perience had proved to be alone confiftent with fecurity and honour. "The extent of our preparations at home, and the demonftration of zeal and fpirit among all ranks of his fubjects, had deterred the enemy from attempting to execute their vain threat of invading the coafts of this kingdom. In Ireland, the rebellion, which they had inftigated, had been curbed and repreffed; the troops which they had landed for its fupport had been compelled to furrender; and the armaments, fince deftined for the fame purpose, had, by the vigilance and activity of his fquadrons, been captured or difperfed. The views and principles of those who, in concert with our inveterate enemy, had long planned the fubverfion of our conftitu. tion, had been fully detected and expofed, and their treafons made manifeft to the world. Those whom they had mifled or feduced muft now be awakened to their duty; and a just sense of the mife ries and horrors which thofe traiterous defigns had produced, muft imprefs on the minds of all his faithful fubjects, the neceffity of continuing to repel, with firmnefs, every attack on the laws and established government of their country." His majefty proceeded, as ufual in times of war, to exprefs his confidence, that the public refources and fpirit would enable the house of commons to provide the neceffary fupplies without effential inconvenience to his people, and with as little addition as poffible to the permanent barthens of his people. His majesty and the house of commons having retired, the earl of Darnly went over all the topics touched on in his majesty's speech. He celebrated with equal warmth, eloquence, and juftice, the preeminently glorious victory of the Nile; the fpirit and union of the Ruffians and Ottomans, rouzed and animated by that victory; the courage of the king of Naples inflamed by the fame caufe, and the rifing hopes, and fpirits of the inferior Italian states. His lordship concluded by moving an addrefs, echoing, as ufual, the fpeech from the throne, and affuring his majesty of the loyalty and zeal of his parliament, and the chearfulness with which that houfe would fupport the crown and conftitution. The motion for the addrefs was feconded by Lord Craven, who faid that, by our fingle exertions, the navy of the French republic was annihilated. Her boafted army of England had loft even its title, and every enterprife she had undertaken against us was wholly defeated. Not only our coafts at home, but our moft valuable poffeffions abroad, were fecured. There was but one branch of commerce which this country did not almoft exclufively poffefs; namely, that of the Levant. Of that trade France would now be totally deprived and this country would reap all the advantages which had before belonged to our enemy, in that quarter, which alone contributed to the fupport of her navy. Buonaparte was cut off from all means of retreat, and on every fide befet with obftacles. Thefe fucceffes had already given fpirit and alacrity to feveral of the foreign powers, who had unequivocally declared their determination to join against the common enemy. Ruffia and the Ottoman Porte had already declared themfelves, and he had no doubt but Austria, though unwilling, unwilling, would find it her intereft to join in the great united exertion, which the example of our government had recommended to all Europe, and without which it would be vain to look for either fecurity or peace. The marquis of Lanfdown joined moft heartily in the praises juftly beftowed on our navy. It became all that houfe to join in merited thanks. But after that duty was performed, there would remain another duty to be performed by the king's minifters and by their lordships: the duty of drawing from our naval victories the advantages they were calculated to fecure. He was fatisfied that it was of confequence, not only to the repose and security of Great Britain, but of the world in general, to check the progrefs of the French revolution. It was neither neceffary nor confiftent with found policy to load with approbrium even the enemy: but it was impoffible, he faid, to speak of the conduct of the French without ufing the language of the utmoft reprobation. Their course of havoc and devaftation, their unprincipled and deteftable tyranny, corruption, and bafenefs, muft excite in every bofom that cherishes the principles of liberty as the fupreme good, and the happiness of human kind, as the end of every rational government, a steady refolution to check their career, and to fave the world from the horrible calamity to which they doom it. But how was the progrefs of their atrocity to be checked? Had we not the experience of five years to prove to us that we had undertaken the talk in a way not calculated to obtain the end? It was never denied that, if at length, a fenfe of general danger fhould bring the powers of Europe to a league, upon honeft principles, they muft prevail over the revolutionary fyftem; and it was his hope, that his majesty's minifters had improved the late victory of the Nile to that great purpofe; that they had difplayed to the powers the advantages of magnanimity, and before they came to parliament to announce the continuance of war, had incorporated those powers in a great and difinterested league, in which, inftead of difgracing themfelves, by looking to this country for fubfidies, they had refumed the dignity which became them, and at length refolved on proceeding directly to the object of restoring fecurity to Europe, without feeking, in its diforders, their own temporary profit. My lords, faid the marquis, I am difappointed to find none of this in the fpeech from the throne; I fee nothing held out to me on which I can repofe; I hear no account of returning magnanimity, and wisdom. His lordship proceeded to defcribe the mutual jealoufies that fubfifted among the great powers of Europe, and confequently that, while these lasted, no fyftem of co-operation against France can be fuccefsful. the boafted vigour, manifefted by Ruffia and the Porte, it was impoffible to fpeak of fo monftrous an idea as a conjunction between the Ruffians and the Turks without ridicule. Their mutual diftrust and jealoufy exceeded that of other nations. And what, he afked, was the Ottoman Porte? Did we not know that the most helpless of all the countries on earth was Turkey? It was not only merely incapable of external operations, but even of domeftic defence. The grand feig[M2] As to nior nior had been defeated in more than thirty attacks on one rebellious bafhaw. Experience ought to imprefs on our minds a conviction of the hollow principles on which political combinations are formed. We had affifted the great powers of the continent: one of these had contracted large engagements with us, and been enabled, through our means, to make valuable acquifitions. "I do not, from his majefty's fpeech, understand that that power has come forward to difcharge its obligations; or to give any affurance that .he will repay the loan, which he raised under the guarrantee of the British government, and therefore, I fay again, my lords, that even if a new combination fhould be made, of thofe powers that have hitherto only looked to their own diftinct and individual objects, and who have deferted the common caufe, the inftant that they had obtained fome miferable acquifition to themselves, we can have no profpect of advantage from fuch a league. Nay, my lords, if the jealoufies of thefe great powers fhould again be ftifled for the moment, I fhould not think this all that was neceffary to the combined movement of Europe against France. I fhould demand the concurrence and exertion of the northern powers alfo. It is material that the powers of the Baltic fhould join in the confederacy; but I fee nothing of all this, and yet we are to continue the war upon the ground of hollow and disjointed combination, and that combination neither general nor difinterefted. Are other powers lefs fenfible of their danger, than we are? Are they lefs liable to feel the atrocity of the French fyftem?. The fecurity we derive from our marine, from our infula fituation, and from public opinion, makes us certainly more fecute than any kingdom on the continent: and when we fee that the powers on the continent make use of us only for their own ends, can we again entangle ourselves with fuch confederates? I anticipate the reply to all this." "How can we make peace? By repeated trials it has been fhewn, that it is impoffible to negociate to any pur pofe with the French directory." Minifters know beft whether they ought to have failed. I do not wifh to exafperate. If they were fincere, I only lament that they did not take the moft dignified course, nor the most likely to obtain the end. I would have your lordfhips to fhew, by your conduct, that you feek for no other object than fecurity and peace; that you will fupport the government who fhall act upon this fingle principle. And let it be made manifeft to all the world, that England looks to nothing elfe. It is particularly dignified to make this declaration in the moment of conquest. Political fituations are always, and at the prefent period, rapidly changing. The French of this day, are not the French of last year. And therefore, however, indifpofed they were on the last experiment, it is now worth the trial. I do not mean that you should fend to offer it, but choofe the moment of victory to make it manifeft, that this is the only end you have in view; and that you are conftantly ready and prepared to make it. After fuch declaration, our courfe is clear and fafe. Let us lay afide all idle plans of conqueft and acquifition, which we cannot maintain, witnefs Corfica Corfica and St. Domingo, and let us only think of cheap and economical defence. Let us refuse our affent to all continental intrigues, in which it is likely that the French will out-manœuvre us: for it is clear, that in all the progrefs of their fyftem, they have gained full as much by intrigue as they have by arms. Lord Romney perfedly coincided in opinion with the noble lords who moved and feconded the addrefs. The negociation, he thought had been well conducted, and produced the happy effect of convineing the people of England that his majefty's minifters were fincere. There were fome who conftantly called the prefent "" an unfortunate war." It was unfortunate indeed, ke faid, on account of the expenfe with which it was attended; but, in all other refpects, this country had never carried on any war that had been more fuccefsful than the prefent. He augured better than the noble marquis from our alliance with the Turks, on whom he beftowed not a little praife, for opening their eyes to the errors of their conduct towards France, and determining to oppofe the French with the utmost vigour. As to the emperor Paul, taken notice of in the fpeech from the throne, his character, he believed, deferved praife. The fyftem of his internal policy was moderation. He had no doubt but a prince, fo remarkable for virtue, would be faithful to his engage ments. He had heard a rumour that Denmark and Sweden were arming, and that the other powers were making great preparations. -He hoped the rumour was true. If Europe had made a common caufe against the French, they would have long ago been fuccefsful, and the great nation must have given way to them. With regard to conquefts, St. Domingo and Corfica were not only acquifitions we had made: witnefs St. Lucia, Martinico, and the Cape of Good Hope. Lord Holland confeffed, that, with all the advantages we had gained, it appeared to him, that the noble lords, who had moved and feconded the addrefs, failed to prove that which it was their great object to establish, namely, that the next combination of the powers of Europe, would procure for this country an advantageous peace. We had heard indeed of the powerful effects of a new confederacy. It was held out in the fpeech from the throne. But this was not the first time they had heard from the throne of the probable effect of a powerful confederacy against France. And he wished to know what there was new in their fituation, that fhould induce them to think that the confederacy, now about to be formed, would be of a firmer texture, and more durable and efficacious than those that had been tried already. Compare, faid his lordship, the fituation of this country, at this moment, with its condition at the commencement of hoftilities, and then afk yourselves, my lords, what is likely to be the refult of your proceeding? If fo many victories cannot gain you peace, what is a new confederacy to produce?. His lordship proceeded to fhew, that to manifeft a difpo fition to peace was not a humiliation, but equal magnanimity and wifdóm. Lord Mulgrave, having warmly joined in the general expreffions of [ M 3] joy joy and congratulation on the glorious atchievements of Lord Nelfon, asked whether the prefent moment was a time for a display of unmerited and injudicious moderation? Was it a time to crouch to the intemperate views of inordinate ambition, and to feek for precarious fecurity? No! It was on the contrary, a time for infpiring unanimity and vigour, for infufing conftancy and courage into the powers which were threatened with diffolution, and for refcuing from oppreffion and every fpecies of mifery, the countries which had unfortunately fallen victims to the arbitrary meafures, and boundless tyranny of the French republic. However he might lament the private diftreffes of many, and that the tears of individuals were shed on various occafions, the general exultation was complete and fatisfactory, for it was founded on the general good, the prefervation, the happinefs, and the glory of the country. The noble marquis had afferted that no concert, no fyftematic plan of co-operation could exift between nations jealous of one another. That Auftria and Pruffia were jealous of one another when they entered into the war, and became parties in the coalition, he was ready to admit. But was not the fituation of thefe powers moft materially altered fince that period? Had they feen no example of ruin, produced by improvidently and rafhly indulging in fentiments of jealoufy? He would undertake to fay, that, under the falutary impreffion of their past expenfe, he fhould have more juft confidence in any alliance that fhould be formed between them now, than in that of the most amicable nations in any former war. As to the unexpected co-operation between Ruffia and the Ottoman Porte, what could have induced the grand feignior, with all the prejudices with which he was fuppofed to be tainted against his new ally, to fuffer the Ruffian fleet to pass the Dardanelles, but the dreadful example of the desolations and horrors held out to him by the ambition and rapacity of the French in Europe? The very idea of entering into any negociation at prefent with fuch a government as that of France, and confequently of checking the reviving fpirit of Europe, would, in his mind, not only militate against the true and fubftantial interefts of this country, but afford an unquestionable proof of pufillanimity and meanness. Lord Grenville put the queftion; what had threatened the fubverfion of civilized fociety, and the overthrow of the fyftem of Europe, but paltry and fhameful dif-union? but thofe fhifting, felfifh politics, which had to night been applauded, and through which France had for years been ftrengthened, by the refources of plunder, till at last the mifery of republican dominion had driven those countries to that refiftance which they were afraid to exert, when their ftrength and their means were entire. "It is with pride and fatisfaction I acknowledge," faid his lordship, " that I have never fubmitted to you the neceffity of different policy. I have valued too much the teftimony of my own confcience, the feelings of national honour, the dictates of public duty, and, perhaps, those frail memorials which may remain of me, should men take the trouble to inquire how William lord Grenville thought and acted in this great crifis, |