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quences which followed were thofe we had reason to expect. A confederacy deftitute of union, of object, and concert, and with feparate views to the individual interest of each, could not be fuccefsful. He took a review of the difafters which had arisen in the different campaigns, and the repeated motions which had been fubmitted to the houfe for the purpofe of promot, ing a negotiation with the enemy. From the desertion of several allies, we were now, he obferved, likely to have the whole weight of the war thrown upon our own fhoulders. Another campaign was about to take place, and the emperor was to have another loan. In bringing forward his prefent motion, Mr. Grey obferved, the question appeared difembarraffed of many topics which it formerly involved. The French were no longer heard of as the avowed enemies of God and man: we had now no objection to contemplate them as a republic one and indivifible, founded on the bafis of liberty, equality, fraternity, and the rights of man. The arguments refpecting the decay of their finances were now no longer adduced as a reafon why minifters fhould not negotiate. He by no means pretended to affert but that every thing must depend upon the terms to be propofed and accepted; but had any advances in negotiation been made? He fhould, he faid, be told to rely on the wifdom of minifters, and the gracious difpofition of his majefty, which, through his minifters, he had lately communicated to that houfe and to the country; but he was no friend to a blind confidence in minifters who had fo repeatedly fhewn them felves unworthy of it. If minifters fheant to prove themselves fincere

in their defire for peace, they ought to make direct propofals. It might be faid this was humiliating. When a nation was fuccefsful in war, it was generous to wave the advan. tage, and affume the language of moderation to the enemy: when they were equal, overtures of peace were equally honourable. But if we were engaged in a war eminently difaftrous, misfortune fhould teach us humility, and fubmiffion to an alternative which our folly had rendered inevitable. By exprefs declaration from this country, France was not to be treated with; and this pofition had never been retracted. It was, therefore, de. ferving of inquiry, whether the meffage was a virtual acknowledgement, and whether fomething more explicit was required. The obnoxious principles of the French had been formally difclaimed; and we ought unequivocally to acknowledge the republic, and with this bring forward our propofals. Mr. Grey declared, that he was fo little difpofed to fetter the operations of ministers in any real endeavours to obtain peace, that, if he could have any affurance that they were negotiating, he would gladly withdraw his motion. He concluded with moving for an addrefs to his majesty, praying him to communicate to the executive government of the French republic his readiness to meet any difpofition to negotiate, with an earnest defire to give it the speediest effect.

Mr. Pit faid, that, however he might be difpofed to favour that object which the motion appeared principally to have in view, he could not concede to the grounds on which it had been followed up, The ftate of the country was far different from that held out; and

no temporary reverse in the fortune of war, no internal preffure in our domeftic fituation, had yet produced that humiliation. Mr. Pitt contended that our fucceffes had been fuch as to obviate any ob. ftacle to negotiation on the fcore of national honour; and therefore the difficulties which formerly exifted, and which had been formerly urged by those with whom he acted, were certainly leffened. The progrefs of measures which were neceflary in fuch a fituation of affairs, could, however, only be left fafely to the conduct of the executive government. If the house was of opinion this could not be done with fafety, the proper mode was to addrefs his majesty to remove his minifters but by applying to take it into their own hands, they deprived the country of every chance of fuccefsful negotiation. It was his wifh, Mr. Pitt faid, to do juftice to his own conduct and thofe with whom he acted; but it was difficult to fay much upon ftate affairs without breaking in upon that principle which guided every difcreet minifter on fubjects of this nature. It was particularly fo in the prefent fituation of affairs, when it would be ruinous to do any thing which could poffibly raife any fufpicion, or create any difunion amongst our allies, who, if they remained entire, might give honourable and lafting peace to Europe. After enlarging upon the neceffity and importance of preferving this union entire, Mr. Pitt obferved, that it was important for the fupporters of the motion, to confider whether the measures which they might wish to recommend were fuch as might oblige the country to give up the chance of a fuccefsful peace altogether,

or to make it on terms inconfif tent with the honour of the nation. If the motion was adopted, the profpect of peace muft either be entire ly given up, or peace must be made on terms inconfiftent with our honour. An honourable peace might be had by perfeverance in the vigorous conduct we had hitherto pursued. This, he faid, he knew from the statement they had themselves given of their almoft exhausted means for carrying on the war. Since his majefty's meffage had been delivered to the house, minifters had taken every measure, confiftent with the interefts of the country and of her allies, to enable his ma jefty to take any opportunity either to meet overtures for negotiation, or to make fuch as might be found most expedient: the only point to be confidered was the profpect of obtaining jutt and honourable terms. Measures had been taken to afcertain thefe points; which, if the enemy was fincere, must lead to a speedy negotiation. Whether that would lead to peace, muft depend upon whether the exhaufted ftate of the enemy led them to form that negotiation with a view to peace, very different, as to the terms, from any which their public declarations had for a long time paft indicated: if this was not the cafe, a fpeedy peace was impoffible. He could not, he faid, hold out a profpect of immediate peace; but it would not be the fault of minifters if the period was remote. It refted, however, not only with us, but with the enemy, whether negotiation would lead to peace. would lead to peace. According to report, what they held out as the boon of peace, was, that they were ready to give peace, because the English government afked it: that is, we were to fue for it, and aban

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don all for which our ancestors had fought; abandon our allies, and the fafety of all Europe, and Macrifice to France every thing that is dear to us. If the motion was adopted, he could not fay what overtures we fhould or fhould not receive; but while we shewed confidence in our refources, he did not fear that the measures which were in train, might prove effectual...

Mr. Fox remarked, that whether the feafon for negotiation was advantageous or not, when compared with thofe which had occur red in paft periods, it was certainly fo, when compared with any which might be expected in future, however numerous our victories, or unprecedented our fuccefs. In juf tification of the meafures which he had formerly propofed, he would afk whether we were in a fituation now in which more honourable terms of peace might be expected than when the enemy were driven out of the Dutch provinces? routed in every battle in Flanders?-compelled to retreat with in their own territory? when Valenciennes was taken? when a confiderable impreffion was made upon them by the emperor in the north, and by Spain in the fouth? -and when they had not one inch of ground beyond Old France? We were then told we were to wait peace till the misfortunes of the foe fhould lay him proftrate at our feet! On other occafions, Mr. Fox obferved, that he had wifhed for a pacific negotiation when the country was far more advantageously fituated than at prefent. He ftrongly recommended our adoption of the conduct held out by them in abjuring fentiments pernicious to other countries, by 1796.

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declaring our departure from the fytem of fuch interference in their affairs as fhould tend to restore the ancient monarchy. Till we had done this, we had not gone fo far as France towards a negotiation.We were, he observed, told, that the meffage from his majefty was the natural confequence of his fpeech at the opening of the feflion. Six weeks might be confidered as having elapfed fince the communication" to the houfe, that the French had a government with which we might treat: but in that time nothing had been done that was worth the public notice. This had happened, not in the middle of a campaign, but during an armiftice, when even parliament was not fitting; for the meffage was communicated upon the eve of a long adjournment when the executive government had more opportunity to expedite a treaty. He could hot but wifh to know why no fteps had been taken ? If the profeilions of the minifter were true, he could not, he faid, fee what rendered an explanation of the proceedings of government a fubject of fuch particular delicacy in the prefent war. If he would allow that he was engaged in a clandeftine negotiation, of the benefits of which he would deprive the allies, and of which he would confequently keep them ignorant, then fome motive for his conduct might be conceived: but, if he was really acting in concert with them, where would be the harm, though he were to lay all the papers that paffed upon the fubject before the houfe? Mr. Fox remarked, that, lait year, when the loan was granted to. the emperor, it was objected that we did not bind him to perfevere in the profecution of the war longer than he

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thought fit; and the answer was, that if he was bound to profecute the war, we must come ourselves under the fame restriction. We were now told we could not make peace without our allies. The manifestation of a fincere defire to make peace would, he contended, be highly popular in this country, and grateful to all Europe: and could it be thought that we should make worse terms of peace with France because they know our defire to be fincere? Was it not, on the contrary, to be feared, that the mutual alienation of affection, and the mutual distrust which has fub, fifted between the two countries, would create more difficulties in the way of negotiation, than even the terms that might be propofed. In former wars, the obstructions to pacification had uniformly arifen more from the temper of the adverfe countries than the specific terms brought upon the tapis. This was obvioufly the cafe in the glorious war of the fucceffion. Such had been the afperity difplayed on both fides in the prefent conteft, that the temper of governments would occafion a difficulty no lefs formidable than any which might arife in the difcuffion of terms; and this difficulty, Mr. Fox thought, would not be removed by fome parts of the minifter's fpeech. It might be faid that the conduct of the directory was fimilar to our own; but this conduct did not justify ours. The affertion, that the motion would fo cramp and humiliate government as to render an honour able negotiation impoffible, had been fo often made that it had loft its force. When it was propofed to declare the government of France in a negotiable fituation, the propofition was fcornfully re

jected; and now this very declara tion was made at the commencement of a negotiation. As to the royal prerogative of making peace when and how his majesty pleases, none could doubt it; but none, on the other hand, could doubt the prerogative of the commons of England to advife his majesty both on the time and the terms of pacification. It was faid by lord North, in the American war, that it was the height of indifcretion in the parliament to interfere with the prerogative of the king in making peace. This argument was wifely rejected; and by the declaration of parliament, the hon. gentleman and his affociates were enabled at that time to conclude a peace, There were, he obferved, certain bugbears which had ever been held out by minifters to parliament, and which had been difpofed of according to its good fenfe at the time. Fortunately for the people, their conftituents had not always paid that attention to them which on fuperficial obfervation they seem to claim. However wild the fenti, ments of the directory of France might be concerning peace, these fentiments ought not to deter us from offering terms. Let us meet their demands with reasonable overtures, which would have a greater effect than the most strenuous refiftance, in relaxing their exertions. He knew, he said, reafon had little effect in the government of mankind, and that juftice and mo deration often yielded to power and lawless might. Poland was one example of this; but there were examples of a contrary nature.-One of these was, when a war was meditated against Ruffia, by England, at fea, and Pruffia by land, which was entirely fubdued

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by reafon and moderation. "Let us, Mr. Fox faid, manifeft to the world a fpirit of moderation, and this night addrefs his majefty to commence a negotiation with the republic of France. I fay, republic, for there is more in names than we can imagine." He noticed the great care with which minifters ufed the term French rulers, perfons exercifing the goverment of France, &c. and that they had fent an ambaffador to the court of Louis XVIIIth. Could they imagine, after fuch infults, they should be treated with, without a previous acknowledgement? He argued, that the motion was calculated to ferve minifters in forming a negotiation. With respect to the relative fituation of Great Britain, Mr. Fox did not wish to speak. He was little inclined to defpondence: but if any thing could make him defpond, it would be that fpecies of reafoning, when, after being told of the increased national debt, the taxes, &c. he was defired to look at the ruined finances of France for comfort, which were quickly hurrying that power to the precipice of deftruction; fo that in proportion as the enemy retreated from the common abyfs which would fwallow both up, we were encouraged to be under no apprehenfions for our own fafety. The French might be in more diftrefs than the people of this country: but it appeared to him poor comfort to the afflicted, to hear that their enemies would fall before them. Were we to fucceed in the most romantic hopes of establishing a government in France, it would not indemnify us for the evils of war which we had experienced already, and which, if peace was at that hour to be made, we must feel, day after day, year after year, nay, age af

ter age. Allowing, however, all that could be urged, could any man be bold enough not to with peace because the finances of France were more deranged than our own? Rather than continue the war for another campaign, independent of moral reafons, he would not give up honour, dignity, or liberty, but he would give up every question of etiquette, of ambition, or national vanity. He wished not, he faid, for a difhonourable peace, or a peace on any other terms than fuch as were worthy the character and fituation of the country; but fuch he entirely thought might be obtained. On the divifion of the house, there appeared for the motion 50, against it 189.

In a few days after the above difcuffion, viz. on the 26th of Febru ary, general M'Leod addreffed the houfe of commons refpecting a letter which had appeared in a morning paper, itating that there had been an importation from Cuba to Jamaica of 100 blood-hounds, attended by 20 Spanish chaffeurs, for the purpofe of hunting the Maroon rebels; and that they had proceeded into the woods, where, it was the opinion of the inhabitants, they would produce the defired effect. The cir cumftance, he obferved, must recall to the remembrance of the houfe the atrocities formerly com mitted by the Spaniards in the ifland of Cuba, where they hunted down the original proprietors of the land. He fincerely hoped the government of Jamaica had not fent to Cuba for these means of exterminating the Maroons, the proprietors of a part of the foil; but thought, for the credit of the nation, that parliament was interested in difcovering the truth of the narration.

Mr. Pitt faid that nothing could

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