honest ate any dangers which might arise le con equip, and restore the public to from the intrigues and machina

the freedom and confidence, both tions of Frenchmen adınitted into

e sriting and speech, which it this country. Other bills also reeters withe pride of our constitution to ceived the ailent of the legitlature istitem, and which became the frank to prevent the circulation of aflig1 dia andoxn character of a free people. nats, bonds and promillory notes of

Mafur concluded with declaring, the French government, and to prothat he was still incredulous, and hibit the exportation of grain, una Brad vote for enquiry, which was der certain circumstances, as well the more neceflary, than when as that of naval stores. There laws

de atuation of the country was ap- which were made to prohibit the panded to be dangerous.

importation of French emiffaries, liter a long speech of Mr. Burke, and the exportation of specie, grain sech displayed his usual ardour and naval stores, for the tervice of ad elcquence, on various circum- France, niay be considered as meadisces of the French revolution, sures of the most urgent precau. was produtive of a very un- tion, 'which existing circumstances

H

perasne

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

peremptorily required, and subse- aimed at universal conquest

. She quent events have completely jus- had over-run the wbole of the Auftified.

trian Netherlands, the provinced The produ&tion of the corref- Nice, the dutchy of Savoy, and por dence between Lord Grenville veral ftates situated on the Rhinest ånd Mr. Chauvelin, the French while her vi&ories were attendente minister at the court of London, is with consequences unknown to di to connected with the affairs of vilized nations. : She, at length I'rance, that we shall refer our re threatened to fraternize, or, i ont marks upon it to that part of our other words, to subjugate Holland work which is alligned to foreign In this state of things, is there are tranfaations,

reflecting, unprejudiced man to become But the most important and in- found, who will seriously den teresting event which is presented the neceility which impelled thi za tu to our consideration in the forego- country to prepare itself for the ing pages, is the declaration of war probable contingencies of a petic ägainit Great Britain, by the con- riod fo big with menace and tritt vention of France; an event en- farm? rendered by that revolutionary fpi The posibility of preventing w fit which menaced the constituted by the British government has

, in 2 to authorities of every neighbouring deed, been boldly afferted, becco kingdom, and which it became the never, at least, to our comprehet itage interest and the duty of every neigh- tion, fatisfactorily proved. To tres sale bouring kingdom to refift. This with France at such a moment, ali bit country, however, appears to have pears to have been altogether in Beni observed a very strict neutrality practicable, where the momenta con e with respect to France; and if the and fickle will of an armed mult ca are French had confined themselves tude had been fubftituted for o aid i within the limits of their own go- der and for laws. The outcry & them w vernient, no reaton fuggefts ittelf the leading persons in the Frenca d's to us, which can jullify the opi- goverument, if, at this period, hina, that 'this tirupulous neutra can be called a governinent, was the they would not have been conti- general revolution, to be obtain mul. But this line of conduct, in every kingdom in Europe, Great Britain, though with great exciting internal revolt, or meus mrluctance, was obliged to charge, ing external attack. Could E. jot only in its own defence, but land, therefore, consistently w for the muntenrnce of every ex her honour or' her intereft, rem filing fittem in Kurope, in the ba- a tranquil fpeétator of the destr Pue of which the not only formed tive march of such a people. W • principal part, birtin the due pre- the not compelled by both these ovation of which the has to mate- fluencing principles to draw till an intereft.

sword, and advance to protect That fpirit of aggrandizement allies from the destroying pont which France had openly profetled, that threatened them. France kar thepo hd now began to execute. the terms on which she mighd I nder the pretext of establishing cure, as the had pofleised, the neutt universal liberty and traternity, the lity of Great Britain. She had only

withdra

withdraw ber forces within her own degree of confidence, if the French

territories, and to confine herself to executive government, in the inthe establishment of her own con terval which elapsed between the Etution. But peace was not her ob- 19th of November, and the final xt: to use the exprellion of Brif- departure of M. Chauvelin from bot

, when he was the predominant England, evinced a disposition to demagogue of the French nation, remove the well-founded alarms exthe four corners of Europe musi bé perienced by our court, by a repeal bfames before the power of France of the decree which gave rise to

could be exablished: nay, it is a them? The French rulers did inkogun, incontrovertible fact, that deed deny, that it would bear the the French executive government interpretation which had been hed

, with a characteristic perfidy, given to it by the British ministry, determined on a war with Eng- but their whole conduct at this band, at the very moment when its time, gave the lie to their assertions. agent in London was engaged in a It would be a matter of some discartelpondence with the Britith mi- culty to produce, from the annals rity

, for the avowed purpose of of any country, a more gross conpreferving peace. It appears, there. tradiction between the professions bre

, that there was no alternative. and practice of a government, or a Lj ale Great Britain had moftfcrupulously more perfidious violation of truth

con arcided committing the least act of and good faith, than those by which prot provocatiôn, while the French the political proceedings of the cham vere equaliy anxious to discover or French were distinguithed. It is en als bvent fome pretext for aggreflion. remarkable also, that, on the 15th me the The reasons which they alligned of December, the very day when a an area br declaring war are to frivolous, decree passed the national assembly, zubtitez. 6o ridiculous, and so ill-founded, whole articles contain a systematic

The ces to render them objects of con- plan for disorganising all civilised as in the tempt as well as detestation, and governments, and profess to cont this is widertly prove, that war was a lider as enemies any nation who Berna cultuent part of that policy, byfhould presume to reject their offer to be which their tyranny was to be main- of liberty and equality, or to enter in Berlined; that it was considered by into any treaty with a prince or Tok, then as the purveyor to provide for privileged orders ;-on that very k. Cat: blood-thirsty maw of a fero- day, the provisional executive counconfites ambition.

cil wrote to their agent Chauvelin, inte Ceat eloquence was, indeed, em- instructing him to ditavow all hof

pired by Mr. Fox, and other par- tile intentions on the part of France, tan, of opposition, to prove, that and to proclaim how much they de

tı might have been avoided, if tested the thought of entering into minifters had attended to the real a war with England. In thort, the

betour and interests of their coun- hostile principles of the 'offensive wy, and that France itself was anx- decrees were almott immediately ies to maintain peace, when the confirmed by the initructions of the

was forced into hoftilities by the ag- provincial executive council, to the metlions of Great Britain. But, national commillioners in the New surely , it may be asked, with fome therlands : nor is it the least ex

H 2

traordinary

traordinary circumstance of these and fomenting a spirit of aland extraordinary transactions, that throughout the country to answer these instruđions were ligned by their own political purposes, was the executive council, on the 8th very generally considered as a mere of January, 1793; the very day ebullition of party rancour, which when Mons. Le Brun, one of the had no foundation in truth or promemibers who subscribed them, bability. Men politically ignorant, addrefled a paper to lord Grenville, or politically prejudiced, might in which he declared that the deny the existence of feditions French knew how to respect other practices ; but can better evidence governments, and did not wish to be required to that point, than the impose laws on any.

declaration of thotë very persong 1. Such were the circumstances who were obviously planning, in which influenced, not only a very concert with France, the fubvera commanding majority of both fion of our conftitution : who, in houtes of parliament, but, as it the most public and daring mans evidently appeared, of the nation ner, avowed, that numerous focie at large, to consider the war with ties were forming themselves upon France not only as neccilary for the same principle in every part of me. the maintenance of treaties and England; and who declared, with the support of our allies ; but as an exulting expectation, the speedy effential to the preservation of our approach of that time, when the end political exitience as a free and French thould tend addretses to the can happy people,

national convention of England, offert Nor did the incredulity of Mr. After such a testimony, will any side Sheridan, respecting the existence ferious, imprejudiced, reflecting and, i of domestic faction and feditious man, accuse ministers of raising nagre practices, nect with any fupport frivolous alarms, and fomenting in parliament, but from the dimi- public apprehenfions, in order to nithed plialany of opposition. His promote their own views of power tro the accusation of ministers for creating and ambition?

$6

CHAP. III. His Majsly's 91.jage to the House of Commons respecting the Hanovering

Traps. Similar Muffage to the House of Lords. Committee of Supply Ways and Means. Hrmy Extracrdinaries. Surplus of the Consolidated : Fund. Refolutions for continuing Taxes. Refolutions for issuing Exchequer pour Bills. Terms of ibe Loan. Million and an Holf Bill. The Traitorous Correspondence Dill. The Petition of the East-India Company respecting the Renewal of their Charter. Rejolutions brought forward by Mr. Dundas vie on Indian nffairs, (utions Proposal for an Amicable Negotiation with the France, by Nonf. Le Brun. Commercial Credit Bill, Lord Auckland's mente Memorial brought forward in both Houles of Parliament. Scorch Peers Election, Mr. Halingi's Petition, &c to the lonfe of Lords. Lord Raw don'. Bill far amending ihe Larus refpecting Debtor and Creditor. The Scorch Catholic bill.

N Wednesday the 6th of mons the following message from,

March, Mr. Secretary Dun- his inajetiy: dels preicated to the House of Com

GEORGE

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Eeclaret,

"GEORGE R.

garded it as a struggle for whatever His majesty having judged it was most dear and sacred, for the Eredient to employ, in the service security of the throne and the pre

Great Britain, a body of his fervation of the constitution ; and

ketoral troops, for the purpose of that they were prepared to prosetruth and fing his allies the States Gene- cute it with the greatest exertion, ale al of the United Provinces, and and a zeal proportioned to the imliced prosecuting, in the most effec- portance of the objects for which

tal manner, the just and necessary we contended. The first object to etter estar in which his majesty is en- be regarded is, the rigorous and brot , tad pazd

, his majesty has dire&ted an effectual prosecution of this war, very recimate to be laid before the in which we have every thing at plans Hosle of Commons of the charge stake; and it is by such a profecu: the settending the employment of the tion of the war, that we shall best 190: htöd treps ; and his majesty relies consult true prudence and rational I dating en de zeal of his faithful Com- economy. I do not wish to conmerosinies

, that they will be ready to ceal from the House and from the miehet Like the neceffary provision for public, that large preparations must every maintaining the fame.

be made, and confiderable ex6 G, R."

pences incurred. Economy, in

our present situation, must not ape, It was then ordered that his pear in limiting the extent of these dreba traiety's most gracious message be expences, but in controuling their of langt merred to the confideration of the application. There is another point "V, Fleecruittee of the whole House, to also, which it is my with to incula

, relee sien it is referred, to consider cate; that whatever degree of expy of this fither of the supply granted to his ertion we may regard as necessary,

or may be disposed to make, the in ortas On the same day a similar mel- public ought not, in any respect, Zwi d d bage was delivered to the House of to be deluded and flattered-They

Pets by lord Grenville, for which ought to be made sensible of the an address of thanks was voted in full extent to which they may be te ulual forms.

liable to be called upon to defray the Here Ca the 11th of March, the House expences of the war. But though in of cCommons, having resolved itself calculating the expences of a war Come a committee of supply, Mr. much may be done by estimate, a ieg lehet feited, before I proceed to enu- great deal muft ftill depend on The Time mariethe expences of the present contingency. Unforeseen occurreading tea and the means and aids by rences will continually arise, which H. Die which they are to be supplied, I will render additional expences

pot doft mention the leading ob- necessary. Taking then these ocSocial me which has governed my mind currences into view, it is proper Sortida

a this occafion, namely, the to allow considerable latitude for Ladies mollection of the unanimous opi- the expences that may be incurred. Text is, with respect to the present It is part of my plan to allow a buggle

, which the House have confiderable fum for these extraoramed to the throne, and pub- dinary emergencies, so as to make mediante led to the world ; that they re- a full provilion for every part of the

H 3

[ocr errors]

expene.

GEOLE

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »