BRITISH AND FOREIGN HISTORY For the Year 1798. ment. CHAPTER I. Great Britain. State of Pullic Affairs previous to the Meeting of ParliaSeceffion of the Whig Members. Obfervations on that Circumftance. His Majesty's Speech. Debate on the Addrefs-In the House of Lords-In the Houfe of Commons. Debates on the Negotiation at Lifle-In the Houfe of Lords-In the Houfe of Commons. FROM ROM the commencement of the French Revolution, every fucceeding year has been replete with new and extraordinary incidents; the circle of civil anarchy has gradually extended; state after ftate has been swallowed up in the vortex; and a general ruin has feemed to impend over the face of Europe. The British empire, of all the adjacent ftates, had alone enjoyed domeftic tranquillity, till the year 1798 brought the calamity within our own borders; and where French arms could not conquer, French principles had almoft been victorious. Though lefs intereft. ing, perhaps, to the rest of Europe, the annals of the prefent year are certainly important to Englishmen, and, when detailed by the pen of candour, we truft they will be found not wanting in inftruction. Our last volume clofed with an event, which every friend to hu manity muft deeply regret, the abrupt termination of the negotiation at Lifle. Between that time and the meeting of the British parliament a very thort period intervened, in which not a circumstance occurred which is deferving the notice of the hiftorian. On the opening of the feffion on the 2d of Nov. 1797, the friends of liberty could not fail to regret that the benches of oppofition appeared almoft completely deferted. The memorable feceffion, which had taken place towards the conclufion of the preceding feffion, was ftill religioufly obferved by the most diftinguished leaders of the whig party; and even the minifters themfelves regretted, that the nation was deprived at this momentous crifis of that affiftance which their brilliant talents might have afforded to their country. In anfwer to the charge of a de A 2 reliction reliction of their duty, it has been urged, with plaufibility at leaft, that the violent ftate of party politics rendered such a measure indifpenfable on the part of oppofition. "In times when every man who cenfured the measures of adminiftration was regarded as in league with the enemy, for what end, it was argued, fhould we incur fo black a cenfure? If we declare our fentiments, we are proclaimed as the enemies of our king; if we tacitly acquiefce in the measures of the minifter, we voluntarily take upon us a fhare of the refponfibility. We have done our utmost to prevent the war; we have urged repeatedly the neceffity of bringing it to a fpeedy termination; we have not perfuaded our opponents--events muft now take their natural courfe -we cannot aid with counfel, it fhall not be faid that we embarrass by oppofition." The first topic alluded to in the fpeech from the throne, was that which naturally engaged the attention of every man interested in the welfare of his country. "His majefty expreffed his fincere concern that his endeavours to restore peace had been rendered ineffectual. The public declaration, and the papers Jaid before them, had fully proved that every step had been taken on his part to accelerate its conclufion; and the long delay and final, rupture of the negotiation were, he added, to be afcribed folely to the evafive conduct, inordinate ambition, and, above all, to the inveterate animofity of the enemy against thefe kingdoms. "His majefty profeffed to have the fulleft reliance (under Providence) on the magnanimity and courage of a free people, fenfible that they were contending for their beft interefts, and determined to render themfelves worthy of the bleffings they were ftruggling to preferve. 66 Compelled as we were by ne. ceffity to perfevere in the war, till a pacific fpirit prevailed on the part of the enemy, we had the fatisfaction of knowing that we poffeffed means and refources proportioned to the objects which were at ftake; that during the period of hoftilities, and under the preffure of accumulated burdens, our revenues had continued highly productive, our national induftry had been extended, and our commerce had surpassed its cuftomary limits. "The public spirit had been eminently difplayed: the troops of every defcription had acquired the admiration of their country; and the fucceffes of the navy had been crowned by the decifive victory of admiral lord Duncan. "The ftate of the war, joined to the happy confequences of our recent fuccefs, would admit of fome diminution of expenfe, confiftent with the vigorous efforts which our fituation required. In confidering the best mode of defraying that expenfe which would fill be unavoidable, it was neceflary to bear in mind, that the prefent crifis demanded the most spirited exertions, and the value of temporary facrifices could be only estimated by comparing it with the importance of fupporting public credit, and convincing the enemy that we were able to continue the conteft as long as it might be needful for maintaining the fafety, honour, and independence of thefe kingdoms." In the house of lords, the earl of Glafgow moved the addrefs: in examining his majefty's fpeech, and the declaration which had preceded it, he faid it was moft clearly apparent, that our fovereign had been actuated all along by principles of juftice and moderation, Thofe Thofe documents pointed out the malignant and infidious conduct of the enemy throughout the whole of the war; this conduct it was, on their part, which left it no longer in the power of his majefty to indulge his beneficent inclinations towards peace; and in pursuit of this object he had gone as far as was compatible with the fafety of his people, and the dignity of his crown. Much as that event was to be defired, his lord hip hoped that there was yet fpirit enough in the coun. try not to accept it at the price of the honour of the British empire. His majefty had himself propofed a treaty for peace to the enemy; and after it was abruptly terminated, he had taken the first opportunity of renewing it, and with the most earneft folicitude for that event, directed his minifter to continue at Lifle, as long as poffible, namely, till a pofitive order from the directory obliged him to return. From this review, it was obvions, that the prolongation of the war was to be attributed folely to the ambition of France. What, in truth, was the avowed state of the negotiation fo lately terminated? The enemy had required a reftitution of all the conquefts our valour had achieved, and this, not as the price of peace, but negotiation? Such, with their pretended candour, were the terms they had the hardihood to propofe; fo that we, who had every thing to give and nothing to receive, muft refign all as a preliminary to treaty ! By this procedure we were called upon to furrender our national dignity: and if these were the conditions of peace, he was perfuaded that the laft refources of the country would be cheerfully brought forth, rather than submit to compromife our fafety, independence, and ho nour. But what was the fituation of the contending parties when this arrogant pretenfion on the part of the enemy was advanced? Was it in a moment of humiliation, defeat, and difgrace? No; it was in the full career of our conqueft that they had dared to bring forward their infolent demands: their fleet was perfectly annihilated,which, his lordship faid, left no doubt upon his mind, that they must fee the impotence of all their schemes in any way to injure this country. The late fplendid victory of lord Duncan fhowed what our navy could accomplish; and whilft we could command fuch heroic efforts of valour, we fhould, under divine Providence, determine to rely upon them: we had prowefs, and we had refources; our commerce was extenfive, our finances were unimpaired; and, generally fpeaking, our military operations had been fuccefful. A nation thus circumftanced had no ground for defpondency: he therefore was decidedly of opinion that the conduct of minifters was politic and proper, and fuch as eventually would beft conduce to an honourable peace. He concluded with moving an addrefs to be prefented to his majefty, returning thanks for his moft gracious fpeech. Lord Gwydir faid, that the powers of language had been fo often employed to defcribe the complica ted nature of this war, that words had lost their effect by repetition; but the magnitude and importance. of the object remaining the fame, he thought it neceffary to declare the principles which had governed his public conduct. He had fup. ported the war from its commencement, because he had efteemed it a juft and neceflary war: every event, every circumftance had con firmed his opinion; and from this A 3 conviction |