HISTORY OF EltROPE. 



i&8i 



■we had no reason to expect more 

 permanent advantages from the 

 one than from the other. Were 

 it not therefore more adviseable 

 to conclude a peace, if an honour- 

 able peace could be obtained, with 

 the present government of France, 

 and trust to our caution and vigi- 

 lance for the preservation of evil 

 designs against this country, than 

 to continue hostilities, attended 

 with an enormous waste of blood 

 and treasure, but not more produc- 

 tive of security than a pacification ? 

 Allowing the danger to be equal 

 in cither case, that which freed us 

 from an immense charge was, ques- 

 . tionless, prefel-able to the other. 

 It was vain to calculate the resour- 

 ces of the French at the rate of a 

 commercial proportion. They had 

 no commerce ; they derived no ex- 

 pectations from any other funds 

 than the productions of their soil j 

 thrse were the gifts of natm^e, and 

 could not be taken from them : 

 their industry and ing'-nuity knew 

 h(»w to turn them to the best ac- 

 count. Tlie depreciation of their 

 paper-money had not depressed 

 their affairs : it had not retarded a 

 moment tlie vigour nor the cele- 

 rity of their military operations. 

 Wherever men were willing and 

 resolved to bear with hardships, 

 historical experience had proved 

 that their resources were inexhaust- 

 ible. Courage and ability ux-re 

 th« two .main supports in all diffi- 

 culties, whether of a public or of a 

 private nature. The French had 

 conspicuously verified this maxim j 

 and it behoved us, v.'hile we testi- 

 fied our abhorrence of their con- 

 duct in GO many instar.ces, to do 

 them justice in this particular : but 

 in 8o doing, we should also rccol- 

 li'ct how i>tron;xa proof it alfolded 

 Vol. XXXVI. 



of the inutility of our efforts to re^ 

 duce such a people to compliaricft"' 

 with our demands. It was not '• 

 long since we had made a trial of 

 this nature, to our fatal cost. Oift'' '■ 

 American colonies were, if possible,"" 

 in a situation more desperate and 

 forlorn than the French: yety-'' 

 amidst our daily taunts at their dis- - 

 tresses, and our sanguine hopes of 

 their being finally compelled to 

 yield, they baffled allour strength, 

 all our Courage, all our skill, and, 

 what we chiefly relied on, as we 

 do at this present hour, all that 

 profusion of treasure which had 

 nearly brought us to destruction, as • 

 it certainly tended to such an issue 

 at this no less unhappy, if not more; 

 unfortunate period. In short, they 

 might be said to have fought our 

 riches with their poverty : a serious 

 lesson to those who think that ainu- 

 ence can compass allthines. 



Mr. Fox, in a very serious tone 

 of voice, implored the attention of 

 the House to this topic, ds a bl:n3 

 and obstinate confidence in our own 

 pecuniary resources, and in a fail- 

 ure of the pecuniary resources of 

 France, was the great spring of the 

 calamities with which we were now 

 beset and further threatened, even 

 to national disgrace and ruin. Mo- 

 ney is, in fact, only a mark or sign 

 of the value of labour. In a gene- 

 ral and comprehensive view of 

 things, money is not st) much the 

 cause, as the effect of exertion. Fir- 

 tusprcestJn/ior aitro. Great designs 

 are not to be regulated and circum- 

 scribed by. the little rules of vulgar 

 calculation. A nation may be so 

 powerful, and so fertile in inven- 

 tion, as to set derangements in 

 fir.ancc, in some measure, at defi- 

 ance. Productions of arf, as well 

 as reproduciions of nature, may. be 



carriti 



