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The decree of the 19th of November filled up the measure of their iniquity in the view of the court of London; and in combination with the obnoxious addreffes, it was regarded as little lefs than an act of open aggreffion. Certainly the English government had juft cause of resentment, and an undoubted right to adequate reparation. Unhappily the court of London, inflamed with indignation, fought not reparation merely, but revenge. Her meafures being now determined on, a royal proclamation was iffued December 1, 1792, announcing the alarming intelligence," that notwithstanding the late proclamation of the 21st of May, the utmost industry was still employed by evil-difpofed perfons within the kingdom, acting in concert with perfons in foreign parts, with a view to subvert the laws and conftitution; and that a spirit of tumult and diforder, thereby excited, had lately fhewn itself in acts of riot and INSURRECTION and that, these causes moving him thereto, his majefty had refolved forthwith to embody part of the militia of the kingdom."

On the fame day another proclamation was iffued for, convening the parliament (which stood prorogued to the 3d of January 1793) on the 13th of December; the law requiring, that if the militia be drawn out during the recefs of parliament, and this it can only be in cafe of inva fion or actual infurrection, parliament fhall be affembled within the space of fourteen days.

The public alarm caufed by thefe proceedings was inexpreffible. Every one was convinced of the existence of a PLOT, which was fo much the more terrible, from its being invifible and incomprehenfible. The minister did not difdain to heighten the general confternation by the palpable artifices of marching troops to the metropolis, of doubling the guard at the bank, and of repairing the fortifications of the tower.

On the meeting of parliament on the day appointed, the expreffions of the first proclamation were repeated in

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his majefty's fpeech; towards the conclufion of which the real views of the court became fufficiently manifeft. "I have, faid his majefty, carefully obferved a ftrict neutrality in the present war on the continent, and have uniformly abstained from any interference with refpect to the internal government of France; but it is impoffible for me to fee without the most serious uneafiness the strong and increasing indications which have appeared there, of an intention to excite disturbances in other countries, to difregard the rights of neutral nations, and pursue views of conquest and aggrandizement, as well as to adopt towards my allies the ftates general measures which were neither conformable to the law of nations nor to the pofitive ftipulations of exifting treaties. Under these circumftances his majefty thought it right to have recourse to thofe means of prevention and internal defence with which he was intrufted by law, and to make some aug→ mentation of his naval and military force."

On moving the addrefs in answer to the fpeech, a mẹmorable debate arofe. Never did the ftrength and superiority of Mr. Fox's genius appear perhaps fo confpicuous as in this moment of national infatuation. "This," faid Mr. Fox," is the moft momentous crifis, not only that I have ever known, but that I have ever read of in the hiftory of this country-a crifis not merely interesting to ourfelves, but to all nations; and on the conduct of parli ament depends the fate of the British conftitution-perhaps the future happiness of mankind. His majesty's speech contains a variety of affertions of the most extraordinary nature. We are told there exists at this moment an infurrection in this kingdom.-An INSURRECTION!where is it? where has it reared its head? Although this infurrection has exifted fourteen days, minifters have given us no light whatever, no clue, no information where to find it. There have been, as I understand, and as every one must have heard, fome flight riots in different parts; VOL. II. M m

but

but I afk, Were the various pretexts of thefe different tu mults falfe, and ufed only to cover an attempt to destroy our happy conftitution? I have heard of a tumult at Shields, of another at Leith, of fomething of the fame nature at Yarmouth and Dundee. But were the failors who demanded an increafe of their wages actuated by a defign of overthrowing the conftitution? Is there a man in England who is credulous enough to believe it?-The address now moved fays modeftly, We are forry to hear there is an infurrection.' Of the tumults in the feaports we had *fome previous knowledge, but the infurrection we learn from his majefty's fpeech. It has been alledged as a proof of difaffection, that the countenances of many wore the face of joy when the intelligence arrived of the duke of Brunfwic's retreat. What is it a fufficient domonstra、 tion of republicanism, that men fhould rejoice in the difcomfiture of the armies of defpotifm combating against liberty? Could any man who loves the conftitution of this country with fuccefs to the duke of Brunfwic, after reading a manifefto which violated every principle of justice, humanity, freedom, and true government?-Who will dare to defend that fyftem of tyranny and coercion, which infifts that Englishmen fhall not indulge any genuine feelings of their own-which tells them that they must not think but by permiffion-that they muft rejoice and grieve as it fuits the caprice or the pleafsure of the ministers? Are we to arraign a man for his fecret and fuppofed designs, and arrogate to ourselves at once the province and the power of the deity?-What innocence can be fafe from this more than inquifitorial oppreflion?-Doubtless there are speculative perfons in this country who disapprove of the fyftem of our government: and there must be fuch men as long as the land is free, for it is of the very effence of freedom for men to differ upon fpeculative points. From the instant that opinion shall be held dependent up

on

on the will of the minifter or the magiftrate, I date the extinction of our liberties as a people."

In paffing to that part of the king's fpeech which related to France, Mr. Fox afferted" that there never was a period when this country had fo much reafon to wish for peace. Never was there a period lefs favorable to a fyftem of hoftility. How frequently have wars been prevented by negotiation! Why then difdain to negotiate now? Because we had no minifter at Paris. And why have we no minifter?-Because France is a republic. For this punctilio then it is that the blood and treasure of the kingdom are to be expended!-As to the free navigation of the Scheldt, I will not believe that a war can in reality be undertaken for an object fo trivial, or that Holland itself would defire or approve it. What was the conduct of France under her former depraved government, when the emperor menaced the opening of the Scheldt in 1786? Was war declared in order to prevent it? No? they opened a negotiation, and carried the point by amicable interpofition. Is not the ultimate object of republicans and levellers aided by plunging the nation in a war without due and previous enquiry? I conjure parliament to avoid involving the people in fo dreadful a calamity, without coolly -reflecting on its neceffity."

Mr. Fox concluded with moving an amendment, finply pledging the house "that enquiry fhould be made into the facts stated in his majesty's speech." After a debate of many hours, the house divided for the amendment 50, against it 290!

In the house of lords the addrefs was carried without a divifion; but not without a powerful oppofition from the duke of Norfolk, and the lords Lanfdowne, Rawdon, and Stanhope.

In confequence of the late alarms, the oppofition, or whig party, had, as it now appeared, fuffered a great and melancholy defection. At the head of the feceders in the

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upper houfe, were the prince of Wales, the duke of Portland, and lords Fitzwilliam, Spencer, and LOUGHBOROUGH, who on the refignation of lords Thurlow at this period was advanced to the chancellorship; and in the lower houfe, Mr. Burke, Mr. Windham, fir Gilbert Elliot, Mr. Anftruther, &c. who acquired by this means the popular appellation of ALARMISTS. On the bringing up the report, on the fucceeding day, the debate was refumed with fresh vehemence. Mr. Fox moft feverely cenfured the minifters for not having interpofed the mediation of Great Britain, in order to preferve the peace of Europe. Had we protefted against the project concerted at Pilnitz, and armed to prevent the execution of it, England must have acquired fuch an afcendency in the councils of France as would have completely obviated all the fubfequent caufes of diffatisfaction. "If," faid Mr. Fox, "there exifts a difcontented or difaffected party in the kingdom, what can fo much add to their numbers, or their influence, as a war, which, by increasing the public burdens till they become intolerable, will give proportionable weight to their complaints? He wished therefore that war fhould be avoided, if possible—that negotiation fhould precede hoftility. He was fully aware of the arrogant notions of ministers, who perhaps would not condefcend to receive a minifter from the French republic. If this were the case, let minifters fairly avow it-that the people of England might know how far the effential interefts of the nation were facrificed to a punctilio. Gentlemen fhould recollect that it was once fafhionable to talk of a vagrant congress,' of

one Handcock' and 'one Adams' and their crew. But furely the folly of this language had been fufficiently proved." He then moved an amendment, " befeeching his majesty to employ every means of honourable negotiation, for the purpose of preventing a war with France." The motion was oppofed by Mr. Burke in a frantic fpeech, in which he affirmed, "that to fend an ambaffador to France

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