lordships, proceeded to make a comment in illuftration and commendation of the fpeech from the throne, and concluded with moving an addrefs, aflenting, entirely, to the fentiments expreffed by his majefty, and returning thanks for his gracious communications. The earl of Upper Offory, who feconded the addrefs, commented, alfo, with much commendation, on the fpeech from the throne. He expreffed a hope that a peace, if it could be obtained, would not be partial, but comprehend in it the honour and fecurity of our allies. If it could not be obtained, this he conceived would be owing rather to the haughtinefs of the enemy than to any want of moderation on our part; and the failure of the negociation would, at leaft, have the good effect of uniting us all in one effort to compel them, by force of arms, to fubmit to reasonable terms. His lordship was full and animated in his praife of the archduke Charles. On the conduct of another power (Spain) he was not able to pronounce a panegyric; but as he hardly knew the relation in. which we flood to that power, he deemed it prudent, at present, to be filent. The earl Fitzwilliam recalled to their lordships mind how warm an advocate he had been for the war from its commencement, from an opinion of its neceffity; an opinion in which he was now, by a long feries of events, more and more confirmed. The original defigns of the enemy, tended to the deftruction of every fpecies of government, and the total fubverfion of society. He had trufted that he fhould not have heard a word of negociation, like that which had been mentioned, and was fur- exifted exifted then, and proved the neceffity of the war, did not exist now. The fyftem of fubverfion of every acknowledged principle and eftablifed inftitution continued ftill to predominate. The wifdom of the first measures, which were adopted to oppofe this dangerous evil he had always approved, and experience had confirmed. What then was there now, in the afpect of public affairs, to require a deviation from a conduct fanctioned by policy, and juftified by events? Was the fyftem which had rouzed our attention, and demanded our exertions, now extinct? Or, was it ftill the rule, by which the conduct of the enemy was directed? Their lordfhips ought to compare the views of France, at that period, with the plans which they profecuted now. The great and powerful governments of Europe were not the first who were attacked by the fpirit of aggreffion with which the enemy were actuated, but the inferior and feeble ftates had felt their overbearing influence, and their fubverfive authority. Such inftances announced their intention, and fuccefs was to afford the means of extending the application of their principles. Now we might obferve the prevalence of the fame difpofitions. They were avowed in repeated proclamations, in which their determinations to overturn the established order of the countries, to which they could dictate, was renewed. It was not their arms which we had to dread, but the fyftem by which their fuccefs was accompanied. He begged their lordships to confider the inftance of Sardinia. No fooner was the king of Sardinia compelled to fubmit to accept a peace from France, than it was fucceeded by their interference in the internal administration of his government. They infifted upon his reftoring to their liberty, and to their effects, all the perfons who had been condemned to imprison ment, or to penalties, for the propagation of their anarchical doctrines. At Rome they had fignalized their triumph, by impofing the fame degrading conditions. Were their lordships prepared to fubmit to fuch indignities? Would they act even fo as to invite fuch dif graceful interference? Would they endure the badge of diforder, which the king of Pruffia had allowed in his dominions? In Berlin the ftandard of infurrection was reared, the national cockade was worne to attract partizans, and propagate the principles, of which it was the emblem. And were their lordships prepared to allow the national cockade to be worne in this country by every man whom the French directory might chufe to confider as a Frenchman? By arms alone these attempts, and thefe difgraces, are to be refifted. Lord Fitzwilliam, having thus reminded their lordhips of the principles on which the war was undertaking, of the measures which were firft adopted, and of the undiminished neceflity for the profecution of thefe, in order to attain the great ends of general fecurity; and having alfo mentioned the conduct of the British forces, on which his majefty's fpeech had bestowed the bestdeferved praife; moved, as amendment, the infertion of what follows: "That this houfe, ftrongly impreffed with the juftice and neceffity of the prefent war, carried on for the maintenance of civil and moral order in the world, and for an lordships, proceeded to make a comment in illuftration and commendation of the fpeech from the throne, and concluded with moving an addrefs, aflenting, entirely, to the fentiments expreffed by his majefty, and returning thanks for his gracious communications. The earl of Upper Offory, who feconded the addrefs, commented, alfo, with much commendation, on the fpeech from the throne. He expreffed a hope that a peace, if it could be obtained, would not be partial, but comprehend in it the honour and fecurity of our allies. If it could not be obtained, this he conceived would be owing rather to the haughtinefs of the enemy than to any want of moderation on our part; and the failure of the negociation would, at leaft, have the good effect of uniting us all in one effort to compel them, by force of arms, to fubmit to reasonable terms. His lordship was full and animated in his praise of the archduke Charles. On the conduct of another power (Spain) he was not able to pronounce a panegyric; but as he hardly knew the relation in. which we flood to that power, he deemed it prudent, at present, to be filent. The earl Fitzwilliam recalled to their lordships mind how warm an advocate he had been for the war from its commencement, from an opinion of its neceffity; an opinion in which he was now, by a long feries of events, more and more confirmed. The original defigns of the enemy, tended to the deftruction of every fpecies of government, and the total fubverfion of fociety. He had trufted that he should not have heard a word of negociation, like that which had been mentioned, and was furprized to find fuch expreffions ufed as were common at the end of an ordinary war. Finding the addrefs, propofed by the noble earl, reechoed to the crown, only vague and loofe expreffions concerning that negociation, without the leaft attention to the grand principle on which the war was begun, he was conftrained to declare that he should ftand in oppofition to it, for he felt it impoffible to give it his concurrence. The great object of the war was the refloration of order, not with regard to the internal mode of government, which the enemy might chufe to adopt, but with regard to the influence of their external defigns; for, at the commencement of the war, their internal fyftem of government was not more dangerous than the prefent, but the influence of their opinions and defigns, externally, was terrific. To reftore order, to defend the civilized states of Europe against the dangers that threatened them, to protect perfons and property from a fatal devaftation, and fupprefs the tendency of innovating and pernicious doctrines, were the oftenfible objects of the war. Upon thefe principles their lord hips had engaged in the war, and upon thefe principles, they had fupported it. What then was the nature and the purport of the propofed address? Why, it was neither more nor less than a recommendation to his majefty to acknowledge and approve that fyftem he had formerly reprobated and opposed. If there were any wifdom in negociating now, the fame wifdom fhould have been manifefted four years ago, for he defied any man to look back and fay, that the fame caufes which existed existed then, and proved the neceffity of the war, did not exist now. The fyftem of fubverfion of every acknowledged principle and eftablifhed inftitution continued ftill to predominate. The wifdom of the first measures, which were adopted to oppofe this dangerous evil he had always approved, and experience had confirmed. What then was there now, in the afpect of public affairs, to require a deviation from a conduct fanctioned by policy, and juftified by events? Was the fyftem which had rouzed our attention, and demanded our exertions, now extinct? Or, was it ftill the rule, by which the conduct of the enemy was directed? Their lordfhips ought to compare the views of France, at that period, with the plans which they profecuted now. The great and powerful governments of Europe were not the firft who were attacked by the fpirit of aggreffion with which the enemy were actuated, but the inferior and feeble ftates had felt their overbearing influence, and their fubverfive authority. Such inftances announced their intention, and fuccefs was to afford the means of extending the application of their principles. Now we might obferve the prevalence of the fame difpofitions. They were avowed in repeated proclamations, in which their determinations to overturn the eftablished order of the countries, to which they could dictate, was renewed. It was not their arms which we had to dread, but the fyftem by which their fuccefs was accompanied. He begged their lordfhips to confider the inftance of Sardinia. No fooner was the king of Sardinia compelled to fubmit to accept a peace from France, than it was fucceeded by their interference in the internal adminiftration of his government. They infifted upon his reftoring to their liberty, and to their effects, all the perfons who had been condemned to imprison, ment, or to penalties, for the propagation of their anarchical doctrines. At Rome they had fignalized their triumph, by impofing the fame degrading conditions. Were their lordships prepared to fubmit to fuch indignities? Would they act even fo as to invite fuch dif graceful interference? Would they endure the badge of diforder, which the king of Pruffia had allowed in his dominions? In Berlin the ftandard of infurrection was reared, the national cockade was worne to attract partizans, and propagate the principles, of which it was the emblem. And were their lordships prepared to allow the national cockade to be worne in this country by every man whom the French directory might chufe to confider as a Frenchman? By arms alone these attempts, and thefe difgraces, are to be refifted. Lord Fitzwilliam, having thus reminded their lordihips of the principles on which the war was undertaking, of the measures which were firft adopted, and of the undiminished neceffity for the prosecution of thefe, in order to attain the great ends of general fecurity; and having alfo mentioned the conduct of the British forces, on which his majefty's fpeech had bestowed the bestdeferved praife; moved, as an amendment, the infertion of what follows: "That this house, strongly impreffed with the juftice and neceffity of the prefent war, carried on for the maintenance of civil and moral order in the world, and for fecuring the balance of power in Europe, and the independence of all ftates, will continue to give his majefty a vigorous fupport, in afferting the general caufe of his majefty, and his allies, and for preferving the good faith, dignity, and honour, of the crown; in full affurance, that no steps will be taken inconfiftent with thefe principles, or with the future fafety and profperity of thefe kingdoms: and fhould the apparently hoftile difpofitions of the court of Madrid, inftigated by the intrigues and menaces of the common enemy, put his majefty under the neceflity of repelling force by force, his majefty may rely on the determination of this houfe to give his majefty the moft ample fupport in defending, againft every aggreffion, the dignity, rights, and interefts, of the British empire." The earl of Guildford, though he did not oppose the addrefs, but, on the contrary, felt great pleasure in being able moft cordially to agree with what had been foably moved by his noble friend, nevertheless found it neceflary for him to make a few obfervations on the fubject. The leading feature of the addrefs, as had been juftly obferved, was to "return thanks to his majefty for his moft gracious information, that he would immediately fend a perfon to Paris, with full powers to treat, and that it was his majesty's moft anxious wifh, that the measure might lead to a general reftoration of peace." If a safe, honourable, and permanent, peace could now be obtained, he would fit down contented with all the obloquy and abufe which had been fo plentifully heaped upon himself, and those with whom he had the honour to act for the last three years. The atchieve ments of the archduke Charles, he faid, were noble and fplendid in the extreme, and, he firmly believed, they had been the means of faving the houfe of Auftria, and the whole of the Germanic body, from a state of the greateft humiliation. If thefe fortunate atchievements fhould operate, as he hoped they would, to ferve as an advantageous means of cool, temperate, and rational, negociation, they ought to be confidered as omens of great happiness to us and our ally; if, on the contrary, they fhould have the fatal tendency of reviving the inaufpicious hopes formerly entertained, and cause the parties to rife in their demands, fo as to be the means of prolonging this miferable and unavailing conteft, then they would, and ought to, be looked upon as evils and misfortunes of the deepest dye; and he was afraid they would be felt as fuch, not only by people of the prefent day, but by their pofterity, for a length of time to come. His lordfhip then faid, there was one part of what was contained in the addrefs, as well as in the fpeech of the noble mover, which he could not fuffer to pafs without making a comment; it was this: "That the internal tranquillity of the kingdom had remained undifturb ed, and the endeavours of perfons to introduce anarchy had been repreffed, by the wildom and energy of the laws." It was very true, his lordship faid, that the tranquillity of the kingdom had remained undisturbed; and it was with the greateft pleafure he could give his teftimony to this truth. He believed alfo, that this had been owing to the love and reverence the people entertained for the laws of their country; but if, by "the wildom and |