154] 
was, he said; that we were not 
true to ourselves. The political 
societies, in) England, had propa-. 
gated, principles inimical to it. 
The acquittal of those members 
belonging to. them, by a jury at 
the late trials, he represented: in 
the most odious light, styling them 
no better than acquitted felons. 
This’ expression was so highly. 
resented, that he was immediately 
called to order. He explained 
himself by saying, that though 
proofs had not been adduced of 
their legal guilt, it did nor fol. 
low that they were free from 
moral guilt. He justified the in. 
terference of Great Britain in 
the affairs of France, by the au, 
thority. of Vattel, whose opinion 
was, that every government, that 
is threatened, has a right to re, 
sist the power that threatens it, 
till it is secure from that power, 
Henceforth, he said, the. charac, 
ters of men would be known, 
by theig condemnation-or appro, 
val of the French revolution, tg 
which those who had hitherto act, 
ed as enemies, could not, with pro. 
ptiety, change their conduct, and 
declare for terms of conciliation 
with that people. He deprecat. 
ed the opening of a treaty with 
them, as it would lead the way 
to an intercourse, between the 
two nations, that might introduce 
into England. all the calamities 
and horrors that desolated France. 
We were not yet reduced to the 
necessity of recurring to sd dis, 
graceful a measure; we still 
were able to make the most spi- 
rited and  powerfol | exertions, 
without suffering from them ; all 
classes were competent to the 
weight of the burdens laid upon 
them; neither the rich nor the 
‘ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
poor had yet reason to. complain > 
while the former felt no, incon. 
veniences, the latter would. feel 
none, as the expences and luxu. 
ty of the wealthy were the sup. 
port of the indigent. He con. 
cluded with an exhortation, to, 
display as much firmness and per. 
severance in a good cause, as the 
French did in a dad one. 
The desire of terminating a 
ruinous war was strongly approv. 
ed by Mr. Bankes, as ° equally. 
just and indispensable; after the 
fruitless trial to reduce the enes 
my to our own terms. If no peace 
were admissible, while France was 
a republic, the war might be end. 
less. The time must, nevertheless, 
arrive, when we must treat: the 
sooner, therefore, the better, for 
both parties. Phe desertion of 
our allies, in particular, afforded 
a motive, which glone was suf. 
ficient for putting an end to. a 
contest of which they were the 
original movers. Sir Richard 
_ Hull expressed himself of the ame 
opinion. 
These explicit avowals of a 
disapprobationof farther hostilities, 
on the ‘part of members who had | 
hitherto coincided with the. mi- 
nisterial system of war, seemed. to 
strike ‘Mr. Pitt with great sur- 
prize. He denied the tendency 
of the King’s speech, to incul- 
cate the continuance of the war 
till France reassumed a monarchi. 
cal form; though he acknowledg, 
ed his persuasion, that no peace 
could be depended on, till can 
royal government was re-estahlis 
ed; the only proper one, in his 
opinion, for all the ‘European na, 
tions. The coalition, once dis. 
solved, would not easily be™ re, 
stored 5 and we then should be ; 
’ left 
