156] 
our engagements to them, in the 
way of a pacification ; but surely 
the nation was not to be sacri- 
ficed to the rash promises of a 
minister. Experience had shewn 
we could depend on none of our 
allies, who were gradually desert- 
ing the cause into which they 
had drawn us. Prussia had for- 
saken it, and so probably wouid 
Austria, at a convenient season. 
The French finances were said 
to be ‘entirely exhausted ; but this 
assertion had been repeatedly made, 
and as repeatedly belied, by the 
events of every year. It had also 
been affirmed, that whenever the 
French reverted toa more mode. 
rate system, which they must ne- 
cessarily do at last, there would be 
an end to their exertions, which 
were only supported by violence ; 
but had their aétivity and efforts 
been diminished, since the fall of 
Roberspierre, when they undeniably 
adopted a plan of moderation ? 
Mr. Joliffe coincided with “Mr. 
Fox, and objected to the address, 
as binding the house to an impli- 
cit support of the war. He ex- 
pressed himself, however, highly 
averse to any treaty of peace, of 
which the French should diate 
the conditions. The debate con- 
cluded at four in the morning, 
when, on a division, seventy-three 
voted for the amendment, and 
two hundred and forty-six against 
it. 
On the sth of January, the 
discussion on the suspension of the 
habeas corpus aét was resumed 
by Mr. Sheridan. The preamble 
to that suspension stated that a 
dangerous and treasonable conspi- 
racy existed in this country; but 
a verdi in court: had shewn this 
conspiracy to be a mere fabrica- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
tion of ministers, who had exer- 
cised an illegal influence over the , 
grand jury, that found the indict. 
ment against the parties accused. 
He severely animadverted on the 
expression of acquitted felons, used 
by Mr. Windham, in the pre- 
ceding debate, as  scandalously 
misapplied. The parties had un- 
dergone the stri€test trial, and 
no pains had been spared to cri- 
minate them. Eight thousand 
pounds had been paid to the 
crown-lawyers, and -no less than 
two hundred witnesses had been 
procured against one alone, at a 
vast expence. He strongly ridi- 
culed the epithet of formidable, 
bestowed on the supposed ‘con- 
spiracy ; the strength and prepa- 
rations made by which, he jocu- 
larly stated, as consisting of an 
arsenal furnished with one pike 
and nine rusty muskets, and an 
exchequer containing nine pounds 
and one bad shilling. These were 
the ways and means with which 
the conspirators proposed to over- 
turn the government of Great 
Britain. The suspension of the 
habeas corpus act, Mr. Sheridan 
explicitly affirmed, was, in fact, 
to suspend the whole British con- 
stitation, Nothing less than im. 
minent, as well as evident dan- 
ger, could warrant such a mea- 
sure, But ministers now acted on 
the most questionable of all infor- 
mation, that of spies; a species 
of agents) more numerous and 
more employed and relied upon 
than at any preceding periods. He 
described, with great force of lan- 
guage, the various evils resulting 
to society, from the encourage- 
ment of persons base enough to 
assume so detestable, as well as 
so despicable, a charaéter. The 
people 
