HISTORY OF EUROPE. 229 



opposite to, that which they had 

 hfid with the utmost positivrness and 

 conildence. Only two yeari^. since 

 peace, without interruption for 

 fifteen ytars, had been held out for 

 the nation as a matter of certainty, 

 logethet with the prospect of ex- 

 tinguishing a considerable propor- 

 tion of the national debt. But 

 how (jiiickly were these expecta- 

 tions converted into the deepest 

 gloom ! Twelve months scarce 

 elapsed when government, instead 

 of realizing those fair promises, 

 thought proper to involve the na- 

 tion in a war reputed avoidable 

 by a large majority, and the object 

 of wiiich had never b-jcn clearly 

 explained by its authors, thouj;h; 

 with all their subterfuges, they 

 could not conceal fnim the world, 

 that the object for which they 

 were in reality contending with so 

 much warmth, was the restoration 

 of arbitrary power in France, in 

 order, as they were accused openly 

 by some, and shrewdly suspected by 

 many, to pave the way for a simi- 

 lar establishment in this countr)'. 

 But whatevt-r motives had in- 

 fluenced ministers to precipitate 

 France and Great Britain into a 

 war, it was a lamentable circnm- 

 .stance that each of the two nations 

 should think itself under the neces- 

 sity of exterminating the other, 

 unl^si it complied with the requi- 

 xifinns respectively insisted on, and 

 urged with the utmost violence 

 and fury on eit'ier side. How 

 would the minister reconcile his 

 former ideas ot peacn with a war so 

 f-udden in its arrival, and so un- 

 l>rrcrdented in its principle? 

 A\'hether in condescendence to su- 

 perior authority, or from a very 

 speedy change in his own con- 

 ceptiotis, it was plain that he had 



embraced a system totally different 

 from that which he had originally- 

 proposed respecting France. But 

 the interference in its affairs, and 

 the alliances \v",th the continental 

 powers, had already proved the 

 entire destruction of 100,000 men, 

 without serving the cause for 

 which they had been sacrili-cd. 

 Our attempts to force the French 

 to regulate their affairs on our 

 plan, were not only fruitless, but 

 inequitable, as no right could be 

 challenged by any people to inter- 

 fere in the most domestic concerns 

 of another. In order to prove the 

 inveteracy of the French, the 

 speeches in the Convention were 

 cited, as if invectives were proofs 

 of any more than the rancorous 

 disposition of those who made 

 them, or at most of the temporary 

 rage of an exasperated enemy. 

 Nations, like individuals, Avhen they 

 became cool and composed, would 

 speak in far milder terms. The 

 French knew their interest, and 

 would pursue it ; and angry words 

 would be forgolfcn, when impe- 

 rious necessity had recalled each 

 party to the use of its reason. We 

 certain' y had no pretence to com- 

 plain of harsh expressions : we first 

 had adopted the style of abuse ; 

 the French had only followed our 

 example. It was in the mean time 

 unfair to distort the meaning of 

 the motion before the House; it 

 neither recommended breach of 

 treaties, nor a desertion of the 

 confederacy, of Which Great Bri- 

 tain was the he?d and chief support. 

 In this vtry capacity its inclina- 

 tions to pcai e would operate to the 

 s.jnie end upon our allies, whose 

 dispositions must ua'urally and ne- 

 cessarily coinc de with our own. 

 Nor if th.: frepch, on the siippwsi- 

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