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it. And he hoped it would never be faid, that the conftitution of Canada was modelled after that of England. That these representatives fhould be elected for the term of seven years, he reprobated as equally inconsistent with freedom. Even in England, where the frequent return of elections was attended with fo much real inconvenience, the propriety of the feptennial bill was justly a fubject of doubt but in a country fo differently circumftanced as Canada, there could be no plaufible objection to annual or at most triennial elections. Another strong ground of objection with Mr. Fox was, that the legislative councils were unlimited as to numbers by any other reftriction than the pleasure of the king; to whom a power was also referved of annexing to certain honorary and titular diftinctions an hereditary right of fitting in council. As to hereditary honors, or hereditary powers, to fay they were good or not, as a general propofition, was difficult-but he faw nothing fo good in them as to warrant their introduction into a country where they were not known. He did not think it wife to deftroy them where they exifted; but to create them where they did not exist, he confidered as exceedingly unwife. He could not account for it, unless it was that, Canada having been formerly a French colony, there might be an opportunity of reviving those titles of honor, the extinction of which fome gentlemen so much deplored, and to revive in the west that spirit of chivalry which had fallen into fo much difgrace in a neighbouring country."

These incidental expreffions awakened the refentment of Mr. Burke, who on the re-commitment of the bill, May 6, rofe, as he said, to speak to its general principle. He enlarged upon "the importance of the act which they were now about to perform. The firft confideration was, the competency of the houfe to fuch an act. A body of rights commonly called the rights of man had been lately imported from a neighbouring kingdom. The principle

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of this new code was, that all men were by nature free," and equal in respect of their rights. If this code therefore were admitted, the power of the houfe could extend no farther than to call together the inhabitants of Canada to choose a conftitution for themselves. The practical effects of this fyftem might be seen in St. Domingo and the other French iflands. They were flourishing and happy till they heard of the rights of man. As foon as this fyftem arrived among them, Pandora's box, replete with every mortal evil, seemed to fly open; hell itfelf to yawn, and every demon of mifchief to overspread the face of the country." Mr. Burke continuing to launch out into the most violent invectives against the conftitution and government of France, was repeatedly and loudly called to order, and at length compelled to fit down.

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Mr. Fox, when the tumult had fubfided, with firmness defended his former fentiments relative to the French revolution; and repeated," that he thought it upon the whole one of the most glorious events in the history of mankind. In this affertion however he spoke of the revolution, not of the conflitution, which ftill remained to be improved by experience and accommodated to circumftances. The rights of man, which his right honorable friend had ridiculed as vifionary, were the bafis of the British constitution. Our ftatute book recognized original inherent rights of the people as men, which no prescription could fuperfede, no accident remove or obliterate.' Thefe had once been the principles of his right honorable friend, from whom he had learned them. His right honorable friend had faid with equal energy and emphafis, that he knew not how to draw a bill of indictment against a whole people.' Having been taught by him that no revolt of a nation was caused without provocation, he could not help rejoicing at the fuccefs of a revolution refting upon the fame bafis with our own-the immutable and unalienable rights of man."

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Mr. Burke rofe again, and in vehement terms infifted "that he was perfectly in order; and that the difcuffion of the Quebec bill was a proper opportunity to put the country on its guard against thofe dangerous doctrines which prevailed in France, and which had found fo many advocates here. He obferved, that he had differed on many occafions from Mr. Fox, but there had been no lofs of friendship between them. But there was fomething in the ACCURSED French conftitution that envenomed every thing."

Mr. Fox on hearing this interrupted him, faying " there was no lofs of friendship."

Mr. Burke replied "THERE WAS-he knew the price of his conduct; he had done his duty, and their friendfhip was at an END."

Mr. Fox, on whom the attention of the house was now eagerly fixed, rofe to reply, but his feelings were too powerful for utterance. All the ideas fo long cherished, of gratitude, esteem and affection, rushed upon his fufceptible and generous mind; and involuntary tears were obferved to steal down his cheek. A profound and expreffive filence pervaded the houfe. At length Mr. Fox recovering himself, faid, "that however events might have altered the mind of his right honorable friend, for such he muft ftill call him, he could not fo eafily consent to relinquish and diffolve that intimate connection which had for twenty-five years fubfifted between them. He hoped that Mr. Burke would think on paft times; and, whatever expreffions of his had caufed the offence, that he would at least believe fuch was not his intention."

The conceffions of Mr. Fox made no vifible impreffion on the haughty and unbending temper of Mr. Burke; and from this day a fchifm took place in the politics of the oppofition party, which has been productive of very important confequences.

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As the most luminous introduction to the principal remaining transaction of this feffion of parliament, it will be proper now to avert to the actual fituation of affairs on the continent.

No fooner had Leopold king of Hungary affumed the Auftrian fceptre, than he resolved on terminating the war with Turkey; and under the powerful mediation of England and Pruffia, a convention was concluded August 1790, at Reichenbach, after a negotiation of fome months, protracted in the unavailing hope of retaining poffeffion of Belgrade, that important fortrefs, which, fifty years before, England had exerted her utmost influence to secure to the house of Auftria. But now, fwayed by Pruffian counfels, and eagerly folicitous to advance the interests of that upstart and infolent power, în contra-distinction to thofe of Auftria, the antient and genuine ally of Britain, The harshly and peremptorily infifted on its restitution, in common with all the other Auftrian conquefts, to the Ottoman Porte. In return, the Auftrian Netherlands were guaranteed to the house of Auftria, and the poffeffion of the imperial crown eventually enfured to his Hungarian majefty. The Flemings refufing, notwithstanding their prefent state of abandonment, to return to the Austrian dominion, a great military force was fent into the country in the autumn of 1790, under the command of marshal Bender, which quickly effected their total reduction; and on the 1st of January, 1791, a folemn te deum was fung at Bruffels in celebration of that happy event.

Sweden alfo, disappointed in her views and projects of ambition, thought proper to fign a separate peace with Ruffia, Auguft 1790, on the bafis of the former treaties of Abo and Nystadt.

The courts of London and Berlin, elated with the fuccefs of their mediation at Reichenbach, now in high and arrogant language fignified to the emprefs of Ruffia their pleasure that peace fhould be reftored between the Otto

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man and Ruffian empires, on the terms of a general restitution of conquefts. The emprefs replied with equal haughtiness," that fhe would make peace and war with whom the pleafed, without the intervention of any foreign, power." Not however choosing too far to provoke the refentment of these formidable and self-created arbitrators, the fecretly intimated her willingness to conclude a peace with Turkey, on the condition of retaining the country eastward of the Neister, as a reasonable indemnification for the expences of the war. This was a wafte and defert tract of territory, valuable only for the fecurity it afforded to her former acquifitions, and for including within its limits the ftrong and important fortrefs of Oczakow. This being peremptorily refused, the emprefs broke off the conference, and determined to profecute the war.

On the 28th of March, 1791, Mr. Pitt delivered a meffage to the houfe of commons from his majefty, importing, "that the endeavors which he had ufed in conjunction with his allies to effect a pacification not having proved fuccessful, his majefty judged it requifite, in order to add weight to his reprefentations, to make fome further augmentation of his naval force." And this meffage being taken into confideration, Mr. Pitt enlarged much on the neceffity of attending to the prefervation of the balance of power in Europe. "The influence of the Turkifh empire, he faid, was of great effect in the general fcale. Its prefent fituation was such as to afford just cause of apprehenfion to other powers: and to PRUSSIA in particular it must be highly injurious, to fuffer the Turkish empire to be diminished in force and confequence. He therefore moved an addrefs, affuring his majefty that his faithful commons would make good fuch expences as may be found neceffary." This addrefs was oppofed with the whole strength and energy of the oppofition.

Mr. Fox faid, "the right honorable mover of the addrefs had enveloped himself in mystery and importance,

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