BOOK the war with Turkey; and under the powerful XXIV. 1791. Conven chenbach. of Belgium. mediation of England and Prussia a convention was concluded, August 1790, at Reichenbach, tion of Rei-after a negociation of some months protracted in Reduction the unavailing hope of retaining possession of Belgrade, that important fortress which, fifty years before, England had exerted her utmost influence to secure to the house of Austria. But now, swayed by Prussian counsels, and eagerly solicitous to advance the interests of that upstart and insolent power, in contradistinction to those of Austria, the antient and genuine ally of Britain, she harshly and peremptorily insisted on its restitution, in common with all the other Austrian conquests-Choczim alone being with difficulty excepted-to the Ottoman Porte. In return, the Austrian Netherlands were guarantied to the house of Austria, and the possession of the Imperial crown eventually ensured to his Hungarian majesty. The Flemings refusing, notwithstanding their present state of abandon ment, to return to the Austrian dominion, a great military force was sent into that country in the autumn of 1799, under the command of mareschal Bender, which quickly effected their total reduction, without granting the restitution of their antient privileges; and on the 1st of January, 1791, a solemn Te Deum was sung at Brussels in celebration of that happy event. The States of Brabant, through the medium of M. Vandernoodt, had ear. BOOK XXIV. 1791. nestly requested the interposition of France in support of their claims of emancipation. But the National Assembly, with a moderation approaching even to tameness, persisted for twelve months to remain tranquil and passive spectators, while the Imperial power completed the re-conquest of the Low Countries. Sweden also, disappointed in her views and projects of ambition, thought proper to sign a separate peace with Russia, August 1790, Peace signat Varela upon the Kymen, on the basis of the Sweden and former treaties of Nystadt and Abo. ed between Russia. dispute The courts of London and Berlin, elated with Alarming the success of their mediation at Reichenbach, now with Russia. in high and arrogant language signified to the empress of Russia their pleasure that peace should be restored between the Ottoman and Russian empires, on the terms of a general restitution of conquests. The empress replied with equal haughtiness, "that she would make peace and war with whom she pleased, without the intervention of any foreign power." Not however choosing too far to provoke the resentment of these formidable and self-created arbitrators, she secretly 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 expenses of the war. of the war. This was a waste and desert tract of territory, valuable only for the security it afforded to her former acquisitions, and for in BOOK cluding within its limits the strong and important XXIV. fortress of Oczakow. This being peremptorily 1791. refused, the empress broke off the conference, and determined to prosecute the war. On the 28th of March, 1791, Mr. Pitt delivered a message to the house of commons from his majesty, importing, "that the endeavours which he had used in conjunction with his allies to effect a pacification not having proved successful, his majesty judged it requisite, in order to add weight to his representations, to make some further augmentation of his naval force." And this message being taken into consideration, Mr. Pitt enlarged much on the necessity of attending to the preservation of the balance of power in Europe. "The influ. ence of the Turkish empire (he said) was of great effect in the general scale. Its present situation was such as to afford just cause of apprehension to other powers and to PRUSSIA in particular it must be highly injurious to suffer the Turkish empire to be diminished in force and consequence. He therefore moved an address, assuring his majesty that his faithful commons would make good such expenses as may be found necessary." This address was opposed with the whole strength and energy of the opposition. Formidable Mr. Fox said, "the right honorable mover of opposition in parlia- the address had enveloped himself in mystery and ment, and consequent importance, but explained nothing. When the XXIV. 1791. retractation balance of power was mentioned as a reason for BOOK arming, it ought to be shewn how it was endangered. We had no quarrel with the empress of Russia: we had no alliance with Turkey. But of Mr. Pitt. by the absurd pride of interfering in the affairs of every sovereign state, we involved ourselves in continual expense, and were exposed to the perpetual hazard of war. It was to second the ambitious policy of Prussia, and not for any interests of our own, that we were now called upon to arm. The czarina, it was well known, had offered to give up all her conquests but a barren district, unprofitable and worthless except for a single place contained in it, which place was Oczakow. But would any one seriously pretend that the balance of Europe depended upon the trivial circumstance, whether Oczakow should in future belong to the empire of Russia or of Turkey? That this was even with ministers themselves a novel idea was plain; for Oczakow had been taken in 1788, and in 1789 his majesty had assured the parliament and the nation, that the situation of affairs was such as promised us a continuance of peace."-The question was at length carried in favor of the address by 228 to 135 voices. The prospect of a war with Russia, on these frivolous grounds, gave more dissatisfaction to the public at large than any measure of Mr. Pitt's administration. And on the 12th of April Mr. XXIV. 1791. BOOK Grey moved, and supported with a very extensive display of knowledge and political ability, a series of resolutions expressive of the impolicy and inexpediency of this measure. On the part of the ministry the importance of Oczakow was magnified to a most ridiculous excess. It was styled the key of Constantinople, whence it led to the acquisition of Alexandria and the Lower Egypt. The success of the ministry in former negotiations was ostentatiously dwelt upon, and the confidence of the house challenged in terms unusually strong and pointed. Mr. Sheridan with sarcastic keenness asked the minister," on what basis this confidence was to rest? Did he recollect the different prospect to which we had been directed to turn our eyes in this year? Did he recollect that this was the promised millennium, that halcyon year in which we had been flattered, instead of fresh burdens, with a reduction of expense, and a clear surplus for the extinction of the public debt? The system we had adopted in concert with Prussia was (he said) a system of ambition, of vain glory, and of intrigue, and it had fastened upon us a concern above all others pernicious-that of English interference in German politics. As to the doctrine of confidence in ministers, he totally abjured it. The more constitutional doctrine was that of sus picion and watchfulness. The minister had in |