yet when any subject occurred, favourable to the interests of humanity, he was one of the first to second their efforts. Accordingly, in the spring of the succecding year, when Lord Abingdon moved for delaying for five months the evidence on the slave trade, which, in other terms, meant to put an end to the enquiry, Lord Lauderdale joined Lord Grenville, the Bishop of St. David, &c. in opposing this proposition, which accordingly proved abortive.

Few debates of importance now occur, during which we do not find his lordship both voting and speaking. In the course of the same session of parliament, he opposed the traitorous correspondence bill, as well as the Earls of Guilford and Stanhope; and with Lord Fitzwilliam, he reprobated the two commissioners appointed under the East India bill," as a novelty which the framers of it had not claimed, as they professed to be guided by experience alone."

He also objected to the alien bill, and loudly censured Lord Grenville, who had entered at large into the migrations and massacres which had disgraced a country so famed for its civilization, " for implicating the whole French nation in the horrid crimes of some individuals." Nor did he shrink from opposition at even the most critical periods; for notwithstanding the conduct of the convention to Louis XVI. was highly disapproved of by this nobleman, yet he deemed it equally unfair and impolitic to seize on that occasion for a declaration of war. Accordingly, when the secretary of state for the foreign department moved for "an address, to his Majesty, expressive of abhorrence

abhorrence of the late atrocious act perpetrated in France, and assuring his Majesty of the support of the house to the measures of government, and of its co-operation in augmenting the forces by land and sea;" this, which was tantamount to a declaration of war, experienced a marked dissent on the part of the subject of these memoirs, who not only reprobated hostilities, but all the measures preceding or arising out of them-" the assignat bill, as intended to depreciate the French paper currency; the naval store bill on account of its partiality, and the alien bill on account of the inquisitorial powers invested in the magistrate, &c."

It is not at all surprising, therefore, that when the Marquis of Lansdown made a motion, (February 17, 1794) for an address to the King, "requesting his Majesty would regard the prospect, circumstances, and effects of the war, and establish peace as soon as he conveniently could, to his own honour, and the safety and advantage of Britain," that we should find the name of Lauderdale, with that of Guilford, and Grafton, &c. included in the list of those who supported the affirmative. When the question was put, however, the advocates for peace were left in a very trifling minority, thirteen peers, including a single proxy, being all that voted for the affirmative, while the negative consisted of no less than eighty-six peers and seventeen proxies, thus constituting a majority of ninety.

The Earl of Lauderdale, in exact conformity to the principles laid down by him, .condemned the conduct

of

of ministers as highly illegal, in permitting a body of foreign troops (Hessians) to be introduced into this country without the previous consent of parlia ment," and sup, orted Lord Albemarle in his motion for a bill of indemnity.

A few days after this he objected in full parliament to the words "just and necessary war," as applied to the contest that had taken place. At the period of the voluntary donations, his lordship also moved, "that it is dangerous and unconstitutional to levy money for public use by private subscription, contribution, or benevolence, without the consent of parliament;" which was lost, there being only seven against eighty-two.

Notwithstanding these discouraging circumstances, we find his lordship moved " for a production of the minutes of the proceedings in the trial of Mess. Muir and Palmer," with a view of censuring their condemnation; he also termed the emigrant bill, which was soon after brought into the house of peers, "a sanguinary bill, calculated to make Frenchmen cut Frenchmen's throats, and totally inconsistent with his idea of national justice."

In the next session of parliament (1795) the Earl of Lauderdale made some pertinent remarks on the conduct of the ministers relative to the loan granted to the emperor, and succeeded, in consequence of a variety of questions relative to the security to be given for the repayment of the money, and bringing a suffi cient quota into the field, in forcing one of the memN

1804-1805.

bers