against the tremendous fhock to which the minister will now expofe them. 8thly, Because I think that franknefs, fairness, humanity, and the principles of honesty, and of justice, are always in the end the best policy. And I believe it to be true in regard to nations (as well as with respect to individuals) that, "nothing that is not juft, can be wife, or likely to be ultimately profper ous." 9thly, Because I lament the more, that the house should refuse to difclaim the interfering in the internal constitution of France, inafmuch, as by the new conftitution of the French republic one and indivifible, adopted by the prefent national convention, on the 23d day of June in the year 1793, and under the title " Of the relation of the French republic with foreign nations," and by the articles 118th and 119th of that conftitution, it is declared and enacted that, "The French people is the friend and natural ally of every free nation. It does not interfere with the government of other nations. It does not fuffer that other nations fhould interfere with its own." So frank, fo fair, and fo explicit a declaration on their part, did, in my opinion, intitle them to a better fpecies of return. rothly, Because I conceive that a true republican form of government, being firmly established in France, is much more fafe to the liberties of the people of Great Britain, than the tyrannical, capricious, perfidious, fecret, intriguing, and restless, ancient monarchy of France, or than any other monarchy they could there eftablish: but, even if I were of a direct oppofite way of thinking, I would not be guilty of the grofs injuftice of at tempting to force a monarchy up- 11thly, Because I think that no war ought to be continued, that can by a proper line of moderation be avoided; and the more efpecially with refpect to the French people, who by their republican exertions, republican enthusiasm, and republican courage, have made victory the almost conftant "order of the day." 12thly, Because the continuance of fuch a bloody conteft without neceflity, appears to be a prophane tempting of divine Providence, in whofe benign and almighty hands, the fate of battles, and of empires is placed. 13thly, Because I wish to wash my hands entirely of the innocent blood that may be shed in this war with France, of all the carnage which may take place, and of all the deftruction, confufion, and devastation, (perhaps in Great Britain itself) which may enfue. 14thly, Because it was my object to preclude the government of Great Britain from attempting to ftir up, or excite infurrections in La Vendée, or any other department of the French republic; and the refolution I moved was well calculated for that purpose.-And, 15thly, Because the maxim of "Do not to others that which you would not with done to yourself,” is an unerring rule, founded upon the clear principle of justice, that is to fay, of equality of rights.It is upon this ftrong and folid ground that I make my ftand. And all public men, in order to merit the confidence of the British people, muft fhew their determination to act with franknefs, and with unequivocal good faith and justice towards the French republic. (F 3) Having, Having, upon this most important and momentous fubject, frequently stood alone; and having alfo been, upon this laft occafion, totally unfupported in the divifion, if I fhould therefore ceafe, at prefent, to attend this houfe, (where I have been placed by the mere accident of birth) fuch of my fellow citizens as are friends to freedom, and who may chance to read this my folemn proteft, will find that I have not altered my fentiments, or opinions; and that I have not changed any of my principles; for my principles never can be changed. And thofe fellow citizens will alfo find, that I hereby pledge myself to my country, that I fhall continue, what I ever have been, a zealous and unfhaken friend to peace, to juftice, and to liberty, political, civil, and religious and that I am determined to die (as I have lived) a firm and steady supporter of the unalienable rights, and of the happiness of all mankind. STANHOPE. On the 26th of January, 1795, Mr. Grey moved in the House of Com mons, That it is the opinion of this houfe, that the existence of the prefent government of France ought not to be confidered as precluding at this time a negotiation of peace. Mr. Pitt moved the following That under the prefent circumftances, this houfe feels itself called upon to declare its determination firmly and fteadily to fupport his majefty in the vigorous profecution of the prefent juft and neceffary war, as affording at this time the only reasonable expectation of permanent fecurity and peace to this country; and that for the attainment of thefe objects, this house relies with equal confidence on his majefty's intention to employ vigozoufly the force and refources of the country in fupport of its elfential interefts; and on the defire uniformly manifefted by his majefty to effect a pacification, on just and honourable grounds, with any government in France, under whatever form, which fhall appear capable of maintaining the accuftomed relations of peace and amity with other countries. Mr. Wilberforce oppofed the preceding Amendment with a view to fubftitute the following: That the existence of any parti'cular form of government in France ought not to preclude fuch a peace between the two countries, as, both in itself, and in the manner of effecting it, fhould be otherwife confiftent with the fafety, honour, and interefts of Great Britain. The queftion was first put that Mr. Grey's words do not itand part of the motion: Ayes 86-Noes 268.. The next question put, was, that Mr. Pitt's words do ftand part of the motion: Ayes 254-Noes 90. The minority on this question were understood to vote for Mr. Wilberforce's amendment, as they voted in hopes of having the queftion on it put to the houfe and carried. After Mr. Pitt's refolution had paffed in the affirmative, Mr. Sheridan moved a fecond refolution to be added to it, as follows: That this house are not of opinion, that there are circumstances in the prefent exifting government of France, which preclude all negotiation with the faid government, or render it incapable of maintain ing the accustomed relations of peace and amity with other countries. This refolution was negatived without a divifion. on juft and reasonable terms for both parties, there can be no termination of the prefent war, but in the deftruction of one of them: Confidering further, that the exiftence of fuch a competent power in France has been directly ac In the Houfe of Lords, January 27, knowledged by feveral of the powthe Duke of Bedford moved, That the existence of any particular form of government in France ought not at any time to preclude a negotiation, which might procure a peace, confiftent with the intereft, the honour, and the dignity of this country. Lord Grenville moved an amendment in precifely the fame words moved the preceding day by Mr. Pitt in the houfe of commons, on Mr. Grey's motion, which paffed in the affirmative by a majority of 88 against 15. On the 6th of February, 1795, Mr. Grey moved in the Houfe of Com mons: Refolved, That this houfe confidering, that in the fupport which it has given to his majesty in the profecution of the present war, it has at no time had any other object, but to restore to thefe kingdoms the bleffings of an equitable peace: That with a view to accomplish this humane and defirable end, every formal difficulty which may stand in the way of a pacific negotiation with the powers with which we are at war, ought, in the first inftance, to be removed; and that without fome acknowledgment of the existence of a competent power in France with which his majefty may negotiate, and conclude a treaty of peace ers in Europe, as well as by the United States of America, with all of whom, during the prefent war, France has maintained the accuftomed relations of peace and amity: And confidering alfo the exiftence of fuch a competent power in France has been, in various inftances, virtually admitted even by the belligerent powers themfelves, fome of whom have entered into public refolutions to make overtures for peace; is of opinion that the government now exifting in France is competent to entertain and conclude a negotiation for peace with Great Britain. Mr. fecretary Dundas moved the previous queftion, and on a divifion taking place there appeared, for the previous queftion 190, against it 60. 1 Because we conceive the repeated declarations made in the name of the king, and the refolutions come to by this houfe, are, as they now ftand, an effectual bar to all negotiation with the prefent government of France, which can alone be removed by a refolution of a fimilar nature to that avoided by the previous queftion, and which is become the more neceffary from the declaration of his majesty's minifters in debate, that the government of France is of fuch a character as to preclude the poffibility of treating fo long as they fhall continue to act on their prefent principles; a declaration which we conceive to be little lefs than a determination to carry on the war upon fuch principles, that it can alone be determined by the deftruction of one or both the nations. BEDFORD, Addrefs to the King, moved in the That an humble addrefs be prefented to his majefty, that his majefty's dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal in parliament affembled, have, during the war in which fo great a part of Europe has been involved, repeatedly given every affurance, that nothing fhould be wanting on their part that could contribute to that firm and effectual fupport which his majefty had fo much reafon to expect from a brave and loyal people. That at the commencement of the prefent war this houfe faw, with fatisfaction, "the United Provinces protected from invafion, the Auftrian Netherlands recovered and maintained, and places of confiderable importance acquired on the frontiers of France," and that whilst we concurred fully in the juft and benevolent fentiments of his majefty's declaration graciously communicated to this houfe, in which his majefty has ftated, that "it never could be his intention to employ the influence of external force with respect to the particular forms of government to be established in an independent country," it was with pleafure we looked forward to that happy profpect of fpeedy and permanent peace, which the fuccefs of his majefty's arms, and the wifdom and moderation of his declared intentions feemed like ly to fecure. With unimpaired zeal, however, we affured his majefty, that," relying with confidence on the valour and resources of the nation, and on the combined efforts of fo large a part of Europe, we would, on our parts, perfevere with vigour and union in our exertions." That more recently we have feen with extreme concern the rapid and alarming progrefs of the French arms, and heard with pain, in his majefty's most gracious fpeech from from the throne at the commencement of the prefent feffion, the confirmation of the melancholy "disappointments and reverses" experienced in the course of laft campaign, and fince fo fatally illuftrated by the fubverfion of one of the most refpectable governments in Europe, the antient, the natural, and the most important ally of Great Britain. With unrelaxed energy, however, we declared "our cordial fupport of fuch meafures as his majesty in his wifdom fhould think neceffary," and at an early period of this feffion refolved, That under the prefent circumstances this houfe feels itself called upon to declare its determination firmly and fteadily to fupport his majefty in the vigorous profecution of the prefent juft and neceffary war, as affording at this time the only reasonable expectation of permanent fecurity and peace to this country; and that for the attainment of these objects this houfe relies with equal confidence on his majesty's intention to employ vigorously the force and refources of the country in fupport of its effential interefts; and on the defire uniformly manifested by his majefty to effect a pacification, on juft and honourable grounds, with any government in France, under whatever form, which fhall appear capable of maintaining the accuftomed relations of peace and amity with other countries." That we now, however, approach his majesty at a moment, when, in the commencement of another campaign, we see ourselves deferted by fome of those allies on whofe powerful affiftance and cooperation his majefty during the laft campaign mainly relied, and when others, to protect whofe inperefts his majefty originally inter fered, are unfortunately thrown into the fcale of our enemies: thinking it our bounden duty humbly to ftate our conviction that it is the general opinion of his people, that no probable advantages to be obtained by continuing the war with the prefent ftate of his majesty's alliances, will bear the flightest comparifon with the folid benefit likely to accrue from an immediate negotiation for peace. That without entering into a painful enumeration of domeftic diftreffes, which, as they early called forth the falutary and healing interpofition of the legiflature, cannot have efcaped his majefty's paternal attention; or without minutely detailing the difficulties which embarrass every state in Europe that now remains in alliance with his majefty, we truft that the mere fuggeftion of these important confiderations will induce his majefty fpeedily to use every honourable and expedient means for restoring the neceflary bleffings of peace. That it is with pleasure and fatisfaction we reflect, that a negotiation fo defirable in itself cannot be deemed inconfiftent with any of those rules of the law of nations, which the wifdom of ages and the common confent of mankind have confecrated as the leading principles of national intercourfe. For every nation which governs itfelf, under what form foever, without any dependence on foreign power, is a fovereign ftate," and the exiftence of government acquiefced in by the people under its controul is the only feature in the condition of a country to which foreign powers, for the purpofe of difcovering a capacity of negotiation, ought to direct their attention; there being no form of government which has not fhewn |